good morning. sudden and severe. fierce storms tearing across the country. in the midwest, tornadoes. and hurricane-force winds. >> oh! >> farther west, heavy snow causing drivers to lose control. 50 million americans facing severe weather warnings today. direct strike. an nbc news helicopter records a man pointing a laser right in the pilot's eye. >> getting lasered. just did it again. >> the copter catching the arrest.

police custody after being tasered up to 20 times. police say it was appropriate and necessary, but the man's family is calling it police brutality. and homestretch. rokerthon 2 hits the final phase. 38 states checked off the list so far. >> utah, colorado, new mexico, arizona, the four corners! kentucky. and we're here at the honey louisiana. >> 12 more states to go, putting al on track to make weather casting history today, thursday, november 12th, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today" on a thursday morning. i hope al is feeling strong this

he's got 38 states down and a about. >> his energy has been great throughout the week. it's been fun to watch. although someone with inside knowledge told me, al, you were starting to slur your words this morning. >> hm? >> that person was right. we'll check in with al in a check. also, today, the weather is our top story. damaging winds sweeping east after a rough wednesday for tens of millions of people. morning. >> good morning. a rough night in the midwest, especially in chicago, which is living up to the nickname today. it is very breezy. dancing. this wind is expected to gust today 50 to 55 miles per hour, soon. they will blow all day today into tomorrow. >> reporter: in chicago overnight, stunning lightning lit up the windy city, as the

downed power lines and massive downpours. the storm moving east after nine suspected tornadoes touched down in iowa wednesday, destroying homes and overturning a semi that had to be lifted to clear the roads. uprooting trees and lifting this parked car into the air. in iowa city, wind gusts combined with rain and lightning. causing flooding. over 700 flights cancelled across the u.s. on wednesday alone. along with more than 4,000 delays. the weather system wreaking halve voc in the skies and on planes still grounded. in des moines, a stair car pushed into a plane. in denver, it was snow that caused a headache for air travelers and motorists. winter arriving a few weeks ahead of schedule.

>> meteorologists in this area call this fall storm a november witch, fueled in part by the great lakes. the silver lining as the storm moves east is it's running into stable air. that should calm the threat for tornadoes and severe weather, but you'll have to deal with the rain and wind. it goes without saying, air today. back to you. >> ron mott on this. thank you very much. >> let's get more on what you're expecting today, al. >> yeah, it'll be a mess. we could see more downed trees, more power outages. we'll show you what's happening. this low pressure system is still winding up. the good news is not a lot of rain with it. we'll be looking at showers and thunderstorms through the great lakes from the midwest to the interior northeast. we have 50 million people at risk from this intense low pressure system. we have severe wind watches stretching from the dakotas to the carolinas. we look for it to push from iowa to western new york state. the wind gusts could be over 60 miles per hour as this pushes to

we are looking for, during the day, wind gusts in detroit, buffalo, indianapolis, des moines to minneapolis. over 40 miles per hour winds. more trees coming down and widespread outages. the good news is it'll die down as we get into the later part of tomorrow. guys, back to you. >> al, thank you very much. we'll check back with you in a little while. dangerous laser strikes are back in the news with incidents in two major cities overnight. take a look at this. here's what happened right here in new york. a man aiming a laser right at the news helicopter for our nbc station wnbc. a stunt that ended in his arrest. nbc's tom costello covers aviation. tom, what happened? >> good morning. it's a federal crime to point a laser at an aircraft. in new york, also in dallas, by the way, but in new york, it happened with our nbc affiliate on assignment over the city when it was targeted. police moved in, and all was caught on camera.

>> reporter: the incident look place wednesday night when a chopper pilot for wnbc was flying 1500 feet above new york city. >> don't look at it. >> >>. >> reporter: suddenly, a green beam of light. >> getting lasered. just did it again. >> reporter: a laser nearly blinding the pilot and his reporter. >> you get hit in the face like that in the eyes, and you can go temporarily blind. >> reporter: he spotted a group of men who appeared to be targeting the nbc chopper and a police department chopper called in to investigate. >> you think this is a joke, huh? >> reporter: cameras catch police arresting at least one man and detaining two others. it comes after a string of similar incidents at new york city airports earlier this year. >> experts say the problem is growing at airports across the country.

in 2010, more than 2800 reports. last year, nearly 3,900. while the suspects appear to think it was a joke, those inside the aircraft say it's no laughing matter. >> we're talking about a helicopter that weighs 2 tons. imagine that coming down on your house because the pilot's vision is impaired. more serious if it's a jet liner. >> three care aircraft were targeted in dallas overnight. two commercial jets and a private business jet. these lasers are serious. they can cause temporary blindness, even permanent eye damage. the penalty for targeting an aircraft with a laser, up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine. the faa and fbi are taking this very seriously. back to you. >> as they should. tom costello, thank you very much. >> reporter: to poll itics now. donald trump is at the center of controversy again. this time after trump vowed to

use a deportation force to carry it out. peter alexander is following this story. peter, good morning. >> good morning to you. immigration is going to be a real flash point among republicans and in the general election next fall. trump has taken the toughest position of anyone in the field. this morning, his latest comments are coming under fire as trump revealed how he proposes getting millions of undocumented immigrants out of the country. >> how can you have a -- >> reporter: donald trump defending his plan to remove 11 million undocumented immigrants. >> you'll do it humanely. >> reporter: from his rivals, criticism. >> it's a silly argument. it's not an awe adult argument. it make not sense. >> it's just not possible. there's a better approach, a practical, conservative approach that solves this. >> reporter: hillary clinton blasting trump. the idea of tracking down and

is inhumane. one think tank estimates removing all undocumented immigrants would cost $400 billion to $600 billion. trump claims it can be done. it happened sixth years ago. >> moved them beyond the border. they came back. again, beyond the border. came back. didn't like it. moved them way south. they never came back. >> reporter: many consider that program, with the derogatory nickname of operation wet back, to be a stain on american history. trump didn't use that phrase. >> i don't like the term. >> reporter: critics slammed him for making the comparison. >> they'd drop immigrants in the middle of the desert and they'd die of heatstroke. how would yours be different? >> it's called good management. good man j agement practices.

>> trump hasn't explained exactly how he'd track down those living in the country illegally or how he'd determine who are the good ones, as he's described them, that he'd allow to later return to the u.s. mat >> thank you very much. major offensive launched in iraq today backed by u.s.-led air campaign to try to retake the isis-held town of sinjar. year. it was an onslaught that caused tens of thousands of people to flee. u.s. defense officials are telling nbc american war planes carried out 20 air strikes against targets there, and some 7,500 kurdish fighters are closing in on three different fronts, aiming to reclaim control and cut off a strategic supply line used by isis fighters. to russia where president vladimir putin is ordering an investigation into allegations of widespread doping among his country's athletes. a scandal that has russia facing a possible ban from next year's

olympics. keir simmons has more on putin's first comments on this subject. good morning to you. >> good morning. whether president putin's athletes can compete in next year's olympics may be determined by russia's response to the doping allegations. that response must be filed tonight. while a decision to disqualify russia medalists from the london 2012 olympics could see american athletes awarded medals instead. >> reporter: russian athletics now has a matter of hours to respond to allegations of state-sponsored doping, deceit and corruption. president putin himself declaring, russia must do everything to rid itself of this problem. this week's damming report says agents working for putin's security service were present in a moscow lab where athletes' samples were tested. the report suggests the phones were bugged. the sports minister fighting

at the 2012 olympics was worse than russia's. police are investigating officials from the international athletics body, the iaaf, over allegations of a complex conspiracy involving members of the athletic community. >> we certainly do not think that russia is the only country with a doping problem. >> reporter: will russia be banned from rio's 2016 olympics? tomorrow, the iaan and weigh? >> you will see medals being withdrawn. you will see athletes being sanctioned by the iaaf. >> reporter: if that happens, an american who competed in the london olympics 800 meters may be awarded a medal, three years after she finished fifth, behind two russian athletes, now accused of doping. >> there are so many questions. the report says russian officials repeatedly failed to

implement improvements they were told to make before the sochi winter olympics. the former president of the organization that must decide russia's fate, iaaf, say prosecutors are suspected of taking bribes s bribes. it is the reputation of world athletics itself that's on the line here. >> a lot of people will be watching what happens over the next couple days. keir, thank you very much. at home, investigators are trying to get to the bottom of what caused this deadly house explosion in a new jersey neighborhood. national correspondent craig melvin is here with the story. good morning. >> good morning. the home you just saw was leveled. several surrounding houses were also badly damaged. the explosion itself triggered a frantic search for more than a dozen people who were inside at the time. >> reporter: the surveillance video captures the shocking moment at the top of the screen. a massive explosion detroy stroying the two-family home in elizabeth, new jersey, wednesday

morning. debris shooting into the air. >> we're getting the second floor roof collapsed and there's floor. >> reporter: one man was killed, 15 others hurt, including an 11-year-old who is now in critical condition. >> most of the people were in the rear of the building. some were actually still sleeping at the time of the explosion. >> reporter: the mayor said a gas episode likely triggered the deadly explosion, but the gas company says a preliminary investigation found no indication the blast was gas related. 30 people from the neighborhood are now living in hotels. it's bad. we probably lost everything, except each other. >> reporter: wayne shepherd lived next door with his wife and child, all shaken but okay. >> went to sleep and woke up in a nightmare. >> reporter: earlier this year, a gas explosion obliterated another home, injuring more than a dozen. one month later, two people were killed when a gas explosion

rocked a manhattan neighborhood. now, in elizabeth, investigators are trying to figure out exactly what went wrong here and how to stop it from happening again. >> county officials say the force of the explosion was so strong, it blew out windows and actually knocked people out of their beds. some residents told emergency responders, they smelled gas before the accident. >> scary. thank you very much. we are learning more this morning about the nine people who died when their small plane crashed into an apartment building at akron, ohio. investigators are looking close at new video that shows the flight's final moments. here's nbc's john yang. >> reporter: look at the highlighted portion of the screen. that's the doomed jet just seconds before a fiery explosion. >> i can see it burning right now. >> reporter: as the ntsb begins its first full day at the crash site, this surveillance video is a crucial piece of evidence. it shows the plane in its final

behind the trees before banking to the left. >> looked like something from my afghanistan days. just a bomb. >> reporter: this man loves next door. he'd left home a half hour before. miraculously, no one on the ground was injured. on wednesday, investigators recovered the bodies of all nine on board the ten-seat jet. >> we want to make sure we understand all aspects of the weather and the conditions and the ground conditions. >> reporter: it was foggy and misty when the jet crashed into the busy neighborhood. visibility, 1.5 miles. the cloud ceiling, 400 feet. nbc news learned one of the co-pilots was chavez. also among the dead, diane smoot, one of the employees of pebb enterprises looking at properties across the midwest. >> it's not real yet. i'm just heartbroken. >> reporter: as both grieving

for answers. for "today," john yang, nbc news, akron, ohio. >> the ntsb recovered the flight data recorder. it's sending it to washington for evaluation. >> thank you so much. now, rokerthon 2. after a week of non-stop travel, al is nearing the finish line of his record-setting quest to hit all 50 states in one week. let's do a recap. started in hawaii before al headed to alaska, then went to the northwest. on monster monday, he knocked out a whopping 13 states with the help of a stop at the four corners. he covered ground in the midwest. wednesday, al raced across the gulf coast, crossing eight states off the list, for a total of 38. let's count the miles. well over 16,000 so far. al delivered 90 weather forecasts, snapped 38 selfies and, yes, greeted 24 goats along the way. this morning, al is in the nation's capital.

i'm exhausted just reading that. >> doesn't sound right. i'm just going to say, i'm going on record, it doesn't sound right. well, we are in the nation's capital, and we are here at the amtrak station. union station. it is amtrak station, and we are so excited. we're getting on the northeast regional number 172 to boston, ladies and gentlemen. we want to check out the district of columbia. of course, we have our fabulous ipad pro we've been using all week. love this thing. there's air rokerthon. we should have a train, i suppose. in any event, washington, d.c. today, 65 degrees. partly sunny skies. overnight low tonight, we're looking at 45 degrees. matt, give me the flag so i can put on washington, d.c.

we'll get everyone. morning. clouds thickening in. they haven't departed through the night last night. we're expecting this front to bring in some widespread scattered showers as we get into the afternoon and evening hours. 50 to 55. again today, temperatures not budging a whole lot. and the winds will be lighter today. so the umbrella, no risk of losing it. or breaking it. sunshine returning to the forecast tomorrow, but it will be windy and brisk >> i am so excited. i have to tell you, i am a train guy. we are getting on. we are going up. we're going to kick off 12 more states.

off a lot of people. whoo hoo! here we go. >> al, get the quesadilla. get the quesadilla. >> yes. good advice. i will be in the quiet car. >> i was about to say it, don't get on the quiet car. >> see you in a little while. thank you. >> get the deathly stares on the quiet car. >> safe trip. speaking of trains, we have a frightening near miss. a brazilian man inches away from getting hit by anion coming e ing oncoming train. >> it happened in rio. the man aparpt parently had no idea the train was coming toward him. he cleared the tracks with no time to spare and never looked up. the other angle shows -- i mean, it brushed his back. apparently, he kept on trucking. one lucky guy.

coming up, the easy way thieves can take control of your computer. holding your private information and photos hostage until youexclusive. unarmed man dies after being tased repeatedly by police in virginia, even after he was retrain re restrained. his sister speaks out. first, this is "today" on nbc. i see myself in every one of the students that i have. i know that it's my responsibility want someone to do for me. is important to me because i live in this community, 90 years old, looking back, reflecting on my life, i want to be able to say that i did something awesome for somebody, i helped people, you know, i helped change my community, i helped enhance someone's life. i want those to be my memories. my name is stephen and i have blue cross blue shield. jeb bush: leadership means you've got to be all in. it's not about yappin'. it's not about talking.

i was privileged to serve in florida for eight years. and we turned the systems upside down that weren't working. 1.3 million new jobs were created. we cut taxes every year. income rose in people's pockets. people were lifted out of poverty. children started to learn. as president of the united states, i pledge to you that i will solve problems. announcer: right to rise usa is responsible for the

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it' s a fact. kind of like ordering wine equals pretending to know wine. pinot noir, which means

>> this is 7news now. >> jadiann: good morning, everyone. it is 7:26. we have bri eggers standing by with a check of your forecast.

>> bri: good morning, everybody. clouds with us, thickening as we speak. it's drier this morning, for now. this afternoon and evening looks different as we see those showers pushing in. we have sunshine back if in the forecast tomorrow, but windy and brisk through the weekend. >> jadiann: a state trooper has has been released from the hospital. state police say a pick-up truck driver headed the wrong-way crashed into the cruiser. the trooper was trapped in the vehicle at one point. investigators say the driver was an elderly man who has medical issues. boston police are warning users of online dating sites after a string of armed robberies connecting to catfishing. in the last five weeks six people reported being lured the homes in roxbury and mattapan. when they showed up, a man pulled out a gun and robbed them according to police. we're back in 25 minutes with another update.

now, he's a conductor. 7:30 on this thursday morning. it's the 12th day of november, 2015. there's al on the rails, riding amtrak. >> 4th grade dreams are coming true this week. >> from our nation's capital to boston, all part of rokerthon 2. we'll check in with al in a couple of minutes. >> there he is, pretending to read the newspaper. we'll give you the headlines. you don't need to do it. >> i'm reading the comics. >> okay. here are the stories making headlines on a thursday morning. powerful storms racing east after hammering the midwest. at least nine tornadoes reported

in iowa. today, about 50 million are under wind advisories and high wind warnings, as well. the faa is investigating new laser attacks on aircraft, including this one that targeted our new york station's news helicopter overnight. the crew guided the police to arrested. in dallas, three planes were hit by laser beams as they approached love field. a natural gas leak is suspected of causing this to explode. at least one person was killed. 15 others were injured. also, several nearby buildings damaged by the blast. no shave today campaign is in swing, as guys put away the razors for the month of november to draw attention to men's health issues. if you're afraid of going to the doctor, think about this, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the united states. killing about 300,000 every year. in 2015, more than 220,000 new

cases of prostate cancer and 8,000 cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed. so if you're a man or there is a man in your life you care about, make sure you get the checkups that are appropriate for your age group. coming up, we'll show you what happened when i recently got a full body scan. >> in full tie, i noticed. >> they said, you don't have to get undressed for this. >> that's a powerful scanner right there. by the way, at the end of the month, we'll host a shave off for the guys taking part in our campaign. head to the today.com to rsvp. share your photos with the #no shave today. most importantly, remember the public health message that underscores this. >> it's not just about fuzzy faces. that's for sure. we'll look at troubling video obtained as part of an msnbc investigation. unarmed virginia man tased repeatedly, restrained and tased again, before dying in police

msnbc chief legal correspondent broke the story. good morning. >> good morning. during the investigation, we obtained both police and hospital surveillance video of the incident. we'll warn you, some of the images are disturbing. lawyers will be in the court for the civil case brought against the officers. >> reporter: linwood lambert was acting paranoid when police arrived. >> we'll take you to the emergency room. >> reporter: once at the hospital, lambert is seen kicking out the police car window and running toward the er. they raised him at the doorway, then tased him to the ground. >> every time you get up, i'm going to pop you. >> i didn't do nothing. >> i'm going to light you up again. roll over. >> reporter: instead of bringing lambert inside the hospital,

arms and legs cuffed, he's slumped, when they taiz him again. the squad car then takes lambert to jail, where officers find he's unresponsive. he's then taken by ambulance back to the same er where he's pronounced dead on arrival an hour after the incident began. lambert's sister just recently saw the tapes. a court ordered police to provide them after she sued the officers for $25 million. >> i got up and went to the grave site and i talked to my brother. i said, i'm sorry. i'm so sorry for what they did to you because i didn't know. >> reporter: the police deny the family's allegations and say the taizings were appropriate and necessary because lambert's behavior put persons at risk. but federal guidelines say repeat taizings may increase the risk of death or serious injury. law enforcement experts note force is only allowed on combative suspects.

>> there's no possible justification to taser a man shackled and restrained like this in the back of a police car. >> reporter: lambert's family is calling it police brutality, saying the taizings caused his death. the autopsy notes taizing wounds but lists the cause of death as cocaine intoxication. small says nothing will bring her big brother back, but she hopes his story will spur action. >> you want justice. what would justice look like here? >> jail time. jail. >> while that civil case has a hearing in federal court today, the local prosecutor also tells me the criminal inquiry remains open and will go on as long as it takes to determine what happened that night. >> it's stunning. this happened in may and, yet, this video never came out after his death. civil trial. >> that's right. under court order, that's when the family got the tapes. for two years, they never knew

what happened that night. >> wow. >> the videos certainly takes this in a new direction. ari, thank you very much. let's get a check of the weather as al checks off another state from his rokerthon list. good morning. >> good morning. we are on amtrak northeast regional 172 heading toward boston. we're pulling into the new carrolton station. in the meantime, in the pacific northwest is a massive storm. we'll show you what it's going to look like. we're going to be looking at pacific moisture pushing on in. as it does, rain is going to increase. we're also going to see winds increasing, as well. so the future cast for today in the pacific northwest, we have a flood watch from thursday to sunday. high wind warnings, costal areas, washington state, wind gusts of over 55 miles per hour. as that front pushes in, heavy rain, wind and snow. look at the rainfall we're talking about. through saturday, the cascades and olympics, 6 to 8 inches of rain.

the olympics and northern cascades. up to a foot or more in parts o >> bri: good morning, everyone. i'm bri eggers in for j.r. this morning. clouds thickening in. they haven't departed through the night last night. we're expecting this front to bring in some widespread scattered showers as we get into the afternoon and evening hours. 50 to 55. again today, temperatures not budging a whole lot. and the winds will be lighter today. so the umbrella, no risk of losing it. or breaking it. sunshine returning to the forecast tomorrow, but it will be windy and brisk >> announcer: rokerthon on "today" is powered by netjets. travel with the worldwide leader in private aviation. >> i have to tell you what's been wonderful about this trip

have waited for us and have been thrilled to be part of a record rokerthon. we talk about one of the other important things about this trip a little later on. in the meantime, ladies and gentlemen, planes, trains and automobiles, we are in the homestretch. >> we're here at the honey island swamp in slidell, louisiana louisiana. >> reporter: out of the bayou and into the wig nnebago to rolled out for rokerthon. >> happy veteran's day. >> reporter: we were honored to have a sergeant behind the wheel getting us to massachusetts. >> the hurricane hunters are based here. good to see you. thank you so much. >> reporter: then it was all to alabama for a special veteran's day celebration. >> we are here at the uss alabama. historical park.

what better place to be on veteran's day? >> reporter: once again, on the road with yours truly behind the wheel, heading southeast to the next stop. when i noticed -- >> hold on. >> reporter: we were running on empty. >> we can roll into the gas station. we're good. if we don't -- >> reporter: just in the nick of time. >> we were a little close to empty, but we made it, baby. on to pensacola. >> reporter: in pensacola, florida, it was nothing but blue skies and mighty blue angels. >> they're so trim, you know. if i had that jumpsuit on, it'd be like, does this make me look fat? because it would. next stop, my favorite co-anchors name, savannah. that's where we're headed. yeah, baby.

southern hospitality. savannah, look what i found. it's your name. >> reporter: next stop, beautiful hilton head, south carolina, where some folks got a bird's eye view of team roker jr. thon thon in action. our next stop, elizabeth city, north carolina. >> welcome. >> reporter: we were welcomed by more of the country's brave men and women in uniform and their families at coast guard air station elizabeth city. then back in the air for the last stop of the day, charleston, west virginia, where i checked off someone's list. >> yesterday was really special. especially taking a look at all the veterans and all our military installation. by the way, we want you to go to today.com/rokerthon. there's a spot there, feeding america. we're doing this also to help raise money to feed the hungry,

season. feeding america, for every dollar, donates 11 meals. we'd love to get millions of meals to feed america for the holiday. today.com/rokerthon and donate. guys, we're moving pretty fast. our next stop is bwi airport station. oh, man, i love me some trains. >> al, can we go back to the winnebago that nearly ran out of gas? would that have been sean up? >> no, no. winnebago. it was not big enough to get sean in the winnebago. but that said, for folks who don't know, he's about 7'18". producers. >> buddy, good seeing you. great trip. >> sean was racking up the charges on the nbc credit card.

in packaging on birth control pills lead to unwanted pregnancies in up to 100 women. a scam that lets criminals get ahold of your computer and the contents, and hold that hostage until you pay. we'll have that story right after this. (music plays throughout) here's to more good cheer. buy one holiday drink at starbucks and get one free to share november 12th through

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this morning, a growing problem that even the fbi says can be very difficult to trace. >> it's called ransom ware. tom costello has been talking to the experts about it. >> how many times have you gotten pop-up messages saying your computer has been affected by wall malware? don't click on the link. it could cost you big time. >> reporter: the latest cyber crook strategy, lock up your computer and hold ransom everything you hold deal, family photos, health records, financial documents, and demand you pay up to get them back. among the experts on ransom ware, james. becoming a victim is as easy as a bad mouse click on a pop-up window, e-mail or web link. >> we have this help restore

files were protected by a strong encryption. >> reporter: the message, if we can pay, we can regain our access. >> we try to open this up. first warning sign is the computer doesn't recognize it. when we do open it up, it's all encrypted non-sense. >> gibberish. >> every document on the system, wherever they were, has been found by thih malware and encrypted. >> reporter: to unclock our files, we must pay up. it happened to valerie, who was locked out of her computer. patient information and tax documents, out of reach. >> i was really scared and not sure what was the right thing to do. i felt violated. >> reporter: to unlock the files, cyber criminals demanded $500 paid in an online anonymous currency, and gave her 24 hours with a clock counting down on her computer. >> pressure, lots of pressure. >> reporter: intel security has seen a 127% jump in ransom ware cases in the last year.

currency, it's easy for the -- easier for the criminals who are delivering ransom ware to kind of get payment and do so without, you know, being tracked through credit card accounts. >> reporter: the going rate to buy back your digital life, $300 to $500, show some criminals demanded $2,000. one tactic, sending the computer downloaded illegal material and they'll be turned over to authorities if they don't pay up. >> it's an unbelievably clever scam that plays to people's natural paranoia of their computer. and, of course, the fact that people have important data that they haven't necessarily backed up. >> reporter: how can you avoid getting attacked by ransom ware? sophos advices always use up to date anti-virus software, enable your pop-up blockers, back up your computer regularly and be careful what you trust. don't click on suspicious e-mails or web links. in the end, valley de ue

erie decided not to pay. she'd rather lose her files than pay a fee. >> what should you do if your information is hostage? many cyber security pros say it's best to pay the ransom. your local police department is probably not going to be able to track down whoever is behind the ransom ware, especially if they're overseas. i don't know about you, but i've been getting phone calls saying they detected that my computer has a virus. that's a scam. nobody is going to call you and say they've detected suspicious hang up. back to you. >> disconcerting even to get a thank you so much. coming up, we pose the question, who needs a nap more, shia labeouf, live now --

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the son of a polish immigrant who grew up in a brooklyn tenement. he went to public schools, then college, where the work of his life began -- fighting injustice and inequality, speaking truth to power. he moved to vermont, won election and praise as one of america's best mayors. in congress, he stood up for working families and for principle, opposing the iraq war, supporting veterans. now he's taking on wall street and a corrupt political system funded by over a million contributions, tackling climate change to create clean-energy jobs, fighting for living wages, equal pay, and tuition-free public colleges. people are sick and tired of establishment politics,

[ cheers and applause ] bernie sanders -- husband, father, grandfather, an honest leader to give us a future to believe in. sanders: i'm bernie sanders, and i approve this message. >> this is 7news now. everyone. it is 7:57. let's get over the bri and talk about the later forecast, maybe some showers, bri. >> bri: yeah, jadiann, but at least this morning looking much better than yesterday. clouds thickening in, and we're in for more showers. they don't work in until this afternoon into this evening, and not as much as yesterday either. the winds also much calmer than they were yesterday. here's a look at that 7 on 7. a boost in temps tomorrow and brisk and windy for the weekend. >> paul: thanks, bri.

crews are looking into what caused a fire on mill road this morning. fire damaged the left side of the home. no injuries were reported.{fkq/_]m[

[sfx:] all candidates' voices talking over one another my dad carried mail on his back. they called him "john the mailman" and they loved him because he looked out for everyone in those neighborhoods. i learned something from my father, do your best to look out for other people. we turned ohio around and we created jobs and cut taxes and balanced our budgets. john kasich's for us. new day for america is responsible for the content of

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, flu shot confusion. can the vaccine be less effective if you got one last year? live. menus based on the weather? the new push to make one fast food restaurant smarter. and when matt met belly. >> yes, yes. >> i'll have what he's having. >> matt shares a central park bench and a few laughs with the

thursday, november 12th, 2015. i look just like buddy holly >> we're in new york city! >> i'm working. >> and i'm playing. thanks for watching the kids, mom. >> we came all the way from iowa. >> shout out to our people in lincoln, nebraska. >> hi, everyone in buffalo. >> good morning, everyone. welcome back to "today." it is 8:00 in the morning. great morning on our plaza. having a great day. dylan, i like your sassy selection for throwback thursday. >> i forgot the pick. "buddy holly" by weiss er ezer. one of my favorites. >> do you recognize this hat? >> i gave you this hat. >> this is from the matt lauer

collection. thank you. i really like it. >> i feel a little left out. >> i'm sorry. i'll give you one for tomorrow. >> everyone gets a hat from matt lauer today. >> al roker, training his way toward the end of rokerthon 2. somewhere probably in maryland still. is that about right? >> that's right. we're getting ready to pull into baltimore. >> cool. this has been an epic journey. you'll end up in boston a little later on. we'll check in with him in a moment. with natalie on assignment, tamron has the morning's top stories. >> good morning, everyone. a storm system that unleashed tornadoes in the midwest is moving east with high winds and heavy rain. nbc's ron mott is in chicago for us. good morning. >> good morning. wind is the word of the day in chicago. we're expecting gusts 50 to 55 miles per hour today. look at the scene downtown chicago.

we had a little lightning thrown in the mix last night. that made things interesting. it was quite interesting next door in iowa. a suspected nine tornadoes touching down. most of them in rural areas. the property damage was at a minimal. we should also tell you today, the system, as it moves east, is running into more stable air. the threat from tornadoes and severe thunderstorms is going to be diminished. but you will have to continue with the wind and the rain today. obviously, air travel is going to be affected. we've already seen delays and cancellations at o'hare. we expect they'll grow throughout the day. wise to call the airline before you head out the door. >> thank you very much. a laser strike on a television news chopper in new york ended with a dramatic arrest. wnbc's chopper 4 was hit by a green laser while covering a story wednesday night. it's a federal crime because it can temporarily blind or damage a pilot's eyes. the helicopter crew stayed airborne and guided police to

the source. they recorded officers making at least one arrest. more than 100 women who became pregnant after making what they say are mispackaged birth control pills are suing the companies who made the pills. they're seeking the cost of delivering and raising children who resulted from the unplanned pregnancies. the fda issued a recall notice for the pills in 2011. according to the suit, the recall was triggered when one woman noticed that the way they were packaged, the pills would be taken in reverse order, improving the chances to become pregnant. a jury awarded more than $21 million to an illinois businessman hit in the head by an automatic sliding door on a cruise ship. it was captured on security video. his lawyers say he suffered a minor brain injury, resulting in memory loss, vertigo and seizures. the attorneys produced evidence

that dozen os s of other passengers had been injured in similar incidents across the holland america fleet. only once in a blue moon does a beauty like this go on the market. a 12 karat was sold in geneva wednesday night for $48.5 million. that's said to be an auction record for any gemstone. the billionaire who bought it promptly renamed the gem to the blue moon of josephine, after his 7-year-old daughter. she has a lot to look forward to. let's go to savannah now. new questions about flu shots. just how effective they are. natalie is an nbc medical contributor. doctor, good morning. >> good morning. >> we've been reading these headlines that if you get the flu shot every year, somehow, it is less effective. >> right. >> that makes me think, am i supposed to get my flu shot or not?

>> i know. the flu has gotten bad rap this year. we absolutely are recommending the flu shot every year. the study raises questions about flu vavaccination. meaning, could you have antibodies that last year that neutralizes this year's vaccine. even the study authors and we recommend the flu shot to be gotten every year. >> get your flu shot, bottom line. but don't they change it every year? >> they do. >> the flu changes every year. >> exactly. it's important to remind people the strains chosen for the next year's flu virus are chosen in the spring. that leaves six to seven months for all the viruses to drift or mutate. it's not always a perfect fit. last year, we had a lot of news about how it was a bad year and a mismatch. but this year, the strain that's circulating appears to be well

matched to the vaccine. really encouraging. >> who should not get a flu shot? >> children under the age of six months, absolutely. people who have a severe eggaler allergy or have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccine in the past. there are egg-free options available. >> i see you brought your needle with you. i decided if you were convincing, i would get my flu shot. >> right. we practice what we preach. i got mine about two to three weeks ago. my arm was a little sore for a day. >> okay. >> i had zero reaction. i should also mention that it does take -- >> i hope i do, too. >> it does take about two weeks for your body to create the antibodies. >> ahh -- just kidding. >> i knew you were going to do it. >> no, it's fine. >> for protection. you definitely want to do it as early in the season as you can. >> okay. >> usually early to mid october. i am going to dispose of this needle properly. we don't recommend recapping.

>> i brought that for you, too. >> thank you. it's not too late to get a flu shot? >> never too shot. >> thank you. to make it? we're going to check in not on al, no, on shia labeouf, and his unusual marathon of watching all of the movies over the course of three days. plus, two guys, one bench. matt chats with billy crystal. their little "when harry met sally" the first fridge with a keurig brewing system. only in the ge caf\ series. made for everyday and extra special days. get up to 40% off select major appliances. $396 and more.

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we're back now. 8:11. let's get to what's trending. companies are always looking for ways to get you to spend more money, right? mcdonald's may have found a unique method. they'll begin installing so-called smart menus nationwide. here's what happens. the digital displays will make food recommendations based on the weather outside. let's say you walk into a mcdonald's. it's cold outside. the menu, the digital menu, will highlight hot drinks and heart heartier meals. in the heat, it'll highlight ice tea. business insiders say the menus were tested in canada. guess what? when used, customers tended to spend more money. >> i bess guess the proof is in the pudding. i would say, don't you feel the

weather? >> it's the power of suggestion. all the menu items are up there. when it says to buy the hardy male -- meal -- >> what weather is good for an egg mcmuffin? >> any weather. >> i knew you'd get it right. earlier, we talked about starbucks and red cup controversy, or red cup gate, as i call it. the company is accused of waging a war on christmas because it has a simple red design. no festive stuff. call it good timing. call it savvy marketing. here's the holiday cup from dunkin doughnuts. doesn't say christmas. but you see, "joy." >> they probably wouldn't have done this high profile rollout if not what's happening across the street. >> they're red, green, they both look like christmas. >> both gives me good joy,

especially when i see what's in it. >> all are empty now. >> what time do you normally wake up here? >> 4:00. >> 4:00. today? >> 5:45. >> savannah overslept by two hours and 45 minutes. can you imagine that? >> you seem wide awake. >> that's because i got a good night's sleep. >> you should have seen her when they rolled her into the makeup room this morning. here's a way to make sure you never oversleep again. the clock that smacks you to wake you up. >> come on! >> we are installing this right now in your home, on your headboard. this is a lady who invented this. added a more torre tor and rubber arm. she never has to worry about oversleeping. if you happens tomorrow, you'll be here on time. you'll be bruised but up on time. >> i needed that this morning, so bad.

they called mike, who is in washington, d.c. why are you calling me? >> not my problem. why jennifer lawrence says she can't get a date. shia labeouf's marathon. jennifer lawrence, what does she want now? a date. jennifer opens up in the latest issue of "vogue." saying she can't wait to get marry ied but she likes spending time with her neighbors, ashton kutcher and mila kunis. who is her ideal guy? i need to have a guy who doesn't know who i am and what i've done. next to billy joel and great news for his fans. he's extending his residency at madison square garden. he's been holding a concert

every month since early last year. billy will great two records. the longest run of any artist and the most number of performances by any artist. billy will continue the concert as long as there is demand. i have a feeling demand will be high for a long time. >> we saw that show. fantastic. >> i want to see it. it's always sold out. >> i haven't seen it. we'll get with them later. >> i need to cash in on it. al isn't the only one in the middle of a marathon adventure. move over, rokerthon. here's shiathon. we told you about the stunt by shia la shia labeouf, watching all of his movies. theater now. shia is in front. almost done. supposed to finish the movie marathon tonight. he's been through a range of emotions, just like al. everything from smiles, tears, boredom and, yes, some sleep.

"charlie's angels:full throttle." >> look at the people behind him. they're not moving. >> they look like watching the yule log. it's strangely mez myrrh smerize mesmerizing. just ahead, we have a big announcement from justin bieber. more from al's rokerthon 2 adventure right after this. that's a side of matt greenfield we haven't seen. >> poor, matt. >> they're making fun of you. >> great. pain from your day can haunt you at night, don't let it. advil pm gives you the healing sleep you need, helping you fall asleep and stay asleep so your body can heal as you rest. advil pm. for a healing

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realize your buying power at open.com. we are back with our no shave today campaign. >> once again, we're growing our beards to raise awareness for men's health issues. one way to take care of yourself is a full body scan. that along with other tests can give you a baseline for your overall health. take a look. >> 34 seconds, a guy like this can detect something that might save your life. >> reporter: two years ago, al and i had prostate exams live on the air. testicular exams. this year, we're taking a full care. we went to new york presbyterian men's center. >> take everything metal off. >> right, there you go.

lunar body composition scanner. >> what exactly are you looking for? >> just a picture of how you're built and where it's distributed. >> reporter: that's dr. alex. the scanner uses low dose radiation to map out my muscle, bone and fat. it doesn't just look at the belly fat right below the skin. it also measures the fat closer to the organs, which can be an indicator of serious conditions, like type 2 diabetes. where a man stores his fat can also be an important predictor. those who are apple shaped have more fat in the waist, putting them at greater risk for high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. for those who are pear shaped with fat in the hips and thighs, the risk is lower. the scan takes seven minutes but generates a wealth of information. you see it all there on the screen. >> all the bones appear to be in the right place, right? >> look good. >> when it comes to fat.

they're in great shape. >> reporter: the hospital also drew blood, quite a bit of it. >> you took ten, ten viles of blood from me. what did you learn from them? >> what we do when we take ten viles of blood is to get a complete picture. >> reporter: that picture includes testing my lipid levels, including cholesterol, to see if i'm at a greater risk of heart disease or stroke. >> in terms of the lipids and stuff, i'm on a statant. how am i in the area? >> you're good in that area. >> reporter: other tests look at my thyroid which regulates metabolism. >> fatigue is a big thing in my life. am i more prone to that than other people? >> your thyroid function is normal. >> reporter: further testing

and hormones are functioning. the results show all are fine. as we continue the no-shave tra diction of getting poked, prodded, it's nice to see a good bill of health. >> everything else is fine. of course, it's important to exercise and eat right. that's the most important information we can give you. the scanner though is a good way to get a snapshot of your overall fitness at one particular moment in time. in fact, it's used by a lot of nfl teams to help their players train better. the scan can cost over $1,000 and is an elective procedure. you'll need to check with your insurance provider to see if it's even covered. >> fascinating. it's a snapshot of your overall health, if you can afford to write the check. it's worth doing it. >> ten viles of blood before the show one morning. that was fun. >> how whoozy were you?

>> exactly. >> we're doing no-shave november for men's health. let us check in another big event around here, rokerthon 2. al, how are you doing? >> we're doing great. we want to thank everybody at amtrak. they put two extra cars on the back of this train. not so much because -- anyway -- look radar. the storm system is bringing the wind into the plains. we'll be looking at those showers and thunderstorms. wet weather, big storm moving into the pacific northwest. afternoon highs will be chilly. 30s, 40s and 50s. 40s and 50s in northern new england. only warm spot around the gulf coast of florida. we do have windy conditions in the pacific northwest. windy through the great lakes. airport delays will be a problem. later today, showers in the northeast and new england. lots of sunshine through the southwest and down through the gulf coast.

i'm bri eggers in for j.r. this morning. clouds thickening in. they haven't departed through the night last night. we're expecting this front to bring in some widespread scattered showers as we get into the afternoon and evening hours. 50 to 55. again today, temperatures not budging a whole lot. and the winds will be lighter today. so the umbrella, no risk of losing it. or breaking it. sunshine returning to the forecast tomorrow, but it will be windy and brisk >> are we at 39 now, 39 states? we just checked off maryland. i got this from the u.s. navy. it's the naval academy. my own football jersey. i think they're being generous. i can't fit into this thing. >> looks good though, al. while. thank you very much. coming up, we have big news from justin bieber. we're going to go one-on-one on a bench in central park with comedy legend billy crystal.

with news of her collection of letters to men who impacted her. sounds interesting. we'll have more on that coming up. first, your local news and

>> this is news now. >> jadiann: good morning, all. 8:27 is your time. it's thursday. we're closing in on the weekend eventually, and bri eggers is here with a checking of your forecast. any rain today, bri? >> bri: good morning, crista. nothing like yesterday. but you can see those showers start the creep into southern new england. as we get into the afternoon and evening showers, we're in for more wet weather. nothing like yesterday, though. looks like one-tenth of an inch to maybe a quarter of an inch in most areas. a boost in temp, windy and brisk for the weekend. >> christa: switching over to headlines, a state trooper has been sent to the hospital after an accident that happened on route 6 in barnstable. state police say a pick-up truck driver headed the wrong-way crashed into his cruiser. the trooper was trapped inside at one point. and investigators say the elderly driver has medical

issues. boston police today are warning users of online dating sites after a string of armed robberies connected to what's called catfishing. in the last five weeks six different people reporting being lured to homes in roxbury and mattapan. once they showed up a man pulled out a gun and then robbed them. and firefighters rescuing this dog from a well. he spent a night trapped 25 feet down in that well. another dog finally let his family to where he was stuck. firefighters had to put together two harnesses. they were creative and they ended up gig buddy out of the well. don't forget to come back to 7news "today in new england" for the top of the hour for your

we're back now. 8:30 on a thursday morning. it is the 12th day of november, 2015. big crowd out on the plaza. you know what? we hope to have an even bigger crowd here tomorrow morning when we welcome al back from his rokerthon 2 adventure. if you're in the area, come on

down. we want to have a big celebration to mark the occasion of him doing weather live from 50 states in seven days. >> so classic. which charger goes where? >> he's the most organized person. you've traveled with him, he has his case and all the wires. this is all acting. >> when he's not here, the wires look just like that. they do. by the way, al has a little ways to go. we shouldn't prematurely celebrate. we'll check in with him. he has 11 more states. >> did you just jinx him. >> no, no, no! i was just trying to keep the suspense going. i'm sorry, al. >> little earlier, we promise add big announcement from justin bieber. next week, the music superstar kind of taking over "today." take a look. >> matt, i'm looking forward to sitting down for an interview, dude. we have a lot to talk about. this wednesday, the "today" show, biggest concert i've ever done.

justin is here monday, tuesday, wednesday. interview, monday. tuj huge concert on tuesday. fun surprise. >> can i call you dude? >> absolutely, dude. >> we'll have a big concert on wednesday to celebrate the "purpose." can't wait to welcome him back to our plaza. justin bieber week next week on "today." still ahead this morning, we're kicking off something new billy crystal. plus, what would you want to say, good or bad, to the men in your life? savannah, we were discussing that on our break. >> it's a fascinating concept. >> we're going to talk with mary-louise parker about her revealing new book, tackling just that. we're taking your kitchen to the next level with a special today's food club edition of the stuff we love. >> the little lids, brilliant. first, let's get a check of the weather with al. >> hey, guys.

thank you so much. okay. we just rode into baltimore ten minutes ago. we've made our way through virginia, washington, d.c. earlier this morning. we're at a total of 39 states and the district. we're hitting nine later today. we wrack racked up over 16,000 miles so far. we've used 12 different modes of transportation. i've done the weather 93 times and taken 38 selfies. all right. your forecast looks like this. for the weekend outlook, here's what we got for you. for tomorrow, heavy rain in the pacific northwest. snow in the up of michigan. showers down in florida. on saturday, the eastern 2/3 of the country looks spectacular. more rain in the pacific northwest. chilly conditions there. as we move into sunday, sunday, big storm system bringing snow and rain into california. the kas nads cascades, inner mountain

region. more rain in texas, eastern third of the country looking spectacular. that's what's everyone. morning. clouds thickening in. they haven't departed through the night last night. we're expecting this front to bring in some widespread scattered showers as we get into the afternoon and evening hours. 50 to 55. again today, temperatures not budging a whole lot. and the winds will be lighter today. so the umbrella, no risk of losing it. or breaking it. sunshine returning to the forecast tomorrow, but it will be windy and brisk >> that's your latest weather. today.com/rokerthon for our itinerary and we're asking you to donate to feeding america to help us stamp out hunger during the holiday season. guys, back to you. >> al, thank you so much. this morning, we are

it's called, chat with matt. there's even a central park bench dedicated to this. >> yes, there is. who better to help us kick it off than comedy legend billy crystal? we sat down in central park to talk about comedy, honoring his dad and the big performance that billy has lined up later tonight. >> welcome to the matt lawyer uer bench in central park. >> look at this. we are now two jews sitting on the bench. we are those guys. >> i've always wanted to be the source of that line. okay so -- >> two jews sitting on a bench. one goes, oh. the other goes, i thought we weren't going to talk about the kids. >> how much of these are any of these are there? >> a lot. >> you're going to do the new york city festival. >> they asked me and i said, it'd be great.

>> it is and it isn't. the great comedian stein berg david steinberg is going to interview >> why david? >> he was one of the greatest ever. he hosted the "tonight show." >> is this off the cuff? >> most is off the cuff. there are a couple things i want him to lead me into. >> 700 sundays is his stage show that earned him a tony in 2005 and later became an hbo special. focused on the 700 sundays he felt with his father, jack crystal, who died when billy was 15. >> love music. >> yes. >> had a music store. he organized jazz concerts called the sessions. he was, at a time when the country was segregated, extremely color blind. >> mm-hmm. >> for someone who didn't know him, how would you describe your dad. >> humanitarian. he was very shy.

up in front of the room during those jazz sessions and kind of -- he was the mc? >> it was part of his thing. he loved presenting this music to the world. over the years, no matter who it may be, they come out of the woodwork and say, he was such a nice man. i loved him. from people like woody allen. >> what did he say? >> he was so nice to me. i was 17. i didn't have proof of age because there was liquor there. he let me stand in the back. he'd do that for me. >> now 52 years later, the ballroom, which is a theater at new york university, is being named the jack crystal theater. >> this is a special place. something great happened here. i didn't want it or my dad to ever be forgotten, and now he won't. >> can you imagine how he would feel, to see his name on that? >> i think he'd go, oh, no, no. i don't deserve this. no, no, no. thanks, anyway. >> how will you feel, knowing

years, young people, whenever there is an event that they need dad's name. >> it's amazing that every day, someone will say his name now. where's rehearsal? at the jack crystal theater. the show? jack crystal theater. the fact that young artists will be in the same space and find their own jazz, their own music, that's kind of perfect. >> we started by talking about new york, so let's wrap it by talking about new york. we're here in corral entral park, which makes me think about "when harry met sally" in the deli. >> yes, yes, oh, oh! >> i'll what have -- have what she's having. >> look at the size of these. what's your preference? >> you can work out with these. look at these. >> cheers.

>> to all your success. >> hmm, yes, yes, yes. yes, yes. >> i'll have what he's having. >> charming. >> what a good guy. >> nice man. >> the way he's honoring his father is so sweet. >> goes in the hall of fame of "today" show guests over the years. >> he does. >> you can catch billy at town hall here in manhattan. part of the new york comedy festival. >> love him. up next, the stuff we love in the kitchen. she's with mary-louise parker, who will talk about her new book.

we are back now. it's 8:41. mary-louise parker, the famous actress, is here. she's conquered the screen and the stage.

including "fried green tomatoes." and her roll on "weeds." now, parker is out with her first book. it's called "dear mr. you." mary mary-louise parker, good morning. >> good morning. >> it's an honor to meet you. i'm a big admirer. >> thank you. >> i didn't know you were hiding this literary talent. this was your first book. you've written before, but you are a real writer. >> thank you. david granger really -- i have me. >> your agent. >> no, he's the editor in chief of a "esquire" magazine. he let me write for a number of years. >> i mentioned your agent. he did something that is really cool. when he sent out this manuscript, he didn't attach your name to it. >> right. >> he didn't want people to think, oh, it's a celebrity memoir. >> right. >> it's something else. i think that's a courageous thing to do. >> it was really great idea, unless he's lying and said that to make me feel better.

but no, it was really brave on his part. it was something he wanted to foster, the idea that people meet these letters, you know, as something other than an expose or someone telling their life story. >> there's a little bit of confusion about that. it's called "dear mr. you." some people have shorthanded it, that this is, i don't know, a dishy tell-all. >> there are no dishes. >> tell us what it is. it is a collection of letters to men. >> yeah. well, i really wanted to write something, most of all, that was positive. i think of it as, you know, a e epistilary. it's on the gender itself and my love of things male and men in general. i've had, you know, amazing, heroic men in my life, starting with my father and brothers. it's little moments that

impacted me where someone -- i might not even have known their name, or they might have not lingered in my life for long, but they impacted me in a way that was positive. >> one of the most powerful cap chapters i thought was the letter to the orderly in the delivered your little boy. >> right. >> it wasn't about the orderly so much as it was about that moment and you wanted to hold on to the baby. >> yeah. it was something i really had waited for all my life. i say in the story that i was a baby -- i'd wanted a baby my whole life. i was a little girl who wanted a baby. they wanted to take my son to the nursery. i just, you know, hadn't slept and had an actual childbirth, and i was like, there's no way you can have this little boy right now. >> i think a lot of moms will relate to that. for better or for worse, one of the most infamous parts of your life is you had a famous breakup while you were seven months pregnant. to be clear, you are not really

but there is an interesting letter where you write to a cabdriver. in the moment, it's a powerful moment and a way that you talked about it without talking about it. can you explain? >> i think it's less about whatever was going on in my life, which is you know, private to me and will always remain so, is that this was a complete stranger who met me at a low moment. had i been in touch with, you know, sort of a higher self or something and been forgiving of him, it would have been heroic. but i was so attached to my own unhappiness that i was unable to sort of rise above feeling persecuted. it just created this dynamic with this perfect stranger, where this naked, you know -- it was almost like he held up a mire -- mirror in my face. he haunted me because i didn't consider him or his life. i've subsequently gone on to

really consider what was going on with his that day. all i could think of is what was going on with myself. that's how that letter came to be. >> well, it's really thought provoking and revealing, and i hope you have more books in you. >> thank you. i'm lucky enough -- i'm friends with mary carr, and we're going to do events together. memoir." she's sort of like a mentor to me and has taught me so much. her books have impacted my life. she's helping me. >> congratulations, again. >> thank you so much. >> the book is "dear mr. you." mary-louise parker, thank you so much. >> thank you. the stuff we love. we scoured the country for the coolest kitchen items around. is that tacopedia? yes, it is. first, this is "today" on [ printer whirring ] don't choose neighborhood health plan just because it costs less. choose it for the thoughtful things,

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time for a special edition of "stuff we love, world trade center as -- as we celebrate the kitchen. we looked for gadgets and gizmos you'll want in your kitchen. good to see you. >> good morning. >> it's been a parade of people stopping at this spot. they want to know about these lids. >> they're little silicone lids. you can use it for anything for. cold. >> once you put it on, it makes this incredible seal. >> isn't it incredible? >> expensive? >> starting at $7.50. we are obsessed. plaid is hot. >> we love these plaid accessories at target. starting at $10.50. who doesn't need a plaid rolling pin?

>> exactly. functional and fashionable. >> we love. >> my kids are addicted to tacos. you have a book i want you to tell me about. >> we have the "tacopedia." everything to know plus hub ndreds of recipes. taco thursday, matt. we're bringing it back. this is from blue ribbon general stores, $15. >> you love the towels/aprons. >> it is linen, oversize and had it. >> really smart. >> this is from snow home. $25. >> brewing one cup of coffee at a time. >> innovative. press by bobble. you can take this thermus, wait three minutes and you have fresh press coffee to go. >> these cutting boards, this is an index cutting board.

>> color coded for different foods. >> exactly. for your meats and for your fruits and vegetables. this helps with kitchen safety and cross contamination. >> no more raw poultry or meat and on to fruits and vegetables. >> exactly. they're designed to put in the wash. these are from amazon starting at $24. >> when you're baking something, you want to know, is it done? instead of cutting it apart, you have this little tester sample. >> this is the nibble pan. if you're baking the cake for your boss, you can take a nibble nibble. >> does something in a small quantity cook at the same rate? >> we're not concerned about times. we want to know how it tastes. if your boss is going to actually eat it. $19. >> if we want to know how things taste, you have great samples. >> thank you. >> customized ice cream. >> this is from ecreamery. it is custom and personalized ice creams you can order online. beautiful selections were made

for you. just for matt mint, which i believe is right here. >> this one here. >> yup. how delicious is that? >> nothing wrong with that. that's fantastic. >> isn't it good? for savannah, they made an espresso with pumpkin and spices. flavors. expensive? >> $74 for four pints. flowers. for al, a chipotle maple bacon ice cream. >> glad that's for al. these are gourmet marshmallows. >> we love a marshmallows. these are incredible. we have a set with bourbon marshmallows. these have 24 karat gold in them. these are from wonder made. >> give me the name. >> these have barnacles. >> pigs in a blanket.

sa vanvanna -- savannah, come here. >> these have original spicy chicken and veggies. >> is there hot sauce in the ice cream? >> might be a little spicy. you might be trying al's. you have to try these. one of the best things ever. they are sausages made in the european tradition. no filler or addadditive. >> they come frozen. >> those are good. >> these are the best gadgets in taste things ever. fantastic. thank you. join the today food club. go to today.com/food club. while you're there, enter for the chance to win an all expense paid trip to studio 1a. $3,000 worth of cook ware and cutlery. come back here with those. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc.

we are pigging out right now. >> we can have another one, right? >> these are unbelievable pigs in a blanket. >> try the hot sauce ice cream. crazy. >> wash it down with this. >> what's coming up next hour? tell us. >> tell us right now. >> curtis stone and lindsay

the hilarious craig robinson. dylan is sticking around. who let the dogs out? the baha men in throwback thursday. >> cool.

noreika.

a state trooper hurt. boston police say beware of a robber targeting them. and a lucky labradoodle. dramatic rescue from the bottom of the well. tom brady knows the history of giants but said that's all in the past. we'll run through the time line of weather coming up