back now with more of "today" this monday morning, the 16th day of july, 2012. going to be a bright sunshiny day. it is going to be very hot in new york city and across the country, a humid day as we get another heat wave. good morning, everyone. i'm savannah guthrie alongside willie geist. >> maybe not the day to stand next to a grill and cook ribs. >> you're suffering for your art. >> best ribs ever. just ahead one of my favorite segments on the "today" show. i've got to admit, embarrassing helt questions answered. have you ever had something you were too embarrassed to ask your doctor? fear not, you've submitted your

questions to us. we have kept your anonymity and we're going to ask the doctor all about it. tune in for that in a couple minutes. >> one of my favorite segments, cool viral videos everybody is talking about on twitter. keeping up with the hottest headlines and tweets to tell you what everybody is talking about. then the perfect couple deserves the perfect gift. show you how to get high-end quality at low end prices. that's coming up. >> good wedding gifts but you don't look like a cheap skate. >> exactly. >> before wets to that, get to natalie at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning, everyone. just days after our last heat wave broke, a second round of blistering temperatures will stretch from the dakotas to the northeast. at least a dozen states are under heat advisories combined with the lack of rain this hot weather is devastating corn and soybean crops and hindering crews fighting a wildfire in northern california. president obama intensifies his critique of mitt romney's business record during a town hall meeting today in cincinnati, ohio. romney said this morning that

those attacks are, quote, dishonest and misdirected. however, romney is under growing pressure from members of his own party to release more of his tax returns. a race against time to secure the release of a 61-year-old american pastor kidnapped in egypt. the reverend lewis was taken hostage with two others as a travel by bus from cairo to mt. sinai friday. the pastor is diabetic and does not have his medicine. his family is calling for his immediate release. sportsmanship is taking the lead at the tour de france after someone dumped tacks on the raceway scuttling the stage. some got flat tires and one rider crashed as a result. officials are searching for the vandal whose disruption shook up the leaderboard. bradley wiggins who escaped the tacks, slowed the pace so the defending champ who was caught in the melee could catch up.

there was a bouncy build up to the olympic games. they twirled in air after jumping from the bridge. artists from around the world taking part in the cultural celebrations ahead of the opening ceremony on july 27. it was a cool weekend at the box office as "ice age: continental drift" took the top spot with $46 million in ticket sales. "the amazing spider-man" in second place and "ted" came in third. we promise this doesn't stink, a skunk put his nose where it didn't belong getting a bottle stuck on his head. a good and brave samaritan called animal control and they came and removed the boelgts. the skunk was just fine and so grateful it didn't even spray anyone. a romantic mystery has one photographer asking for your help. angela golic was snapping pictures of the washington war memorial when she caught take touching scene.

a man in an air force uniform proposing to a woman in the lighted pavilion. when she later reviewed the pictures she felt they belonged to the couple and embarked on her search to find them. she's posted images on facebook and youtube and they are going viral online as romantics chime in to try and track them down. we sure hope they found them. it's four minutes past the hour. back outside to stephanie. beautiful shot. >> i got the chills when i was looking at them. we have dancers on the plaza training with the rockettes. they do all type of dance. >> lyrical. >> contempb rather. >> modern. >> modern. >> hip-hop. >> jazz. >> contemporary. >> they like all types of dance. are you going to be dancing outside in the weather today? we'll show you what it will look like, too hot in portions of the midwest and northeast. that's where we saw heat advisories in st. louis. minneapolis, you're the hot spot at 100 degrees, yet you're the point farthest to the north.

>> hot and sticky weather.we art temperatures in the mid 90's. closer to 98 downtown. >> back inside to you. >> to "today's" health where we answer medical questions you're too embarrassed to bring up with your physician. for purposes of our segment, she has heard it all. >> yes, i have. >> you should tell your doctor

if they have something embarrassing. they don't care. >> no, they don't. we've seen everything. please ask us if you're concerned. >> we've been collecting questions. i recently developed toenail fungus. could i have gotten it from getting pedicures. >> you can get toenail fungus from pedicures, caused by one of many species of fungus that invades the nail by direct contact. it is possible to get it through a pedicure. what happens it causes the nail to turn white, then over time dull and distorted. but eventually it does damage the nail causing it to get thick and crumbley and yellow. you can get it on fingernails but typically on toenails because it thrives in a warm moist area. the treatments doesn't eradicate but causes new nail to grow

cleanly. pedicures are a good way to get them if they do not sterilize because you pass client to client. locker rooms are also a good area. >> wear slippers or thongs. see a doctor? >> you can try over the counter creams and ointments. they don't tend to be that effective. they offer other options. there's a nail polish for six months, an anti-fungal medication. there's a laser treatment. it's very effective but costly. >> toe fungus, check. let's move onto pink eye. we have a question. i think i have pink eye. i haven't had it since i was a kid. what causes it. >> pink eye, what it is, an inflammation of the membrane that sits on the whites of the eye on the inside of the eyelid. not only causes pink eye but tearing and discharge. you'll notice in the morning your eye lashes may be crusty. it's caused by a viral infection most commonly but also by a

bacterial infection. it is highly, highly contagious. if you have it, do not touch your eyes. if you do, wash your hands. if you're a parent and your child has it, you could easily get it from them so follow the same precautions. >> if you had it, should you wash your pillow case and sheets? >> you certainly if you had that discharge on your eye, wash the pillow case, discard any mascare, eyeliner, try to stay makeup-free, take out your contact lenses as well. >> something to see the doctor and get the drops or clears up on their own. >> the majority of cases are viral and go away on their own in three days. if it's bothering you, topical drops. if it's more severe and thick discharge you may need to see a doctor. >> my next question, i have a wart on my hand, is it contagious. >> it is contagious. warts are caused by a virus and they are transmitted when you touch skin to skin contact, which can happen by shaking hands or sharing towels and

washcloths. it is difficult for adults to get it because we've built up immunity as adults usually. kids and young adults are more susceptible because they haven't developed that immunity. if you are an adult and you have a wart on your hand, it could potentially spread to another area of your body. not likely but it's possible. >> okay. what is the treatment? >> many, many options. most over the counter ones do work well. gels, pads, ointments on the wart. for kids they tend to go away on their own. for adults they persist. if it's stubborn and not responding to over the counters, you can go to your doctor who give you all sorts of prescription topical creams, freeze it, cut it out if needed. >> it's viral, something you can catch. is the tried and true measure, wash your hands? >> that would be one way. if you're an adult, try to be conscious not to shake someone's hand if you have it. it's very difficult for an adult to get it.

>> last one is a doozy. are you ready? quote, i notice my urine has a strong odor. is there something wrong with me and what is causing it. >> urine odor. that is something embarrassing to people. urine order can vary. it depends what your secreting. normally dilute urine has no odor. if you're dehydrated and urine becomes concentrated it can take on a strong ammonia scent. if it's sweet smelling that can be due to diabetes. if it's foul smelling, it can be due to vitamins, eating certain foods like asparagus. that's a well-known one. if it's foul smelling and you're having pain it can be a urinary tract infection. >> is this something you keep an eye on? if it continues. >> the majority of the time there's nothing to be concerned about. if you're having pain, stopped eating asparagus and vitamins

and still have the smell at women's health we recommend you seeing the doctor. >> you're earning your salary today, a lot of good questions. thank you so much. coming up next, pop culture headlines including who is going to judge "american idol" next year. later making over the backyard deck is cheaper than you think. we'll show you how after this. ♪ i dare you to dare me what's today's dare? erase the damage of 100 blow-drys [ female announcer ] with daily moisture renewal from pantene. the pro-v system nourishes to lock in moisture erasing the damage of 100 blow drys for a silky, soft touch. think only salon brands can do that?

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back now with the headlines, trending topics and viral videos that are hot right now. jason kennedy is an e! news correspondent. good morning. great to have you here. >> thanks for having me, natalie. appreciate it. >> let's rundown the box office in the news, "ice age: continental drift" in the top spot. any surprises. >> ice age came on top, $46 million, did better than ice age 3. as you see the spider-man franchise coming in at $35 million. they have gotten close to $200 million. i think the big surprise was "ted" at number three, $22 million this week. it's made $160 million. who would think that a talking teddy bear would give the spider-man franchise a run for their money. >> i've got to see "ted" i saw spider-man. >> it's not for kids. >> major announcement at comic-con. >> have you been to comic-con before? >> i have not. seems like everybody is there. seems like a good time. >> you're out of place if you don't dress up.

the big story is the walker dead trailer debuted, it's 4:00 long. the fans that go, they love it. zombies are big. the fans dress up like zombies during the panel and have a zombie obstacle course. you spend $45 for people to run around and grab you. that's the big thing. long story short, some big changes coming to "the walking dead." other things, jessica beale, will play the villain in the new wolverine movie coming out. don't get too excited she hasn't made a decision yet. she's in negotiation toss talk about that. she's supposed to be married in the next few months. she's got a lot of things to decide, movies, married, what happens happening? >> good to be in those shoes, to be wanted like that. world of music, we saw the bruce springsteen, paul mccartney concert that didn't get cut short because it went long. officials in the uk pulled the

pug a little bit. what happened? >> bruce is known for going long. he was on stage three hours. he brings up sir paul mccartney. in the middle of the song before they can end the thing and say good-bye to everybody, at 10:30 some noise audience kicks in at hyde park. it's an affluent area. they decide, no more music, the police pull the plug. how can you end that, concertgoers. >> rock royalty. >> you had an nbc employee there. how can you pull the plug on rock royalty like that. twitter sphere went crazy. my favorite, mccartney on stage. don't bug me. >> that was great. good tunes there for sure. we'll hear more from that. also, rolling stones speaking of good music. a lot of talk whether they will reunite for the 50th anniversary tour. what's happening? >> it's their 50th anniversary like you said. they are just coming out with a

book. everybody in the band has been hinting that they might return to do some live shows. we do know this week some sort of announcement will take place about live concert gigs. but they did say they were in the studio. they are rehearsing. this is big. they haven't been on stage together since 2005. i guess it happens. >> there was some bad blood in the past but has all that been cleared? >> yes, keith, everybody, they are getting along now. >> "american idol," we've been talking about the changes here. j. lo last week was talking with us and sounded like she was going to quit the show. turns out, it looks like it was happening. >> you know more than anybody. she all but said she was leaving. she confirmed specifically to ryan seacrest on his radio show. she started crying saying this is a tough decision. she wants to get back to her family, acting. she's on a world tour right now. she's got stuff going on. then you've got someone like steven tyler who made this

announcement bankruptly. a lot of people caught off-guard saying he wants to return to aerosmith. it kind of looked like the guys in the band are saying, steven, we want you back. you need to get away from everything and come back to the band. that leaves randy. >> front-runners for judges, what are they talking about. we've heard mariah, a couple other big names. >> we interviewed nick cannon and he said jokingly, can you afford my wife? they are low balling, not giving lucrative contracts. the show struggled in the ratings. it's still number one, so struggling, put that in quotes. can they afford someone like mariah carey, rumors. aretha franklin expressed interest. the jury is out. randy jackson are on board now but some sources are saying he won't be back either. >> the plot thickens there. >> the plot thickens. i love this video that's gone viral. got to talk about this. two guys who hitched lawn chairs

up to 350 balloons. tell me about this. >> who knew you could do this. these guys from oregon put 350 helium balloons on the lawn chairs. this is a trial run. they wanted to fly over baghdad of all places. they were trying to get all the way to montana. unfortunately weather got in their way. my favorite part is guess how they got down if they needed to during the storm. >> somebody had to take a shot is my guess. >> somebody had a bb gun. they could shoot helium balloons down. he was quoted as saying anybody could do this. you don't need a pilot's license. >> it's an american and iraqi together. making a good statement. jason kennedy, good to have you here. please be back soon. you'll be back real soon with hoda and kathie lee talking more entertainment news. >> i'm get ready. >> you have to start drinking. coming up, looking trim before you hit the gym with slimming workout wear but first these

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. still to come on "today," a backyard makeover. show you some easy ways to spruce up your deck and garden on a budget. >> then if you're invited to a lot of showers and weddings this summer, we've got ideas to shower them with gifts for less. first your local news and weather. the wheat in every mini-wheat has gotta be just right.

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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> heat advisory in effect until 8:00 p.m. for baltimore county. a good feel like the low one hundreds this afternoon. actual temperatures get into the mid-to-upper-nineties today. chance for thunderstorms this afternoon.

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>> you know what, when you take a drug and you take a drink and you mix those two together, you think you're invincible. >> you didn't wake up some mornings thinking what did i just do? there's an epidemic, a disease out there. >> i couldn't remember. i came out of this hiv negative. >> there but for the grace of god. >> yes. i was the luckiest person in the world. >> that, of course, is the one and only elton john in a very frank conversation with matt about his drug addiction, aids crisis and you'll see much more of that on "today." i'm savannah guthrie alongside natalie morales. summer full of weddings and

engagements and showers. we love you, friends, but the gifts can add up. >> they k we'll show you some lookalikes a fraction of the cost so you can decide when to splurge and when to save. also another way to save is on your deck and backyard. you're probably spending a lot of time out there this summer. we'll show you how to give it a brand-new look for just about $200 or less. >> some great ideas. of course we all have olympic fever already. if champion athletes are inspiring you to get active, too, we'll show you the hottest new gear to make you look trim while you're trying to slim down. let's check in with stef. >> a lot of people not wanting to exercise outside today. we are going to see that heat yet again, all the way up into the twin cities. triple digit readings into the plains as well. we're going to get what i call fro pa, frontal passage of that's how geeks say it. fropa. frontal passage. that will cool you off.

>> a mixture of sun and clouds. it will feel even hotter as we get to the afternoon. closer to 98 downto >> all of that red is going bye-bye soon. >> fropa itself out. >> of course. >> new vocabulary words. >> okay, stef, thanks. coming up next, great wedding gifts whether you want to splurge or save. >> who is at the door. >> somebody answer the door. >> it's sabrina. ♪

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well, if you're getting lots of bridal shower and wedding invitations and stressing about how much to spend you don't have to. you just need to be a savvy shopper. here with splurges and low budget lookalikes is sabrina from hg tv. good morning. >> good morning. >> let's start with monogrammed robes. always a great wedding or brilgs shower gift. >> you can use them at the pool or after bathing. this one is $60. >> plush. >> these are beautiful with monogrammed, more of the waffle feel, thin. better for summer. >> about half the price. >> less than half the price. that is $168, these are $80. >> all equally comfortable.

>> both cozy. >> move over here to wind chimes. a unique idea to get a couple started off on a harmonious life together. i'm guessing the bigger one is the high. >> it is the high. it's gorgeous. >> they sound beautiful like church bells. >> so peaceful. that's $260. this is not as impressive but $60 still gives you that look. >> really good. i love it. perfect. a different kind of gift. picnic baskets a great, different kind of gift. that could get on your nerves after a while. >> on a windy day. >> exactly. tell me about these. >> this is the high. this is $200. this low is $90. >> this is all the zippered inserts. >> more accessories. an insulated bag with tupperware. this does not come with all those bells and whistles. it's a picnic. >> how often do you go picnicking? >> i don't think you need to do that unless you're a professional picnic goer.

>> this is nice a great container for drinks, beverages. the high low again. can you get them monogrammed. >> they both can be monogrammed. this is the high, the smaller, cast aluminum at $70, this is $30, the way to go. they both have a sealer so they don't rust. >> over here, a cozy comforter, blankets tell me about these. >> the high is $250. it's cashmere. both can be monogrammed. this is $50 because it's acrylic. still cozy. >> same idea, a throw. >> exactly. either one can be perfect gifts of this is more of a splurge. >> for the home chef these are fabulous to cook in, now, i'm guessing this the high. >> yes, at $305. american made, $60. >> equally as heavy. >> even pick up the tops and can you see. this goes to 450 degrees where

this can go to higher temperatures. that's the only difference. for $60, can't beat it. >> cake stands here. these are great gifts for anything. bridal shower, wedding shower. >> absolutely. bring it with the deserts, which is a great gift. high crystal $245, low is hand blown at $60. i think you can get the exact same look. this has a little bit more ea etching. >> i can never tell the difference between crystal and blown glass. also a set of knives, great gift. two great gifts, one is high, one is low. heart to tell. >> this is big price difference $546, low is $45 for the entire set. the high is forged where these are stamped knives. >> okay. >> but it's all a personal preference in what you'd rather have. >> glasses. >> goblets. >> these are actually not glass. >> those are plastic, acrylic. the set of six for the high is

$95 where the low is $18. by the pool you wouldn't want glass anyway, so i think these are great, even for kids, too. $18, you can get more than one set. >> it really shows you how you can if you shop around get a great deal. >> get more for your money. >> everybody loves luggage as a gift. >> for honeymoon or all the traveling, this is $510, this is $130. this is just a little bit thicker, more flexible, so it pops back into its original shape. this $130 for a set of three, too. >> that's fantastic. really good deals. sabrina soto. thanks for shopping it for us, high lows. >> coming up next, saving you more money with changes that make a big difference in your backyard right after this. ♪ you do

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this morning on "today's" garden, a backyard makeover on the cheap. consumer correspondent joins us with the inside deal for your deck. >> sounds impossible but we worked on it. most of your summer entertaining done outside or on your deck in the yard. sprucing up the space may seem like a big job and big bill. we looked for unique ways to do it for less. backyard blahs but no green to fix the green space. no need to panic. with some expert tips you can redo your deck for mere dollars. we challenged lifestyle expert mark jennings to do a quick make over for this family on a small budget. >> tell me what you're interested in. >> we like to entertain. we would love to lounge and sit and hang. >> we really want to maximize this space is really what you're

saying to me. >> we then gave him his marching orders. >> you have $250 though spend and nothing can be new. >> reuse, repurpose and redesign, that's what the challenge is all about. >> go shopping. >> bye-bye. >> first up, a tag sale making deals for a fraction of the cost. >> $169 carpet. it doesn't fit and my husband wants to get rid of it. make me an offer. >> $25. >> you got it. >> are you selling these? >> two for $40. >> done. >> next up, a consignment shop. >> this is a treasure. this $125 bench went for $80. >> i love the lines. it's really secure. i never walk by a dumpster without checking by what's inside. >> last, not for the feint of heart, dumpster diving, a sport for treasure hunters. >> look at this table. i think this will make a great bench.

>> back at the house, mark went to work. >> these galvanized garbage stands will become our planters. i'm going to make a couple holes in the bottom. >> after sanding and spraying this distressed bench, it looked new. >> looking for any outdoor furniture, there's a couple of things you want to keep in mind. one, is it sturdy enough to accommodate a person. two, can it last the test of time. three, can you paint it and make it look fabulous. >> with a little help from her son, soon we were ready for the big reveal. >> welcome to your new backyard deck. >> oh, my goodness. >> what do you think? >> amazing. >> i gave you three zones. a lounging zone, a dining zone, and a cooking zone. all on one deck. >> fabulous. >> the best part is i stayed under budget. >> how much? >> $215. >> what do you think? >> wow. >> thank you so much.

>> my pleasure. >> well done. >> the family is enjoying it, you know, also by cutting back and trimming the shrubs in your backyard, it will create an illusion of bigger, greener garden. little things make a huge difference. >> coming in under budget. what's the biggest mistake people make. >> first of all, don't go out and buy matchy matchy things. mix and match, and don't make the table the center. push it aside and make seating areas. lounging, cooking, eating and it was not a huge deck. >> it made a huge difference. the deck looked older but rug made it look better. >> a $250 rug, got it for $25. if you search with an open mind. >> but janice, the dumpster. >> not for the feint of heart. he never passes a dumpster.

if people are moving, garbage day. >> right on top. >> grab in the middle of the night. no one sees you. >> quick tip on the greens. plants make things look great but expensive. >> things out of season. ask for a deal. if they look shabby, give me off. they can always be nourished and come back to life. top of the line. look in the garbage. sometimes they have castaways they will give to you for free. paragraph great ideas. up next, break a sweat with slimming workout gear. first this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" style, slimming sportswear. whether you're going for a run or hitting a yoga class, looking good may inspire you a little harder to get in shape. contributor to life and style magazine. good morning. >> i love workout clothes.

it's gotten to be glamorous and well fitting as well. >> time for the olympics, a great time to get inspired, get to the gym, even take walks. women's biggest problem is they don't feel slim in their workout wear. we're going to show you great ways to motivate you to go to the gym. >> used to be you would wrap a sweatshirt to hide on conceal, now you have things. >> sometimes they are bulky prch. this is booty wrap, places for credit card, keys, phone. great ways without adding bulk. >> our first model ada, show us what it looks like to fashionably go for the run. >> this one is all about color blocking. >> can't miss you anywhere. >> so popular right now. i love that yellow. this is all from bb. the thing is if you have side piping down your leggings, it

really makes your thighs look leaner because it draws the eyes in. same with the top and jacket, color blocking, gray on the inside gives you the curvy waist. it's such a fun way to go work out. a jump rope, this is a great way, traveling, going somewhere, pack it in your bag. some bright yellow nikes, good to go. she loves it, looking in the mirror, all excited. >> go work out. ada, you look great. next look right now is karen modeling for us. >> yes. >> we see here a nice long, lean effect. love that. >> this is fabulous. the kind of thing you can work out and wear for the rest of the day, too. it's really fashionable. you don't need a big bulky sweater. this is from lucy active wear. i love the pants. almost a built-in skirt in the pants, extra coverage over the

butt which a lot of women love. she used to wear big bulky sweats now she feels slim. the skechers are great they tone your feet while working out as well. even if you go on a walk, helps with your calves and thighs. always remember take a water bottle, too. need to take a water bottle. >> fantastic. love that outfit. sarah, who is ready to hit the gym. come on in, sarah. >> time to hit the gym. this is really about the fabrics. these are the total slimming pants from marika. they literally take you down a size or two from the miracles line. a special fabric compression mesh, holds in tummy, slims thighs. built-in mesh panels, suck in

waist, lift boobs, give a longer torso. black is the most popular color in terms of slimming. pop it on top to draw the eye up. that's from beyond yoga, neon bright pink. great little bag to throw over the sides from lululemon. so chic and cute. >> i love it, the whole thing color coordinated. >> she is like i look two sizes thinner. >> who knew, miracle pants. >> it's a miracle. >> next charisma, a great look with charisma. >> some women actually want to show leg but don't want to wear shorts. it's a great alternative, skort. from gapfit. gives you shorts underneath, appropriate working out but coverage of a skirt. again, keep it darker on bottom, pop color on the top. available at target. again, great bag. the watch is by p.u.m.a., which

is great, tracks how many calories you're burning. cute headbands that don't slip off your head when you're working out. >> looks good, too. she's ready to go to yoga class. >> bright and colorful. i love these pants. extra panel over the stomach and thighs. the jacket from lululemon. the way it's lined, also enhances curves and gives you cinched in waist. play up the color. >> ladies you look great. thanks so much. coming up, kathie lee and hoda with the latest hollywood buzz but first your local news and weather. cocousti[ barks ] p]

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