30s at night. better day with sunshine, upper 50s. low 60s monday. mid-60s by tuesday and wednesday. as i said before, 70 a possibility. >> 70? >> middle of next week. >> nice. >> save that. i like this. the "today" show is up next. that's what's happening "today in new york." 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.

>> the copter catching the arrest. an unarmed man dies in 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 island swamp in slidell, 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.

welcome to "today" on a thursday morning. i hope al is feeling strong this morning. he's got 38 states down and a big weather forecast to talk 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. ron motts in chicago this morning. >> good morning. a rough night in the midwest, especially in chicago, which is living up to the nickname today. it is very breezy. you can see the flags behind me dancing. this wind is expected to gust today 50 to 55 miles per hour, and it won't go away any time soon. they will blow all day today into tomorrow. >> reporter: in chicago

overnight, stunning lightning lit up the windy city, as the nearby suburbs had to deal with 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 with 175 at chicago's o'hare alone. alonem with more than 4,000 delays.wothe 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 casoused a headache for air

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 travel is going to be affected 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 interiic 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 oomiles per hour as this pushes to the east. we are looking for, during the day, wind gusts in detroit, ffalo, indianapolis, des moines to minneapolis. over 40 miles per hour winds. more trees coming down and widespread outages. thase 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 c adities 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 ouronnbc 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

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 afteria 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. agine 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 allas overnight. two commercial jets and a private business jet. these lasers are serious. th tey 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 vany much. >> reporter: to poll itics now.

this time after trump vowed to use a deportation force to carry it out.eepeter 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 getti 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. >> reporr: 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

the idea of tracking down and deporting 11 million americans is inhumane. one think tank estimates removing all undocumented immigrants would cost $400 billion to $600 billion. trump blaims it can be done. it happened sixth years ago. >> moved them beyond the border. they came back. again, beyond the border. me 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.

>> 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. >> isis overran that town last 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 presideap esvladimir putin is ordering an investigation into allegations of widespread doping among his

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 deattermined 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 back, going after international officials, saying drug testing 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 international committee will 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.

the ndo-family home in elizabeth, new jersey, wednesday morning. debris shooting into the air. >> we're getting the second floor roof collapsed and there's people trapped on the second 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 in f their small plane crashed into an apartment building at akron, ohio. investigators are looking close flight's final moments. here's nbc's john yang. >> reporter: look at the screen. that's the doomed jet just 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

it shows the plane in its final moments, flying extremely low 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 families and investigators look 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

we'll get watching a few showers working their way through. northern new jersey, northwest corners of new jersey seeing a few light showers. right around the city we could see a sprinkle or shower for the morning commute. a few more showers later on this afternoon. seven day forecast, relatively mild day upper 50s with on again off again showers. 57 tomorrow. sun and clouds. becoming windy. chillier at night. stays pretty windy. less winds, more sun and high 57. >> i am so excited. i have to tell you, i am a train guy. we are getting on.

we're going to kick off 12 more states. i'll get on this train and kick 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 up. the other angle shows -- i mean, it brushed his back. apparently, he kept on trucking. one lucky guy.

and he's speechless. 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.

coming up, does getting a flu shot every year make it less effective? i'll get my shot live. fries, burger and with the pain and swelling of my moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis... ordinary objects often seemed... intimidating. doing something simple... meant enduring a lot of pain.

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this is breaking news from

"news 4 new york." good morning, everyone. 7:26. i'm darlene rodriguez. we have an update into the investigation on the shooting near penn station. one person of interest is now in custody. the shooting happened monday after several people got into an argument inside a mcdonald's on eighth avenue near 35th street. the victims were then followed into the subway. one person was killed in that shooting, two others were injured. we're also following breaking news from newark. police at the scene of a possible shooting at 18th and wyman's avenue. a postal police officer may have been shot by two people posing as police. the officer was reportedly attacked after being pulled over by a white crown victoria with tinted windows. let's take a look now at the morning commute. here's lauren scala. >> thank you, darlene. uptown 4 and 5 trains are running local. then if you're getting on the roads, the sawmill parkway is shut down northbound between

accident on the eastbound expressway. >> thanks, lauren. we'll be right back with chris's forecast. winning on the rain. getting closer to northwest new jersey right now. a cold front heading in our direction for later on. on and off showers, that's the story for today. northwest new jersey seeing them right now. could see a light sprinkle in the city and things will get better as we go through time. high temperatures in the 50s. dries out by need. windy tomorrow with a mix of

57, windy, chilly on saturday. only 49. a high 30 tonight. better half of the weekend sunday. sunshine, less wind and temperatures in the 50s. back to the 60s with sunshine early and middle of next week. darlene? chris, thank you. coming up today on the "today" show, flu shots. how much are they helping you? do you need one every year? we'll have another local update in an hour.

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 his 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.

ter hammering the midwest. at least nine tornadoes reported in iowa. today, about 50 million are under wind advisories and high wind warnings, as we. 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 the scene, where one man was arrested. in dallas, three planes were hit by laser beams as they approached love field. a natural gas leak is suspected of causing this multi-family home in new jersey 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.

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 import >>antly, 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

again, before dying in police custody. msnbc hief 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 e 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 t bard 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

police take him back to e sqatuad car. arms and legs cuffed, he's slumped, when th taiz him agheain. the squad car then takes lambert to jail, where officers find he d's unresponsive. he's then taken by ambulance back to the same er where he's pronounced deadson arrival an ur after the incident beougan. lambert's sister just recently saw the tapes. court ordered police to preovide them after she sued the officers for $25 million. >> i got up and went to the grinave 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 fami's allegations and say theeizings were appropriate and cessary because lambert's behavior put persons at risk. but federal guidelines say repeat taizingn may increase the risk of death an or serious injury.

force is only alled on coymbative suspects. >> there's no possible justification to taser a man shackled and restrained ike >> is 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 th >>e 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. ja.il. >> while that civil ctye has a hearing in federal court today, the local prosecutor also tlse me the criminal inquiry remains open and will go on as long as it takes to deterne what happened that night. >> it's stunning. this happened in may and, yet, this video never came out after his death. it only came out because of the 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 tbkes 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 ouow. look at the rainfall we're talking about. through saturday, the cascades and olympics, 6 to 8 inches of

rain. upwards of 10 o 12 inches in the olympics and northern ca cades. up to a foot or more in p al thanks very much. we've got a front encroaching across the area right now with some shower activity. light showers to the north and west of us. however, i think the steadiest rain, best chance, probably between noon and 4:00 this afternoon. lots of clouds throughout the day. it's a gray one. times of drizzle, 59 the expected high. partly cloudy, cooler. upper 50s. only upper 40s on saturday. back to some sunshine. 50s on sunday and 60s all of next week. >> 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 a ebout this trip is the people we have met who have waited for us and have been thrilled to be part of a record that we're trying to set on rokerthon. we talk about one of the other important thi s 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. h>> 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. their 50th anniversary. 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.

>> reporter: we got a heap of 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.

we're doing this also to help raise money to feed the hungry, especially in this holiday 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 reese's job, to keep that fueled up? >> no, no. sean was actually not in the 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". >> one of our "today" show producers. >> buddy, good seeing you. great trip. >> sean was racking up the

charges on the nbc credit card. coming up, a major mistake 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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back now at 7:46 with our ongoing series, the hacking of america. 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 file web page, saying all our 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 this 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. >> because it's an anonymous 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 owner a message that they've 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 activity on your computer. hang up. back to you. >> disconcerting even to get a call like that. thank you so much. coming up, we pose the question, who needs a nap more, shia labeouf, live now --

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walmart. live. this is "news 4 new york" now. good morning. a live look at the brooklyn bridge. it is 52 degrees at 7:56 on this thursday, november 12th. i'm kerry barrett. a police officer interrupted a holdup in newark this morning.

the officer walked into a sunoco station on washington and court street just as the store was being robbed. we're told the officer shot one suspect and arrested the other. the suspect shot was taken to the hospital in critical condition. also, there's another investigation underway this morning into another possible shooting in newark. according to reports, an off duty postal police officer was shot after being pulled over by two people that were posing as police officers. the essex county prosecutor's office tells us the victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries. for a quick look at the morning commute, here's lauren scala. >> thank you, kerry. right now the l.i.r.r. is experiencing ten-minute delays into penn station because of a disabled amtrak train in one of the east tunnels. on the hutch southbound, watch out for an accident blocking two lanes. delays are extensive. accident on the cross bound and one on the whitestone expressway. quick check of the weather. today showers throughout the afternoon. high of 59. tonight cool and cloudy. 49 degrees.

tomorrow windy, partly sunny, 57 is the high. saturday mostly cloudy and chilly with a high of 49. coming up on the "today" show, the new series chat with matt kicking off with comedy legend billy crystal. we'll have another local update for you in just about a half an hour. have a great morning.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, flu shot confusion. can the vaccine beotess effective if you got one last year? we'll get answers and vaccinated live. menus based on the weather? the new push to make one fast odessturant smarte and whenpmatt met belly. >> yes, yes. >> i'll have what he's having. >> matt shares a central park zonch and a few laughs with the legendary billy

thursday, november 12th, 2015. i loo k just like buddy holly >> we're in n wouork city! >> i'm working. >> and i'm playing. thanks for watching he kids, mom. we cam 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: in the morning. great morning on our plaza. having aomreat day. dylan, i like your sassy selection for throwback thursday. >> i forgot the pick. , "buddy holly" by weiss er

>> 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 n 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 ccago for us. good morning. >> good morning. nd is tev wemd of the day in chyicag

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. thse threat from tonadoes 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 ns chopper in new york endedjuith 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

the helicopter crew stayed airborne and guided police to the source. they recorded officers making at least one arrest. more than 100 wom who became pregnant after makw ing 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, imd proving 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 captureo on security video. his lawyers say he suffered a

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 amoerica 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. e has a lot to look forward to. let's go to savannah now. new questions about flu shots. ju st how effective they are. natalie is an nbc medical ntributor. 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

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. >> put it in matt's office. >> yeah. >> i brought that for you, too. >> thank you. it's not too late to get a flu shot? >> never too shot. >> thank you. coming up next, is he going 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.

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alka-seltzer plus. 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

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. >> 3:00. >> 4:00. >> what time did you wake up 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.

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

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. this is a live shot of the 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,

i don't know if he's watching "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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damaging the enamel of my teeth. i wanted to fix it, i wanted to fix it right away. my dentist recommended pronamel. he said that pronamel can make my teeth stronger, that it was important, that that is something i could do each day to help protect the enamel of my teeth. pronamel is definitely helping rme to lead the life that ti want to live. we thought we' d be ready. but demand for our cocktail bitters was huge. i could feel our deadlines racing towards us. we didn' t need a loan. we needed short-term funding. fast. our amex helped us fill the orders. just like that. you can' t predict it, but you can be ready.

another step on the journey. will you be ready when growth presents itself. 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. last year, willie and carson had testicular exams. this year, we're taking a full body approach to preventive care. we went to new york presbyterian men's center. >> take everything metal off.

>> right, there you go. >> reporter: i got into the 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. >> your numbers are low. 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 looked at how my kidneys, liver 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.

>> 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

al, thanks very much. great start out there. temperatures in the 50s. down 50 in jackson. 54, wood bridge. the city, 54. we've got light rain showers. most to the north of us right now. but we will see a few more showers push through later this afternoon. on and off shower activity. drying out overnight tonight. windy tomorrow. sun and clouds, 57. windy and chilly, 49. calmer sunday, 50s. 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. check in with you in a little while. thank you very much. coming up, we have big news from justin bieber. we're going to go one-on-one on

comedy legend billy crystal. we have mary-louise parker 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 weather. good morning, everyone. 26. looking at the george wrshington

bridge thursday morning. i'm darlene rodriguez. remembering the victims of flight 587. it was heading to the dominican republic when it crashed 14 years ago. 265 people were killed a after it went down and sparked a fire on the ground. mayor de blasio is scheduled to speak at this memorial. he stirred up controversy last year by arriving late to the service. thanks, darlrae. we have 10 to 15-minute delays out of penn state for lirr commuters due to a disabled amtrak train in one of the east river tunnels. and hutchinson river parkway. take your pick there. over on the garden state parkway, southbound and lakewood, all lanes shut between and 83. back to you, darlene. today, showers through the afternoon. high of 59. tonight cool, cloudy, 49 degrees.

57 is the high. saturday, mostly cloudy. sunday, mostly sunny. 57 degrees. monday, mild, sunny day, 61. coming up on the "today" show, matt my gory from orange is the new black and "how to get away

we're back now. 8:30 on a thursday morning. it is t 12th da of november, 2015 bievg crood out on the plaza. you know what? we hope to have an even bigger

we welcome al back from his rokerthon 2 adventure. if you're in the area, como on down. we want to have a big celebration to mark t 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 a 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 lebrat we "s'll nneck in with him. he has 11 more states. >> did you just jinx him. >> no, no, no! i was just trying to keep the su evspense going. i' m sorry, al. >> little earlier, we promise add big announcement from justin eber. xt 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

show, biggest concert i've ever done. >> looking forward to that. 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 release of his new album "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 with the help of comedy icon 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 littl e lids, brilliant.

the weaer with al. >> hey, guys. thank you so much. okay. we just rode into batimore ten minutes ago. we've made our way through virginia, washingto , 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. there you have it. 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 thanks, al. coming down the stretch run. cloudy sky. light showers around north and west of the city. few showers can be expected everywhere. high in the upper 50s. breezy tonight. leftover shower north of town. then partly cloudy. we could approach 40 miles per hour in the afternoon. a mix of sun and clouds. cold day saturday. less wind. mild 57. warming trend, 60s, next week. >> 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.

>> al, thank you so much. this morning, we are starting a new series. 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 >> a lot. >> you're going to do the new york city festival. >> they asked me and i said, it'd be great.

>> it's not t.andup. >> it is and it isn't. the great comedian stein berg david steinberg is going to interview me. >> 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 g 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. >> wasn't he the guy who stood 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 ben gocause 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 that for the next however many years, young people, whenever there is an event that they need to go to, they'll be using your 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.

>> 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 him to thank for believing in 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 hospital room where you 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 writing about that in this book, 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.

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. we just wrote "the art of the 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

8:48. 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 you'd use a plastic wrap or foil for. it feels things fresh, hot or cold. >> once you put it on, it makes this incredible seal. >> isn't it incredible? >> expensive? >> starting at $7.50. we are obsessed. >> we love these. 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 you can fashion an apron out of 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.

>> really smart. >> 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. >> special packaging and flavors. expensive? >> $74 for four pints. they say to send it instead of 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.yoyou might be trying 't'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. $24. >> 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 price will have more food. the hilarious craig robinson. dylan is sticking around. who let the dogs out? the baha men in throwback thursday. >> cool.

>> good morning. 8:57. looking at the george washington bridge. degrees. an argument at the turtle bay bar on 52nd street. the attackers are members of the military. we're told they were wearing what appeared to be army fatigues. the marine was taken to bellevue hospit.l in serious but stable condition. today, showers through the afternoon, high of 59. tonight, cool and cloudy, 49 degrees. tomorrow, windy, partly sunny.

,h. saturday, high of 49. just ahead to the "today" show, 16 to '16 series, a way to indulge in chocolate without wrecking your diet. another local updates in 30 minutes.

this morning on "today's take," who let the dogs out? the baha men sing their hit song live for throwback thursday. find out what curtis stone and lindsay price stone are co-hosts. from the "office" to our robinson. coming up now. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today's take" with al roker, natalie morales, willie geist and tamron hall, live from

>> a very excited crowd on the plaza. they know we have phenomenal co-hosts with us in studio. foodie and beauty. we have it all. welcome to "today" on this thursday morning, november 12th, 2015. i'm tamron hall. dylan is here. nat nat, al and willie are on assignment. we brought in curtis stone and actress lindsay price stone. this is your morning jam. tell me about it. >> we have family dance parties. it's a good way to burn off some young boy energy. >> oh, yeah. i have two young boys, and i'll play jennifer hudson and iggy azalea. >> this song is called "trouble." >> good intention. we had dance parties before the kids.

>> you can do both. mommy my my my mommy-daddy date nights. >> we were in our pajamas in the kitchens for our dance parties. >> your boys are how old? >> hudson turned 4. emerson is 1. it is trouble. >> having fun touring around new york with the family? >> it's a dream. >> it's a cool city to be in with the kids. we went to the theater, the rock circus. >> burn off the energy. curtis just opened his first restaurant here in the u.s. >> yeah. >> mod. i love the name for many reasons. >> it's fairly successful, right? getting a lot of reviews. >> it's a tiny place, only 24 seats. i wanted a little joint i could cook instead of being in meetings all day. >> it's named after your grandmother. it's very successful. 24 seats.

babysit your boys, donate something like bloodwork work, i don't know, to get a table. how do we get a reservation? what's the secret, the golden ticket? >> look, we open the resignations on the 1st of the month for the next month. we switched to an online system. we were selling the entire month in a couple hours. there. >> best restaurant in los weekly." last year, the best new restaurant in l.a. >> we take one ingredient and cook a dozen courses out of the one ingredient. it changes each month. >> you could have brought food for us. when they say chef curtis is coming on, i was like, great. >> later on, right? >> we'll make something for you.

we have your lunch. actually, one of lindsay's dishes. she's a good cook, too. >> i can't teach him much, mr. winning awards and stuff. we'll do korean flair on one of his ideas. >> people know you, "90210." we've seen you on any show that you can name. but your -- we have a bond in a way. my first job, 14 years old, texas, toys "r" us. >> you're kidding. >> toys "r" us. i hear while i was selling plush stuffed animals -- >> you advertised? >> i was at the cash register. i let my dad lie with me. i was 14. but you were the face of toys "r" us. >> i was one of the faces but, yeah, the huge, i'm a toys "r" us kid campaign, i somehow, at 5 years old, ended up on that -- >> would you like to see it? >> okay. >> yeah.

uh-huh. >> roll tape. there are a million toys at toys "r" us i can play with >> which are you? >> the far right corner there. so funny. >> did you get sick of the song? >> i did. people always had us singing it. also, in that shot, it was jaleel white. >> that's jaleel white? >> uh-huh. jenny lewis. >> curtis and you met on a blind date. did you know her credentials, as a toys "r" us face? >> that's what sealed the deal. >> got asked by a mutual friend, would we go on a blind date. she was like, absolutely not. i said, of course not. then i saw a photo of her -- >> i didn't think i needed to be set up, but i clearly did. my picker was broken. >> i saw a photo and i was like,

i'll go on that blind date. >> can you call it a blind date when you're both famous? >> he's an amazing, amazing man, but he doesn't know very much about, like, pop culture. the other day, he said to me, who is that singer, cher? >> yeah. >> was it an accent? >> no, which is amazing and refreshing. >> i'm not great. >> you didn't watch "90210" when she was on it. >> i did and i didn't know it was her. it was interesting. >> did you google her? >> i did, yeah. once i saw the photo, i was like, who is this girl? then i googled her. linds is also a singer/songwriter. i saw her sing, and i'm like, i'm doing everything i can to make this happen. it worked. i'm sitting next to her. >> that is sweet. a selfie together. you guys are so adorable. >> we're happy to have you. >> thank you. happy to be here.

>> since you are familiar with the restaurant business, there is an interesting article that a man wrote to the "washington post." he says that his wife has a habit of asking for a bite of his food when they go out to dinner, and he said no, if you want it, order it yourself. i am one of the people that loves to sample off of other people's plates. my husband lets me and never wants mine. i'm in a good situation. how do you feel about that? >> we love to share. don't we, babe? >> uh-oh. >> we have learned that sharing is the nice thing to do. and the way to enjoy many different dishes. >> we have a rule. the audience, they can tell when we're not being honest. we have a rule, when willie, natalie and al, we've committed ourselves. before we start the show, we go, go team truth. >> i'll be honest, i'm not a sharer but, you know, at heart, but i really -- >> why? >> because -- because -- i think when i sit down to eat, i'm so hungry, and i get into what i'm

doing. if you have your plate and you're eating it, and someone wants a bite, maybe you're still in your moment, you know? that's why i feel that way. >> it probably has something to do with occasionally, my fingers running through her sauce. she'll hit me with her fork. >> don't even use you till sill utensils. >> when you're married to a chef, we go to the most amazing places and he cooks amazing meals. truly, sharing is the best. >> he got you in the restaurant with 24 seats. >> i carved her name into the concrete under a seat. she always has a seat there. >> so sweet. something else sweet, al roker, still rolling along the east coast by train for rokerthon 2. al, how is it going, buddy? >> we have added delaware now to our tally. we are at 41 states and the district of columbia. i just want -- we are in this

amtrak train northeast regional 172. it's amtrak thursday on the program. we've got -- they put two extra cars on this train. this is our audio setup. this is bob. he's the most handsome audio man in the world. he just sits here. this is kate, our unit manager. these are our witnesses, witness witnessing us getting these. i don't know who you are. >> susan. >> somebody we picked up. i don't know if you realize this, a couple years ago torks do , we'd have had to had a satellite on the roof. this is all done by these called live you. it's basically an array of cell phones in there that broadcast the signal. it's amazing stuff. i've got to tell you, we have had such a great time doing this.

i know i didn't do the weather, but i wanted to show you what we have going on here. then we have more -- hey, for those of you that don't know, this is matt greenfield. if you saw the piece, what was it, on tuesday, matt was the guy changing the tire. >> on monday. >> did his best imitation of a plumber when he turned around. it was fantastic. >> as always, thank you. >> the new orleans time said he was butt-crackingly looking at another gray day. low clouds. couple of showers this morning. another round for the afternoon hours as well. keep the umbrella handy nearby. dries out tonight. turns windy and chilly into the weekend. sunday is the more comfortable of the two days. both should be free of any rain. upper 50s today. upper 40s tonight. 57 tomorrow. a brisk day with with sun and clouds.

upper 40s saturday. 60s with sunshine next week. >> by the way, this is sean reese. this is him normal size. the same size as me. stand up, sean. we actually had to raise the roof of the train. >> just for sean. that's crazy. al, we are rooting for you. we know you'll be heading to -- >> on a moving train! >> incredible. keeps getting better, al. up next, someone that al loves and loves al. a love fest. the comedian and actor who doesn't mind being called nasty delicious. the very funny craig robinson is here and he has a lot going on. he's going to talk with us right the way i see it, you have two choices; the easy way or the hard way. you could choose a card that limits where you earn bonus cash back. or, you could make things easier on yourself. that's right,

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he's handsome, forgets your birthday birthday, funny and funky. that's why audiences love craig robinson. you know him best for his "office." >> now, he's in town as part of the new york comedy festival. he'll be performing with his band that has the best name in delicious. craig, nice to have you here. >> great to be here. thank you for having me. oh, i see that. that was nicely done. thank you, everybody. >> we bring out the best for you. we had a hot tub once. now we he the logo ther >> yes, always something ndful at the "today" show. >> what do you have going on in brooklyn? >> we're doing the new york comedy festival. we're closing out this weekend at the brooklyn bowl. sunday night, 7:30. i hope you all will come out. >> can we come?

>> absolutely. comedy, jokes and dancing. >> and bowling? perfect. >> yes, apparently. have you never been there? >> i haven't. >> i didn't know that's what it was, the brooklyn bowl. it's a bowling alley. >> they can't bowl when you're performing. you're nasty delicious. tell us about the name. what's the back story? let's acknowledge -- >> let's acknowledge it. >> craig is -- >> i ran here, like four blacks. i had to just come in. that's what's going on. >> you have a portable fan with you. >> can i hold that for you? >> you're melting like a chocolate hershey's kiss on us. maybe that's the next band, chocolate hershey's kiss. it's currently the nasty delicious. >> it's the nasty delicious. >> what does that mean, craig? >> okay. so -- >> it's self-explanatory. >> it's all about the funk.

it's delicious but you make the face like, oh, you know what i mean? >> yes. >> curtis, as a matter of fact. >> that's exactly the face i was talking about. right on. yes, yes. >> it's such a brilliant name. it's sort of describing the style of the music. you do soul, funk, rock. >> we mess around, you know. we do covers, get the crowd going, jumping and dancing. i like to say we're funk mixed with fank. >> one of my favorite songs was this is the end, sang tory ry rihanna. is that your style? >> that'll be here sunday. >> i love that. >> thank you very much. >> we have to remind people, you're from a family of musicians. >> yes. >> you guys jam it out at the robinson house. >> it was a rehearsal studio. we have the piano upstairs, downstairs downstairs, drums, bass guitar. everything was in our house. we had our pick to see what we

could figure out. always on the keyboard. >> your brother, chris. >> my right-hand man. >> we have a quiz. >> okay. >> we have names of bands and you'll tell us if this is a real name or a fake name. >> okay. >> here we go. quiz him out. >> the first is called one bad pig. >> real. >> the way you say it, it's real. >> believe it to r not or not, it's a christian punk band. a little strange, one bad pig. >> as a mom, i can relate to this, take your vitamins. >> fake. >> is it? >> fake. >> but it's for real, you have to take your vitamins. >> you can get craig to make you a song for the boys, take your vitamin funk song. >> i love it. >> the va. >> real.

>> we'll finish this at the commercial. new york comedy festival on sunday. he stars in "orange is the new black" and "how to get away with murder." we'll catch up with matt mcgorry after this. i think when people hear about memory care they're scared, i think it's important for everyone to know that there is than the stigmas you hearabout. that these residents still still matter and that they are still living their lives. that they're not locked away and that they still have a lot to live for, you know, that they have people that care about them and they have people that love them and i love them, so their lives still matter. that is what i do this for. when we go to the store, i find my box of honey bunches of oats and i' m checking to see if i packaged it. best cereal in the world right there. if the last 3 letters

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only in the ge caf\ series. made for everyday and extra special days. get up to 40% off select major appliances. $396 and more. now at lowe's. it doesn't get much better thanhis for an actor. matt mcgorry is starring in not one but two hit tv shows. >> what a dream. he plays a corrections officer on "orange new black is the new black," and he's asher millstone on "how to get away with murder." >> how did you fit us into your schedule? >> you're important to me. it's beel great. it's incredible. you're lucky to have one show that works well as an actor. having two shows ihevery bliss

ed -- blessed, you know. >> how is it emotionally trying to prepare for two different roles? the characters are different. >> it helps they're that different. there's never a moment i'm like, this feel more like ben or asher. delineated in my mind. if it was in the middle, it might bleed over. they're different. >> i'm in a taxi and i think to myself, am i in melbourne or new york? do you get into an argument between the two charact rs for breakfast breakfast? >>er asher likes eggs and ben like pancakes. sometimes i go hungry because i don't know what to do. >> do they shoot at the same time? >> a little concurrently. >> crazy. >> it's been a lot. >> who would you say you're more like. >> good question. people ask me that. i have qualities of both. i'd like to say they're both empathetic, which i think is a quality that i have. clearly, not humble. i'm kidding.

but, you know, i don't know, there's parts of asher's humor that i kind of identify with. though i lik to think i'm a little more aware and lessig less ignorant than he is. a little of both. >> that's why you do the roles so well. tell me about this career as a magician. the neighborhood you grew up in in new york. >> i did street magic when i was -- >> like card shark on time square? >> no. wow, been a while since i lived in new yo , apparently. yes, people would pay me, but it was donations. i wasn't swindling them. from the age of 10 years old, my parents would let me -- i h em th,is box i would roll out and it unfolds into a table. >> adorable. >> i would o magic on a street corner. >> how old are you? >> 10. >> so it's still cute. >> scary though. for 10, i mean, no supervision. i turned out okay. i'm alive. >> i'm sure they're proud of you. congratulations on that. >> thanks so much. >> we love watching you on all your shows.

coming up, you don't have to give up chocolate to lose weight. isot that true? >>la dark chocolate. >> joy shows us our 16 to 16 team. guilt free sweet treats. first, your local news. matt, you can stick around if yo buu want dark chocolate. it's a l g day and sometimes,fan even longer night. helping with homework before doing your own. and you may think no one notices... but she does. she sees more than "mom," she sees determination. we do too. for nearly 40 years, we've designed an education for people just like you. learn more at phoenix.edu. cool. these aren't the droid viewers you're looking for. but... i am your... honey.... collect free droid viewers inside specially marked general mills cereals. star wars: the force awakens. this film is not yet rated.

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a live look there at the l.i.e. 9:27 on this thursday, november 12th. a deal has been announced that's going to help the construction of two new hudson river raeupl tunnels to move forward. the federal government will pay for half the project. it could cost as much as $20 billion. the other half will be paid for by approximate new york and new jersey. the governor said it is absolutely critical to the long-term vitality of the region.

i want to check the weather. showers through the afternoon. high of 59. tonight, cool, cloudy, 49. tomorrow, partly sunny 57. saturday, chilly, 49. rebound sunday, 57. even warmer on monday. 61. >> coming up to the "today" show, the latest hair hacks and adding luster to your locks.

taking a look at the headlines. 113 women who became pregnant after taking what they say were mispackaged birth control pills are suing the company that made and packaged the contraceptives. some of the women are seeking the costs of delivering, raising and educating 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 the pills were packaged, they'd be taken in reverse order, increasing the odds of getting pregnant. there's a warning from the

some holiday gift items are already in shoft sup rt supply. 40% of holiday shoppers started buying gifts before halloween. among the things hardest to find, l.l. bean boots are limited. some styles back ordered until february. other big sellers are lego products and paw patrol products and "star wars." experts say if there is a toy your child wants, buy it as soon as possible. apple is in talks with several big banks to create a person-to-person mobile payment service. it could complete with paypal's app. the service would let mobile phone users transfer money from their checking accounts and be linked to apple pay. apple could launch the service next year. now a near miss caught on camera. a brazilian man inches away from getting hit by an ancome

oncoming train. the man had no idea, never looks up. inches to spare. another angle shows how close. a good reminder to stay present and watch where you're going, i guess. that is terrifying. let's get a check of the weather from someone on a train, but safely, headed up the east coast. hey there, al. >> hey, tamron, we are having a great time. rokerthon, we just did pennsylvania. we're at 42. oh, my gosh! oh, my gosh. >> what are you doing here? >> my man! >> how you doing? >> i'm riding the train. what's going on? how are you? >> what's going on, big boy? >> i came to surprise you. >> first, you're back with liz, and now you're here. >> yeah. >> my gosh. >> yeah. >> wow. >> i think i have an alarm buzzing. someone has an alarm buzzing. >> everybody, look who is here!

>> who are you? >> are you exhausted? what's happening? >> i am punchy at this point. i have no idea who i am. no idea. >> i can remind you. >> yes. >> you're al. >> yes. >> you're on a mission. >> yes. >> to get all 50 states in one week. >> that's amazing. >> i know. it's pretty good. >> wow. >> pretty good. >> my gosh. so good to see you, my friend. >> you, too. i have to do the local. that's what's going on around the country. >> that's what's happening around the looking at lots of clouds today and on and off rain. generally on the light side. high temperature in the upper 50s this afternoon. rain should taper to a few sprinkles this evening. it turns partly cloudy overnight. breezy and cool. temperatures in the upper 40s in town. low 40s north and west. could see gusts 40 to 50 miles per hour.

windy, very chilly, saturday. 49. 57 sunday. and then into the 60s the middle of next week. >> from "blacklist." i couldn't remember who you are. my brain is gone. mush, completely gone. >> that's all right. >> so nice of you to do this. >> happy to be here. >> how far will you come with us? >> all the way. i'm not getting off -- >> going to boston. we'll get some tea. >> yeah. people can throw it off the boat. >> you are good at keeping secrets. >> yes. we love ryan. have fun, guys. all the way up to boston. meanwhile, now to week nine of our series 16 to 16, where we challenged three viewers and you at home to get healthy by 2016. for every pound mary-jean, rochelle and ken lose, we'll donate to feeding america. we donated more than 9,000

>> incredible. dieting doesn't come without its temptation. one of them is chocolate. of course, we brought in "today" nutritionist joy bauer to help them indulge in their sweet tooth. >> it's possible. >> we have a lot of chocolate in here. talk about temptations. >> let's put it into perspective. in the spirit of chocolate, they have lost this much chocolate in pounds. 55 pounds of chocolate! >> delicious but i can't look at it. >> that's before this week. in addition to this 55 pounds of chocolate, mary-jean lost another four pounds, down a total of 25 pounds now. >> yay. >> rochelle stayed the same, which is still a huge feat. she's down 16 pounds. ken is down 22 pounds. >> incredible. >> i'm going to add eight pounds of chocolate on top of this. >> that's he have vi avy. >> total of 63 pounds.

>> this is temp ing ting. you'll have a little challenge with it. >> we have three different stations. we're going to make this into a game. fact or fiction. i'll say a statement. if you all think that it's true, you haze your paddle and it says cocoa cocoa, which means true. false, raise the other side, loco. >> they can't just have chocolates? >> they have to work for the chocolates. >> cocoa or loco, dark chocolate is loaded with vitamin c. >> are they right? >> the answer is loco. >> i switched. >> rochelle gets the point. >> here's the deal, dark chocolate has a lot of compounds that could enhance cardiovascular health. it also has a few grams of fiber, which helps with digestion. it does not have vitamin c. you still earn frozen goodies. i'll show you a few things you

can indulge in that will not derail your diet. this is from good pop, chocolate pop that's delicious. 120 calories. this is from dole, dippers. they have frozen fruit covered in dark chocolate. 60 to 100 calories. these are diana's bananas. 130 calories. >> we have to do lightning round. >> cocoa or loco. one tape l blespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder provides 12 calories. cocoa is right. >> yay. >> how cool is this? an ounce of dark chocolate has 150 calories. a tablespoon of unspeetened weetened cocoa powder is only 12 and has more of the health perks than regular chocolate. you can add a tablespoon into your coffee, some milk and a bit of sugar. you can add a little cocoa

yogurt. or you can add some into your oatmeal for dark chocolate >> nice. >> these are great do it yourself ways to use cocoa powder. >> we're out of time, unfortunately. we'll get to that and all the thank you so much. coming up next, curtis and lindsay get busy in the kitchen, whipping up some of their family's favorite go-to meals, just press clean and let roomba help with your everyday messes. a full suite of sensors automatically guides roomba throughout your home. cleaning under furniture, along edges and in corners. and with its powerful three-stage cleaning system roomba picks up pet hair, dust and debris for up to 2 hours, recharging itself when it needs to. which means your floors are always clean. you and roomba from irobot . better together . everything you need to know about life, you can learn from granola. keep it simple. always be real. don't be artificial, but always

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there's a fun side to every drive. nissan. innovation that excites. now, we come to the best part of the show. we lucked out, having curtis stone and lindsay price stone co-host with us. of course, they can cook. >> which means we get to eat, which is what we like to do best. they'll show us a couple of the best meals. >> take it away. your show now. >> taco time. this is a bit of a mash up, really. a korean taco. let's start making it and we'll explain. >> typically, in korean cuisine, the steak is one or the other but it's always a sweet-salty. go ahead, babe. >> cilantro, which isn't traditional.

>> it all goes into a bowl. then you add some sauce. what have we got here? >> soy sauce. sesame oil and what did you put there? >> canola oil. >> you guys are a team. >> yup. >> your boys love this meal? >> they do. they love it. because it's something they can eat with their hands and they can put it together themselves. >> you're both so busy. it sounds like it's something you can whip up in a pretty short amount of time at home. >> that's right. >> we never tell them where the recipe came from. although they are watching. lindsay lindsay's mom cooked this beautiful korean food. we woke up with the worst hangover in the world. >> honey. >> these work so well. you can marinate these overnight. it'll give a beautiful flavor. this is a big, juicy flank steak, cooked on a hot grill.

the way you tell is use your index finger and press on the meat like this. if you put your first finger on your thumb like this, and you feel it, that is rare. next finger, medium rare. next, medium and then well done. >> that was the first time it was described to me. >> we love this, growing up in southern california. i've had so much exposure to mexican food. this is a mashup of two of my favorite tastes. having a husband who is a chef, he does something like this to me, it's the equivalent of a musician writing you a song. this is my love song here. >> you never told me that before. >> that's so sweet. >> tear in your eyes. >> what goes on top? >> we have cabbage, cilantro and carrots. >> green onions. >> then guacamole.

>> what's the secret to the guacamole? it's the best i've had, and i'm picky. >> i developed this for my wife when she was pregnant. >> i ate my body weight in guacamole. >> when women want something when they're pregnant, figure it out. >> the recipes, including the quack moe pregnancy guacamole, will be on today.com/food. they'll make thanksgiving pies next hour. up next, it was a question on everyone's minds 15 years ago. you know what i'm talking about. who let the dogs out >> who let the dogs out? >> do we know the answer yet? >> if we don't after these years, we're in trouble. sfx: ding dong prime time? game time gold at mcdonald's, baby! i'm here to get the fans, super fans in on all the action! first get the food and peel baby. you could win instantly... i won $50! or text the code and watch the game

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they call themselves baha men, and their hit single took home a grammy for the best dance recording. wrangler is in the mood. 15 years later, baha men consist consists of one dog. they just released a new record, "ride with me," feature ing might and day. we know the one in our hearts, the song about the dogs. the song that gets us grooving, even in studio 1a. who let the dogs out. the party was nice, the party was bumping and everybody having a ball until the fellas start the name calling and the girls respond to the call i heard a poor man shout out who let the dogs out, woof, woof, woof, woof who let the dolls gs out

the dogs out what's up, everybody i'm gone ma tell to any girls calling them canine, tell the gummy, hey, man, it's part of the party you put a woman in front and herrmann behind, her bone runs out now who let the dogs out who let the dogs out who let the dogs out who let the dogs out say, a doggy is nothing if he don't have a bone all doggy hold ya bone, all doggy hold it wait for y'all my dogs, the

part on ds on, i gotta get my girl and i got my mind on do you s the rays coming from my eye, what could you be a friend that benji man that's breaking them down me and my white sho t shorts and i can't seek a lot, any canine will do ion'm figuring that's why they call me faithful, cause i'm a man of the land, when they see me they do who let the dogs out who let the dogs out who let the dogs out who let the dogs out >> 2015. let's go. >> if the cops going in, they'll shut us down there ain't no way we're going back who let the dogs out

who let the dogs out who let the dogs out who let the dogs out >> here we go. turn it up. >> that's how ou throw a party.

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you fight the cancer. we'll fight for you. what a show. thank you, baha men. thank you to curtis and lindsay. our dance party crew. craig robinson in the house. good luck hoda and cath thee

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it is causing delays that go back a half hour. and pointing a laser a at our own chopper 4. you see where he is? don't look at it. >> a breaking news story in brooklyn. the green laser lit up the cockpit. both were detained. a 20-year-old, silva, facing charges in an unrelated incident. faa says wabc's helicopter was hit near newark airport. showers in the afternoon with a high of 59. tomorrow, windy, partly sunny, 57 for the high. saturday, mostly cloudy and chilly, 49. sunday, 57. monday, sunny, mild, and 61.

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