good morning. whiteout, a massive winter storm gaining intensity this morning, heavy snow, ice and sleet already making driving difficult in parts of nebraska and kansas. now, it's headed east and al says it is only going to get worse. bombshell. a new twist in the oscar pistorius case overnight, a lead investigator facing attempted murder charges of his own. we're live in south africa with calls for him to be replaced. girl talk. do women really have nor say than men? research finds that may be true. i don't know. i don't think that really is exactly what happens here. i think women just like to talk. they have some opinion this is a want to express and -- squeaky

noise -- i don't see a problem with that. for many of us talking just comes naturally. any way, we have a lot to chew on, don't we. thursday february 21, 2013. from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a thursday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. >> i'm david gregory in for matt this morning. good to be here and have a chance to present the news and talk about the important issues of the day and -- joerks wait, hi. >> it's really nothing to this research. we don't even really need to do that story. >> not to play into stereotypes. go to a ballgame and my wife

says, what did you guys stalk about? we didn't really talk about anything. >> you missed out. we're going have an explanation. more on this research. a little bit of biology coming up. a more serious note. we're following breaking news in syria, ambulances rushing to the scene of a large ex-please for t the -- large explosion near a for ren embassy. >> and a school bus, caught live on tape and there were injuries. and coming up, can you trust plumbers to make repairs at a fair price? wait until you see how much some tried to charge for what should have been a very simple fix. jeff is on the case and we'll get more with that. >> we want to start with that winter storm impacting a big section of the country this morning. weather channel mike seidel is in kansas city city this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. this is a big storm that will

bring a lot of snow, possibly the most they've seen in kansas city in 20 years. this part of the country is in a terrible drought and farmers will be happy about anything falling from the sky. this may be coming soon to a side walk near you. just like this trusty mailman in michigan, millions of americans are already being challenged by a fierce winter storm. in can, they're bracing for up to 18 inches of snow in some parts. police in wichita are telling folks to stay home. >> we are asking people to stay off the roadways because of the conditions that are deteriorating. >> reporter: the latest big blast of winter is predicted to hit 18 states, affecting at least 30 million people. all from a storm that hit california and the west coast and is now moving across the country. in tulsa, oklahoma, reduced visibility has led to numerous accidents, some roads impassable and at least one person killed.

snow is usually just a four-letter word in places near san diego. while the kids seemed to love it. >> truly cool. it never snowed this much. >> reporter: drivers decidedly did not. >> started to get dicey weather and then weaw the police vehicles, they had the flair set up. >> reporter: in arizona, baseball fields in scottsdale were buried under a blanket of snow. >> no, this is not a joke. we are in arizona. >> reporter: even golfers on the pga tour ran into wacky weather in tucson. the match had to be postponed. 2 inches of snow covered the course. golfer ricky fowler demonstrated he can throw a mean snowball when he's not on the links. wow, amazing pictures on the golf course. they'll be on the links today as the temperatures warm up in tucson. meanwhile back in kansas city, they already can stockhoseled 1

flights. we have seen plenty of snow around wichita. >> and the cold weather even affecting electricity for those doing live shots. thanks for your work. al is busy as well tracking the path of this storm. good morning. >> good morning, david. a live shot of wichita, kansas. your camera bouncing from the wind. you can see the snow coming down picking up snow at a rate of 1-2 inches per hour. this is a huge storm. there are three ingredients to this system. we have the arctic high and provides cold air and the jetstream over this low and a lot of request gulf moisture streaming into it. here's what we're looking for. we have 20 states affected by winter storm watches and ice advisories and a risk of fall

weather along the gulf. storm risks are huge. 12-18 inches of snow along the nebraska-kansas border but a wider area of 12 inches of snow in kansas and 3-6 inches in rockies and to chicago. ice is a big problem as well. as much as an inch of ice falling from tulsa all the way from cincinnati and columbus and causes major problems, power outages, trees down and major roadways. as we look to the south, lots of rain from new orleans all the way to north korcarolina betwee the panhandle of florida and north georgia, we could see 7 inches of rain by sunday morning. this is a monster storm. we might be looking at a nor'easter this weekend affe affecting new england. >> lots to watch. we are following a stunning new turn in the murder case against

oscar pistorius just coming to light this morning. the man who's leading the investigation is now under investigation himself today. nbc michelle kosinski is at the court this morning and good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, savannah, this morning, one of pistorius' family members was heard saying, we are going to win today. the defense, as we speak hammers the prosecution case full of mistakes, now it turns out the chief police investigator on the case could be dropped because attempted murder charges against him have been reinstated from a shooting on the job. not good for prosecutors. oscar pistorius arrived to find out whether he will get his freedom back on bond, facing a charge of premeditated murder. for three days now the world's press. he is said to be feeling more confident. his uncle addressed the stunning allegations against him. >> oscar will survive.

he will have a tough time going forward but he is a survivor. >> reporter: wednesday, the chief investigator on the case was forced to admit mistake, a bullet left at the scene, unanswered questions not actually knowing what a substance he unequivocally called steroids in the home is and today he may be taken off the case set to be charged himself from attempted murder seven counts stemming from a shooting during an investigation a few years ago. >> the state will be left with embarrassing impression they aren't fully in control of their own case and haven't done certain crucial investigative things. >> reporter: prosecutors say pistorius shouldn't be given bond because he could leave the state and the courtroom laughed. >> i don't see any reason why it shouldn't be granted pending the trial. >> reporter: police believe pistorius with us nat telling the truth in the statement the

morning steencamp was killed and was not wearing his prosthetic legs and shooting five feet away into the bathroom thinking the burglar was inside and the police said he was wearing prosthetics and was shooting at a downward projectory and heard screams and shouting coming from the home that night and don't believe it doesn't make sense and would not have seen reeva was not in bed. the defense says there's no evidence pistorius's statement was not true and no evidence this was murder. the key question for bail, whether or not the olympic hero is likely to run from justice. just today, nike, that has sponsored pistorius since 2007 suspended the contract with him pending the outcome of all this and nike featured that ad much repeated now that features the words, i am the bullet in the chamber. >> let me ask you, how it is

this lead detective apparently is facing murder charges was on the job investigating murder cases let alone a high profile one if this case is still act e active? how did that happen? >> reporter: it's complicated. to make it short. in 2011 the shooting happened. he claimed he was in danger. there were other police involved. it involved a bus with civilians in it. those charges were dropped at the time after it was investigated. for some reason, there is some evidence being reinvestigated or the investigators are taking a better look at it and they say now there is reason for these charges to be reinstated. prosecutors who have him on this case obviously say they only heard about this yesterday and that was after they had him on the stand. strange timing exactly and now the top prosecuting body for the country of south africa is saying he should be removed from this case. there is no word yet whether he will be. >> according to one report these

charges were actually reinstated 10 days before these incidents that happened at pistorius' house. very quickly, i want to ask you something about something that seems strange in the united states. how is there it is no camera in the courtroom to watch the proceedings yet there seems to be a photo-op, for lack of a better term, of pistorius, while he just stands there before court. >> reporter: it's really at the discretion of the judge. there's been so much media pressure to get some footage or photographs of pistorius, the judge has made this concession, okay, you can be in there and record while the court is out of session. the court is only in session while the judge is present, so there is windows of opportunity here and there. sometimes the judge makes a point to let pistorius leave the courtroom and the judge stays put, the judge signaling you can't take any photos right now. at other times it's just the op. i we have a lot of journalists saying this really doesn't make a lot of sense but that's the

rule we have to go by. >> you're covering the case for us this morning. i know we're hoping to get a result on the bail issue sometime soon. thank you. natalie is here with today's top stories including this powerful explosion in syria. >> in damascus where a car bomb rocked the city killing more than 30 people and leaving charred vehicles in its wake. it struck a security checkpoint near the russian embassy. police in los angeles are investigating how a canadian tourist ended up in the water tank of a downtown hotel. ellis sa lamb's body was discovered this week in one of the rooftop water tanks. she had been missing since late january. maintenance workers had been investigating the tank after guests complained of low water pleasure. this chilling surveillance video sh shows lamb on the day she disappeared pushing multiple buttons on the hotel elevator, then stepping out in the

hallway, nervously. very chilling and hard to watch. a 12-year-old patient is undergoing surgery after accidentally catching fire in her hospital bed this month. fire officials say a combination of hand sanitizer, olive oil and static electricity caused the child to ignite. a plane crash in georgia left five people dead after going off the end of its runway. two others dead involved in the crash and under investigation. a commuter bus, this dashcam video catches the moment the it crashes into a school bus that turned right into its lane. [ loud honking ] oh, my god! >> the impact sent the commuter bus careening onto the side walk. 19 people were injured in the collision. luckily, there were no students on board the school bus at that

time. and now let's head to wall street, cnbc's jackie deangelis is at the new york stock exchange. good morning, jackie. >> good morning, natalie. it was a tough day on wall street. fears of the fed may end its efforts to revive the economy sooner than expected sending the dow to a 100 point loss, the nasdaq and s&p suffering the worst loss this year. the "boston globe" has owned the paper more than 20 years and in the past decade circulation decreased by half as readers flocking to the web for news now. >> thank you. first came the arms, then came the bangs. first lady michelle obama sticking by her doo in her new official white house portrait, this photo for her husband's second term is a bit more intimate than the first portrait. that one generated lots of buzz because she showed off her beautifully toned arms and still has those pearls around the

neck. she looks beautiful as always. >> thank you. did i hear you say nor'easter coming to town? >> yeah. i did. >> here's the deal, the european model. >> we know you love the european model. >> who doesn't? we love american models, too, but the european model has been getting it done for us. here's what we're looking at. as we start friday, makes its way up off the southeastern atlantic coast and then comes out sometime around the marv va peninsula and pushes saturday right up along the new jersey long island coastline. snowfall amounts right now, we are talking about 9 inches in boston this weekend, 8 inches in portland, albany, 4 inches, new york, less than an inch of snow. again, we have to wait for it to form and get itself together. this is what we could be looking at. we will get to your local forecast, but first this message.

>> good morning. we didn't expect any precipitation. a mixture of sun and clouds. that's your latest weather.

david. >> al, thank you. more food labeling has been found with horse meat. investigators reveal they were told of these concerns a year ago. keir simmons is in london with more. good morning. >> hey, david. good morning. this story is about a very simple question. do you know what you're putting on your plate or even your children's plate? today, we learned some schools have withdrawn it from their menu as hor meat widened. >> reporter: horse meat has been turning up in food across europe. lasagna, and being tested for dna. i would be very surprised if we don't find more instances of gross contamination. >> reporter: the scandal has many wondering what they're eating many turning to traditional butchers. this couple from new york now

live in the uk. they say people are shocked. >> they buy dinner and turns out it's horse. >> reporter: one fear horses in the food chain injected with a painkiller called bute unfit for human consumption. >> to find out afterwards it's an entirely different animal literally and you have no idea what that will do to your health, scary nor any to think about. >> reporter: scary still for complex traders and subsidiaries with just one beef product and going from france, luxembourg, france, and romania, and traveling back to the uk, hard to trace. traditional butchers say the cheap meat is to blame. >> if somebody wants to pay $2 for lasagna, at the end of the day, you get what you pay for. >> reporter: there's no suggestion yet horse meat labelled as beef has reached the u.s. but the struggle for everyone is to be sure the meat you're

buying is what the label says it i is. >> that butcher is the type that knows everyone's name and customers trust him a local store. the problem is that kind of service can cost you more and when you're trying to feed a family, every dollar counts. >> kiir simmons, thanks. a special moment in american history is making major waves along san diego's waterfront. alongside the giant kiss statute to explain, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. san diego a big military community. there are many people who think this is incredibly patriotic and others who just plain think it's an eyesore. people have actually resigned over this. a 25 foot 14,000 pound piece of art that is stirring up a plus-size controversy. it is one of history's most

iconic images, the photograph taken at the end of world war ii has become larger than life. not everyone likes how literally one artist took that. >> the ultimate in bad taste. >> reporter: stewart johnson's 25 foot statute called unconditional surrender is along the bayfront and for some, it's the epitome of romance. >> reporter: this couple renewed their vows ins the sculpture's massive shadow. >> we were photographed kissing in public in front of it. >> want to do it again? >> reporter: the statute is a giant cloud over san diego. >> it's completely out of scale to what made the photograph charming. >> reporter: it's not stewart's only controversial piece. the giant maryland in chicago and now in palm springs and it's come under fire in sarasota, florida.

in san diego, the kiss was meant to be temporary, when more than a million dollars was raised through public donations to construct a permanent version, three members of the port's art committee resigned in protest. and in a statement the sculpture foundation that sold the work said by its very nature public art is inviting dialogue. in this case, is there no question of that. >> i think it's fabulous. >> formally tacky. >> and like it or not, it is definitely attracting a lot of visitors and also a lot of attention. >> i can imagine. >> in san diego for us this morning. thanks. can we get a verdict? >> i like it. >> i like it. >> too big. >> it should be about 10 feet tall, bigger than the ship next to it. >> i like how it inspires couples to kiss each other. >> they're talking about it and people are coming to go see it. >> that's what art is. that's art. >> want to say that again? >> i just said it. inspiring people, people are

talking about it, coming down to see it. i think that esart and what art is supposed to do. >> in the eyes of the beholder. coming up -- >> if i can get a word in here, we will talk about the new proof women really do talk more than men. >> we needed a study for that? >> hidden cameras on plumbers? will they treat you fairly or charge you forrepa repairs you really don't need? this is "today" on nbc.

joy still ahead, an amazing story. a couple plays a friend's favorite slot machine on the day of his funeral and they win big. >> after your local news. [ female announcer ] from seed to spoon.

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twice as rewarding. earn double points or double miles on all your hotel stays through march thirty first. sign up now at hiltondouble.com. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. tragic story out of prince george's county. fire officials are investigating an early-morning house fire that killed a man and two children in glenarden. officials say that a man and three girls, ages 5, 8, and 10 were not breathing and had no pulse when they were arrested from the home.

paramedics were able to revive one of the children, but the other victims were pronounced dead at the hospital. time for a check on the morning commute, and it is very busy on the roadways this morning, sarah. >> we start out with a fatal accident involving a tractor- trailer on the inner loop. all traffic is being diverted at white marsh boulevard. down to 14 miles per hour. this is what it looks like a car ford road. traffic is backing up heavily on the northeast corner northwest corner, delays prior to reisterstown road. this one is still in place, an accident at 140 and 795. inner loop accident and security. if you travel this morning on the harrisburg expressway, picking up delays in the southbound direction. tapping the brakes from shawan road down to the beltway. >> nothing going on weather-

wise, except that it is cold. there is a little bit of a breeze. wind chills are running in the upper teens. big storm out of the midwest will visit us in maryland. for us, it will be a mixture of rain and snow. mostly sunny, high temperatures only in the upper 30s to around 40. thickening clouds tomorrow. a mixture of rain and snow played in the afternoon and evening.

check out conditions in wichita, kansas at this hour, a big part of the country dealing with snow and ice this morning. we'll have a lot more on that as al gives us his forecast in a few moments. check out where we will be this time tomorrow, not to rub it in. we're taking a friday field trip to south beach. it will be a sunny show. >> you're going, right? >> no. savannah let me know i would be at home tomorrow. >> i just said don't bring the speedo tomorrow. we really don't want to see it. tomorrow? >> it will be gorgeous in the low 80s. we will be down there on the beach hanging out.

>> that was a brilliant idea. miami. that's good thinking. >> our parents didn't raise fools. actually, we have great news to share. lo ride da will perform live on south beach for us. >> you really ought to come down. >> if you're in the area, you should come down and want everybody in miami to come down. we will be on the beach. >> i like how she says flo rida. >> flo rida. >> and women talk more than men. and whether that's true. >> you were talking about your wife before the program that you never could get a word in. >> no, that's not true. she knows you're trying to get me in trouble. >> he said she was a little bit of a gabber, chatty. >> science has an explanation. we will get into that because they apparently also like to talk. >> we have an interesting story, some people wondering if this is help from the heavens, we will meet a great michigan couple who

won a jackpot after they played their late friend's favorite slot machine. bitt bittersweet and we will catch up with them. we begin with a rossen report investigation. jeff and his team have looked into all kinds of contractors and this time, plumbers, will they be honest and competent. hey, jeff, we've been waiting for this. >> something asked about many time, honest or competent. when you call a plumber many times you trust them for help to find the problem and fix it at a fair price. we're at it again with our hidden cameras testing plumbers to see who gets it right and who lands in hot water. >> reporter: you stand behind your story she needs a new hot water heater. we just want a plumber to fix a small atlantleak. >> why do you want to charge her $1900?

>> reporter: these experts want to charge her for things that aren't even broken. we rented this house in suburban, new jersey. >> it should have been in your backpack. did you look in your backpack? >> reporter: home to liz, mother of four. down in this basement, she has a hot water heater in good shape. >> everything looks fine on this. >> reporter: we know because we had three experts all licensed master plumbers inspect it top to bottom. >> excellent condition. >> i'm confident that's in good working order. >> in excellent condition. >> reporter: one of the experts was pete boros, chairman of licensing board for plumbers. >> reporter: how many years in the business? >> over 30 years. >> reporter: he set up a simple problem with the heater, churning this screw just a hair to start a small leak from this valve, creating a puddle on the floor. the fix, easy. just tighten the screw, something he says any plumber should spot in a minute. >> reporter: if one of these companies says you need repairs? >> that would not be true.

>> reporter: we wired the house with hidden cameras covering every angle. >> i need someone to come out and look at my hot water heater. >> reporter: then had our mom called 10 water companies to diagnose the leak. as each company shows up, we're watching with our expert from a control room upstairs. >> there he is. >> reporter: things start off great. within a minute, this first plumber finds and fixes the problem, that easy churn of the screw. >> the drain valve was just slightly open just a hair. i just closed it. >> thank you. >> okay. >> okay. what do i owe you for that? >> that's okay. no problem. >> nothing? are you kidding? >> no problem. >> reporter: amazing. these next few plumbers also fixed the problem in just minutes. >> that's it? >> yeah. >> reporter: but our luck is about to go down the drain.

meet frank. >> liz. good to meet you, frank. >> reporter: he checks the tank. and watch, frank finds and fixes the leak, churning that screw. problem solved, but he tells our mom, there's still a drip. >> the water has to be drained and then you need a new valve put on. >> that will fix the leak? >> that will fix the leak. >> reporter: that's right, even though he fixed the leak, he still wants to put in a brand new valve. price, $359. >> what do you make of that? >> i think he's trying to take advantage of the homeowner financially. >> reporter: we have questions for frank. >> hi, jeff rossen from nbc news. you just told her she needs a new valve. why? >> it was leaking. >> reporter: you tightened it and it stopped leaking. >> it was still forming a drip. >> reporter: actually the dripping had stopped but he says he didn't want to hang around and make sure or have to come back. >> reporter: do you stand by this? >> for what i saw? yes. >> reporter: if you think he's pricey, this next plumber takes it to another level. >> the basement is right there. >> reporter: just seconds in, he

sees major problems. >> there is no fixing it, just replacing it. >> you're the expert, what do you think? >> you need a new unit, just from looking at it. >> reporter: a new unit. he says it's getting old, wet on the bottom and this corrosion means the side pipe is leaking. all wrong says our expert. this unit is in tiptop shape. why is this guy telling our mom she needs to pay for a new one? >> there's no fixing the leak except for replacing it. >> reporter: the cost, a whopping $1,675. >> hi. jeff rossen from nbc news. the leak was coming from this valve. did you check this? >> i didn't see nothing here. >> reporter: didn't see it. our expert says it was right in front of him. >> here is where i saw the leak. >> i'm feeling it. it's bone dry. >> when i first felt it there, i felt a little bit of wetness. >> reporter: do you feel it now? >> no. >> reporter: neither do i. he couldn't explain that and decided to leave. we reached out to the company owner but didn't hear back. but the biggest bill is yet to

come. meet joe. >> i'm just trying to see because i don't want you to have to spend no money you don't have to spend. >> reporter: that sounds nice. joe spends a lot of time looking, touching, staring at the heater. at first, he says this. >> i think it's coming from here. >> reporter: minutes later, he changes his tune. >> replace it, take this one out and put a new one in. >> you mean the whole thing? >> yeah. it has to be coming from that. >> the price? >> 1900 bucks. >> that's what i need to do for this leak? >> yes, ma'am. >> reporter: nearly $2,000 to replace a water heater our expert says could last another 10 to 15 years. >> reporter: why do you want to charge her $1900? >> i told her the bottom of the water heater is leaking. it was wet. >> reporter: our expert says it was a simple explanation. >> it was easy to fix, a turn of the screw. >> i told her that. >> reporter: no, you didn't. >> i told her that either way. >> reporter: i was watching hidden camera.

>> i told her either way. >> reporter: i was watching in a hidden camera. >> i'm gone. >> reporter: she said what do i need to do to fix this leak? you said a new hot water heater. our expert says it was working perfectl perfectly. >> all right. >> reporter: in the end most did what's rite and in the end almost half tried to charge money for work she didn't need. >> experts says before you pay for a hot water heater you should get estimates and ask friends for a recommendation before you find yourself in the middle of an emergency and quickly searching for a plumber. call your local consumer affairs office to make sure that plumber you hire is licensed. >> you think it can't be true this stuff goes on. >> i amazing. >> i'm happy you lived to tell about it. you're pushing it a little bit. let us get a check of the weather from al. >> thanks so much, savannah.

this storm system is massive. let's go to tulsa, oklahoma, show you what's going on there. they've been getting a lot of snow. in tulsa, there we have it. you can see the road is icy, causing a lot of accidents and this is getting wound up. we will be seeing more of this activity making its way into the mid-plains and midwest and eventually into the south with severe weather. here's what we're looking at right now as far as temperatures are concerned. this is why we're getting all this snow. look at these temperatures, all the way to oklahoma, temperatures anywhere from 10 to 30 degrees below normal. you get all that moisture coming in with the storm system, jetstream on top, why we're seeing such vigorous activity. a lot of thunderstorms being reported. 20s stretching from the plains to the northeast new england. you have to go to southern texas and southern florida to find temperatures in the 80s. >> good morning.

temperatures today will be below average. we will make it into the upper 40's. we will see mostly sunny skies don't forget any time you need that weather, especially with this big storm check out the weather channel on cable, weather channel.com. if i were you, i'd stay away from london. david. >> thanks very much. coming up next, the proof this morning women talk more than men. really? i'm not sure it's true in my house. a lot more. right after this. >> i'm just politely listening. >> yeah. exactly. the usual, bob? not today.

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go ahead, andrea, tell us. >> i don't know this applies to david. you guys were giving him quite the beating during the break. he talks a lot, right? >> he does. he's a chatty kathy. >> research shows women talk almost three times as much as men. >> what? >> i like to think we're better communicators, there may be a biological reason as well. >> women like to talk a lot. >> yes, i know. >> reporter: we've come a long way but women just can't seem to escape the old stigma. >> wow, she just never shuts up, does she? >> reporter: we talk too much. is it true? do we talk too much? >> yes, we do. we talk. women want to be heard. men don't listen so we have to keep repeating ourselves over and over to make sure we're heard. >> reporter: you like to do all the work and listen. and just say yes now and then? >> yes? and uh-huh. >> reporter: the average woman speaks up to 20,000 words a day,

that's 13,000 more than the average man. new research says there may be a reason women are better communicators, a biological explanation for all those chatty kathies out there. scientists from the university of maryland school of medicine discovered there are higher levels of a language protein called fox p 2 in female brains. we discovered this protein, fox p2 is involved in vocalizations. >> reporter: they studied a small group of young children and found 30% more of the protein in the brains of the girls. >> we can't say this is the end all be all reasoning, but it is one of the first avenues with which we can start to explore why women tend to be more verbal than men. >> reporter: what's your breaking point? >> breaking point where you just want to say shut-up. that's my breaking point. >> okay.

>> women generally speak more quickly and devote more brainpower to language. >> i take away that women have a gift for communication and expression. >> absolutely. as i said, more highly evolved. we'll talk more about that. >> i have to admit i bump that story yo type. i was talking in college and a young woman was listening to me and she goes like this and i said, what is it? she said, you are talking a hole in my head. there's more to the story. >> see, there he goes. >> you were saying your wife is a big chatter. she talks all the time. >> i did not say that. >> can she really get a word in? >> let's ask her because beth wilkinson is on the phone right now. >> oh, no. good morning to you. >> hi, honey, how are you? >> sweetheart, how are you? >> nice of you, savannah to let me actually officially get a word in edge-wise. i appreciate you. >> is he like this at home, beth? >> so i can actually speak to my husband and have him listen to

me. >> the floor is yours. >> that story about the hole in the head is true, i think i have an indentation myself. >> so he's really the chatterer in the family? >> he is quite chatty. whereas with me at dinners, mornings, noon, night, he's pretty chatty. >> we've noticed. >> beth often tells me that, you know, stop talking about yourse yourself. be a better listener. when we first met she would be reading the paper, don't you want to talk? >> ah. >> when talking, does he talk a lot about his man bags? >> that's a very unfortunate topic, al and i wish you hadn't brought that up. >> wise that unfortunate? >> she's a woman of 2350u worfe herself. beth wilkinson, thank you so much for getting on the phone. just say yes all the way, you're always right. >> thanks so much and thanks for

keeping our house quiet this week. >> well, we're sending him back to you, okay? thanks so much. still ahead, we'll talk about the michigan couple who won millions playing their late friend's penny slot machine. this happened just hours after his memorial service. a bittersweet story after this. pr , obly google. if we do a side by side blind test comparison, and you end up choosing google, you get an xbox. i'll bet you the xbox, you bet me your son. well let's look up what you need. okay, i would do the left. yeah? what?! i am a daddy! bing wins it! bing won. bing did win. people prefer bing over google for the web's top searches. don't believe it? go to bingiton.com and see what you're missing. so ditch the brown bag for something better. like our bacon ranch quesadillas or big mouth burger bites, served with soup or salad, and fries. starting at just 6 bucks, at chili's.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. busy morning. >> it has been such a mess this month, especially for motorists on the inner loop and northeast side. closures at belair road due to an overnight tractor-trailer accident. it occurred very early this morning, and a fatal accident at that. down to 13 miles per hour, affecting all the roads leading up to that area. all of them really stacked in that area. live pictures at perring parkway shows the backup. outer loop delays and a place at 140, approaching 140, all the

way down the west side due to a vehicle fire. is down 70, right on the ramp to the inner loop of the beltway, down to 18 miles per hour. southbound 95 and key highway, we have an accident taking up the left lane. delays on 95 and 895 coming to and from the tunnels. over to you, tony. >> police there's nothing going on, weather-wise. 26 at the airport, 22 in westminster, 25 in chestertown. a little breezy, wind chills are in the upper teens. by the time it gets here, it will be a mixture of rain and snow. mostly sunny this afternoon. high temperatures range between 36 and 41. we will start with dry weather in the morning. we will see a mixture of rain

and snow develop in the afternoon. mixed rain-snow on saturday as well.

8:00 now on this thursday morning, thursday february 21, 20 2013. we have to say hi to our wonderful fans who came out on the plaza to say hello, braving pretty chilly temperatures this morning. good morning to them and all of you. actually, we are very excited. as chilly as it is here, it is absolutely lovely in miami, where we're going tomorrow. 70 degrees at showtime? >> showtime, our friday field trip, very exciting. >> flo rida will give a concert. if you're in this area, come on down and enjoy the concert. >> pitbull will give us a little tour. >> i wasn't invited but i had to

sign your permission slip. >> you gave us permission to go. you are invited. >> see that structure on the beach, that's where the south beach wine and food festival takes place. >> which structure? >> right there on the beach. i'm makeing food for the q and savannah and natalie will be my chefs. >> can't wait. coming up, a high-tech way to order starbucks from your car. >> wow. a new way to multitask. also, the secret weapon used by a national geographic photographer to go where noman has gone before, the flying lawn chair. pretty cool. >> and tips our dads taught us. david, you have one your dad passed to you and keeps you in good stead even to this day? >> it does, basic manners and we will talk about it in a couple minutes. >> we want to remind everyone next week we will be live at the

vatican, as we have the final days of pope bendik, his abdication will be there and a look at the more than 1 billion catholics and who may be his successor next week on today. pope benedict. >> i look forward to that. to natalie morales with a check on today's headlines. >> good morning. as many as 30 million americans are in the path of a major winter storm that brought snow and high winds to southern arizona wednesday. it forced the first ever suspension of match play at the world golf championships? much heavy snow is causing dangerous whiteout conditions today in kansas and nebraska. hundreds of flights have been canceled. a stunning development today at the bail hearing for south african olympic star oscar pistorius. prosecutors reveal the lead investigator in the murder trial of pistorius is himself facing seven attempted murder charges over a police shooting in 2011.

meantime, nike said today it has suspended its contract with pistorius, accused of gunning down his girlfriend on valentine's day. the stunning death of a gynecologist in the baltimore area has many patients wondering if they were victims of a shocking violation of privacy. lisa myers reports. >> reporter: baltimore police are trying to identify about a thousand women seen over the last two decades by dr. nikit ara levy who practiced gynecology at johns hopkins. he was found dead monday apparent suicide after being accused of secretly photographing and videotaping patients. >> unbelievable. >> reporter: jessica was levy's patient for 11 years and said she felt very close to him. >> right now, i'm very confused. if i could speak with him, i would tell him he broke my heart, he broke my trust. >> reporter: police say they

uncovered and compare amount of evidence in levy's home removing computers, hard drives and servers full of images. >> we understand there is an extensive amount of photographs and video recordings which show patients in various states of undress and examination. >> reporter: johns hopkins says levy got caught after a fellow employee became suspicious and alerted security. the hospital says it then notified the police and suspended levy. >> words cannot express how deeply sorry we are for every patient whose privacy may have been violated, the hospital said. levy's lawyer emphasized that he was never charged with a crime. lisa myers, nbc news, washingto washington. >> all right. switching gears now for a look at what is trending today. a quick round-up what has you talking online, a starbucks fans website says the coffee chain is testing a new video drive through that provides service with a smile. it lets the customer and

starbucks employee see each other while taking and placing orders for what will be an even friendlier coffee experience. google has released a new online video demonstrating what it's like to wear the still experimental google glass. it appears the high-tech specs will respond to voice commands and hand gestures as users shoot pictures, video chat and conduct google searches. they're expected to cost about $1500 when they hit the market. mattie, the baby sloth is a smooth operator. he won the heart of a youtube poster, rachel husain, by giving her a flower. rachel says the tender but very slow gesture there made it the best day of her life. oh, so cute. 8:05 right now. let's go back outside to savannah and david. >> ah. mr. roker, it is quite cold out here this morning. >> it's a little brisk but that has not dampened the enthusiasm of our crowd, especially this

birthday girl, sarah. where are you from? >> maine. >> you're together. >> you have a posse for your birthday. fantastic. happy birthday. let's see what you have going on for you today. our friday field trip, mostly sunny, warm, nbc 6 and south florida, we are looking forward to that, let me tell you. as we check out the country, you can see on the satellite radar, there's that storm naturally told you about at the top of the newscast. we have big snow going on, some places getting 9 to 18 inches of snow, nebraska to kansas and icy conditions to the mid-mississippi river valley and strong storms into mid-mississippi and heavy rain into mid georgia and more rain with high snows and high surf advisories on the coast and advisories into the great lakes and new england. we have a nor'easter to talk about, too, all thatto

>> good morning. we didn't expect any precipitation. a mixture of sun and clouds. >> where are you ladies from? >> from maryland. >> maryland. your first trip to new york. very nice. all right. let's go back to savannah. >> all right, al, thanks. coming up, a unique way to photograph from the flying lawn chair. we'll share remarkable images. david shares the important skill he learned from his dad, the gregory grip and how you can shop like a pro. and tricks used by retailers

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tyler and mary morris are millionaires this morning and they went to a dear friend's memorial service and ended up at the end of the day winning $7.2 million at his favorite penny slot machine. quite a story. mr. and mrs. morris, good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. >> i know this is bittersweet and your friend, max anderson had been your friend 40 years and you went fishing and to the casino and i guess you did so in honor of his memorial service. tell us how this happened that you played this penny slot machine? >> i was playing craps at the palace. i looked around and my wife was playing the slot machine and she was behind me. the next time i looked she was gone. but then i felt like somebody was watching over my shoulder. i thought she wanted to leave and every time i looked, i kept looking at the same slot machine. about five minutes later, i got the same feeling and i turned

around and looked and all i saw was the same slot machine. and my friend always played penny slot machines. i decided i would play the slot machine, which i hardly ever do, especially a penny machine. i put $20 in and push a couple buttons and i guess i pushed the maximum bet on the second push, i won 7.2 -- 7 million $217,000. >> wow. you had to be overwhelmed by this. >> i -- >> go ahead. >> i believe that my friend directed me right to that machine. >> mrs. morris, when you came over, when did you find out that max had won? >> that tyler had won? i was at -- i was actually looking for him, because we were ready to go. it had been a long day. we drove 1200 miles from

michigan. the memorial was, you know, quite beautiful and so i called him on my cell phone and i said, where are you? because he usually is by the crap table. he said, i just won a jackpot and i'm waiting to get paid. so i walked over to the -- to where he -- where i thought he would be and i didn't see him. he said something about the machine being by the crap table. but i didn't -- i didn't see him, i didn't see the machine. so i kind of stood back and all of a sudden, i realized there was lots of people standing around this particular machine, called "the lord "lord of the r" i tried to get closer and a lady grabbed ahold of me and said, look, that man just won $7 million. i said, my goodness. >> mr. and mrs. morris, what an amazing story. we're so glad to have you with united states. i know your dear friend, max, is smiling down on you and his

family is really happy for you. our congratulations to you and best wishes as well. thanks for being with us. >> thank you. coming up next, the valuable lesson david learned from his dad and a very unique way to capture some of the world's most amazing places, right after this. wow, i've been claritin clear for 10 days! when your allergies start, doctors recommend taking one non-drowsy claritin every day during your allergy season for continuous relief. 18 days! 17 days!

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back now at 8:17, how one national photographer got an abarred winning shot. these incredible immanuages are available in a book called "desert air." jamie sat down with him. good morning. >> hey, david, good morning. over the years we have seen amazing work to the compare photographers who contribute to the national geographic. it's just how george steinmetz take his photos because, let's just say he's a bit of a dare devil. >> for the last 15 years, award winning photographer, george steinmetz, has been on a mission

to document the deserts of the world traveling from antarctica to the remote most corners of the earth. it has been his passion, obsession and his photos are simply stunning. take a closer look at his work. just how does he capture those birds eye images? >> i like pushing the inflammato envelope. >> reporter: the answer, what he affectionately called, his flying lawn chair. a motorized paraglider he helped create to go, yes, where no man has gone before. >> i confess when i heard about this, i sort of thought you just gracefully lifted up. >> well, it's not graceful. i'm not exactly athletic. when you do it, you don't think about things, instinctual after a while. you lay the wing out and behind you like a big kite and you get the motor running and you

basically start running like hell with 100 pounds on your back and squeeze the throttle and try to avoid any obstacle. usually within 50 feet, you're flying. >> when it's not usually, what happens? >> a lot of varieties, a lot of ways to mess up. >> reporter: this photo, after he hit a tree in china, says it all. but once he's up, he takes his hands off the controls and starts taking photos. compare images from a unique perspective no other photographer has ever captured. >> could people react when they see you up there? >> usually, who is that crazy adventure dude? if people are looking edgy or nervous, i wave with both hands and say i don't have a weapon. >> reporter: describe the landing? >> you come in fast and a few feet off the ground, pull the brake lines and my first steps are skid marks. within about four or five steps

i'm stopped on the ground. >> reporter: what does your wife think of this? >> she's not real keen on it. when we got married i wasn't doing this. shortly after a wedding, i have this great idea, i think i can fly this parachute with a motor on the back. she's like, what? she's very tolerant. >> reporter: translation, his wife is a saint, especially since she knows their three kids are lobbying for a ride. he started shooting photos more than 30 years ago when he dropped out of stanford to hitchhike through africa, eventually realizing his dream to become a photographer for national geographic. but he always wanted to know what the world looked like from up here. >> instinct. if i can get up, i can see it. i can understand it. >> reporter: for the record, his flying machine is classified as an experimental vehicle, with good reason. and his flights are not for the faint of heart.

steinmetz has occasionally run out of gas. >> i have a gas gauge on the motor, a mirror to look in the translucent tank, i can probably fly about 10 more minutes. >> reporter: occasionally crashed. how many times have you crashed? >> i don't keep track. >> reporter: ballpark? >> depends what you call crash, bodily harm, i would say 50 times. >> reporter: 50 times. >> if you were to do what i do in any other kind of aircraft, you'd be dead. like falling on a ball without football gear. it's not catastrophic. >> reporter: then there are other close calls. a country, a story, questioned in libya, detained in yemen, arrested in iran. >> they alleged i jumped out of a jet and some kind of a spy and like james bond or something. they'd seen too many movies. >> reporter: but he wouldn't have it any other way. he likes to say it's the journey

of a lifetime. >> what do you hope people will learn from looking? >> that there's a whole world out there to understand. >> he hopes he will get permission to shoots from the air in tibet. and another exotic location, the city of manhattan. the faa has not agreed. i thought i wanted to go for a ride, guys, i confess, i'm a coward. i'm glad it was snowing the day i interviewed george. remember, he has crashed 50 time times. >> i think that was just a smart decision. >> depends how you define "crash". thanks. >> you can see more of those stunning photos on today.com. >> time for you to reveal the top tip you learned from your parents. >> this is one of those life-long lessons. my dad taught me the power of a good hand shake, such a simple lesson but stayed with me. i think about it with my kids, do you have eye contact?

a firm grip. it was my dad. we were at a friend of his house, we had played tennis. me and dad at the all-star game a couple years ago. i shook his hand. and he made a point, my dad, saying, that was kind of a weak hand shake. you always want to have a firm hand shake, man-to-man, just an important part. >> how old were you when that happened? >> what? >> how old were you? >> i was about 10 or 11. >> so you've shaken many hands. >> maybe it sounds insensitive. when you're shaking a man's hand, particularly firm grip. anybody's hand, a woman maybe not as hard depending on the situation. >> good firm grip. >> good eye contact. hold it for a few seconds. make an impression. >> the holding and release is very important. >> hold and release. >> how long do you hold? >> don't you think it's true as you're growing up, if you shake somebody's hand, it's kind of limp -- wow, what was that?

>> you don't want to hold on too long or too tight. hold me, david. >> when you come in with the left, what does that mean? definitely something that stayed with me. we showed presidential photos as well. >> of all the hands you've shaken especially of fairly influential people, who would you rank in the top five? >> interesting, among the presidents, there are some, i won't say who, who have weaker handshakes, i think there's a reason for that. i think they're actually counseled a little bit when you're shaking so many hands you don't want to grip tightly over time. >> interesting. >> that's the other tip. coming up, your chance to own valuable pieces of olympic history.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here's sarah caldwell. >> dealing with the closure of idlib of the beltway at. white marsh. all traffic is being detoured at white marsh. this is what it looks like it perring parkway. belair road, sunshine ave, watch for an accident coming in to us there. speaking of delays, is down at- 70, stalled approaching 40 towards the beltway.

eastbound 70 towards the beltway, and backing traffic big time in that area. jammed from the belt way down into town. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> the sun is out. a few scattered clouds, teens in the mountains to the west. there is a big winter storm brewing in the central plains states. it is going into the midwest. i would check flights to see if there are any delays. our forecast for today is not bad. 36 to 41, the high. typically we, in the mid- forties. west, northwest winds at 10 to 15 miles an hour. friday to saturday, we could see a wintry mix both days.

only in the 40's for most of the weekend. another is from the middle of next week. >> we're back with another update at 8:56.

8:30 now on this thursday morning, the 21st of february, 2013, as we say hello to our well bundled crowd on rockefeller plaza. it is 32 degrees right now on this plaza. tomorrow, it will be approaching 70 as al, willie, natalie and i descend on south beach. we will have a great show there,

part of our friday field trip series and get a personal tour from mr. 305 himself, pitbull. >> and a live concert from flo rida and a lot more. there's pitbull. he will show us the sights of miami. look forward to seeing you. if you're in the area in south florida, come on down. we'd love to meet you tomorrow morning. >> that will be great. >> what else is coming up? >> we will talk about the survival of the cutest, all the efforts to save the giant pandas are raising questions about all those efforts and a bit of debate about it. >> the tricks of the trade when it comes to shopping, what retailers are doing to actually get you into the stores and how they're kind of maybe tricking you into buying certain items. >> we are going to visit a pet lovers' paradise. the global pet expo going on right now. >> oh, my gosh. >> in orlando. >> thank you. >> somebody, get me a chew toy. >> we will check in with jill in

a moment. first, we all remember this, one of the greatest upsets in sports histor history. >> do you believe in miracles? yes! >> the u.s. hockey team defeated the soviets during the 1980 olympic games. 33 years later, the team's captain is auctioning off his uniform used in the "miracle on ice" game. mike, good morning to you. great to see you. >> how you doing? nice to see you. 33 years, we can't believe how much time has passed. >> i know. i'm getting old. >> we all are getting old. these are treasured items, artifacts. first question, why do you want to auction them off? >> they were sitting in my attic in my hockey bag for 30 years. i kind of -- i think the older you get, the more you think of your future. fortunately for me, i think i'm doing it for the right reasons, not the wrong reason. financially, things are fine. i thought this was a great opportunity to take the money and give it to my kids' for their kids' future and i have a

foundation at home and want some of the money to go to my charity. >> can you look how tough these guys are? the shoulder pads are not very big. >> they're not. >> it was the '80s after all. >> the jersey and socks i wore in the finland game. >> there a's some in new jersey that go up for upwards of a mil y million dollars. >> that's all? i'm hoping it goes for a lot of money. it will help a lot of people if it goes for the right amount of money. i'm looking forward to a saturday night, is the auction. >> you have the game winning stick? >> yes. that's the stick i scored the goal against the soviets. >> even your socks. >> one pair of socks, i don't know where the other ones are. i'm excited about it, coming into new york city saturday night. you can even go online at aj.com and bid on things. it's an exciting -- >> is it tough to part with this stuff? >> no. because it sat in my trunk in the attic. it's not like it was something hanging in my home. when i found out how much it was

worth, i kind of took it out of the attic and put it in a safety deposit box. it just made sense for me. i have three children and two jerseys. you can't divide things up. i thought this was the best way to do it. >> mike, great to have you here. thanks for showing us this. >> thank you very much. now a look at the weather. >> the weekend ahead starting with friday, messy conditions in the upper ohio valley with snow in the great lakes. look for rain and snow in the pa pacific northwest and sunny and mild and more wet rain saturday, snow in new england, how much we have to keep an eye on that. more snow in the rockies and pacific northwest. sunday-sunday more remaining snow in new england, more snow in the plains and rockies, wet weather in the pacific northwest. sunny and cold around the great >> good morning. temperatures today will be below average.

we will make it into the upper 40's. we will see mostly sunny skies the classic. mike taking some pictures. to another classic down in florida. hello, uncle willie. >> sweet sunshine in florida. these beautiful people came to see us. they thought they were getting free smuckers. happy birthday from schmumucker. we'll take care of our buddies. alene alsobrook from east palatka, florida, on the other side of florida. 100 years old.

great tv fan, loves to get the news from newspapers, reads everyday and watches the tv. darrell sanders from beautiful wells, kansas, 100 years old today, says he puts a little pickle juice in his water everyday. that's how he's lived to be 100. we have wilella. i love that name. wilella thomas from may con, georgia, 100 years old today. a great civil rights fan. marched in the civil rights movement. god bless. al goldbaum, from mill valley, california. nature lover, loves to look at the trees and flowers, good man. opal wash of cincinnati, ohio. 105 years old. loves to read poetry and also sing hymns. >> i sing hymns all the time. i love hymns.

myron forman. he is 100 years old, boca raton, florida, across the water from where we are and loves to play golf. deetta lalle, that's the name. 103. from binghamton, new york. 103. loves to write letters. still writes letters. doesn't use the computer, she writes. back to new york, where they use computers. >> all right, willard. thanks so much. the battle over saving the giant panda. why some say the effort may not be worth the cost. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:39. no denying pandas are cute and cuddly looking. so why are some scientists

questioning efforts to save them from extension? here's nbc's kate snow. >> reporter: it's easy to see why pandas are the poster bears of the conservation movement. they're undeniably adorable. they're cute. >> very cute, incredibly cute. >> reporter: sara, a wildlife conservationist has been working here in china for 13 years. >> they're very cuddly looking, very round cheeks and big eyes. all those eyes, all those characteristics make them almost look like a human infant. i think that infantile appearance engenders our want to protect protect. >> reporter: and protecting the giant panda is what this place is all about. with so few pandas left in the wild, scientists here have been breeding pandas in captivity. these cubs are just four months old. we were given the rare opportunity to scrub up and go into the nursery where keepers watch over them. >> hi.

hey. >> reporter: these little guys spend their days sleeping, eating. this little one is just learning how to walk. >> you are too cute. look at you. >> you can touch him. >> can i? >> yeah. >> hi. >> reporter: more than 100 cubs have been born here since it opened in 1987. >> it's almost become like an industry, trying to make as many pandas as possible. >> i would say that's a fair way to explain it. >> reporter: an industry dedicated to saving the panda. what could be wrong with that? >> i think that pouring millions and millions of dollars into one species, albeit incredibly cute animal is wrong. >> reporter: a wildlife expert for the bbc, one of a growing number of scientists says with so many species becoming extinct it makes no sense to save just one. >> reporter: some say who are you to play god and decide we

shouldn't save the panda. >> who are they to play god? they picked a cute cuddly one. why don't they pick a snail or caterpillar or fly. they are already playing god, survival of the cutest. >> reporter: sara says pandas are more than cute animals, a symbol of hope for the conservation movement. >> if we truly can not save giant pandas, what does that say about us as a species and how can we have hope for any of the others if we can't save the one we profess to love the most. >> reporter: at chung du, they're convinced the millions spent to save this species is all worth it. >> you can see more at rock sender with brian williams, tomorrow, 9:00 central time on nbc. up next, tricks used by retailers to get you to spend. first, this is "today" on

back now at 8:44 with "today's" style. how to shop like a pro. retailers know just how we browse and set up their stores to get us to spend. if you're smart, you can use that to your advantage. the style editor, good morning to you. people think black friday is the great discount time. no? >> no. now is the time. go out and start shopping? studies have shown the top 20 best sale days of 2012, 15 of those were february. it's right around president's day. now is the time you want to shop. gone are the days of 60 to 70% off from 2008. right now, it's all about 47% off. if you find a bargain between 30 and 50%, go for it. >> stores know our shopping psychology. we will walk through it. the first is these beautiful display items. snatch them right up? >> no. don't snatch them right up.

the stores use display items to snooker you into their lair and want to entice you with beautiful fabrics, things trendy. don't fall for it. they're full price. stores also know people shop count counterclockwise. the reason we're doing that, stores will put the new arriv arrivals, you will see the sign here, sometimes it will say just in or right off the runway. don't fall for that. they know we will shop this way. we're very predictable animals. often, these are the full price or mildly discounted items. you don't want to fall for that. once you passed that, we go to basics and staples. >> this looks good, a promo, 2 for $20. >> thank you for pointing that out. there is a big difference between a sale item and promotional item. something $40 could get marked down to $20. a promo gives you two for something. at lucky we always talk about

the fashion calculator. this is where it comes into play. if these t-shirts are $12 each, you're really not getting such a great bargain, saving $4 for a t-shirt you didn't even need. you need to know what you want to spend and what you need in your own closet. now, savannah. >> here it is. the sale rack. >> this fashion holy grail, the sale rack. they usually hide it in the back where it's darker and harder to get to. we've shown you that's where it is and you will go to. most sale items get marked down on thursdays to kick off for a weekend sale. that's a great day to shop. if you see an item like new arrivals, in about six weeks they tend to get marked down. >> once you're in the sale rack before everybody gets in there and messes it up, do they put the really good items in this back of the rack? >> they try to mix them in there. shoppers are really savvy and hide the good items as well. you want too make sure you're reading tags and signs. don't forget to read the fine print. sometimes that select style 40%

off can only mean one or two things. always check. >> of if it says up to 40%, you will get a range. >> exactly, be a smart shopper and read the fine print. i will take you to the denim wall, if you will. denim, i don't know about you. i know for myself, i own a ton of jeans. the average american woman owns seven pair of jeans and 31% of women say they refuse to go a size up for jeans that they don't wear them, they won't fit, you know what i mean? they really just want a pair of great jeans. so what stores will do is they'll stock the denim wall with so many jeans, they'll put it right next to the fitting room because they figure the more you try, the more you will buy. >> thy thank that if a woman finds a pair of jeans that fits great, they'll buy two? >> that's right. they will buy two and three and buy them in different colors. that's what we're seeing especially spring 2013, very trendy colors an patterns. if you find the right style, you will snap up a bunch of them and you will bring them all into the

fitting room and try them on. here's another trick stores use. they put the fitting room right next to voila, the cash wrap. the reason it is so close to the fitting room is it doesn't give you any time to put anything back, once you tried it on, you've fallen in love with it, you won't go to the clear other side of the store and put it back. >> here's the thing i fall for all the time, they put these cute items next to the cash register. >> you are a marketer's dream. >> i'm a sucker. >> this is what is known as impulse buy or cross sale. you see a lot of items on the way up to the cash wrap, beauty, fashion, what have you, things $20 or under but they're full price. don't fall for it. >> ugh. >> the things at the cash wrap are usually a little bit more discounted but that's how they get i. you will buy something any way, why not throw in a few 5 or $20, you can rack your bill up that

way. >> thank you. you will be sticking around for a live chat at 9:30. you will give a lot more information. if you want more answers go to our website. next we head to the pet expo. ♪ [ harry umlaut ] hey you know what, i speak european. [ sally umlaut ] european isn't a language. i think they speak all kinds over there. nah. it's basically one language with a few variations. my cousin has a passport. uh-huh. take this fascinating muller yogurt. frut up. means "fruit up." as in creamy yogurt down below. and a delectable, aromatic layer of blended fruity, moussey, uppiness on top. frut up. as the europeans say. in their language. wow. you really are bilingual. yeah, i dated a comma in high school.

[ male announcer ] muller. the european for yummy.

if you are a pet person, orlando is the place to be this week. our animal advocate, jill rappaport is there checking out the global pet expo. good morning. >> reporter: i am in heaven. can you imagine 13 football fields long filled with every possible toy, food, gadgets, gizmo that your fur angel could possibly want. if you think i am in heaven, you can imagine when i took my little ruby on a tour of this pet fest. ♪ oh, yeah ♪ >> be good girl. be good girl. >> reporter: they say every dog has its day. this was definitely a fantasy adventure for ruby. ♪ ♪ oh yeah >> reporter: she was in absolute ecstasy at the global pet expo. this is the pet industry's largest annual tradeshow where pet lovers and loved pets from around the world flock to

orlando for a three-day animal extravaganza, which gave everyone something to bark about. >> want a bis skit? wow. they're good enough for humans? >> reporter: there are over 900 exhibitors in 2500 booths showcasing over 3,000 new products for a beloved and pampered pets. >> so you say. is this the safest one on the market and newest? >> yes. it connects directly into the seatbelt. >> reporter: it's bigger than you are. >> it will shoot up to 50 feet. >> reporter: from toy mania to tlc. >> that looks awfully good. >> reporter: ruby then caught up with her bff madison. after a little primping, these two fashionistas checked out the latest threads here and were ready to hit the town. ♪ i'm too sexy for my shirt too sexy for my shirt ♪ >> reporter: too sexy and now

too popped to move. it was a day ruby will dream about forever. >> i always like to say, let sleeping dogs lie. i have picked out some of my favorite and my animal's favorite toys here. actually, something for you guys. al, i thought of you. i want to watch this little puppy here. this is perfect. you know how you ride your bike everyday to work. look at this, check this out. you can put pepper in the front. there's actually room in the back if you want to get another rescue dog for me, al. i thought, isn't this wonderful? a portable waterer. ruby, are you thirsty? this would be great for marco rubio. >> oh, nice. >> i did not see that coming. >> and right in orlando, too, she went with that. >> right. savannah, i did leave you out. i know you're the gourmet cook. i have to tell you, when you have guests over, they'll never know these aren't for humans.

they are so delicious and they look fabulous. >> jill, david's daughter has gerb ger be gerbels. can you find something for david's daughters? >> okay. and natalie, i found this for you everywhere you go. you can travel. this is fabulous. you can stick this stake in the ground and your dog can go up to 20 feet, which is really wonderful. we have wonderful things here. we have calming sprays which definitely -- oh, dear. w whoo! it works on ruby. >> bring back the calming spray. thank you so much. we're out of time. a check on your local news.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. officials are working to determine what caused an overnight freight train derailment and the cecil county. it came off the track just after midnight.

officials determined that none of the hazardous materials on

>> it will be a quiet day, a little bit on the chilly side. high temperatures range between 36 and 41. average high is 46. rain and should not possible tomorrow. tomorrow.