good morning. piling on. mitt romney faces some tough questions from his rivals during the gop presidential debate. after getting a big endorsement from governor chris christie. could this be our first look at the republican ticket in 2012? their answer, as they sit down together with us. terror warnings. the state department issues a worldwide travel alert to americans, after breaking up an alleged iran-backed plot to assassinate a saudi official, and it involved blowing up a restaurant in the nation's capital. this morning, vice president joe biden speaks out. mazed and confused.

a mother places a frantic call to 911, after her family gets lost in a corn maze. >> i don't see anybody. i'm really scared. it's really dark and we've got a 3-week-old baby with us. >> police eventually got them out. that mom's happy to be safe at home. "today," wednesday, october 12th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television >> good morning. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> and i'm ann curry. good morning, everybody. boy when you see mitt romney sitting side by side with chris christie you have to think that's a pairing that a lot of republicans would like to see in 2012, matt. >> should romney win his party's nomination, would christie be on his short list for vice president and is that something

the new jersey governor would even consider? we'll have that exclusive interview coming up straight ahead. also this morning, was michael jackson far healthier at the time of his death than a lot of people thought? the man who performed the autopsy testified at the trial of conrad murray on tuesday and as prosecutors showed yet another photograph of jackson's body to jurors. the latest from the court coming up this morning. al traveled to the white house on tuesday and talked to the first lady michelle obama. we talked to her about a lot of things including that secret shopping trip to target. it turns out that was not a one-time deal. find out more in al's interview, coming up a little later. let's begin with last night's republican presidential defwbat debate. chuck todd, good morning. >> good morning, ann. we're at a moment in the republican race where it feels as volatile of a place as it's been since the campaign started. seven of the candidates met in new hampshire to see if they

could shake up while one, mitt romney, did his best to try to solidify what it is a fragile front-runner status. tuesday's debate setting may have been different but the strategy of the establishment front-runner mitt romney remained the same, sounded like the nominee in waiting. >> we have got to help the middle class in this country. the only way that will come together if you have people on both sides of the aisle who will listen to a leader who has the experience of leading. >> reporter: thanks to a unique feature of the debate, candidate-to-candidate questioning, romney often found himself on the defensive. >> your chief economic adviser, glenn hubbard, who you know well, he said that romney care was obama care. how would you respond to his criticism of your signature legislative achievement? >> we have less than 1% of our kids that are uninsured. you have 1 million kids uninsured in texas, 1 million kids. >> reporter: he defended his private sector experience at a

venture capital firm from jon huntsman. >> some might see your employment at bain capital as a financial engineer, breaks down businesses, destroys jobs. >> my background is quite different than what you described, jon. we started stapleless and sports author. >> reporter: he defended his support of t.a.r.p., the bailout fund that's un. peculiar with tea party conservatives. >> we would have had a complete meltdown of the entire financial system. was it perfect, no? >> my top priority is nine, nine, nine, jobs, jobs, jobs. >> herman cain found out with the surging poll numbers comes more skrut my on the nine, nine, nine plan which eliminates the current tax code and replace it with a 9% income tax, 9% corporate tax and 9. >> when you take the 999 plan

and turn it upside down the devil is in the details. >> how many people are here for a sax tales in new hampshire. there you go, herman, that's how many votes you get in new hampshire. >> he went after romney's plan. >> can you name all 59 points in your 160-page plan? >> herman i've had the experience of taking on some tough problems and i must admit simple answers are always very helpful but oftentimes inadequate. >> reporter: rick perry struggled on stage when asked to explain his own plan, perry hedged. >> i'm not going to lay it out tonight. mitt's had six years to figure out a plan. i've been in this six weeks. >> he tried to name drop chris christie in the midst of dealing with the one issue which could derail his candidacy, health care.

>> mitt romney got a big boost when he picked up endorsement from new jersey governor chris christie. jamie gangel is in new hampshire. good morning to you. mitt romney may be the front-runner but this endorsement was critical. we asked chris christie why he picked romney. >> he's the best person for the job, simply on the merits. we need to make sure barack obama's a one-term president for america's future. there's no question in my mind governor romney gives us the best chance of winning back the white house in november 2012 and i want to do everything i can to help him. >> reporter: the love fest was saturday imitating art. here's "saturday night live's" imtooting spoof. >> he's a nice man in a clean suit that wants to be president. >> reporter: governor christie,

i guess this means you're really not running? >> i've meant it all along, jamie. i've meant it all along. they should put it to rest. i want to see mitt romney in the white house in january 2013. >> reporter: did he promise you anything? >> absolutely nothing. >> reporter: vice president christie? >> no. >> reporter: no? >> no, he didn't promise me anything. >> reporter: governor romney, would he on your short list? >> he'd be on anyone's short list. the truth is governor christie is one of the leading figures in the republican party and of course anyone who becomes our nominee is going to look at people like governor christie and say well that would be a terrific person to have on the ticket. >> reporter: would you think you'd be a good match? >> we're great friends. we agree on a host of issues. we spent time together over the last year getting to know each other better. i've asked for his counsel on policy matters so i think we're sympathetic on the issues that matter today. >> reporter: do you think you'd be a good match? >> i don't know i'd be anybody's

good match in that regard but that kind of thing is up to the peon who is the presidential nominee to decide who they think is the best person for them and most importantly the best person for the country. >> reporter: the good news, governor romney, is you are the front-runner. the bad news is that there has been the feeling in this campaign that republicans were still looking for another candidate to get in the race. why do you think governor romney has faced such a challenge in this way? >> everybody faces that kind of challenge opinion the fact is governor romney is going to earn it and he wouldn't want it any other way to get in here and fight and battle and earn it. that's exactly what he's going to do and now i'm going to help him. >> reporter: one of the fights, romney's religion. both men criticized a supporter of texas governor rick perry who called the mormon religion a cult. >> i've heard worse during my life. i don't get real nervous about what people say and i think this pastor could say something like that in his church but in a political setting i think that's

a mistake and the founders felt that way crafting the constitution. there would not be a religious test. >> what do you think about governor perry? >> he would be wide to repudiate the words of the pastor in every way he possibly can. >> governor christie? >> has no business in deciding who would be the president of the united states. the folks should be judged on the batess of their record, character and integrity and that's what we're doing judging who should be president of the united states and who shouldn't, not what religion they practice and i don't think this has any business in political life for our country, and i think it's unsettling that anyone would associate themselves with those kind of comments. >> reporter: what do you give his chances against barack obama. >> he's going to win. >> reporter: no question about it in. >> i wouldn't be with him. he's going to win. >> reporter: i'll give it one

more shot. vice president christie? >> he's an extraordinary person and i'm delighted to have him on my team. >> reporter: they certainly did not knock down the speculation. the vice president's speculation is going to continue, and no doubt, matt, in the meantime, mitt romney is going to be very happy, having the outspoken chris christie as a tough surrogate out on the campaign trail. >> jamie gangel in new hampshire, thank you very much. it's now ten minutes past the hour. here's ann. >> matt, thanks. to the alleged plot to kill saudi arabia's ambassador to washington on u.s. soil, a plan the obama administration is accusing iran of backing. andrea mitchell has details on this story. andr andrea, good morning. >> this alleged plot was so brazen u.s. officials says it sounds like the plot of a cheap thriller but they insist it was real and they'vish sue issued a

worldwide travel alert that this marks a major response from the quds force. >> it reads like the pages of a hollywood script. the impact would have been very real and many lives would have been lost. >> reporter: the u.s. says it was an alleged $1.5 million plot to assassinate saudi arabia's ambassador, king abdullah's closer adviser, blowing him up at an undetermined washington restaurant and bombing the saudi embassy in washington. u.s. officials tell nbc news a secondary plot was to target israel's embassy as well. >> this kind of action which violates international norms must be ended. >> reporter: starting last spring, the suspect, mansou mansour albabazar tried to hire an assassin from a mexican drug cartel. his contact there turned out to be a u.s. undercover agent.

the complaint says he had $100,000 wired from iran as a downpayment and was willing to have the ambassador blown up at a washington restaurant. what if others, even senators were killed? "no big deal" he allegedly replied. iran's government tv claimed that was all a u.s. fabrication. >> if this is something that the revolutionary guards cooked up on their own, i think that tells us a lot about how the iranian state has come somewhat unglued and how different actors are now taking very aggressive and potentially far-reaching actions that perhaps other parts of the government might not know about. >> president obama called the saudi ambassador and also stopped by the situation room to congratulate his team on the arrest. another suspect is believed to be still in iran. the treasury has sanctioned five iranians but critics say in the past, sanctions have done very little to change iran's policy. in response iran has written to the u.n. secretary-general expressing outrage of what it calls baseless allegations.

>> andrea mitchell, thank you. joe biden, vice president of the united states, good morning. >> good morning. >> some members of congress including the head of the homeland security committee are calling this alleged iranian plot an act of war. mr. vice president, do you? >> no, what i call it is an incredibly serious attempt to do something that was really unheard of. it's violating all international norms. it's not just the assassination but the idea that you would assassinate a diplomat. that is something for the whole world, every nation in the world, when they learn the facts of this, will be outraged that they would violate such an international norm, in addition to obviously being a crime to assassinate anybody, and in the process probably have killed scores of americans. >> what should the u.s. do about it? >> well, what we're doing already is first of all we're

making the case. you'll find it a compelling case, we'll be able to substantiate. we're going to the rest of the world capitals to let them know exactly what happened and the whole attempt here is make sure that there is accountability for iran and further isolation of iran in terms of their ability to operate around the world. last night the president's jobs bill didn't get unanimous vote from senate democrats. why didn't the president roll up their sleeves months ago and line by line address the issue for the need for jobs to create a bill that both parties to support? >> hey, i not only -- he not only rolled up his sleeves, our pant legs, in our gym shorts working like the devil to make sure we could find some accommodation for the republicans.

working for hours and hours and hours. >> but you didn't finalize a bill, mr. vice president. >> no. hey, there's no way to finalize a bill. it's very clear these guys have no intention. when we put this bill together, we put together elements of a bill that they had always supported. when have republicans been against tax cuts for small businesses? when have they been against working on infrastructure? when have they been against giving veterans a break? we put this bill after hundreds of hours of negotiations on debt and many other things with the republicans the last two years. >> at the same time the level of suffering occurring all across america today, is there not a moral obligation for the president and the republican leadership to come to some kind of agreement on jobs, you know, before this election, before this election? >> absolutely positively ann. we have done everything. we bent over backwards. we had basically a deal on cutting the debt. they could not sell it to their

own members. they made it clear under no circumstances are they prepared to pay for anything that we need to do now, so we don't raise the debt further, in order to help people to have jobs. >> you've been in washington -- >> this is crazy. >> you've been in washington almost 40 years mr. vice president. it looks like from the outside that the politics is intractable and the economy is uncontrollable. >> we are proposing absolutely reasonable things, eight republican presidents that i am aware of and have supported it. we have proposed things that the very people in the congress have supported, who are republicans. we have gone out of our way to make sure that these are things that are mainstream proposals, and what'd you hear last night? you heard people say this is a temporary fix. these guys are willing to give long-term tax breaks to the wealthy but not temporary help to the poor and to the middle class. this is like saying when you show up on a scene and someone's

bleeding because they've cut an artery and also broken their back if that you stop the bleeding and put a tourniquet on, somehow that's only temporary. why would we do something temporary? people are hurting. people are in real trouble. they need jobs now. >> let me ask you about the democratic nominating process then, because some questions have been raised about whether you will be on the ticket running into this new re-election campaign. >> no real questions. >> are you, yes or no, are you on the ticket? >> absolutely, positively yes. there's never been a question about that. the president's made that clear and hardly anybody is raising it anymore. i against it's parlor game talk but the parlors are bearing down here now. >> vice president joe biden, never mincing words, thank you so much this morning. >> thanks. >> always such a pleasure. >> thanks, ann. i appreciate it. and now it is time for the rest of the morning's top stories and we've got natalie morales at the news desk. >> good morning to you ann and everyone. we begin with important health news this morning, middle aged men who take high doses of

vitamin e may increase their risk for prostate cancer. research published in "today's journal of the american medical association" found men who took 450 units of vitamin e each day raised their prostate risk by 17%. after five years of captivity on the gaza trip, guilad shalid may be returned to his family within days. a cabinet deal would free more than 1,000 palestinian prisoners in exchange for the 25-year-old shalid. militants convicted of the bloodest terror attacks against israel. an engineer in antarctica who may have suffered a stroke could be flying out as early as this florida. she was told the weather made it too dangerous to evacuate her despite her health concerns. tuesday she plans to leave on a

cargo plane during a small weather window friday. police in massachusetts were amazed when they got a call from a couple at a local farm who said they were lost in a corn maze and needed help getting out. >> hi, i just called. i'm still stuck at connors farms. i don't see anybody. i'm really scared. it's really dark and we've got a 3-week-old baby with us. >> just relax, calm down. your husband's with you, right? >> yes, but my baby. >> i understand and the police officer is on the way. >> certainly was. took police and the maze operators just about a minute to find them. everything turned out fine. look at the size of that maze, too. i would get lost. >> i've been stuck in these things. i just walk right through the walls seriously. sooner or later you're going to come out of that thing and i've done it, walked right out. frustrating. >> you heard it here. check of the weather from mr. roker. >> we've got rain to talk about here in the northeast where we t where we don't want to see it,

nice run, seven to eight days of nice weather, but the storm system making its way up the coast, and it will bring anywhere from one to two inches of rain before it's all over, and then as that moves out we will see another front coming in back from the west, and that will cause more problems. a risk of strong storms in the mid and lower mississippi river valley, and classic showers in the pacific northwest. >> good morning. we have had overnight showers and we now have a res pit from the rain locally, and there is more on the way and it is moving up from south to north, and the lower left of your screen is moderate to heavy rain advancing north and will be moving towards northern virginia in the next couple hours, but for now just a few sprinkles around washington, and you might >> that's your latest weather. >> nice to have you back with

the little people after spending time ats white house tuesday. you caught up with the first lady? >> absolutely, helping her participate in her let's move event. we also talked to her about her recent shopping trip to target. check it out. we all saw the pictures of you at target. i mean, is that, do you sometimes miss the ability to do something like that on a regular basis? >> absolutely, but quiet as it's kept although not so quiet i do that more frequently than each realize, and it's amazing how people don't recognize you. they don't expect to see me at starbucks or chipotle. i took bo to petco and the cashier said what kind of dog is that? a portuguese waterdog. they didn't expect to mimi in petco. we try to sneak out as much as

possible. >> did the cashier look twice at the credit card? he recognized me. plenty of people, i've been in baskin and robins a few times, they don't know it's me. >> do you buy a lot of toilet tissue at times? >> we pretty much have our supply stocked, one of the advantages, one of the perks. >> can't get the toilet tissue with the presidential seal on costco. >> funny but she does it often. >> amazing. >> cool stuff. >> more of al's interview with the first lady later on. an emotional day at the trial of michael jackson's doctor. jurors hear more of conrad murray's police interrogation, and the medical examiner who conducted the singer's autopsy speaks as well. we'll have the latest, but this is "today" on nbc.

still ahead, police search an abandoned well for that missing 10-month-old baby in

kansas city. we'll have the latest. and former "dynasty" star linda evans, after your local news. ...harvested the same... ♪ ...and roasted the same as our other premium coffees. ♪ it only makes sense it would taste the same. so, try it for yourself. buy a pack of 100% natural starbucks via® ready brew. we promise you'll love it or we'll send you a bag of starbucks coffee. it's the starbucks via® taste promise. look for it at starbucks stores and where you buy groceries. it's the starbucks via® taste promise. your favorites, in pieces.

good morning. it's 7:26 on this wednesday. it's the 12th day of october. i am joe krebs. we are off to a wet start today and let's get right to the meteorologist, tom kierein, for a look at the forecast. >> we don't really have any real rain around the immediate metro area now but we did a couple hours ago, so still roads and streets are wet, but there is moderate to heavy rain advancing towards us coming out of southern virginia, and during the afternoon, time to time, passing showers, some could be passing at times, and a few more showers tonight, and then dry

for the weekend. we will take a break now and we will take a break now and come back and look at the i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' a dunkin' latte.

i can't think without my dunkin' iced latte. it's a real latte. i love it. i run on dunkin'. get a premium latte without a premium price. america runs on dunkin' coffee. good morning. seeing red on the outer loop of the beltway in montgomery county. and 270, also seeing red there. and clarksburg making your way

towards germantown, slowing making their commute. 66 east, jammed at maples mills. now we will go back to the "today" show after we, first of all, take a short break.

7:30 now on a wednesday morning, the 12th day of october, 2011, and we're happy to get everybody out on the plaza a chance to say hello to their family and friends back home. rain is coming later in the day. indecided studio 1a i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer. police search an abandoned home just blocks from lisa irwin's family home. we'll get the latest in morning. we'll check up with a young woman we have come to call the

bionic bride. she needed a heart pump just to walk down the aisle but earlier this year her pump or heart failed landing her in a coma. she's thriving once again thanks to a donor heart. coming up we'll talk to her for the first type since what really was life saving surgery. >> how great does she look? also looking great, linda evans a new memoir, details her reluctant stars in acting and famous loves, and what joan collins was really like on the set of "dynasty," here to tell us all about that, an icon of the '80s in our studiostudio, h is that? in the trial of michael jackson's doctor, more of the interview with police. jeff rossen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. when you listen to those audio tapes it is heartbreaking to picture the scene at ucla medical center in california the moment michael jackson died, his kids all gathered around crying,

even asking to see their father's body just to say good bye. beyond the audiotapes more drama in court on tuesday, including bombshell testimony from the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy, you'll hear that in a moment plus a graphic new photo of michael jackson that was so disturbing one jackson fan in the courtroom ran out in tears. it was a shocker in open court, prosecutors showed the photo of michael jackson's skinny, lifeless body, perhaps the most private man in show business laid bare for the jury and the world to see. a final humiliation for the singer, who complained when police photographed him nude in 1993 after accusations of child,. >> it was the most humiliating ordeal of my life, one that no person should ever have to suffer. >> reporter: years later his children would suffer. the day michael died, dr. conrad

murray was at the hospital and in a taped police interview described the moment prince, paris and blanket learned their dad had died. >> after they cried and cried and cried, then his daughter uttered a lot of words of unhappiness and, you know, she will live alone without her dad and she didn't want to be an orphan, and she asked me, "dr. murray, you said you save a lot of patients, you know, you save people with heart attacks and you couldn't save my dad? you know, i will wake up in the morning and won't be able to see my daddy." jackson's mother was in shock, too >> and she said well he's not dead, is he? i said yes and she broke down. >> reporter: they found other drugs in the singer's mansion. >> surprise, surprise. >> reporter: murray blamed jackson for hiding drugs he got from other doctors.

>> how about valisone? >> no. >> we found a small portion of marijuana in his room. did you know him to be a smoker? >> no. but he used excessive cologne. >> reporter: when the tape ended prosecutors weren't done yet calling l.a.'s deputy medical  examiner to the stand. >> what was the manner of death? >> the manner was homicide. >> reporter: and the defense theory that michael injected himself with propofol he calls unreasonable. how damaging is that to murray's case? >> you can't get any more damaging than having the official medical exercise, the one who actually conducted the autopsy on michael jackson come back and say it is unreasonable that the propofol was self-administered. >> reporter: then prosecutors took it even further. >> let's assume self-administration of propofol. under those facts, where dr. murray leaves his patient with apparently the drugs accessible and no monitoring equipment, et

cetera, isn't it true you'd still deem it a homicide? >> yes. >> reporter: prosecutors could rest their case later this week, matt, and the defense takes center stage and lays out murray's case. the big question remains here, will conrad murray take the stand and testify himself? no one knows. still unclear. >> jeff rossen in l.a. for us or los angeles for us this morning, thank you. nbc's martin bashir spent eight months with michael in 2002-20 0 2002-2003. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt. >> i want to get back to the photo in court, it was shocking, meant to shock the jurors but in reality, martin, does it have anything to do with guilt or innocence in this case? >> not really but remember the medical examiner looking at this man said he had the body obviously he's 50 years old but as a 50-year-old he was pretty healthy. what he was trying to suggest

was that there were no other residual existing reasons for why this man would suddenly die. >> martin, you could go into any manslaughter case and no matter what, if you put a picture up on a screen of the deceased, you're going to get an emotional reaction from the jury but i'm not sure that's what the law is about. it's not about emotional reaction from juries, it's about presenting real hard evidence. >> the other question is mr. conrad murray's testimony or police interview has now become his courtroom testimony. people are saying what's that got to do with the law? is that a statement in court? no. it's not. >> i was going to get to that later but since you bring it up, so we hear conrad murray describing the children's reaction when they learn of their father's death, how they cried and cried. any parent dies, the children are going to be heartbroken. i'm not sure that connects him to the death. >> no, but what conrad murray was doing was revealing the proximity of his relationship to michael, his relationship to the children, and the fact that he tried to assure them that he

tried to save the man. and the reality is, what conrad murray was doing there was describing a personal relationship of friendship. the problem with that is michael jackson didn't need a friend. he didn't need a lover. he needed a doctor and this man didn't behave like a doctor. >> this is a dynamic we've seen not only in this case but other cases in the past that involved mega stars and doctors. doctors are supposed to be the adult in the room and oftentimes they are as swept away by the fame of their clients as anybody else would be. >> that's why the hippocratic oath and the commitments that they make as covenants to this profession are supposed to sustain them, and the problem is, they don't. i spent time with jackson in las vegas as you know and also in berlin, and when i was in berlin in that horrendous scene where he held young blanket over the balcony there was a doctor with him, a doctor called dr. alex farjian. i don't think i can remember an evening in berlin where dr. alex farjian who halz from florida and runs some unorthodox, he was

lost completely in the glaze of this man's glory and greatness, and of course it affects doctors. the point is, that isn't what dr. farjian or dr. conrad murray applied themselves to do. these people have the right to prescribe, they have the license to get and administer drugs and that's why they have an oath that's supposed to up seed some personal relationship or infatuation they may feel about the patient they're treating. >> martin bashir, interesting perspective. catch martin bashir weekdays at 3:00 p.m. on msnbc. let's get a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by massage envy, stress relief to help your skin, massage envy is here for you.

find nationwide locations at massageenvy.com. >> arom al. and as we look in the midwest, we have a frontal system coming in, and that's bringing heavy showers and thunderstorms from dallas all the way to minneapolis, and we're talking about anywhere from a quarter to half inch of rain and the rest of the country we do look to see some windy conditions out in the plains. we have a warm day in l.a. 94 degrees. afternoon showers move into the northeast. we have plenty of sunshine through the southeast. that's what is going on around the country. here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> grab an umbrella before you head off to work and school on this wednesday morning. we had overnight showers that tapered off locally, but there are more advancing towards us from the south through virginia, and we will have moderate to heavy downpours late in the afternoon. right now we are in the low 60s, and then tomorrow in the mid to low 70s, and afternoon and evening

>> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al thanks very much. up next the search for 10-month-old lisa irwin leads police to a well at an abandoned home blocks from the girl's home. the latest right after this. we all want our candy in october. our turkeys in november. and want to pick up our gifts in december. that's why sears layaway let's you reserve any item you want, whenever you want, and with no finance charges. that's real choices for real joy. sears. [ laughs ] [ laughs ] [ laughs ]

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back now at 7:4. is the latest for 10-month-old lisa irwin. her family has hired a private investigator. peter alexander is in kansas city with details on this. peter, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning to you. the private investigator says his top priority is finding baby lisa. in this case there's been a new dramatic development almost every day, and now nbc news has obtained exclusive new surveillance video that shows

lisa irwin's mother shopping just hours before she says her baby daughter disappeared. this surveillance video obtained by nbc news, police confirm, reveals what lisa's mother, deborah bradley, was doing just hours before she says her baby van uished from her crib. on this tape from a grocery store bradley is seen shopping with an unidentified man, buying a box of wine, baby food and baby wipes. police say they've seen the tape and so far it's produced no significant leads. on tuesday, following a tip, investigators converged on this abandoned house just blocks from the irwin home. their focus, a cistern well, at least 30 feet deep and three feet wide. would the dark well hold clues to baby lisa's disappearance? we spoke to the owner of this vacant home who says he's not been back to the property in four to six months. you can't just see the well, you'd have to know it's beneath

the deck to find it. at first crews lowered firefighters down twice, nothing. then they pumped water out, before making a third trip, again a rescuer returned to the surface empty handed. >> it's been too long. something should have came up by now. if she is still alive, that's great, you know, but a parent, if something's happened, you want to know that, too, so you can have closure. >> reporter: demolition crews later tore down the vacant home. police say their exhaustive eight-day search has so far uncovered no signs of baby lisa. >> with a 10-month-old, somebody knows something, there's no doubt about it and here we are a week later and really not any closer. >> reporter: detectives also briefly returned to the irwin home tuesday following a tip from bradley herself suggesting police check fingerprints on cigarettes found on the ground near the family's car, after it was broken into last month.

late tuesday night the irwin family appeared at a news conference, announcing that it's bringing in its own private investigator, bill stanton, to work on the case. >> there is a bad guy out there or bad people with this child, and we want to get this child home safe and sound. >> reporter: that private investigator tells nbc news his investigation will begin in earnest today. ann? >> all right, peter alexander, thank you so much. still ahead, linda evans on her "dynasty" days, her co-stars and one true passion, but first, these messages.

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[ female announcer ] phillips' colon health. ♪ how do we sleep while our beds are burning ♪ something you never want to see at home, looking at a mattress on fire. in is a controlled safety burn at a consumer testing lab in maryland. tom costello, explain what's going on. >> reporter: good morning to you. in the last 20 seconds we lit this on fire. the flames represent a candle or matches that might have fallen on to a mattress that does not supply with the latest fire standards because each year 2,400 people die in all types of house fires. >> all right, goet out of the house. >> we can't. there's nothing open. if i open the door there's too much smoke. >> reporter: through years of reporting about house fires and getting out alive, we've learned

how to crawl through a smoke-filled home to rescue a child. >> find the crib, don't stand up, reach in, find your child, bring the child to the crib edge, tilt the crib over, bring the baby up, protect the airway and up on your chest and stay low and find your way out. >> reporter: we followed arson investigators looking for the cause of a fire that gutted an apartment building. >> fire started here at this electrical outlet where there was an electrical extension cord plugged in that went to a space heater in the middle of the room. >> reporter: we visited the insurance industry's fire research center. this is probably the least fire-resistant roof, a wood shake roof. with winter approaching the consumer products safety commission is emphasizing the everyday risk posed by house fires. of the 386,000 house fires each year majority are cooking fires,

costing 150 lives each year. cigarette fires, while fewer, are far more deadly. 600 people die often in bed. >> get new mattress. the new central standards require a barrier in the mattress preventing the fire from spreading if your mattress catches on fire. >> reporter: fire places, chimneys and space heaters cause nearly 57,000 fires and 220 deaths each other. safety experts remain concerned about tiki torch or fire pot gel fuel seen on an infrared cancer. the cpsc warns don't use it. all of it has been recalled. >> we're back live. this mattress in two minutes is fully involved. one important note, matt, often children sleep will you fire alarms so they say put fire alarms, smoke detectors in every single room and remember to start checking the batteries. back to you. >> it's eye-opening, scary

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our time right now is 7:56. a little sunlight getting through, but it's a gray day on this wednesday, the 12th of october. let's get the forecast from meteorologist, tom kierein. >> and there is more showers coming in from the south, and you see the orange and yellow in the left corner of the screen, and that's heavy rain. it should be in the metro area by late this morning and noontime. clouds around and maybe a little light rain. passing showers this afternoon passing showers this afternoon and evening, and some could be

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good morning, still seeing red on 395. and on the outer loop of the bemt way in montgomery county, very slow for you. travel time, traveling at 23 ♪ ♪ [ multiple sounds making melodic tune ] ♪

[ male announcer ] at northrop grumman, every innovation, every solution, comes together for a single purpose -- to make the world a safer place. that's the value of performance. northrop grumman. we're back now, 8:00 on a wednesday morning. it's the 12th day of october, 2011. we've been talking about the great weather we've been having here for the past couple of days. that seems to be on the end. we've got cloudy skies, rain moving into the new york area for later today but you know what? it doesn't matter. we have a great crowd outside and we're stopping to say hi to them. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and mr. al roker, and it's very cool in the studio right now because we have one of the biggest television stars of the 1980s with us. >> that's right, linda evans best known for her role in the

hit show "dynasty" and written a memoir details her great loves, dramatic heartbreaks and why she never planned a career in hollywood. exciting to see her. she also has recipes in her book from very famous people. we'll get to that. also with us today is a young lady we've affectionately called for the last couple of years, the bionic bride. ali babineau had an electronic pump planted and shortly after the wedding she got very ill, fell into a coma and needed a miracle to survive. guess what, she got a miracle, she's here to talk about her life with a donor heart. >> we'll mention we've got some folks from donate life, a lot of folks whose lives have been saved by donations, very cool. i've got more of our interview with the first lady, michelle obama, she's going to be talking about her let's move initiative, and we're going to try to help

her break a world record right here on the plaza. it was a lot of fun yesterday. >> reporter: let . let's go inside. natalie is standing by with a look at the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. mitt romney defended two popular positions during last night's republican presidential debate. he stood behind his record as massachusetts governor and before the debate romney won the endorsement of popular new jersey governor chris christie who spoke exclusively to nbc about his position. >> he's the best person for the job. it's simply on the merits, and the fact is that we need to make sure that barack obama is a one-term president for america's future. >> when asked if christie would be romney's running mate both seemed to dodge the question. president obama says he will try to pick and pass smaller pieces of the jobs bill that failed a test vote in the senate

last night. republicans blocked the $450 billion package because of its stimulus style spending and tax surcharge on the wealthy. the u.s. has issued a terror alert for americans worldwide, after uncovering an alleged iranian plot to assassinate the saudi ambassador to the u.s. in our nation's capital. iran is calling the allegations propaganda. two men were indicted on conspiracy charges tuesday in connection with the plot and iranian-american used car salesman from texas and member of iran's special operations unit. and today marks one year since 33 chilean miners were brought back to the surface after 69 days trapped nearly a half mile underground. their instant celebrity brought free trips, gifts and public appearances but now, sadly, many are unemployed, even poorer than before, and still coping with trauma and psychological problems from their ordeal. now let's head to wall street, cnbc's mandy drury is at the new york stock exchange for us again this morning.

good morning. >> good morning. there are opposing forces in the stock market. on the downside the corporate earnings season kicked off with disappointing results from aluminum maker alcoa with the ceo warning of weak economic conditions but the upside we've got positive developments out of europe, with regards to strengthening their vulnerable banks and that is a relief for traders here in the you iunited states. do you own a blackberry? fellow blackberry users on almost every continent except this one experienced a third day of service outages. over to you. >> mandy drury thanks so much. for what is trending today our quick roundup of what has you talking online, carbus is search yahoo! for the antique auto that sold for $4.6 million, billed as the oldest car that still runs, the 1884 french built marquee was fueled by coal, woods and bits of paper to are a top speed of 38 miles an hour. budget travelers are googling a plan by japan's

tourism industry to offer 10,000 free flights to japan next summer. tourism has suffered since the march earthquake and nuclear disaster. if the deal is approved by japan's parliament, travelers would have to apply for tickets and agree to write a report about their experiences. and the blogosphere is all steamed up, after paula deen got handy with matt tuesday. >> i know where this is going. i know all about keeping my potatoes hot. >> i make you nervous, don't i? >> yes you do. look there's chocolate cake with this. >> you're not changing the subject. >> not surprisingly paula was recently named tv's sexiest chef by "maxim" magazine. matt i think you were blushing. >> i was surprised she really did. i've invited her back every day for the next six months also. linda evans in the studio, known for some of the wild catfights she used to have with

joan collins. >> yes. >> here we go, watch this, she goes after her. take that and that! oh! but you no he what? every once in a while it happens here as well. >> does it? >> yes, it does. >> oh, yeah. that's right. well, that's the harmony we have here on our family show, the "today" show. i don't know what does that. >> we love savannah, you know. >> she's not here today, i want to mention. anyway -- a check of the weather. >> i'm surprised you can move your neck after paula. wham! you need a chiropractor. who is this young man? >> eli. >> where are you from? >> nashville, ittence tense. >> how old is eli? >> 19 months. >> how are you doing? he's, woo, woo. let's check your weather and see what's happening. for today our pick city today, just happens to be beautiful

amarillo, texas, kamr, 4 on your side. tu sunny, 78 degrees. in the northeast 50s and 60s, 70s and 80s into the plains. risk of strong storms in the pacific northwest. and afternoon rain, some of it could be heavy at times here in the northeast. that's what is going on around the country, and here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. a rest from the rain right now. there's more on the rain advancing from the south, the area of yellow and orange is heavy rain come into the southern blue ridge, and that's advancing north. further south and east of there there are heavy bands of downpours and will likely make their way into the metro area by the afternoon. and then a lingering morning shower >> and that's your latest

weather. matt? al, thank you very much. when we come back we'll sit down with linda evans live in our studio, right after these messages. [ laughs ] [ laughs ] [ laughs ] [ laughs ] that's awesome. you can read that? ♪ [ female announcer ] the accufit digital system, exclusively at lenscrafters... is about 5 times more precise than manual measurement techniques. lenscrafters. but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms,

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back now at 8:11, with golden globe winning actress linda evans. she starred as crystal ca carrington in the 1980s. she had her millionaire husband, blake, hook, line and sinker. >> heads we get married, tails we don't. >> you're joking? >> i want you more than anything i've ever wanted. >> this is a decision that will affect the rest of our lives. you can't make it on the flip of a coin. >> i don't need a quarter to tell me that i love you. >> mmm, i like that. linda left the show after nine years.

rededicating herself to life out of the spotlight and now out with a new book called "recipes for life, my memories." linda evans good morning to you. >> good morning. >> so fun to see you and in many ways this book is really fun and it has recipes from so many surprising people. >> well, it's not that they were cooks. it's just i went to their house for dinner and loved the food and said can i have the recipe. >> for example you have john wayne's favorite green chili and cheese casserole recipe in here. >> yes because his crab dip is the first recipe i ever asked anybody for and got. i was so excited, and the chili cheese recipe you're talking about, his wife pilar said he used to take it when he would go on location and put the recipe in his pocket so the caters could make it for him, he loved it so much. >> so many recipes and speaks to the breadth of people this job allowed you to meet. it's a book about your life and

memories, including memories about barbara stanwick, rock hudson, the queen of england, pope john paul ii. when you realize the breadth of your life and yet also realize that this was actually something that you fell into this acting thing. what was your original plan? >> my original plan was to get married and have kids and, and i was so shy, i wouldn't get up in class and give a book report so they made me take drama, which made me horrified. i used to throw up before i had to get up, i hated it. i was with a girlfriend on a commercial and she was up and the director wanted me to do the commercial. i said i can't do the commercial. he said why not? you can't drink ginger ale and sit on a merry-go-round? i said my girlfriend would kill me. he gave me the part an my girlfriend gave me her agent and he said can you walk, talk and say lines. i said i don't know. he set me up for a show "bachelor father" with john

forsyth and gave me my first speaking part. >> and there you went. >> and there i went. >> many of us remember you as crystal to joan collins' alexis and that hair pulling scene which is so memorable. i mean was it hard to be so hateful to joan collins? i mean you're pulling her hair. i think she's got -- >> i loved to do stunts. when you say that, i loved to do stunts. barbara stanwick got me involved in doing stunts when i did "big valley" so this had a lot to do with fun, there was nothing to do with hate, just chore row graphed, fun to do. >> looks like you might have gotten some bruises. >> i'm telling ul i love to fight physically, joan loved to fight verbally so we each had our own little place. when i got to do a fight i loved it. i don't do that in life. i never beat anybody up. >> thank goodness, i like my hair. i am starting to lose it already but i didn't want to lose any

more of it. >> we didn't hurt each other. >> 40 isn't fatal, what would you say about the age you are now? >> well i'm 68. i'll be 69 next month. >> no. >> i love it. i love it. i am the happiest i've ever been in my life. there's a certain amount of wisdom that comes with getting older that i wouldn't trade being young and tight bodied and everything because there's something about the wisdom that we gain that really serves us in life. >> and you, if you could say one thing to the young women who are listening, women who are younger than you are, about this search for wisdom, what would it be? >> as you get older -- you're meant to be young and you're meant to be exciting and have adventures, but when you get older, if you understand not to discount now people that are older, and i want to say to everyone, let's just create something where we all get to say we respect people that are older and we have a lot to contribute, and they're going to

have a lot. don't think of just living 30, 40, 50 years with your kids and everything. think of what you'll do until you're 80 or 90. >> linda evans you keep living that life. thank you so much this morning. >> thank you. >> the book is called "recipes for life" and the excerpts are on our website. linda will be back later in the morning with kathie lee and hoda. for now, here's matt. >> all right ann, thank you very much. an update on a remarkable young lady we dubbed the bionic bride. we first met alley smith babineau after a revolutionary device saved her heart months before her wedding. earlier this year she suffered a setback that left her fighting for her life all over again. ali smith first warmed other hearts sharing the story of hers. >> one thing that -- sorry -- he told me was even if i was on my death bed that he was still going to marry me.

>> reporter: ali had cardio cardiomyopathy and without a heart transplant was not expected to survive. >> we expected her life expectancy was a year without more aggressive therapy and her chance of living one year was 50%. >> reporter: ali chose to have a radical surgery, a bionic heart powered by batteries. >> this is battery and controller of my heartmate two. it connects through here, and right here goes through my abdomen and goes right through here into this part that goes to my pump, so it's all connected. >> mike, you asked ali to marry you right when you found out she was gravely, gravely ill. >> yeah, it was just a lot of commitment on our relationship. we've been through some hard times but definitely have a lot of good times and i wanted to see it through the end. >> reporter: ali was doing so well with her bionic heart she came to see us this past december with her parents to tell us about her wedding.

can you describe the emotions were feeling on that day? >> one of the most emotional days i've probably had, giving her away at that dance. >> a year to the day that she almost died was the day she got married. >> reporter: but weeks after this interview, ali's parents called with devastating news, ali had fallen into a coma and was not expected to survive. >> we just want to reach out and say ali, we are thinking of you and our family and send you our prayers and our very best wishes. >> we're pulling for you. >> reporter: doctors told the family to prepare for the worst but then three weeks later a miracle. there's a new development in the story even as we're speaking right now, ali is being taken into an operating room, getting a heart transplant this morning. >> wow. and now, eight months after her heart transplant, this is ali

today. >> hey, beautiful. >> good to see you. >> how are you feeling? >> good, good. >> you look good. >> reporter: ali is thriving with her new heart. >> you look good. and this day she wanted to return to the texas heart institute to say thank you to her doctors and nurses. >> it was it was truly miraculous because she turned around. >> reporter: when ali left the hospital she was asked to ring a transplant bell to encourage other patients to continue their battles as well. >> it was kind of like a doorbell for me, you know, rang it three times, and went through the doors and entered the next chapter of my life. i hope i never have to ring it again, though. >> reporter: and ali is with us this morning, along with her parents, christa and ronny and cardiologist roberta bogave. you're crying. this is a good time to be back. >> it is. >> to start with we sat on the

couch when you were really ill and sent our best wishes out to you on the morning of your surgery. you heard it on the tv but you were all drugged up, right? >> yes, highly drugged, very. >> and you actually thought i was in the hospital room with you? >> yeah, i remember i could hear you talking and i just, i don't know if i was awake, i don't know what i was doing and i thought we're all there and you had all flown in and standing next to me talking and the newscasting at the same time. >> we were there in spirit. how are you feeling? >> amazing. better than i actually thought i would feel. >> you're not bionic anymore, no more pumps, no more batteries no, more wires, things like that. >> right. >> you are living what would be described as a normal life? >> probably beyond a normal life. i think i push things further than most people probably would, just knowing that life could be too short, and so i might as well do the things i never thought i'd be able to do.

>> doctor, the prognosis, will she be able to return to completely normal activity or has she already? >> she's already normal, matt. she can do anything you can do. >> it's amazing, she needed a miracle, mom and dad said she needs a miracle and needs it quickly. her system improved enough for a short period of time so the surgery was possible, and at that very time, a donor heart became available. how do you explain that? >> miracles. god does miracles. >> you know just an amazing thing, you know. god willed it and it happened, and we were just blessed. >> i know you must spend a lot of time thinking about the donor. >> um-hum. >> and that person's family. what are your thoughts? >> i hope to meet them one day. i want to tell them, you know, of course we don't know who each other are yet but i'd like to tell them that their family member is still here.

they're just a little bit part of, in me and several other people, so that saying that can you be there in two places at once, that person's probably there seven places and they're allowing moo he to do the things that i wasn't able to do. so i'm taking them now to do the things that they might not have ever done. >> it is great to have you all back here. last time i said good-bye i thought everything was fine and then you scared us. don't scare us anymore. >> i think we all thought that, too. >> ali wonderful treat to have you back here. congratulations, continued good health. thank you for being here. >> thank you, matt. >> here's ann. >> thanks, such a nice story. let's head to washington, d.c., and check in with mr. willard scott. hey, willard. >> hey, it's wirbirthday time a over the nation and you may be next. if you live to be 100, if i don't do it i'll tape it for you. chances are i'll have to tape it

for you. we have for instance myrtle harris, st. louis, missouri, is 105. lived forever in st. louis. lives independently and attributes her longevity to her faith and the good lord. can't beat that. almost everybody says that. evelyn dickinson, woo, lovely, warwick, new york, is 104, loves to swim and she has a horsey and she likes to ride the horsey. birthday number three, marie puh of livermore, california, 108 years old, loves to work in her vegetable garden, for a long time, and play bridge, working in the garden is one of the blessings of life. i've always thought i'd like to go that way. ann roberts of yucaipa, california, 105. likes to stay in touch with all of her friends, guess what, with e-mail and facebook. more and more older people are doing that and they love it.

dorothy polk of savoy, illinois, oh, boy, hoy-ti-toy lives independently and loves to play bridge with her pals. good activity. good activity. we have eunice. i like that name, eunice greene of goldsboro, north carolina, is 109, extremely family oriented and loves god very much, and remains active in her church and that's it, that's all from your nation's capital at this time. >> all right, willard, thank you so much. coming up, more of al's interview with the first lady, michelle obama. plus we'll help her set a world record live on the plaza but first a look at your local news and weather.

and weather. 8:26 is your time now on this wednesday, october 12th, 2011. i am eun yang. let's go to tom kierein with a look at your forecast. >> it's cloudy now and we had overnight showers and they tapered off temporarily around the metro area but there is more rain advancing towards us from the south and it's moderate to heavy, and the areas of orange and yellow are heavy downpours advancing into the central blue ridge and advancing into the north and the metro area around morning and late noontime. and downpours are likely with

highs reaching near 70, and maybe afternoon and evening showers again tomorrow with ♪

[ female announcer ] who'd have thought that the person you'd grow up to be -- how creative or confident or kind -- was shaped before you lost your first tooth? ♪ the first five years are forever. ♪ that's why pnc is devoting $250 million and ten more years to helping families discover learning opportunities all around them. pnc. grow up great. good morning. still seeing a lot of congestion in the area. outer loop of the beltway, still slow, 13 miles per hour.

still slow on 270, and slowly heading towards the spur. back to you. >> thank you. more news, weather and traffic for you in 25 minutes, but first for you in 25 minutes, but first back to the "today" show after

check the tag. made in france. wow. the price tag. double wow. up to 60% off. find what makes you happy at a price that makes you homegoods happy. i'm sitting on the "nbc nightly news" news and behind me is the rock center. my life will basically take place in this room. there's a plan for a pasta bar back over there. ♪ 8:30 now on a wednesday morning, the 12th day of october, 2011, that is the latest hit from one of the hottest bands in the world,

coldplay, the grammy winners have a new album coming out and next friday they'll treat us to a live concert on the plaza. if you're in the area october 21st, come on down. i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer and natalie morales and al roker. i'm so excited about that. just ahead we'll help set a world record. >> the goal, most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period. i helped kick things off at the white house an an event hosted by first lady michelle obama. we talked to her about her fitness and personal exercise routine and the first family and what do they do and talk about around the dining room table. we'll hear more from the first lady in a little bit. >> anyone can participate in making this world record happen. >> that's right. >> we can all do it. >> we can all do it, yes. >> something to shoot for. halloween just around the

corner. martha stewart is here this morning and always puts us to shame. uh-oh, she has a drill in her hand, she's going to show us how to spruce up her pumpkin. some of the things on the table are amazing. >> she has c-4. >> that's how the pros do it. >> exploding pumpkins. the nation's best meatball recipes, yes that's right, if you think you have the best meatball recipe, submit yours on the website along with a video or photo of your dish. the deadline is next wednesday, october 19th and chef bobby flay will crown our champion november 3rd. >> who will eat the meatballs to make the choice? >> bobby flay. >> let's participate. let's try. >> i don't think we're qualified. >> oh. how about a chebobby. >> i don't think we are qualified. >> how about a check of the weather. >> that's what is going on around the country, and here is what is going on in your neck of the woods. >> we had a break from the rain

over the last couple hours but there is more on the way, and raining moderate to heavy in southern west virginia, and that's heading north. those should make their way into the metro area by noontime and in the meantime, highs in the mid-70s. tomorrow warmer an and don't forget to check your weather any time of the day or night, go to the weather channel on cable or online weather tot com. michelle obama and al helps weath[ male announcer ] at the safeway pharmacy you can get a flu shot with no hassle at all.

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guinness world record for the most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period and al you got things started off at the white house on tuesday. >> that's right, the attempt is in support of mrs. obama's let's move initiative. we had a chance to talk about that, and the importance of families getting fit together. >> all right! keep it up! ♪ you look pretty excited being the jumper in chief. >> i love it. anything, my motto is anything i can do to get kids and families enthusiastic about movement and nutrition, i will do. i have no shame when it comes to exercise. >> are jumping jacks your exercise of choice? >> you know i do everything. jumping jacks, squats, lunges, you know, jump lunges, you name it, i have a trainer who is a little crazy so we did a little bit of everything, a little boxing so we miktx it up becaus if you get bored you don't stick to it. >> does the president have to

worry about the boxing parts? >> sometimes when he sees me punching he thinks hmm i hope i don't make her too mad. no, of course not. >> since you launched let's move, what effects have but seen? what's been happening since you launched this initiative? >> one of the things i'm most proud about is seeing so many different sectors coming together on this issue. i mean what we know in our country is that we do care about our kids. parents care about their kids. we want our kids to be healthy and everyone has stepped up. >> we just had a story about in denmark they're planning on instituting like a "fat" tax, foods high in sugar, high in fat. do you think something like that is needed here? >> i think folks need information, you know, knowledge is power, and you know we're lacking that. people eat what they eat because they think it's okay. they don't need government telling them what to do. they need good information and access. >> what about people say oh i don't have the time, my family doesn't have the time. you guys got a campaign coming

up, you got to hit the trail, how do you work those things in when you're traveling like that? >> you know it's prioritization. i work-out as much as i can when i can. when you're on the road you can't always count on it. the thing i tell families you don't have to make whole scale changes. little changes, putting more water into your kids' diet, eliminating sugar and sugary drinks, putting more fruits and vegetables on, exercise is ju jumping out on the line. i got a workout with the kids. >> do you have to get in shape to go out and campaign? >> it helps if you're healthy because it takes a lot of stamina. that's one of the reasons why we try to stay healthy. you don't get breaks and you have to sort of have your diet in control and sometimes we go for 12, 14-hour days on the campaign trail and it helps to have the energy. >> do you have to motivate the president and the girls? are they fairly self-motivated when it comes to this? >> no, no, no, barack has been

an exercise fanatic all his life. he uses it to destress, so he works out every single day. our girls, we make it fun. it's their sports, it's their activities, so no, they're not getting up going to the gym every day but we do encourage them to play a team sport, and individual sport, and we support them in that. we try to go to their games and make it fun. >> how important is the family getting together, not your family but everybody's family, getting together around the table? >> that is critical and something that we do, 6:30, as much as possible, we sit down for dinner, the president's schedule stops, he comes up for dinner, he may have to go back to the office but we eat dinner together and what it does is number one forces families to cook, which is another way to be healthy is preparing food at home, and i think what we find is as you're sitting around the table having a conversation you're not focused on how much you can eat, and you slow down and eat less.

>> is the dinner table in the obama household a politics free, poll numbers free zone? >> it is because the girls could care less about what their father does so what his day was like is usually the last thing we talked about. he's sort of an afterthought, oh, by the way dad, how was your day. >> time for us to help "national geographic's kids" magazine break the record. >> we've taken some of our plaza viewers, gotten t-shirts on them and getting ready to start jumping. we have stuart claxton with the official guinness world records and mona bello from "national geographic." >> we have a clock. they have to jump for one minute so here we go, everybody ready? three, two, one, jump! ♪ >> all right, while we're jumping, i want you to talk about why this has been such a

passion for you.. >> "national geographic kids" is about getting kids up and out into the world and fitness is so important, so we figure how to get kids involved, get guinness world records and michelle obama and it's a win, win, win. >> the clock started at 3:00 yesterday afternoon and ends at 3:00 this afternoon. how can everyone including our cameramen get involved? >> if you want to participate in the guinness world record go to "national geographic kids" magazine website. do one minute of jumping jacks before 3:00 today. >> what's the record, stuart? >> 20,425 is the record to beat. >> we have to break it. >> how many do you want to break it by? >> i want to double it. 40,000. ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! woo! >> we're on our way, stuart?

>> 37 more, absolutely. >> let's do it. >> i want to show you this ladies, this is what jumping jacks does for you. what is your name, robin? >> robin. >> robin is 75 years old. >> i want to have what you have. look at you. how do we make sure you sign up, go to the website and sign up. you have until 3:00 today. >> i am thrilled to be here. >> thank you so much. >> i used to be a page here. >> oh, my gosh! an nbc page? >> 55 years ago! >> that's fantastic. >> we, too, can look like you at 75. thank you so much for helping us. thanks to everyone. >> thank you. >> and so wish you luck. >> thank you, thank you. >> thank you so much. much more coming up, including martha stuart helping us decorate for halloween with including martha stuart helping us dmy theory is that there'sh a force field of happiness

around aruba. obviously, if you take a boat out, the further you go, then surely the happiness will stop. there must be a limit somewhere ! everyone still happy, yeah ? ( crowd ) yeah !

everyone still happy ? ( cheers ) look at that-- they're still happy ! it's amazing ! is everyone still happy ? ( cheers ) how can that be ? we're like, miles out...

♪ it's pumpkin time, pumpkin time ♪ we're back at 8:44 this morning on "martha on today" throwing a pumpkin party. martha is here with exciting ways to decorate your jack-o'-lantern this halloween. martha, good morning nice to see you. >> good morning. >> i'm 53 years old you're teaching me new things about halloween. pumpkin carving 101. don't cut the top of the pumpkin? >> you don't have to. if you want to illuminate with the candle you it cake the top off but because so many people are using christmas lights you cut the bottom over that and put it over a jar. >> makes so much sense. >> you don't have to worry about

the candle blowing out. >> when it starts to decay you don't have to worry about this shrinking and falling in. >> these are templates we have on the website. >> you always start with the paper. >> so you have a good face, and then you can just make little holes with a pin around the whole design and take this off. we just use masking tape and all here on the pumpkin, use your pumpkin carving tools. >> is this a special carving tool? >> it is, don't give that to the kids and scoop out your pumpkin with a pumpkin scoop. >> that thing looks like it's out of "silence of the lambs.

xw ". >> what kind of mind do you have? this is artificial and the kids can take out candy corn. how do you preserve the cut edges of your pumpkins, a little bit of petroleum jelly, vaseline. >> stops what i talked about before? >> it helps. i like the way this looks before you've dressed it up and yet you're going to access rise. >> you can get these evil eyes and stick them in there. >> where did you find the eyes? >> craft stores, halloween stores. we shop everywhere. >> typical vampire teeth. >> that can go in the mouth, i can stick that in a little bit, yeah. that's not the right hole but there, but cut appropriate sized hole like that one. and these matte pins are perfecting for crazy eyes and it's just simple, fun things. >> talk to me about the mummy. >> instead of throwing the

toilet paper in the trees. >> i never did that. >> oh yes you did, matt admitted can he eggs, toilet paper, shaving cream. >> a neighbor of mine did that. >> or crepe paper to wrap odd sized squashes and matte pin for goonie eyes. >> extreme carving. you better take that from me. >> be careful. this is the wonderful blade on the drill and you can -- >> woe! >> are you all right there? yes. >> you didn't have to core it. >> you don't core it and just insert your mice that you find again at the halloween store. >> a little mouse hotel. >> it's so evil and kreeby and so just use the rear end even creepier. i love the mouse hotel. you don't have to use the drill.

you cans will use a little piercer like this which works very well. i want to show you that you can do it. see pull this out. matt, you want to pull that out for me? use that brute strength. >> pop that in there and tout comes. >> and it makes a nice noise. >> these are so cute, they really want to live here. >> hard to find these little guys? >> no, easy. >> for the truly lazy, this is actually a great idea because you don't have to carve anything. >> no, and these beautiful images come, martha stewart crafts, and these are spiderreb webs and arachnids. pull off the plastic and stick it on the plump kin and put a piece of wet cloth over it. it's the way they make beautiful designs on china.

pull that off and pull the white piece off. look what happens. >> there we go. >> and every detail is transferred onto the skin of the pumpkin. >> kids can get involved which is so great. >> so easy. pat that an and look at the beauties. some are transferred, some are painted, we painted this with a black enamel, glittered this. i can't stop pi want to keep going. >> good stuff. happy halloween. >> yes. still ahead, guilt free finds at the grocery store. first this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] if you're considering going back to school,

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back now at 8:51 and your "get fit today" always hearing about a new fitness phenomenon or exercise gadget sweeping the nation. as "today" national correspondent jenna wolfe discovered the most reliable secret may be the one you're already doing. >> it is indeed. we live in this society which wants more results in less time but maybe getting back to basics is the key here. instead of a new gym membership, why not just partner up with somebody else? sunrise is still a cup of coffee away, but kim peerson's exercise class is more than ready to break a sweat. sprints, squat jumps, mountain climbers and not even 6:00 a.m.

the women are greeting their day with a healthy dose of suffering. well, kind of. their physical pain is offset by the emotional lift they get from each other. how many empowerment would that give you if you were just working out by yourself? >> we always say to each other we would never do this alone. >> reporter: it's a question not often asked when setting up a fitness plan, who do you want to train with. as it turns out it does matter. how important is accountability when you're in a group type session and working out like this? >> literally, 4:45, they're like are you up, in the car? are you coming? >> reporter: here's the deal, if i was by myself i'd quit or at least break for six hours but i've got 16 other people here cheering me on. i got to go all the way. while the women in the class keep each other coming time after time, they all got here in the first place for one single reason. >> it's kim.

>> she's a great motivator. >> her energy. >> reporter: kim peerson the 2011 miss bikini universe and also 39 years old. think about that for a second, 39 years old. >> my personality, i've always told people perfectly matches a young child. i have a lot of energy. i can see who needs a push. i can see who needs to dance, who needs to shake it a little bit. >> reporter: away from the gym kim is a kindergarten teacher. she gave me a quick lesson on a few exercises anyone can do anywhere but even better when done with a friend. >> the first is the pushup. you got a partner and a little kid at home, play patty cake, separate your feet, reach out, patty cake, patty cake, we can more. one more time. >> okay. >> very nice. my favorite part of my body to train is my glutes, quads.

>> these are burning, are they supposed to burn. >> this is when i can tell you you can keep going. another one is the lunge. squeeze your shoulderblades together, lifts the chest. >> great for posture. >> engages the core. arms out straight, hence the superman and lift them both. >> i feel that in the lower back. >> challenge yourself. keep going until you can't get anymore, squeeze out one more and press yourself, write it down, try to hit that number the next day. >> reporter: kim's group has lost hundreds of pounds together in the past few years. the key has been extending the class lessons beyond the gym walls. >> she's motivated us in and out of the gym, not just here but our whole lifestyle when we go back home, the way we eat, motivating us to go to the gym in groups and we've all become friends so you'll text someone or e-mail them so it's a way of life. it's a whole new way of life. >> reporter: that new way of life embraced together and baptized in sweat, these women

are reaching individual goals together as a workout community. >> great way to start with kim in the morning, it's off my checklist, i'm done. i can nap. >> so here's the deal with this. this is nothing new, this is just going to the gym, it's about accountability. if you know you have 20 other people waiting for you or one other person or someone else, you're going to go so don't just get a gym membership, get someone else to get you psychologically to go there. >> it's so smart, just to give women this connection. i think for men as well it's a great idea. thanks so much, jenna. just ahead, we're fighting hidden germs in your home, after your local news. >> i think for men as well. great idea. 8:56 is your time now on this wednesday, october 12th, 2011. good morning. i am eun yang. let's go to tom kierein in the storm center for a look at the forecast.

>> we had predawn showers and since then things settled down around the immediate metro area, and it's advancing to the north. the oranges and yellios around the central blue ridge and charlottesville, that's advancing north. it will be in the metro area around noontime and off and on during the afternoon. and a small chance of a shower later tonight, and then drying out for the weekend.

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we're back now more of "today" on a wednesday morning, the 12th day of october, 2011. the rain has started here in new york city, just a little drizzle so far, so not so bad and we come outside to say hi to our nice people out on the plaza. matt lauerlong with ann curry, and mr. al roker, and coming up, the number one topic on the minds of just about everybody in the country right now, talking about the economy, so coming up our "money 911" panel is here, talking about making sure you're putting your money in the right place when it comes to pension,

prioritizing, your credit card debt and saving for your children's education. also, germaphobes, heads up, most of you on this list. did you know if you make your bed it actually does not help prevent dust mites? it actually, not making your bed helps prevent dust mites? >> wow. >> there you go. that is one of the tidbits of information coming up in a segment they're about to do about germs and how germs can be in your sponges and gym bags and also there are so many other breeding grounds for germs. >> good to know. >> i feel so much better now. >> i know. our chat with first lady michelle obama, yesterday we talked about her passion of fighting childhood obesity getting kids moving with her let's move campaign. she has another passion as we found out, getting a bargain. her recent trip to target stole the headlines, not the first time she's tried to fly under the radar while doing retail therapy. she'll tell us all about it. >> natalie is standing by at the

news desk with a look at the headlines. >> good morning again, matt, ann and al. new jersey governor chris christie says he'll do everything he can to help mitt romney now that christie has endorsed romney for president. the endorsement hours before romney squared off against other republican candidates at a debate in new hampshire. he said there could have been a meltddown of the financial system had an action had to be taken. president obama's vowing to keep fighting for his proposed jobs bill after the bill failed to survive a crucial test vote tuesday in the senate. the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to move it forward. the president says he will now work to pass individual components of the bill, and earlier on "today," vice president joe biden said people are hurting and something needs to be done. the state department has issued a worldwide travel alert warning americans of the potential for terrorist attacks against u.s. interests. the alert followed accusations that two iranian government

agents plotted to assassinate saudi arabia yes, sir ambassaam bassor's to the u.s. an israeli captured five years ago may soon be freed. this morning a cabinet agreed to free more than 1,000 prisoners in exchange for gilad shalit. one member voted against it and called it a huge victor for terror. sony is offering free inspections and repairs on 1.6 million bravia lcd televisions worldwide. a defect can cause overheating, smoke and melting parts. the company says it has received 11 such reports in japan, but none involved injuries or damage beyond the televisions. and take a look, this german shepherd is the ultimate bird brain, when he goes for a walk, max, the family parrot, goes with him, hitching a ride on his back or tail or wherever.

max doesn't necessarily tell him where to go but seems to enjoying being a back seat driver. now that is adorable. it is three minutes past the hour right now. let's get a check of the weather from al. >> thanks so much, natalie. let's see what's happening. we'll show you for today here i. let's see what is happening. we will show you for today here in the east, we have a storm system making its way up the coast. we have gone seven or eight days without rain through much of the northeast. that is changing. the good news is this is not a soaking and drenching rain, and some areas may pick up an inch of rain but for the most part not all that bad. sunshine along the east coast and a slight risk of strong storms in the midsection of the country, and that's what is going on around the country and here is what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> cloudy skies right now, and no rain in washington, however, we did have predawn, and since then we have had a respit, and where you see the yellows and

oranges, that's advancing north and may be in the metro area around noontime, and highs near ♪ somebody call 911, sure the fire burning on the dance floor whoa ♪ time for "today's 911" money experts, answering your questions this morning we have sharon epperson, and david bach, otherwise known as james bond, the author of "debt free for life" and farnoush girabi, personal finance contributor to yahoo.com. >> i always wanted to be james bond. >> bach, david bach and the bond girls, very nice. let's get to it. wayne in chicago is on the phone. good morning. >> caller: good morning. >> what's your question? >> caller: my wife is retiring

the first of the year. she went to get information about a pension she had with a company that was bought out by a large corporation. when she was terminated from that company back in '99, her estimated pension was over $1,000 a month at retirement. now they say it's only a couple hundred a month. how do we know this amount is correct? is there a way to verify that amount? >> sharon, a lot of folks have to be in wayne and his wife's situation. >> a lot of people are trying to find the lost pension and want the full benefit. you need to check the plan'sical class and when you can do this easily yourself you need to request in writing from the company two key documents, the summary plan description, the summary plan description is what was given to your wife when she left the company saying what her estimated benefit would be and you need the main plan document that actually outlines what the rules are to determine that benefit. once you have those documents you may be able to go through and do the calculations. you want to make sure you get those documents from when she was last working for the company, not the most recent ones so you can have that actual

original benefit. if you have any problems, there are a number of places that you can go to for help. there are pension counseling centers around the country, 29 states have them and you can find them through pensionrights.org, the pension rights center website and go to pensionhelpamerica.org, a great research and the professional group for actuaries and those are available on the today.com website as well. >> keep the statements forever. >> absolutely. >> when this happens and it happens a lot if you've got the statement, even if it's ten years old you can say here is the deal. >> we want to move along, heather from texas via skype. good morning, heather. >> good morning. >> what is your question? >> my husband and i have debt on two credit cards. one of the cards carries the lower balance and a 9.99% rate. the other card has about a few

thousand dollars more and 8.99% rate. the difference in the interest per month is only about $20. so our question is do we pay more towards the higher balance or do we do the even split that we've been doing between the two cards? >> that's a good question. >> we get this all the time. super simple answer actually and not what most people say. most say pay the highest interest rate. pay minimum payments on all cards and add the money to the smaller card. the reason is you'll pay off the smaller card faster and by paying off one of your cards faster you avoid the risk of late fees, over limit fees or annual fees in your case the interest rate is almost identical so focus on the smaller card, pay that one first and make no payment on the other card. >> to the phone lines, christine calling in from new jersey. good morning, your question? >> caller: good morning. my husband will be unemployed in six months when his office

closes. he has been looking for a new job for over a year. he will receive a severance package for two months and our home is our only debt and we have about six months of emergency funds saved, and i recently set up a home equity line of credit for emergencies, and what else do you think we should be doing to prepare for unemployment? >> farnoush? >> christine, great job getting your ducks in a row so far, you're doing great building momentum and taking advantage of this period until unemployment. two things i would add to your to do list, figure out if you can refinance your mortgage. you say this is your only debt but it's probably your biggest monthly expense. interest rates are really low and the time to act is now because your husband has a job. if the job is no longer in the picture, it's going to be next to impossible to qualify for a mortgage, so run the numbers, see if that makes sense. this could be a huge saver for your family. number two, continue to save. the six-month cushion you have is great.

i think nine or ten months would be even better and the reason i say that is because the average length of unemployment for the average unemployed person is ten months. so you want to hope for the best but plan for the worst. >> plan for the worst. we got a twitter question, this from vanessa, what is the best way to plan to save for kids' college, state prepaid, 529 or life insurance plans? >> there are 529, two plans opinion college plans and prepaid plans. you can prepay and the 529 is my favorite choice. for most flexibility you may want to stash in a brokerage account. >> thank you, sharon, david, or james bond, that turtle neck is bumping, and farnoush. did you know they're lurking everywhere you turn, not david's

turtle neck, but how to get rid of hidden germs in your home. sensible style for cool or rainy weather, right after these messages. think twice. it may be a sign that your digestive system could be working better. listen to this with occasional irregularity, things your body doesn't use could be lingering in your system, causing discomfort. but activia has been shown in clinical studies to help with slow intestinal transit when consumed 3 times per day. 7 out of 10 doctors recommend activia. and the great taste is recommended by me! tonight we're setting the table with something new. come in for olive garden's new stuffed rigatonis, hearty pasta stuffed with a blend of five italian cheeses. for just $11.95 try the rigatoni with grilled chicken in a roasted garlic alfredo. or for just $9.95 try the rigatoni with sausage in tomato alfredo. both served with our unlimited fresh salad or homemade soup

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because part of being the best is doing good. ♪ this morning on "today's health" hidden germs that could be lurking in your home. dr. carrie petersen is an internist and contributor to "women's health" magazine and here with simple tips to keep you as germ free as possible. good morning. >> good morning. >> let's start with the hidden germs and first being contact lens cases, and you say that we should be washing the solution, and we should be dumping the solution every time we basically put our contacts in our eyes. >> exactly, if you store them in

disinfecting solution at night when you put them in your eyes what's left over in the case should be considered dirty. discard it right into the bowl, rinse it out with hot water and let it air dry because that solution can breed germs and those germs like ceratio or staff aureus can cause keratitis, which is very bad. you want to replace this case every six months. >> not putting it in the dishwasher, just throw it out get a new one. and it's cheap anyway, right? contact lens solution has an expiration date. ma people may not be aware of this. check your bottle and be sure not to use it after the expiration date. >> good to know. next your bed. did you know, this is going to gross you out, 8 h4% of the bed in the u.s. have dust mites. >> at least, our bedding our sheets. >> what can we do? >> the concern is many americans are allergic to them and it can

create runny nose, itchy eyes and in particular asthma. you want to be attentive to cleaning your bedding so basically dust mites thrive in humid conditions, which is why they love beds, our bodies get warm, they get sweaty and create this humid environment. >> right. >> you want to either first off you have an excuse, don't make your bed. >> like we need an excuse not to make the bed. now we have it. >> if you make your bed you're trapping the moisture in there and then they can thrive whereas if you leave it opened it dries the sheets out. >> wash the sheets, replace cases and pillows as often as you can as well. >> wash at least once a week. >> very good. sponges. we snow sponges are breeding grounds for all kinds of germs. >> yes. >> and what about if you -- so what can you do? i've heard putting it in the microwave or dishwasher. does that really work? >> well just the concern with sponges, they do harbor bacteria that can cause food poisoning so you want to designate a sponge

for your dishes and one for the countertop and be sure not to store it in your sink. put it on the counter where it can dry out. when you want to disinfect it, stick it in the dishwasher with your dishes, do a cycle with that or stick it in the microwave for one minute and that will completely get rid of the germs. >> all right, and replace them, toss them, they're cheap, too. >> exactly. >> makeup brushes, what kind of germs are breeding in your brushes and how often should you be washing them? >> what happens with makeup brushes you sweep them on to your skin, dead skin cells on it, oils from your face and they breed bacteria and get dirty. in the morning you take a shower and think you're nice and clean and you're wiping that dirt and oil back onto your skin. we recommend you want to take a little facial cleanser in some water and put the brush in there, sweep it around a little bit, swirl it and rinse it in clean water, give it a little rinse. >> wash every couple of days then? >> actually once a week. and then you air dry it on a

clean surface. >> gym bag, breeding grounds as well for germs, you should be cleaning this out and storing? >> washing out the inside, store your gym clothes in a plastic bag before you put it inside so you don't transfer germs from your gym into your bag. >> cell phones apparently they are much worse for germs than public toilets if you can believe that. disgusting. >> take a little anti-bacterial wipe, wipe off the keys and the back and you're all set. >> dr. carrie petersen as always you grossed us out this morning, thank you. come up next, michelle obama's not so so crete shopping trip to target, turns out she's done it before and likes costco, too, she'll tell us after these messages. can we show you something? wouldn't it be great to feel like this all the time? (yeaaaahhh!!) i guess so. well, with the chase freedom card, you get 5% cash back on up to $1500 worth of purchases. and new categories every 3 months.

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[ male announcer ] we've always made it right. and now we ship it right. announcing shipped for free, guaranteed to last. no minimum order. no end date. from l.l. bean. sew al is a busy man, you traveled to the white house yesterday and caught one the first lady michelle obama. >> that's right. we participated in one of her let's move event and another big

event we talked about, her recent shopping trip to target. those pictures of you at target, i mean, is that -- do you sometimes miss the ability to do something like that on a regular basis? >> absolutely. but quiet as it's kept although not so quiet i do that more frequently than people realize, and it's amazing how people don't recognize you. they don't expect to see me at starbucks or at chipotle. i actually took bo to petco and the cashier asked me, oh, what kind of dog is that? i said a portuguese waterdog. he didn't recognize us because he didn't expect that we would be in petco so you know, my secret's out but we try to sneak out as much as we will look at traffic when

we come back. good morning, the earlier accident that shut down the gw parkway is now clear, and still seeing delays as you make your way from the beltway to route 123, still a slow commute. outside of the beltway at nutley, delays continue as you head east inside of the beltway. outer loop of the beltway in maryland, still very slow. your speed is just about 32 miles per hour. >> thank you. more news, weather and traffic for

once you've said to you, i cannot do this anymore, that's the first step. then the next step is, you've got to find out how you're going to stop and where. >> are we going to put subtitles oen that for tomorrow because i have no idea what he said. >> that's the prince of darkness. who cares what he's saying.

he's ozzy osbourne, prince of darkness, led a life of rock 'n' roll, alcohol and drugs and bats. the self-admitted hypochondriac is dispensing advice on everything from kicking bad habits to parenting and we'll hear from him tomorrow. >> you could tell jenna had no idea either, uh-huh, uh-huh. >> just go along for the ride. coming up in this half hour, grocery shopping with the self-proclaimed hungry girl, lisa lilja, lo cal but filling foods. latest trends in rain gear, hottest looks in rain boots, coats and bags to keep you dry, warm and stylish

♪ everything will always be all right ♪ this morning on "eat smart today" the best guilt free finds at the grocery store. here to help you and a half dpat is lisa lillian, star offed into network's "hungry girl" and author of "hungry girl supermarket." good to see you. >> good to see you. >> there's a lot of good things out there. >> a few simple swaps can save you hundreds of calories a day. >> snack aisle.

>> everybody loves snacking. these are pop chips. >> i love these. >> these are so good, a great potato chip swap. they're popped, lakd not fried, come in so many flavors. the calorie counts are great and they come in single serving bags. look out for those so you don't overdo it. >> pretzel chips? >> these are flat pretzels, pretzel cribs, they're adorable and amazing flavors. what i like about these, they come in nice and spicy flavors so you don't want to overdo it. because you can shovel those and overdo it. they're low in fat and calories as well. >> a lot of people think i'll have popcorn, it's a light deal but a lot of hidden calories can be in the popcorn. >> a lot. you have to read labels, with y beef. beef chow mein. chicken chow mein. >> they're the same ones that would rather be -- yeah. >> what she said. >> lose their ability to read than -- yeah. >> all right, everybody. send your photos to us at klgandhoda.com. coming up we play "who knew?" >> and linda evans is with us.

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we are back on this winesday, wednesday, ready to play "who knew?" our weekly drif ya game. since october is national breast cancer awareness month we're turning our questions to all things pink. kathie lee is across the street at the nbc experience store ready to hand out 100 bucks to those bho get the question right. to those who don't they get the kathie lee cd. meghan murphy is here to help me out. she is "shelf" magazine's features director. your decked out in pink. >> rocking some pink. >> you ready? let's go across to kath. >> this lovely lady is from richmond, virginia. i don't know if she'll get the first one. i think she'll love my cd. what is the name of this song by pink? ♪ party crasher, panty snatcher, call me up if you a gangster, don't be fancy just get dancy ♪ >> it ain't "over the rainbow." no. it's good.

because she's going to love these songs. >> that song, of course, is -- >> "raise your glass." that's pink. we love pink. she supports some great causes. run for the cure which promotes awareness in japan. >> terrific. all right. back across to kath. >> lovely lady from southern missouri. what is the survival rate percentage from breast cancer after five years? if it is detected early. it is under 20%, 50%, 75% or over 90%? >> "c"? >> the bad news is she didn't get it. the good news is, it's a better survival rate, right, hoda woman? >> it sure is. more than 90%. >> that's the thing. 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. we have a 1 in 7 chance of being diagnosed within our lifetime. but early detection is the key. if you're over 40, go get a mammogram. if you're under 40 you have a family history of breast cancer, ask your doctor, a scan could save your life. >> sure. all right. back across to kath. >> a lady visiting from north carolina. what is the survival rate --

that was yours. so sorry. in which movie is there a group called the pink ladies? it was also a broadway show in fairness. was it "cry baby," "greece," bye-bye birdie or west side story? >> greece, i beliease, i believ >> i heard you tell her. shame on you. but here you go. >> they can split that 50/50. >> because of that i'm going to make her listen to my cd. >> poor thing. okay. anyway, so "grease." >> olivia newton john a survivor and cancer advocate. we love her. >> back across to kath. >> this lady's from kentucky. which of the following is not a potential risk factor for breast cancer? a lack of physical activity, wearing underwire bras, cigarette smoking or being a woman? >> "a." >> yeah. >> no. >> no, no, no.

it was a trick question. we are cruel around here. you're going to love it. >> the correct answer here which is not a potential risk factor is wearing an underwire bra. >> exactly. sleep in your bra, wear it all day long. it's not going to up your risk. physical activity, actually just 30 little bitty minutes each day reduces your risk of breast cancer. you've got to move it. >> sure wp you've got to move it. back across to kath. >> beautiful lady from birmingham, alabama. true or false. flamingos' diets are the reason that they are pink. >> false. >> true. stop it! it's a good thing. here you go. >> are you kidding me? what are they eating? >> they're eating brine, shrimp and algae. there's a pigment. it's a keratinoid. the pigment is deposited in their feathers, bills and legs. >> that surprising. who knew as we say. >> another pretty lady from north carolina. which actor gained fame in the movie "pretty in pink"?

john c john. >> "c"? >> it's a good thing, people. >> the correct answer, agon crier. >> ducky. there's no relation to the movie the pretty in pink foundation in north carolina which helps women without coverage get treatment. >> excellent. thanks a lot, meghan. we appreciate it. coming up next, one of our favorites. actress linda evans opens up about some of her biggest heartaches, her co-stars and how pure luck got her to hollywood. we're going to talk to her right after this. ♪

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where you book matters. expedia. if this song strikes a cord with you, then you were probably a big fan of that 1980s hit tv show. you know it. it's called "dynasty." >> before that the big valley was a prime-time soap dynasty surrounding a denver based oil tycoon named blake kerrington.

linda evans played his wife crystal. >> one of her many roles. in her new book "recipes for life: my memories" linda takes us through her journey. >> great to see you. >> i'm loving being here with you two women. >> we love how you've kind of fell into your acting career. i love beginning stories. you just went -- tagged along with a friend for a commercial and, boom, you were the one selected. >> did that friendship survive? >> i actually said to him, please, i can't do this to my girlfriend. he said, i promise i'll give her a commercial if you do it. he did. he did. he gave me several more. he was wonderful. >> he knew what he was looking for and you were it. >> apparently. >> you were always sort of a reluctant movie star, television star, weren't you? i knew that from the very beginning. you knew this was ultimately not what was going to make you happy. >> no. i wanted a husband and children. i was so shy in junior high school i wouldn't give a book report. they were going to flunk me unless i took drama. if my dad had not passed away

when i was 15 i would not have had the courage to do that commercial. we needed the money. i couldn't say no. it just started me off on a life that i'm not sorry about at all. >> the way you write about your life in this book is very typical linda in that you give some juicy stuff. but not just the recipes. but in such a ladylike -- >> right. >> -- and very, very respectful way to the people that were in your life. even the ones who hurt you very, very deeply. you're very forgiving. where does that come from, linda? >> okay. well, forgiving. i have found in looking back over my life that the worst things that happen to you are oftentime the best things that happen to you. they move you out of the direction you are going. you know what? when you say forgiving, yes, my husband left me for beau derek. and she was only 15. but i loved him. and love doesn't stop because a relationship stops. the marriage ends. yes, we're not married. >> you remain friends with him. >> i still loved him. loved him as a person.

>> not only loved him, stayed friends with all the wives. >> yeah. >> but i liked the wives. if you don't like them, you don't stay friends with them. if he had married two lousy ladies i wouldn't be friends with them. but ursula andres, i adore. i just talked to her, like, two weeks ago in rome. >> i love yanni. there's something about him. you had a long relationship, a nine-year relationship with him, too. >> which opened up the whole world of music to you, a new world as well. >> being with a younger man which was something i'd never experienced. >> what's that like? >> it was -- it was bold. oh, are you cute? >> i'm adorable. so is my husband. i love him. >> you've stayed married forever. we like that. this is my dream. >> you would have. but things didn't work out that way. >> you're happily without. >> you're happily without a man. >> i am. that's a shocker. if i'd known a long time ago i could be so happy by myself, i wonder what my life would have been like. >> your book is not only chock full of info. it's chock full of great

recipes. i didn't realize how much you enjoy cooking. you always cook your own meals, basically, yeah? >> i love to cook. i love food. >> tell us what's on the table before us. look what we have here, a little snack. >> this is a banana lemon grass coconut soup. >> ban nana lemon grass coconut. >> it's a cold soup, right? >> i was saying i never let anybody cook my food before. i hope it tastes -- >> bianca and her team here are amazing. >> this is great. >> it's easy to make. it's easy. makes you look really good. >> what's cute about the book, she'll tell you a story about the people. then certain things that she made for them. or when she had them for dinner. or like in the case of john wayne, his wife pilar was a great cook. you have some of her recipes. >> john wayne, the crab dip is the first dip i ever asked anyone for in my life. >> wait. >> chocolate. straight to hoda's heart. >> chocolate. this is to me the ultimate chocolate. >> forget it. >> it's crunchy on the outside,

goowy in the inside. >> linda is one of the great ladies ever. ever. forget just the business. in life. we wish you all the best with the book, sweetie. >> thank you. coming up next, the ten rums all brilliant women li by. >> ask the three of us. we'll tell you. >> after this. to work day.your haps ♪ campbell's microwavable soups, right where you work. in three minutes, the deliciousness that brings a smile to any monday. and soup has what you need at work, to work. make any place, your happy place. ♪ campbell's -- it's amazing what soup can do. mom: yeah ? okay.

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calling all dedicated, talented and intelligent women. it's time to step up and realize your true potential. >> tara sophia moore says by following a few simple steps you can own your own brilliance. the author of "10 rules for brilliant women." >> she's so brilliant she's here with us today. good to see you, tara. >> so happy to be here with you two brilliant women. >> you break it down. we'll go over a couple of them. one of the things you say is important, one of your rules is do things that make you gasp. >> i really related to that one. i can't believe this. >> exactly. do the things that take you so far out of your comfort zone they actually activate that little, like, you mean go do

that now today? >> it's also an endor fin when you start doing it. >> that's right. once you do it and realize the world really does keep turning even when you do those things that scare you, you are well on your way to really sharing your brilliance in the world. >> we let other people define us too much, don't we, tara? >> absolutely. >> by letting them we never discover what we might become if we have a gasp moment. >> absolutely. we're waiting to see is someone going to invite me to share my brilliance? will they recognize it in me and discover me? it doesn't work that way. you have to take the first step and put your voice out. >> you realized that. >> some people are afraid to take the first step because you want sure footing. you say just step out and go for it. >> absolutely. another one of the rules is question the voice inside that says i'm not ready yet. right? because most brilliant women, part of what makes us brilliant is we see each way that our idea could be more perfect or better researched. we see what's missing from it. that can lead us to think i'm still not ready. i need to do more research. i need another degree.

>> the way you get ready for something is by doing it. >> right. >> you get a little bit better at it all the time. >> absolutely. when you hear that voice, i'm not ready, question, is that really true? let's put it out there and let the world give you the feedback and you'll find out just how ready you are. >> the next one is a big one, too. get a thick skin. you're going to hear it from everywhere. you can't do something or it's not going to work or whatever. >> you both know this so well. if you're out there sharing your voice -- >> you set yourself up for it. >> -- in a bold way you're going to get criticism and praise. you're going to get critics and fans. >> what you learn is whose opinion really matters. >> right. >> it's very few people when you really, really think about it. let them be the people that tell you. because they're the ones who have the motivation behind it that is good for you. they'll tell you the truth. >> absolutely. and that actually goes beautifully to one of the next rules which is to filter advice. because brilliant women, we tend to love the part of the process where we gather input from our mentors and other people we admire. >> and we're people pleasers, too, aren't we? >> absolutely. we tend to forget that not

everyone's advice is worth taking. even sometimes the people we most admire. they may not quite get what we're up to, if it's really revolutionary and ahead of its time. it may not just be their cup of tea. you want to filter advice and check in with what resonates with me and helps me get on my way here and what's advice that it's really just fine to leave behind. >> lastly, you say let other women know they're brilliant. give them a kiss. >> which is so pornt. we need to support one another. >> that's something i know you really believe in so strongly. acknowledging the people in your life. >> you have to. >> absolutely. particularly for women to be able to say to other women, this is the brilliance i see in you. not just you're brilliant. but this is the particular gift i'm seeing. when we say brilliance, it doesn't always mean iq. it's any gift that they're bringing to the world. and sharing with them what that is. >> there are five more. you're going to have to buy the book. >> or you can download it on kljandhoda.com. how about this. >> easier. for some people. next, we're going to go into

our kitchen to find out why chefs around new orleans are putting on the pink. >> my kind of town. >> first this is "today" on nbc.

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time for "today's kitchen." we're getting saucy with vinny russo at the ritz carlton in where else? new orleans. >> vinny is taking part in new orleans first month leg new orleans goes pink. he's here to share a recipe which already smells great. it's a salmon. >> salmon. quinoa flake. >> is that a wild salmon? the expensive kind or the other kind. >> this is right now, wild salmon just ended. we use scottish salmon today. >> okay.

>> we're going to get that searing. >> a little olive oil. >> extra virgin olive oil. cauliflower. >> this is the kind of cauliflower vinnie comes to us with. how did you get that? >> i got it from a farm in ohio. >> no, you didn't. >> i did. yeah. i did get it from a farm in ohio. >> okay. all right. you're throwing all that in here. >> that. some garlic. >> oh, oh, it's popping. >> some lemon juice. >> that seems awfully healthy to be from new orleans. >> yes. this is a first. >> i'm sorry. i haven't seen any butter yet. i haven't seen any bourbon thrown in there. >> some -- >> what is that? >> chef vinnie. quite the chef about town. >> we just prepared it. then we have a full -- watch this one. let's get that one off. then we have one right here. then i have one prepared already. >> all right. >> all we do is -- let me throw a little garnish on there for you so it gives it some color.

then drizzle a little olive oil around the plate. >> very nice. >> look how beautiful. >> thank you. >> you want some of this? >> this is yours. >> you're going to feed me, hodie? mmm. >> something a little healthier. >> i love the crust on it. that's delicious. >> let's go to the back. we have a strawberry mojito with ginger. >> of course you do. >> i used some ginger and some strawberries, some mint. i made it like a fizz. what we do is we have some strawberries. we go with a little ginger. we've got some fresh mint. >> too healthy. what's going on with chef vinnie? >> is that it? >> there it is. >> chef, this doesn't -- doesn't mix. you just drink it this way, right? >> that stuff doesn't mix, no. but this is a nonalcoholic drink. >> what? >> oh, we don't want it. thanks, vinnie. >> what's the point? >> why did you come, vinnie, with that?

thank you, honey. thank you for coming. >> we'll forgive you. >> one time. >> one time. but not the next. all right? up tomorrow, you guys, actor anthony mackie is here. plus, guess what? the cutest babies! i cannot wait. how to put in your own hair extensions. have an awesome wednesday winesday, everybody. tomorrow is thirstday. sara, move it down here, chef. >> have a great one. bye, everybody. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com