we're back now with more of "today" on the 6th day of august 201. >> september. >> that's what i said, september 2012. today will be in the 80s, summer hanging out. that's what i like. and wanda sykes hanging out. you're going to help out in this hour since savannah is down in north carolina. i'm curious why you didn't jump in and help us with the vulture and things like that. >> well, i like my eyes. i like to see and wolves, i'm a

little nervous because i think a friend of mine picked up a stray and i think it's a wolf. >> you're thinking it's a dog? >> thinking it's a dog. i have to talk to her. >> have you called her recently? >> i call, the wolf answers the phone, "she's busy." >> especially if it's wearing a grandma outfit. >> you're going to co-host with us in this hour, which we're looking forward to. >> the first segment she's going to help us on is the e-buzz. we're going to get the inside scoop of everything hot in hollywood, kim kardashian. she's going to be revealing makeup secrets in a new gig with katie holmes. >> do you eat well when you're on the go? >> i try to, which means no. >> you're not a healthy snacker? >> no, no, i like chips, anything salty.

>> fritos? >> oh! and chilli fries. >> president obama will accept his party's nomination for another term. his nape was placed into nomination by former president clinton who called him a man who is cool on the outside but burns for america on the inside. he said no one would have repaired such a weak economy in just four years. the two later imbraced on stage. can you see president obama's speech at the democratic national convention tonight at 9:00 eastern, 6:00 pacific time here on nbc. >> a federal judge has cleared the way for police in arizona to begin enforcing a controversial part of the state immigration law. the measure requires police to

check the immigration status of those stopped. >> officials in costa rica are assessing the damage from the magnitude 7.6 quake. it collapsed some homes and at least one bring and it was the strongest earthquake to hit costa rica in 20 years. >> judy blume was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer. the cancer was discovered during a routine ultrasound. she said that the cancers surprised her and that she sprang into action. she she also says her surgery went well. >> there is no let up in the spread of the west nile virus. the number of reported cases

jumped 27% in a at least 87 deaths. about now taking a look at another amazing video of a determined mother duck and her eight ducklings, in a tough nail bitting safely in toronto with cars speeding by that some were actually knocked off their little feet. it was a happy ending and a very relieved mama duck. they make it all the way across the road, generating let's of web traffic. get it? today pippa middleton is celebrating her 29th birthday. she's been taking on manhattan and perhaps doing apartment hunting. on wednesday she went to the u.s. open.

and andy roddick's pro tennis career has come to annd after announcing he would require at the end of this year's u.s. open. he lost wednesday in in four sets, as his wife, brooklyn decker, tearfully looked on. roddick later thanked his fans at the end of his career saying i have loved every minute of it. he finishes with 32 tournament titles. so congratulations to him. it's go took great life ahead for him. still probably a lot more ten toys go i'm sure. >> he did such a great job representing the u.s. in the davis cup. just a great athlete. thanks so much, natalie. we have a cutie here. who is this? >> mila. from australia. >> i like the sunglasses. very nice. >> let us see what we have as far as your weather today.

hurricane leslie will be affecting bermuda and affecting the east coast with rip currents and dangerous surf. then we've also got some activity going on in the gulf. these are actually remnants of isaac. if it becomes a tropical entity, it will be named nadine. and who is this young man? >> this is tanner. >> tanner, who wants a career in broadcasting. >> good morning. the temperature will be way above average for this time of year. a mixture of sun and clouds.

>> that's your latest weather. natalie, wanda? >> thank you, al. and now to today's e-mix. since we're talking about celebrities, we have one with us right here, wanda sykes sticking around to help us out this morning. let's get started. wanda, i love this because this is a part of our segment we call the "say what" when she tells us what the celebrity said and we have to guess who said it. >> the only problem with that voice mail was that people made it out to be a way bigger dan than it was. for me it was, okay, whatever. >> i'm guessing c. >> natalie, you always get it. >> this is an interesting nt

view that ireland, kim basinger's daughter gave to page 6 magazines. she's 16 years old and she said my dad and i are really, really tight. it wasn't a big deal. >> say what? >> being sober he is a great deal. i remember looking at my life, my apartment, my dogs? >> johnny depp? >> i was thinking johnny depp. >> wrong, ladies. this is bradley cooper, which is interesting because he stars in "the hangover" but he's really candid, he said he got sober at 29 because he wanted to live to see his fullest potential. >> i did not know he has a

problem with the -- >> she's in a new phase in her life. katie is really embracing the f fashion community. katie says she's excited about this. >> she should make a line of capes. >> like the paparazzi is always chasing her. she can just -- >> the cape crusader. >> i like that idea. >> wanda, i like it. >> i throw 'em out there. >> i like it. the video -- >> the vmas are tonight. >> water cooler moment. mtv moved up the program so it ends at 10:00 p.m. eastern. rihanna is opening with two songs. rihanna is sitting by chris brown, who is very close to

drake. remember a couple months ago the alleged brawl over briana. caty perry will be there, taylor swift. >> our girl beyonce celebrated her 31st birthday. she celebrated in style on the yacht? >> a year ago she announced she was pregnant and now she's celebrating on a yacht. gwyneth paltrow -- >> it's really cute. highlighting top celebrity to the owes here. kim kardashian showed us some of her make-up secrets. >> there it is.

it's just a way to enhance your cheek bones. >> it looks like cat woman. >> i like that she showed this. we think, guys, it shows up l k look. >> oh, in is like special effects. special effects. >>. >> prosthetics, everything. >> thanks so much. >> smarwe'll be back right afte this.

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this morning, snacking on the go when you're out and about. you don't have to reach for high-calorie foods. we're here to help you find some healthy choices. good to see you. >> nice to see you, al. the deal is you're out there, snacking is not a bad thing, is it? >> it's not a bad thing if you see how often you do it and you monitor the calories. we know the drill, have a bottle of water, have some fruit but sometimes you can't find it. >> going to the mall. >> late afternoon, you're shopping you're thinking what am i going to get? the things that are good are the soft serves. this container is about 200

calories. you can cut the calories in half by sharing. >> because sharing is caring. >> the other thing is soup. >> we don't think about getting vegetable soup or tomato soup at about 12 ounces is going to be a good thing. >> one of the areas that you really have problems with is when you're traveling, you're at the airport. you tend to get really bad choices. make bad choices. >> the airport is tough. and people say the minute they walk in they're like starving, you always forget food. we're talking about a snack new york city -- a snack, not a meal. 225 calories or less. you can get a latte. or if you're looking for fruits and nut, people like that. the bags are giant.

you can stick with a bar like kind. you can see all the ingredients. under 200 calories. >> i've noticed a lot of airport concession stands nor now carrying things like this. >> if you can't find it easily at an airport, you're not going to be able to get them. kind is sold with the newspapers and kiosks. >> you go to the movie theater. this is where you can really do some damage. >> people will have a full dinner, go to the movies and have popcorn and raisinettes. so let's admit it. something that's good is a slushy. this has about 150 calories or so, a medium size. if you're looking for a choice

in the movies, get this because it serves a lot of purposes. >> bottle of water, which i'm not advocating people rip off the movie theater, but if you can hide that and bring it in, what is it like $4 for a bottle of water in the movie theater? it's almost more than the freakin' tickets. >> the other option is to get the kids meal. around 200 calories you get a little popcorn, a little candy and a diet soda. and it's downsizing and taking a look at this saying that's not nice for a snack. it's actually a nice snack. >> and at a carnival or football stadium. >> you're thinking what do i want to eat. you want to stay away from the nuts in the shells. stick for something like crackerjacks, which you can take

a zip log back, 150 calories or so. and the final -- >> candy coated popcorn, pee puts a and a prize. >> so you can always have a plain hot dog on a small bun, regular size. that's going to be 225 calories or so. that's a fairly substantial snack. i rarely would recommend a hot dog but at the ballpark it's a good choice. >> or you could have some potato chips. but you have to share. >> you have to share. >> would you eat any of this stuff? >> very informative. >> these are good. >> all right. >> no bad food. >> coming up, answers to your household mysteries.

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coming up, a new twist when entertaining. >> we'll show you how to throw a

fun and flavorful fiesta. >> plus when is the best time to book a flight? how about a hotel? travel myths and facts after your local news and weather. think twice. it may be a sign that your digestive system could be working better. listen to this. with occasional irregularity, things your body doesn't use could be lingering in your system, causing discomfort. but activia has been shown in clinical studies to help with slow intestinal transit when consumed 3 times per day. 7 out of 10 doctors recommend activia. and the great taste is recommended by me! ♪ activia try our new lunch-size grilled chicken fajitas, with sauteed onions and peppers, served with soup or salad. lunch break combos, starting at 6 bucks. enjoy them with friends, because a lunch together feeds the friendship. as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> clouds, a few sprinkles there. temperatures in the 80's to near 90. there may be a few sunbreaks, but also a chance for a few isolated showers. it stays humid into the weekend. relief is in the seven-day

you're just not my type. >> i just sat down. give it a little bit of time. >> i believe in animal attraction. i believe in love at first sight. i believe in this and i don't feel it with you. >> that's emmy award winning actress ellen barkin. now you see her performing in "the new normal," a role that's a bit of a turn for her from the more serious and steamy roles. >> it looks hilarious. >> i'm al roker along with

natalie morales and our session co-host wanda sykes. are you having a good time? >> yes, i am. i would lie if i wasn't because my mother raised me right. >> just ahead, quick cures for all those strange sounds, smells -- >> aren't you glad you're here, wanda? we're going to sort through your household ills. >> you've been a lot of traveling. do you consider yourself a bit of a travel expert? >> yes, i'm an expert at traveling. >> we are going to put you to the test on the best airfare, ways to use your frequent flying miles. >> and later, a great idea for your next party, how to throw a mexican fiesta. margaritas, baby. >> tequila! >> first, though, al, you have a check of the weather for us. >> i sure do. starting with tomorrow, we'll be

looking at sunshine up and down the eastern sea board. beautiful weather out west. hot in the southwest. on saturday, wet weather along the eastern sea board. high surf advisories as hurricane leslie makes its way to the north. cool around the great lakes. sunday we have more showers in new england, sunny skies >> good morning. it will be another warm and humid day with a slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm.

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what's in your wallet? this morning on "today"'s homes, the things that bug, from creeking floor boards to a spontaneously flushing toilet. sarah, good morning. let's get right to it. every house has quirks. the trick is fixing them yourself. >> right. >> easy, fast. >> old homes have those squeaky floor boards. what's the fix? >> heat and humidity are going to make this shrink and rub up

against each other. you take talcom powder, you want to to protect your floor with the dish towel. and put the powder between the wood. >> and you set a glass down and you get that white right there. >> we all do that. you take a white cotton cloth, put it over the stain. i iron over it. it's drawing out the moisture because the moisture has penetrated the wax. we dry it out depending on how big your stain is. you can also pour salt over the same -- >> we had a woman write into us and sap this saved my dining room.

>> this is another great one one to know. >> you get the finger sprint smudges all over it. >> stainless steel is a magnet for fingerprints and smudges, no matter how immaculate you. coffee filters and glass cleaners. use those to wipe down -- >> they are very, very strong fibers tightly woven. they pick up dirt and don't dry with streaks. that's another problem with stainless steel, right? >> often times you discover your freezer doesn't seem to be as cold. >> why is your ice cream melting? >> so what do do you? >> here you go. >> to test if your --you stick a

piece of paper in there. if it's easy to get out, you get a new gasket. >> all right. to the spontaneously flushing toilet. >> this has happened to me. you're in the other room, your toilet flushes and what's the deal? >> that's weird. >> the water from the tank is linking into the bowl and trigging an automatic flush. probably the culprit is the a faulty flapper. first you want to try to clean it. that might do it. take the water -- shut off the water to your tank, drain your tank o flush it out. use a paper towel to clean it off. >> they're usually universe al. you attach it by the sides. it's easy to reattach the new

one. you're back in business and you've saved hundred, of dollars without calling a plumber. >> sometimes you get that smell that permeates in the bathroom. what do do you about that? >> that usually happens in bathrooms you don't use very often so the pipes aren't getting enough water passing through. to stop that, every few days run every drain, run the inning, flush the pout tout let. you can add a table voon vegetablele down every drain, down the sink, down the toilet. it seals the gasses out so they can't evaporate out. >> good. speaking of stink, sometimes attics or areas with moisture tend to have smells. >> the attic, the smell, musty. check and make sure all the vents are not locked. you want clear air ways.

then can you buy some odor absorbing gel, which are really great for attics. you want to check the packaging for how much you need per swear footage. >> only a couple of these. >> where to put them. if it still smells musty, it's probably time to bite the bullet. consult pros. you might need to install fans or roof vents. >> great stuff. a lot of solutions here. thanks. >> coming up next, true or false? how to make the most when planning your next vacation right after this. ♪

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mmmm, just how satisfying of new light & fit greek? morning donut cookies chips, chips,...! silence those tempting thoughts with new light & fit greek. its creamy thick texture helps satisfy you. it has twice the protein of regular lowfat yogurt. and at 80 calories it's the lightest greek yogurt with fruit. cupcake! it's not gonna happen. new light & fit greek. be light and fit and satisfied. this morning on "today"'s travel, myth versus fact.

you're here to test our knowledge. >> i am. you guys are going to play a game to figure out whether we really know our stuff. >> we don't know ythe questions. >> it's all up to you. >> if you have enough frequent flyer miles to pay for your next flight, you should use them? >> myth. >> oh, wanda. >> no, no, not to you. >> okay, okay. >> we're not in your head. >> across the board, you're correct. it's about the value of of the frequent flyer miles. it should be 1.4 cents per mile. if you're getting a $300 flight and they're offering it to you for 50,000 miles, run away because that's $700. >> search your flights on

tuesday and wednesdays just after midnight. >> no, that's a myth! the trick part is that is when the advertised rates go up but these days it's all about last-minute rates and sudden rates. you need to help yourself by signing on to things airfare watch dog has a great fare alert and follow on twitter fly.com and follow your favorite airlines on twitter. >> when booking a cruise, your best bet is to use a travel agent. >> true. >> smith. >> i don't like cruises. >> you're opting out. >> we have half and half. this is actually true because --

>> what disad i say? >> if you can get it online, can you get it, too. plus travel agents can tell you which cruise is right for you, perk, upgrades and the cruise lines actually pay the commission so you won't get charged an extra fee. this is a big deal. once you book a flight, you can't make any changes without paying a fee. >> myth. >> you are 100% right. >> brand new rules this year means can you still within 24 hours of booking your flight change that flight for no fee, which is huge, big deal. >> way to go! >> w >> if you pay for your hotel room in advance, you may still be able to get a lower rate if that rate drops. >> that's fact. >> you guys are really good. >> we travel a lot.

>> there's new web sites that make this possible. one called tingo. they have money-backhoe tells. they track it. if the rate drops, they track it and refund you money and rebook your room. >> you're more likely to be bumped from your flight if you check in early. >> true. the earlier you check in the better off you are. there are so many great apps on the web site, the airlines -- i definitely recommend you to check it. the best day to fly in major airports are tuesday, wednesdays and saturdays. >> it is a fact and it's not only do you get cheaper flights,

you get less crowds and pick the earlier flight in the day and you'll be set. >> what does wanda win? >> she wins a trip on a cruise. >> she win as mexican fiesta and we're going to show you how

anncr: it'll start out as concrete and steel... but it'll become so much more. a new world-class resort casino in maryland. two thousand construction jobs to build it. four thousand permanent, good-paying jobs when it's done. hundreds of millions for maryland schools... real oversight to make sure the money goes... where it's supposed to. but none of it will happen unless we vote for... question seven this november.

vote for question seven. and help build a better future for maryland. looking for a new or different idea for your next party? how about hosting a fiesta. it's good to see you. >> it's good to see you, too. >> what's the one big tip for the host or hostess? >> i think the tip is to keep the recipes simple and keep the decor fun and then i think you've got a party and of course the cocktails yummy.

>> for example? >> for example, this is actually a salty dog. it's hugh acheson, who is a buddy of mine, decided to throw a party and we documented it for "better homes & gardens" magazine. >> what goes into the salty dog? >> it's this soda, which is delicious. eight grapefruit mexican soda. there's gin but we've made a virgin one here. >> sorry. >> come back, wanda. >> we can do one for you. this is a clever idea is to salt half the rim of your glass, put ice in it, put your drink in a pitcher and you can help yourself in you walk in the door. you can eat or drink from the

salty said -- side. >> are you crafty, wanda? >> no, not at all. >> okay. these are down loadable. we're going to make these cool pockets. you each have a little station here. >> all right. >> we have data lines on ours. it's like a cheat sheet. you're going to follow me. fold it in half. >> fold it in half. >> wanda, you're doing great. so far. you can fold the piece of paper in half. >> i went to a fancy school. >> fold it again on the back. turn it over, fold it again. and then you're going to fold it again. then we're going to use something called washy tape. i call it happy taken. you have all different colors to use.

>> what are you rolling? >> you're rolling? >> oh, sorry. bad habit. bad habit. >> you put your tape on and you have this cute little pocket that you can put your napkins in. oh, gosh, oh, golly. >> holy schmoley. holy molet. this is my favorite. you use a very saturated dye. eight great way to freshen up your old linens you have sitting around. if you have some old linens sitting in a drawer, can you pick a color you like and do some of these saturated dyes. it's something you can do with your kid who are a little older like around 10. >> you have a lot of free time on your hands.

>> a lot of free time. >> okay. our centerpieces are really cool. what's cool about these is we pick out the inside. and then we keep this on there and we do these cute little arrangements with them and you can use an old fashioned muffin tin to do some candles. >> and you have a pinata. >> mila is going to try it. >> we'll spin you around. >> oh, no. give it a whack. come on! [ harry umlaut ] that's one creamy muller.

[ sally umlaut ] it's greek-style yogurt. thick, scrumptious, and more protein than those regular yogurts. are those almonds i see in the corner thingy? caramelized almonds i think you'll find. well, who wants ordinary run-of-the-mill almonds when you could have the caramelized kind? if i was this girl, i'd caramelize my whole apartment. weird. this greek style yogurt has style. you can say that again. why thank you. this greek style yogurt has style. okay. stop saying it now. you're sending me mixed messages. [ male announcer ] muller. the european for yummy.