is morning, ann curry is live in baghdad. and taken away, a missing florida woman's twin toddlers removed from their father's home after he was named the primary suspect in her disappearance. dale smith's attorneys speak out in an exclusive interview. "today," wednesday, november 30th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> good morning, everyone. i'm savannah guthrie. we're going to check in with ann in baghdad traveling with the vice president in just a moment. meanwhile is herman cain considering leaving the republican presidential race? during a conference call he again denied having an affair but the one-time gop front-runner conceded the allegation has created a cloud

over his candidacy. we're going to have the latest oen that story coming up straight ahead. also ahead new images of gary giordano leaving prison last night, the prime suspect in the disappearance of a maryland woman in aruba. after spending nearly four months in custody he was ordered to be set free from a judge. where does the case go from here? we'll get a live report from aru aruba. new questions concerning the safety of the juices your kids may be drinking. "consumer reports" tested dozens of samples of apple and grape juice. we'll have the ruts of the test and dr. mehmet oz. he sparked controversy with testing commissioned for his show. he'll be here to weigh in. we begin on wednesday morning with herman cain reassessing his presidential campaign. nbc's senior investigative correspondent lisa myers has the latest on this. >> good morning to you, matt. cain acknowledges the cascading allegations have taken an

emotional and political toll. he says he'll spend the next few days reassessing. meanwhile he sent out a fund-raising appeal, attacking his latest accuser calling her a troubled woman with a fabricated story. herman cain predicted business as usual, in a foreign policy speech in michigan tuesday night. he made no reference to legislations by atlanta businesswoman ginger white that they'd had a 13-year affair. he did mention his wife. >> i was sitting in my favorite chair in front of the tv next to the kitchen. she was in the kitchen preparing dinn dinner. what? that's what we do at our house on sunday. i sit in the easy chair and she prepares dinner! and there are days when i prepare the dinner, okay?

>> reporter: among this crowd, the latest allegations drew a mixed response. >> it's 2011. i mean, we've been there before with other presidents. >> sometimes where there's smoke and there's lots of smoke, maybe there is a little fire brewing. >> as his poll numbers went up after the initial fall, they bring out another lady, you know? come on, you guys. >> reporter: as cain was speaking his campaign unleashed a new fund raising apeel, calling ginger white a troubled woman, whom cain has helped financially at times over the past few years. >> i was aware that he was married, and i was also aware that i was involved in a very inappropriate situation, relationship. >> reporter: white's lawyer, ed buckley, acknowledges that she's had financial and legal troubles, but says she's of good character and telling the truth. >> these are embarrassing facts. a woman isn't going to come out and say something this embarrassing if it's not true. >> reporter: earlier in the day,

cain, for the first time, expressed doubts about his viability as a candidate. in a conference call with his staff, he vehemently denied having an affair, but said he was reassessing whether the allegations create too much of a cloud over his campaign. robert costa of "the national review" listened to the call. >> really seemed like he was at the end of his line as a political candidate. the tone was somber. his voice was quiet, almost shaky. >> reporter: cain told nbc news -- >> 9-9, 9, doing fine. >> reporter: a potential beneficiary if cain quets, former speaker newt gingrich. he's had his own infidelity issues. >> i think it's a very difficult situation for he and his family. my heart goes out to them. i hope he reaches whatever is the right decision for them. >> some cain advisers say whether he's able to continue as a candidate will depend on how much money he raises in the next

couple of days but many conservative voices are already writing him off, matt, saying he's simply too badly damaged to be a viable candidate. >> lisa myers, thank you very much. on the democratic side, president obama heads to the battleground state of pennsylvania today, us what senior adviser david plouffe ran the president's 2008 campaign. mr. plouffe, good to see you, good morning. >> thanks for having me, matt. >> lisa myers just talked about the situation involving herman cain so i want to get you on the record about this. you don't work for him but you know a lot about politics and campaigning. do you see any scienary yoi under which herman cain can return to prominence on the gop side of things right now? >> well, matt, as you mentioned i have been involved in presidential campaigns but not republican primaries so i'm certainly not an expert there. i'm sure herman cain's asking advice from a lot of people. i'm certainly not one of them. what's clear is this is a very unsettled republican primary and voting is going to begin in iowa and new hampshire.

what the president is focused on is delivering tax cuts for the middle class and trying to help this economy. >> let's get you back to your comfort zone and talk about what the president is doing today, headed to scranton, pennsylvania, to push for an extension of the payroll tax cut. the republicans have already said this is dead on arrival, in part because they don't like the fact that it's paid for on the backs of the wealthy. now, you know the track record here is not good. republicans have succeeded in blocking these things in the past, so why is the president wasting his time on an effort that's probably not going to work? >> well, we think it is going to work. remember, there was a payroll tax cut equal to about $1,000 for every middle class family in america that we passed with republican support at the end of 2010. there are some republicans who supported this. many of them have voted for it in the past. the request he is now, with the clock ticking, are we going to raise taxes and that's what would happen. if we don't extend this working tax, every american would see their taxes go up.

in this economy we can't afford it. the way this is going to get paid for, the vote that will happen in the senate this week, a tax cut for 160 million americans paid for by asking a little over 300,000 millionaires to pay a little bit more. >> the president goes to scranton today to make this case. i want to talk about scranton as a location. according to "the new york times" unemployment in that city is about 9.7%, the highest in the state. the food bank there served a record number of meals on thanksgiving, even the democratic mayor of scranton, christopher dougherty hoped for more federal help under this democratic administration, and it hasn't come. his words, "four years ago it was about hope. now it's about his record," referring to the president. how does the president look the people of scranton, pennsylvania, for example, in the eye and say, "i know we talked about hope and change. it hasn't really worked out. i need more time." >> well, obviously i would take issue about that. change is ending the iraq war,

having economic and tax policy centered over the middle class, change is delivering health reform. we've delivered on a lot of commitments the president made to the american people. the economy is obviously far too week. the president's the first person to acknowledge that and that's why he's fighting so hard to deliver the people of scranton, americans all across the country, tax relief. we have to reduce our deficit, make sure we're smartly investing in things like education, research and technology but right now, we have to do some things to jump-start the economy. that's what the president's focused on, cutting taxes for workers, for small businesses, putting construction workers back to work in scranton. those are the things washington needs to be doing to help people in scranton and all across america. >> david plouffe, thank you for your time this morning. i appreciate it. >> thanks, matt. >> now here's savannah. as we mentioned app is on assignment this morning. she traveled with vice president joe biden to iraq where u.s. forces are packing up to leave the country in just a few weeks. ann, good morning to you.

>> reporter: good morning to you, savannah. that's right, the vice president's c-17 landed in darkness. the pilots wearing infrared goggles. security is heavy amid an uptick in violence as the u.s. brings its divisive eight-year war in iraq to an end. the vice president timed his trip to the last days of america's war in iraq. from 170,000 troops deployed at the height of the war, now less than 13,000 are packing up for good. general jeffrey buchanan says this largest movement of military equipment since world war ii sparks emotions. >> i think all of us have lost a lot of friends, and that's tough. we want to honor that commitment and honor their sacrifice. my greatest hope is that the iraqis take advantage of the opportunities that they have. >> reporter: captain lester minges and staff sergeant donald

whitesman ending third deployments here. >> i want to see the nation of iraq succeed, i really do and what i don't want to see is it crumble. >> i've noticed a lot, the iraqi people over here have pretty much the same beliefs and they want the same things and i'm going to miss that. >> reporter: eight years after shock and awe, after the toppling and death of saddam hussein, after at least 400473 american lives lost, and 32,226 wounded in action, and a roughly estimated 100,000 iraqi civilian deaths, america leaves a significantly less violent but not completely stable iraq. this attack in baghdad in recent days. having survived bombings and hunger. >> very, very good. >> reporter: the madawi family keeps weapons, fearing new attacks on anyone who helped the

americans and on religious groups. sahara is saying, "we did not have sectarianism before the invasion." helping iraq rebuild is part of the vice president's mission. >> it's good to be back for this purpose. >> reporter: after u.s. troops withdraw by december 31st, or even sooner. >> our troops in iraq will definitely be home for the holidays. >> reporter: sergeant brian driscoll of tyler, texas, can hardly wait. >> first thing i'm going to do when i get home, see my family, hug my wife. hug my kids. >> reporter: the real question now is, how warmly america will receive these iraq war veterans who have had the proven resilience, courage and leadership skills to potentially become our next greatest generation. beyond our gratitude to the young men and women who answered the call of duty, is the united states really doing enough to give them access to higher education, to jobs, to encourage

even preferential mortgages as our nation did after world war ii which then and could now again help lift our nation's economy. that will be among the questions we ask the vice president here in baghdad in our interview tomorrow >> thank you, ann. let us get a check of the other top stories of the morning. natalie is at the news desk with that. >> good morning, everyone. escalations overnight for protesters from the occupy movements on both coasts, in los angeles, more than 1,000 police raided a protest encampment at city hall, arresting at least 200 demonstrators who were in violation of a prior eviction notice. and in philadelphia protesters forced from their encampment marched through the city streets, dozens of people were arrested there. secretary of state hillary clinton arrived in myanmar for an historic visit, the first of its kind in over 50 years, there to meet with the first civilian government in decades, and meet

with nobel peace laureate aung san suu kyi about return to politics. syracuse men's basketball coach jim boeheim said he is not worried about losing his job since his long time assistant coach bernie fine was fired amids sami amidst sexual allegations against him. boeheim supports the investigation. britain is pulling some of its embassy staff from tehran after hundreds of iranian hard-line protesters stormed its embassy building tuesday, the attack to britain's tough new economic sanctions against iran. britain says the safety of their workers is their top priority. major financial news this morning as the standard & poor's lowered the credit ratings for most of this country's biggest banks, cnbc's courtney reagan is

at theisticist new york stock e with the latest on this. >> this was anticipated to some degree but hearing this news is never welcome, especially when markets are so fragile right now. some of the u.s. banks that have been downgraded include bank of america, citigroup, goldman sachs, wells fargo and morgan stanley. this could be particularly damaging for bank of america, as the market remains concerned about the bank's capital levels. natalie, back to you. >> we'll be watching what happens there today at the new york stock exchange. courtney reagan thank you. it's the most wonderful time of the year here at rockefeller center as we light the christmas tree here tonight and the swarovski sparkler atop the 74-year-old tree won't be the only star in attendance, ce lo green, michael buble and faith hill and if that's not enough there is the performance from pop star justin bieber as well. and savannah guthrie and al roker will be hosting the bash

starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern time on nbc. tune in for that. back over to matt, savannah, aforementioned, and al. going to be nice. >> thanks, nat for the pitch. >> tall, elegant and lit by 9:00. enough about you, now -- >> wow, i could see that one coming in on the m-6 make its way toward us. is going on, mr.. >> we have a lot going on, especially out west. another storm system comes into the plains. we're talking rain and snow. in fact, some areas of the rockies, montana, going to see over a foot of snow. in the next 24 hours our friends in california will be looking at the strong santa ana winds developing and high wind warnings from midnight tonight until noon friday with sustained winds of 40 to 60 miles per hour, and wind gusts as high as 70 to 80 miles per hour. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what's going on in your neck of the woods.. >> golden sunrise and a live

picture from the skywatcher camera. mostly clear over washington and points east, although we have clouds points west. and in the region, it's in the upper 30s in most locations and upper 40 near washington and by the bay. and we will have a small chance of a >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thank you. mrs.' been some explosive new testimony at the inquiry into the british phone hacking scandal taken comes from someone who defends the practices of the tabloid press. nbc's michelle kosinski is in london with details on this. michelle, good morning. >> reporter: matt, right, first celebrities let loose on the tabloids including rupert murdoch's "news of the world" but a former editor tells all about how widespread phone hacking was, lying to get the story, paying police, even car

chases, and this guy says he loved it all, in some of the strangest testimony yet. >> it is what the public wants to read. if they had any distaste for it, they would stop buying it. any means is fine by me. >> reporter: the story "by any means" is the story former deputy editor paul mcmullen is telling. he said top editored not only knew about them, they condoned it. calling them the scum only because they haven't admitted it. he takes a one-time swipe at piers morgan but says this. >> "i don't care what you have to do, i want that story." >> reporter: according to mcmullen you name it, phone hacking of celebrities, even of murdered children. yes, he says, all worth it. >> phone hacking is a perfectly

acceptable tool, given the sacrifices that we've made, if all we are trying to do is to get to the truth. >> reporter: he says reporters would trade phone numbers, that he swapped sylvester stallone's mother foravid beckham, but when he went to hack into beckham's voice mail, oops! he answered the phone. he says "news of the world" would pay police, credit card companies, medical workers tens of thousands of dollars for scoops, even princess diana's body guard, he says, sold information on where she was. >> can i have 30,000 pounds, please, i need to pay my mortgage. yes, no problem. >> reporter: mcmullen says he would lie, call celebrity's hotels. >> you get the list of the phone numbers that are rung and ring them up and find the mistress he just rung. >> reporter: he'd dig through garr bang and chase the story literally. >> it was such good fun. i mean how many jobs can you

actually have car chases in? it was great. >> reporter: what about ethics, they asked him? privacy? >> privacy is evil. it brings out the worst qualities in people. >> reporter: okay then. well, that's what he claims, at times hafgs ving to be reminded was incriminating himself and he gave no evidence the murdochs knew this was going on. he said sometimes breaking the law was the only way to break corruption and crime. the question was how do you apply that to celebrities and regular citizens when you expose their love lives or medical problems? matt? >> michelle kosinski, thank you for that report. it's 20 after the hour. here's savannah. the men who claimed that huge power ball jackpot earlier this week are trying to put to rest speculation that they are not the actual inwithers. nbc's anne thompson is here with the latest on that. good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. you would think winning $54

million would put you on easy street but the good fortune of three connecticut men sparked rumors and distrust as skeptics question who really hit the jackpot. >> his name is tim, he's right here, so he is our regular customer. >> reporter: is he tim davidson, purchaser of the winning ticket at this gas station. >> congratulations. >> reporter: a money manager, and one of the three-member putnam avenue family trust claiming connecticut's largest family payout. the subdued demeanor of the three monday was a stark contrast to typical big ticket winners. the new york costco winners splitting more than $200 million, the $229 million joy of tom and kathleen morris. >> we're going to live the way we have but just a little bit higher. >> reporter: and the humility of 23-year-old neil wanless, winning a jackpot of $232 million. >> i intend to repay that many times over. >> reporter: you get the sense

these men claiming this ticket have handled big sums before, they were brief and to the point. >> we're the trustees. >> reporter: new york's tabloids bristled at the irony of america's rich getting richer and this allegation from "london's daily mail" reporting the three are fronting for the real winner, a client, tom gladstone who told nbc news "i was nervous i let the cat out of the bag." the internet buzzed with rumors reporting to the reluctance of the trio to talk about the men. they issued a statement to squash the speculation. there are a total of three trustees and there is no anonymous fourth participant just three money managers with millions of their own to work with. now as one of its first acts, within the next week and a half the trust will distribute $1 million to organizations that help veterans. savannah? >> good start, anne thompson,

thank you so much. coming up, why is the only suspect named in the disappearance of a missing florida mother, michelle parker, refusing to take a polygraph test? his attorneys speak out in an exclusive interview, but first this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead the judge throws the book at conrad murray. we'll talk exclusively to the prosecutors who won the case. and a new study about arsenic in your kids' juice. we'll have that after your local news and weather. up here in maine, those things are cold weather and bean boots. ♪ and that's what makes them such a good gift. that and the fact that everybody wants warm feet for christmas. my name is jason valero, and i cut leather for bean boots. and the holidays are made here, right here. ♪

how about making it brighter. more colorful. ♪ and putting all our helpers to work? so we can build on our favorite traditions by adding a few new ones. we've all got garlands and budgets to stretch. and this year, we can keep them both evergreen. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. can you smell those savings? fresh cut christmas trees are arriving weekly. good morning. i am joe krebs. we have 42 degrees right now, and before you walk out the door let's get a look at the chilly forecast. here is tom. >> it's mostly clear on this final morning of november. a live picture from the skywatcher camera looking off to the west. we have a mostly clear sky over the metro area, although there are clouds over the shenandoah

mountains. and most locations we have the mid-and upper 30s this morning. the wind will be increasing out of the northwest, gusting at 25 miles per hour. and a few clouds may produce a sprinkle, and the winds diminish tonight. near freezing tomorrow morning. sunny and chilly in the weekend,

good morning. chopper 4 here. your delays start further back. it's 27 miles per hour. >> a [ baby coughing ] [ coughing continues ] [ female announcer ] more pollution from power plants means more childhood asthma attacks. [ labored breathing ] there's technology that makes the air cleaner, but too many plants don't use it. we can't wait. epa must update power plant standards to protect our kids. [ baby coughing ]

hey, jessica, jerry neumann with a policy question. jerry, how are you doing? fine, i just got a little fender bender. oh, jerry, i'm so sorry. i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are you crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. text save to 7-8836. ♪ 7:30 now on a wednesday morning. it's the 30th and last day of november, 2011. if our crowd on the plaza sticks around for a few hours, actually several hours, they'll get to see the big tree across the street light up for the very first time this year. and we'll check it out tomorrow morning, inside studio 1a, i'm matt lauer alongside savannah guthrie, who is sitting in while

ann is on assignment in iraq. just ahead the prosecutors in the case against michael jackson's doctor speak out in a live interview. are they happy with the four-year sentence given to conrad murray tuesday? how much time will he actually snerve we'll have more as we speak to the prosecutors, coming up. also ahead in the wake of concerns raised by dr. oz earlier this year, there's new evidence your child's favorite juices may not be as safe as you'd think. we are going to have an exclusive first look at a new "consumer reports" study and we'll talk to dr. oz, too. the nearly two-week old disappearance of a florida mother, we'll talk to the suspect's attorneys in a moment. first janet shamlian in florida. >> reporter: there are new developments in the case involving the children of michelle parker, the 3-year-old twins were reportedly questioned by police and sometime after that questioning late yesterday they were removed from the home of their father, dale smith, who

had been caring for them and who has been identified as the only suspect in this case. there is an emergency temporary custody hearing set for later today for two children who have been asking for their mother now for almost two weeks. >> is that a train? >> reporter: michelle parker's 3-year-old twins nor longer with their father, dale smith, her ex-fiance and the man police say is the only suspect in michelle's disappearance. the little boy and girl were taken away from smith by the state tuesday and spent the night with their grandmother, michelle's mother. a hearing today will determine who will care for them, as the search for their mom continues. >> i want dale to do the right thing, i want him to take a polygraph test. i want him to tell us where she is, if he knows where she is. >> reporter: the 33-year-old parker, a popular bartender was last seen dropping off the twins at smith's home november 17th,

the same day the couple appeared fighting over an engagement ring on a taped episode of "the people's court." smith's newly hired lawyers faced reporters tuesday, defending his client's refusal to take a polygraph. >> it's a damned if you do and daned if you don't scenario taking the polygraph. we have no witnesses, we have no dna, we have no suggestion of anything except somebody with a history that people don't like. >> reporter: a long history. smith was dishonorably discharged from the marines in 2003, after he was court-martials and convicted of drug possession and domestic violence. according to police reports the victim of that domestic violence was smith's second wife, shannon, who died just a few months later in what was ruled an accidental drug overdose. in the '90s, smith was charged with a number of crimes including burglary, trespassing, and aggravated battery, but was only convicted of battery, serving ten days in jail.

with michelle, the relationship was described as rocky. >> i felt somebody grab me, and yank me around. >> reporter: in 2009 she sought a restraining order against smith when the twins were just infants. it was never granted, citing a lack of evidence. now two years later, parker is missing, and her twins, too young to even understand, are missing their mother. and those children are with their grandmother, michelle's mother, this morning. she says she intends to seek temporary custody of those kids while this investigation continues, and in terms of their investigation, matt, authorities say in the past few days, not much is new. back to you. >> janet shamlian, thank you very much. mark know jaime and rajan joshi are the attorneys representing dale smith. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> child protective services comes in last night and take the dwinz away, 3 years old, a boy and a girl. what was the reason they gave your client or you for taking those children out of his

custody? >> well, we still haven't received that. we had a suspicion they were going to do this in the middle of the night, the night before, and actually went, i actually went to the house at about 2:00 in the morning and they were down the street, so we thought something was up, didn't like the way it smelled. shooed them away, and they had these subpoenas on 3 1/2-year-old children who would be under contempt of court if they didn't appear, so the 3 1/2-year-olds to give a statement, although they had already given statements previously. so it smelled fishy, we thought something was up. >> clearly this is connection with the fact your client, dale smith, has been named the primary suspect in the disappearance of his ex-fiance. have police told you exactly why they have made that distinction? >> no, they haven't given any specifics and to our knowledge there is no evidence other than conjecture and speculation. you know, you have the basic reason, because he refuses to take a polygraph, which most

people should not take polygraphs. they're not even reliable and not one court in the country accepts them as reliable. >> let me argue it from a court of public opinion perspective here, mark, and if my wife, the mother of my children, were missing and i knew i had absolutely nothing to do with it, i might take a polygraph just to clear my name, so police could move in the right direction to find the mother of my children. how would you argue that? >> well, very simple. they're not reliable. they're not scientifically reliable. if they were, one court in the entire country would accept it. we watched so much trash tv thinking that polygraphs are the end all and be all of whether somebody is telling the truth or not. >> is your client cooperating with police right now? is he still talking to investigators? >> not right now but he was very cooperative in the beginning. he actually talked to them three times, went there voluntarily, and it seems like his cooperation actually you know is working against him. >> your client has a troubling resume, let me go through a little of this, dishonorably

discharged from the military, convictions for drug possession, arrest for burglary, trespassing and aggravated battery and michelle tried to get a restraining order taken out against him, unsuccessfully i should mention. what is it about dale smith i don't know that would help me understand him better? >> the one thing about dale smith he's changed his life around, he's working, a productive member of society, he's taking care of his children, paying child support. ever since the mother has been gone he's been a wonderful father to the children, and very caring and actually has been wanting to have people come in and look for her. >> he was, according to most reports that i've read, the last person to see his ex-fiance, michelle. what does he think happened to her? >> he's not the last person to see her. whoever abducted her or whoever did something with her was the last person. they left, we know from a timed

video, from a neighbor, that she pulled in to his place at 3:18 that afternoon. at 4:30, he was at his father's place. if you run a time line on this, it's physically impossible for him to have done what is being suggested. they lived clear across town, there were two vehicles involved, and in an hour and 12 minutes, he was supposed to, with the children present, to have met her, killed her, disposed of the body, gone clear across town, dropped off one vehicle, scraped off all the lettering on the vehicle, then brought the vehicle back and then ended up at his parents at 4:30, an hour and 12 minutes later. >> we'll await further development nbs ts in the case. mark nejame and rajan joshi thank you very much. >> thank you. >> where are you from? >> washington heights. >> all the way from washington heights, very nice, good to see

you. thanks so mu >> very nice and good to see you. let's check it out and show you what is going on for today. hurricane season, 2011. today is the last day of the season. average ten named storms, and we had 19, and seven major hurricanes, and one making landfall, and that was irene, and lee was causing problems. we have light snow across the northern plains. and windy conditions across the north west, and we have warmer conditions making their way into texas. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what's going on in your neck of the woods.. >> i am meteorologist, tom kierein, in storm center 4. it's sunny and chilly on the final morning of november. it's a picture looking towards the west, and we will have the sunshine with us here for another few hours and then clouds will probably be building. right now quite a chill in the air. we are in the mid-30s in most locations and near 40 in

washington and by the bay. >> and that's your latest weather. matt? up next, dr. conrad murray gets the maximum sentence for his role in the death of michael jackson. but how much time will he actually serve? en exclusive live interview with the prosecutor innocence the case, coming up right after this. one coffee with room, one large mocha latte. medium macchiato, light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos, make one a double. she's full and focused! [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip and two espressos, one with a double shot. hehe, that's not the coffee talking. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. the 8 layers of whole grain fiber help keep you full so you can avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger. no thanks, i'm good.

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save money. live better. walmart. back now at 7:42. four years, that was the sentence given to dr. conrad murray on tuesday in the death of michael jackson and before learning his fate, murray faced some harsh words from the judge in the case. in a moment we'll talk exclusively to the prosecutors in the case, but first, nbc's kristen dahlgren is in los angeles this morning with the latest. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. yes, dr. conrad murray is behind bars this morning. it quaent' a big surprise to many that he got that maximum sentence. the district attorney admits he's not sure how much time he'll serve because of california's new legislation to ease prison overcrowding. >> four years. >> yeah! >> reporter: the sentence drew cheers from michael jackson fans outside the courthouse. conrad murray didn't speak on his own behalf, but the judge specifically referenced both

murray's participation in the documentary "michael jackson and the doctor: a fatal friendship." >> and i told security to get the kids away from there. >> reporter: and his interview with savannah on "today" as evidence that murray refuses to take responsibility for his actions. >> do you feel guilty that he died? >> i don't feel guilty, because i did not do anything wrong. >> he has absolutely no sense of remorse, absolutely no sense of fault, and is and remains dangerous. >> reporter: the defense team argued that the likely loss of murray's medical license and reputation should be punishment enough. >> whether he's a barista for the rest of his life, whether he's a greeter at walmart, he's still going to be the man that killed michael jackson. >> reporter: while prosecutors urged the judge to consider michael jackson's family. >> when michael jackson was at his most vulnerable, dr. murray left him alone to die. >> reporter: the judge also said

he was especially troubled by that recording murray made of a barely coherent michael jackson. >> i've never seen nothing like this in my life. go, go. >> reporter: murray's defense team criticized the judge's ruling and hinted that they'll appeal. >> was he harsh of -- yes, of course he was harsh. he gave the stiffest penalty that he was entitled to give under the law. >> reporter: but because of prison overcrowding, murray may end up serving only a small fraction of his official sentence, and he'll do that time in county jail instead of state prison. >> conrad murray is not going to serve more than two years and very likely going to serve much less than even one year in the county jail. >> reporter: no matter how much time he ends up serving in jail, jackson's family says murray's punishment pales in comparison with all they've lost. >> that is not enough. my son's gone. i'll never see him again. >> reporter: as for how much money dr. murray may have to pay the jackson family, prosecutored asked for more than $100 million

in restitution and funeral costs. the judge said he will decide that at a hearing in january. savannah. >> kristen dahlgren, thank you. david walgren and deborah brazile prosecuted dr. murray, good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> let's start with this, remarks by the judge. i mean, i haven't seen anything like it, more than 24 minutes, he essentially gave your closing argument all over again. were you surprised at how harsh his tone was? he really gave a dressing down to dr. murray. >> he was not surprised. he had sat through the entire trial, heard all the evidence, one of the most informed people in regard to the facts of its case and being aware of all the facts and all the evidence he was rightfully offended by the actions of conrad murray and he was expressing that. >> people ask themselves gosh, i wonder if there could have been a more serious charge, charged

women had something like second-degree murder given the state of the evidence and how the jurors and judge have reacted to it. did you ever consider a higher charge? >> there was a process within our office where all the potential charges were considered, involved multiple people, lawyers, going through the evidence and the facts of the case, and the decision was made through that process to charge involuntary machine slaughter which we thought was the appropriate charge. >> obviously the judge maxed him out, gave him four years. there were moments you thought this is a judge sounds like wished he could have given him more if he was able to and we do know the situation in california is such that he will not likely serve the full four years. as the prosecutors who tried the case, poured their lives in it. is that disappointing? >> no, because the judge sent the message to dr. murray as well as any other physician by imposing the actual sentence, the actual time spent behind bars is not a reflection of the seriousness of conrad murray's

conduct. >> do you agree with that, david? are you disappointed to think gosh he only spent a couple of years and not get the full weight of the punishment. >> certainly deserves the full weight of the punishment, certainly deserves the full four years but we work within the bounds of the law, the judge sentenced him to maximum punishment and how much time he serves at the end of the day will be up to the sheriff. >> we did an interview with dr. conrad murray in the waning days of the trial. you mentioned it in your closing argument, the judge mentioned it, the lack of remorse. do you think that interview ultimately hurt him? >> i don't think it helped him. in that interview he expressed a complete lack of remorse, a complete lack of personal responsibility. he blamed it again on michael jackson, rather than himself. he explained that he was entrapped, that he, conrad murray was actually the victim and not michael jackson. i think it just showed a complete failure to recognize what he did. >> and at the same time, deborah, he certainly didn't testify at trial, which of course is his right but he

didn't even stand up at sentencing. were you surprised at that? >> no, given his prior conduct and the manner in which he chose to address his feelings on his conduct. i'm not surprised at all. >> deborah brazil and david walgren, proso oecutors thanks being here. >> thank you. coming up, new study on the levels of arsenic in your child's juices. we're going to unveil the results and talk about them with dr. oz, but first these messages. can you believe it another thanksgiving.

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i took some steep risks in my teens. i'd never ride without one now. and since my doctor prescribed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol and my risk of heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough. now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor. numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. [ man ] still love that wind in my face!

talk to your doctor. don't kid yourself about the risk of heart attack and stroke. if lipitor's been working for you, stay with it. lipitor may be available for as little as $4 a month with the lipitor co-pay card. terms and conditions apply. learn more at lipitorforyou.com. good morning. i am joe krebs. we have breaking news this morning. montgomery county police just said they have a person in custody in connection to the missing people from the shopping

good morning. quite a bit of sunshine around now. it's cold. we're down in the low and mid-30s now throughout much of the region. later today, we'll be in the lower 50s. and then tomorrow, a cold start and sun and chilly with highs near 50. a four-check crash southbound bw parkway at penn avenue. expect delays in that area. 395, you are slow from duke street and those delays continue across the 14th street bridge. no accidents to report at this time. back to you. another news update in 25 minutes. now we

we are back now, 8:00 on a wednesday morning, it's the 30th day of november, 2011, pretty day here in new york city, and big crowds packing our plaza. we appreciate these people coming down, because it's a very big day here in rockefeller center. here's the reason why, turn around, everybody. look back that way.

the rockefeller center christmas tree will be lit tonight by the two people standing immediately to my right. it should be a fun night. >> very excited, ce lo green, justin bieber, michael buble, mayor mike bloomberg will be here. >> good job. out on the plaza, matt lauer along with savannah guthrie, savannah is here while ann is on assignment in iraq and al here as well. coming up, how safe is the juice your children are drinking. >> dr. oz commissioned research that found high arsenic levels in some apple juice. he was criticized for his research. now "consumer reports" is out with a study and parents want to listen up, they may not like what they hear and dr. oz will be here as well to talk about it. all right, and ahead, hard to believe but the london olympics just 240 days away. we're going to find out what some of our very decorated members of the usa swim team are

doing to prepare. there they all are. >> all right, also programming note, tomorrow morning here on "today" we're going to give you a first peek at some of the amazing jewelry, the designer fashions and the artwork of hollywood icon elizabeth taylor. that is all going on the auction block. before it does, we will show it to you here tomorrow morning. >> just in time for christmas. hint, hint. first let's get a check of the day's top news stories. natalie morales is at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. herman cain begins a bus tour of ohio today, a chance to gauge reaction to the latest allegation about his personal life. speaking in michigan last night, cain did not address a georgia woman's claim that they had a 13-year extramarital affair, a claim he has denied. however he did say earlier tuesday that he is reassessing whether to remain in the race. the house has unanimously passed a bill that would make it easier for u.s. troops on official business and relatives traveling with them to pass

through airport screening. it now moves on to the senate. the tsa says it already expedites screening for wounded veterans and allows service members in uniform with proper i.d. to keep their shoes or boots on. the prime suspect in the disappearance of an american woman in aruba has been released from jail. that leaves no one in custody for the presumed death of robyn gardner. nbc's jeff rossen is in aruba with more. jeff, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. gary giordano is at the airport in aruba right now. he arrived within the past hour and our cameras were there to get a shot of him walking in. mr. giordano would not say anything, but he with his lawyer, jose baez, who famously defended casey anthony. this is giordano's first time being a free man in four months. he's been locked up for the disappearance of robyn gardner

for in our months. prosecutors say is he lying about what happened but they say they don't have enough to charge him yet so a judge here ordered his release. by the way it was a dramatic scene at the prison late last night when mr. giordano was released. media swarmed his vehicle, and then he was brought to a local hotel, a very popular hotel for american tourists, where he spent the night, because he missed the last flight to the u.s. last night. that is why he's flying out this morning. we're told he spoke with his children last night by phone, an emotional phone call and his first order of business is to see them when he gets back to the u.s. but once again, gary giordano, a free man this morning, but he remains, prosecutors say, the prime suspect in the disappearance of robyn gardner. >> jeff rossen in aruba, thank you. for more on this story nbc's "dateline" this friday is all about the robyn gardner mystery, "missing in paradise" air this is friday night at 10:00, 9:00 central time. now here is brian williams with a look at what's coming up on "nbc nightly news."

brian? >> thanks. coming up tonight on "nightly news," silicon valley, where technology rules but not at the school we're going to take you to. forget about computers. students at this one learn the old-fashioned way, a low-tech revolution, we'll have that story for you tonight on "nightly news." natalie for now back to you. >> thanks, brian. now for a look at "what's trending today" our roundup of what has you talking online. kourtney kardashian confirmed she and boyfriend scott dissick are expecting baby number two. she just launched kourtney's mommys ablog online. and a baby has an important call to take. listen. >> oh, oh. >> i think he's on with his agent. his dad posted the video on youtube, only the business baby

knows apparently what he's talking about. solving the world's financial crisis maybe? who knows. he seems to have it figured out. and this video is burning up the internet, our brian williams interrupted by our fire alarm while anchoring "nightly news" last night. >> we have an announcement going on here in the studio. tom costello, we should advise our viewers there's no danger to us. we'd love to make this stop. why don't you take it from our washington bureau. >> andrea, thanks, we were assured the fire alarm was given us the all clear is back on. >> a former volunteer firefighter like brian would never ignore a real alarm. the testing was expected we're told but not in the studios, certainly not lasting throughout the entire news cast. it went on and on and on [ fire alarm ] oops i got to get running. >> turn-about is fair play. brian handled it like a pro. >> we think we can handle it like a pro, too. coming up, is there arsenic in your kid's juice -- >> can we do whether or not?

>> this is how he makes his living. >> wow! this is going to be a fun tree lighting with you. >> maybe i am already lit, i don't know. >> yeah! savannah! strong! >> take it away, al. >> nan's birthday celebration, pays to advertise, a big banner. where are you from? >> buffalo, new york. >> very nice. >> thank you. we're happy to be here. >> you don't know the brhaskas do you? >> i think i went to school with one. >> dave. >> and his brother joe. >> from nontanawanda. >> yes. >> oh my god! wow! who knew? what are the odds? that's amazing! let's check your weather and see what's godds? that's amazing! >> sunny, cool, 47 degrees. and you could see, we have low pressure spinning up and getting out of here out of new england.

we have another storm going across the plains. look for sunshine across the southwest. and some showers getting out of here. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what's going on in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i am meteorologist, tom kierein. it's a live picture from our skywatcher camera looking towards the west from upper northwest washington. a lot of sun around the d.c. area on this final morning of november. it's cold. we're down in the low and mid-30s throughout much of the region. near 40 in washington. and highs only in the low 50s, and clouds building midday might produce a sprinkle. a blustery wind out of the north >> and you know the best weather guy in buffalo, kevin o'connell. >> yes, we do. >> on nbc. my gosh. oh, my golly. this is like old home week. matt? >> kevin o'connell's neighbors are here? >> yes! >> that's unbelievable. >> announcer: unbelievable! come up, some new evidence there could be dangerous levels of arsenic in the juice that

your children are drinking. dr. oz will weigh in on some alarming new results, right after this. i wanted support for my heart... and now i get it from centrum specialist heart. new centrum specialist vision... helps keep my eyes healthy. centrum specialist energy... helps me keep up with them. centrum specialist prenatal... supports my child's growth and development. new centrum specialist is a complete multivitamin that gives me all the benefits of centrum. pladditional support... [ all ] for what's important to me. [ male announcer ] new centrum specialist helps make nutrition possible.

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in september, dr. mehmet oz ignited a firestorm with his studies. "consumer reports" is out with research of its own and appears to black the claims. tom costello, good morning to you. >> the magazine tested almost 100 samples of apple and grape juice and found that 10% had total arsenic levels higher than federal drinking water standards for arsenic. the latest study from "consumer reports" may scare some parents about the safety of apple juice. the magazine is raising concern about arsenic in both apple and grape juice, of the 88 samples tested by "consumer reports," 10% had total arsenic levels that exceeded federal drinking water standards. unlike water, there are no federal limits for juice. >> it's a product that everybody feeds their children and infants, and i don't understand why there could possibly be such a thing in something so natural.

>> if it's to the point where it's causing harm to her development, definitely, i would stop. >> reporter: this isn't the first time apple juice has been in the headlines. >> i'm worried about it as a father of four. >> reporter: in september, dr. oz announced findings from his own study of arsenic levels in apple juice. >> some of the best known brands in america have arsenic in their apple juice. >> reporter: an independent lab hired by the dr. oz show found one-third of the tested samples had arsenic levels higher than what the epa allows in drinking water. the fda took issue with dr. oz's findings saying the study did not differentiate between the two types of arsenic, organic and inorganic. now "consumer reports" says its tests do make a distinction, adding "most of the arsenic" it found was inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen. the fda insisted arsenic is safe. >> in our testing that lot has a

small amount of arsenic in it, it would be no concern whatsoever. >> reporter: the fda still stands by that but in a statement to nbc news it now says it's conducting more test to determine if a guidance level can be established that would relus consumers' exposure to arsenic in apple juice. the juice products association says it's committed to following federal guidelines as it has for decades, adding comparing arsenic in apple juice to water is not appropriate. regulatory agencies have set lower thresh holds for drinking water than food and other beverages because people consume larger amounts of water. this is important, the fda has said that the level of concern for arsenic in apple juice is 23 parts per billion, 23, only one of the grape juices tested by "consumer reports" exceeded that level, none of the apple juices radio etched that level. by comparison the fda's limit for water is ten parts per billion. "consumer reports" does not suggest erasing juice from your

child's diet. the american academy of pediatrics suggested diluting and limiting consumption to four to six ounces per day for children under the age of 6, no more than 8 to 12 ounces for older kids as well. >> tom costello, thank you. we'll talk to dr. oz and a representative from the juice industry for a moment. irvachi rangin with "consumer reports" good morning to you. >> good morning. >> 10% of the juices you tested exceeded the amount or the same amount of what was allowable for drinking water. how serious a threat is this? what is the threat of, to children from arsenic? >> what we're talking about is not acute health effects. we're talking about chronic health effects, we're talking about cancer ris sock the faris so the fact it underscores a standard to be set in juices. >> we heard about the report and isn't it a fair point, you can't compare apples and oranges.

people don't drink as much juice as they do water. what would your response be? >> there's nuance to that equation. one the drinking water standards is based on a 70 kilogram person drinking two liters of water a day, not a child who weighs far less than 70 kilograms. secondly the level of concern they're talking about is not based on cancer risk so we think cancer risk needs to be taken into account, that's why our risk is actually much, much lower than 23 parts per billion. >> only one of the samples of the 88 you tested actually exceeded what the level of concern is for the fda. is the fda's standard not sufficient? >> the fact that none of our -- not many of our samples exceeded the 23 parts per billion is not what's of concern to us. that limit is way too high. we think it needs to be much lower but our data is part of a greater pool of data including fda's own data that shows wide vary ability including a spike of 86 parts per billion.

>> urvashi rangan of the "consumer reports" thank you. we turn to dr. oz and gail, thank you for being with us. >> good morning. >> dr. oz you made a splash with similar research earlier. your research did not make the distinction between inorganic arsenic which is said to be a carcinogen and organic, naturally occurring arsenic. the "consumer reports" study makes that distinction and found this troubling amount in some juices. do you feel vindicated in terms of your research? >> for me, i was not surprised by these findings, in part because we're not the first ones to have reported this. other groups before us have come along, said the exact same things that "consumer reports" well confirmed, we have elements of inorganic and organic arsenic in our apple juice and other foods as well. it's not fair to say that organ i ic arsenic is safe. there are some we don't know about and some that are dangerous. the fda responded as well to talk about this.

this is not about us. it's about the ability to have a conversation about things that are really dangerous for us. >> i was going to ask but that. in some sense it seems like the fda has changed its tune a little bit. there is at the moment no standard for juices the way there is a standard for arsenic in drinking water about you now it's sort of signaling they may change that. >> listen, 25 years ago we had a problem with lead in america, right, and we have over the last generation been able to dramatically reduce by 90% the amount of lead our kids are exposed to and found in their blood. as a doctor it makes me more confident we can do the same thing for arsenic but we have to do this. we cannot sit back and say the environment changed around us, our kids are at risk. we have to have the painful conversation, even though people aren't happy about it. >> let me let gail come in on this, you represent the juice industry. 10% of juice studies have more arsenic than allowable in drinking water. do you dispute the science? >> no, but the good news is i found the "consumer reports" data to be reassuring because they showed that the juice samples that they tested met the

federal, the food and drug administration's limit on, mick in juice. the fda does have a concern for arsenic in juice, the toxicologists and the food safety experts at fda set that limit in a precautionary public health-based way and the juice industry is committed to meeting fda's limits. >> what do you make of the cdc numbers? "consumer reports" looked at those and found people who have on the juices 20% higher levels of arsenic if they had apple or grape juices. how do you explain that? >> i thought the "consumer reports" article was a little short on data and context. it turns out anything less than 100 micrograms in urine is normal, so think about it. if one group has ten my grow grams and the other 12, that's a 20% increase but still well below 100. >> we have to go but why not voluntarily, why doesn't the juice industry voluntarily meet

the higher standards? it's no skin off the industry's back to try to make juice safer, is it? >> well, the juices are safe, and the industry is committed to meeting whatever science-based standards the fda sets. if fda scientists decide that the scien justifies changing the standard, then the industry will meet it. >> dr. oz, you still give your kids juice? >> i give them juice but i do dilute the juice, mix up the juices i give them, more orange juice and i think the recommendation should be taken to heart by parents. it is imperative for us to make the world safer for our kids. this is just a tip of the iceberg. this speaks to the broader themes of how our environment has changed and how we have to keep up with it and that's why i think the fd a, is adjusting its position, coming one new data coming out. >> thank you so much. we'll be back right after this. s and once a year offer them with special savings. today, it's an american tradition. toyotathon is back with great deals on the toyotas you've been waiting for. right now, get a low 0% apr financing

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you. >> why is this new and revolutionary? >> because this is the first time it's a three-piece system that everything goes together so you buy it, the buy the cap, the goggles, the suit and makes you more hydrodynamic and it has a body stability web which compresses you. >> we're going to see more of it and talk to you about where you guys are in training as you prep we are following breaking news. news4 has learned montgomery county police have a suspect in custody in connection with a series of abductions and carjackings. all of the attacks happened at the westfield shopping mall. look for the latest

good morning. a chilly start to this final morning of november. temperatures under this partly cloudy sky are in the mid and

upper 30s throughout most of the region, and later today climbing into the low 50s. sunny and chilly weather, thursday, friday and saturday, and how is traffic? >> an accident at braddic road, and it's blocking the left lane. robinson terminal, you are slow as you make your way towards the accident. and then 295 at

♪ here comes santa claus, here comes santa claus ♪ ♪ right down santa claus lane 8:30 on the 30th day of

november, 2011, wednesday morning. beautiful christmas across the plaza. our holiday toy drive is in full swing, neil diamond along with members of the u.s. olympic swim team, michael phelps, natalie coughlan, ryan lochte and katie dobbs. >> neil diamond will be performing one of his classics. >> tonight part of our christmas celebration as we help flip the switch from the world famous rockefeller center christmas tree, the fun gets under way tonight at 8:00, 7:00 central on nbc and for a select number of nbc station it is begins at 7:00 for a full two hours. >> good information. >> check your listings. first a check of the weather it will be nice for the lighting. >> it is going to be. let's show what you we've got for the rest of the country for today. rain and snow and snow across the plain states.

morning rain up through northern new england. windy conditions in northern california into the pacific northwest. the tree lightingtonight, the temperature about 50 and clear by 9:00 with 45 degrees and a brisk wind. tomorrow, sunny up and down the seaboard. and mountain snows in the central rockies, and we're looking at sunshine through the gulf. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what's going on in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i am meteorologist, tom kierein, in storm center 4. skywatcher camera looking towards the west. a blue sky coming in from the west. a weak disturbance coming in later may give us more clouds and right now in the mid and upper 30s throughout the region to near 40 throughout the bay, and today a high of low 50s. and a small chance of an early afternoon sprinkle. sunny and >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> mr. roker, thanks very much.

joined by members of the u.s. olympic swim team, michael phelps, ryan lochte, natalie kouf lan and katie huff. do you have the olympics firmly in your sights or so many things between now and the olympic calendar you're concentrating on other things in. >> it's going to be here before we know it, so it's definitely something that is in the picture but i mean like you said, there are so many little things that personally i have to hit before i want to get to my end target. >> ryan, you had an amazing year after beijing, set a lot of world records, took this guy on head to head and won a lot of those races. when you look forward to london, do you have a time in mind for your event, or do you have an individual swimmer that you're looking at as your biggest goal? >> times are irrelevant when you get to the games. i mean, it's just about racing. that's what is so special about swimming,' not about the times, it's just about racing people next to you, and i'm so lucky

enough to be racing this guy, so i mean it's a lot of fun. >> you guys can continue to be great friends, even though there is this rivalry because roker and i can't stand each other out of the show but you can keep this up, right? >> no, it's good. like ryan said we both push each other and we've been able to have a lot of good races in the past and hopefully have a lot of good ones more to come. >> natalie, 11 olympic medals, you know the drill, two more, you become the most decorated female american olympian ever. is that something you can put out of your mind as the games approach? >> it's hard. it's hard to put it out of my mind but right now i just need to focus on training and focus on making the olympic team and then from there focus on getting hopefully more medals, but you know it's an insane year and i think like michael said it's going to be here before we know it. >> katie, michael and i have talked about this in the past, during the olympic year the spotlight is on you guys, everybody wants to know what you're doing, where you are. sometimes when the olympics get

further away you get that sense of anonymity back, like you could probably walk at the tree lighting tonight and not get bothered too much. do you like that or do you like when more attention is on you? >> no, i kind flying under the radar. >> especially with those. >> it's a little hard with the antlers now. >> not right now but yeah, even at school i don't really like if a teacher knows or some of my classmates know. i like to be a normal kid and have fun and then when i'm on the block worry about something. >> we're going to be looking forward to spending a lot of time with all of you guys over the next 240 days and beyond. good luck and thanks for joining thus morning. >> thank you. when we come back, neil diamond will perform in our studio. first this is "today" on nbc.

"today's money" is brought to you by fidelity investments. turn here. >> we're back at 8:37, this morning on "today's money"

payday loans. you've probably seen the ads offering quick cash when you're in a bind but are they really as easy as they seem? nbc's mara schiavocampo takes a look. >> matt, good morning. maybe you have car repairs v to pay off bills, just want to buy holiday gifts. if you need fast cash a payday loan may sound enticing but considering this type of loan you need to understand exactly what it involves before you sign on the dotted line. like so many americans, preacher mary love knows what it's like to be tight on cash, so when she started to fall behind on her rent she went for quick fix. >> i commercial loan would have taken days and i didn't have days. >> reporter: love took out a payday loan, borrowing against her next paycheck and immediately got the money she needed. these days it seems to be a hot way to get some cold cash. >> where you get the cash you need fast. >> where money really does grow on trees. >> reporter: but for mary love, things quickly spiraled out of

control. she says she couldn't repay the loan because the interest rate was far too high for her, on her $400 loan, she ended up paying $1,420 in interest alone about a year later, that's more than 300%, three times what she first borrowed. stories like love's have become more common. the better business bureau says this year alone they've received more payday lending complaints than in the previous two years combined. >> we tell folks you absolutely have to read the contract, you have to read the fine print, and you got to make sure you understand that contract. >> reporter: experts say many borrowers don't realize the interest rates can be the equivalent of 600% a year, and some warn that can create a debt trap they can't get out of. >> a good product is one that at least enables the borrower to get out of a cycle, and this does not let you out of that cycle. >> reporter: that's not so, says the community financial services association of america, which represents the payday lending industry, and companies insist the process is completely transparent.

>> the customers who use our products, they come into our centers, they understand how much it's going to cost. >> reporter: he says the instant cash often provides a critical lifeline for those in a dire financial bind like tina, who has taken out and paid off several loans. >> it was always for a last-minute situation. for me, it works well. >> reporter: but in mary love's case, her loan was a personal disaster. she finally went to a credit counselor who helped her pay off the debt. >> when you get in trouble like this, don't be ashamed to seek help. you're not a bad person because you're not good at managing money. >> now proponents of the loans say the high interest rates are justified because they're dealing with a population at high risk of default and they're lending money to those who don't often qualify for a traditional loan. if you get into trouble with a payday loan get help from someone like a non-profit credit counselor >> mara, thank you very much. jean chatzky is "today's" financial editor. >> good morning. >> typically, how much are

people borrowing? >> a few hundred dollars typically and on the few hundred dollars they'll pay about 15% of that in fees so on $115 and adds up from there. >> if i need money on tuesday and not going to get my paycheck until friday, i get the check friday and pay that money back right then, it's not a big problem. it's only a problem if i miss that payment. >> right, and research that has been done on payday loans shows people don't typically just take out one. the average payday loan borrower takes out nine different loans over the course of a year, those fees can roll over and add up. >> we heard in the piece about fine print in the contract. what are the things that should jump out at the consumer in that fine print? >> you really have to understand what is the rate of interest that you're borrowing on, so if you are looking at a fee of 15%, what does that translate into? often 300% or 400% on an annual basis. >> if you have a credit card, oftentimes you're allowed to take a cash advance.

how does that compare to a payday loan? >> it's much cheaper and so is the overdraft protection that you get offered by your bank and you hear me sit here often and say stay away from those things. in a case like this, those things are often much cheaper. >> the main idea here is only in an emergency, and even if it's an emergency, pay it back quickly and try not to get into a revolving cycle of taking these things out one after another. >> that's right, used on a short term, these are okay, if you are in a total bind, but otherwise, try to do something else. >> jean chatzky, thank you very much. appreciate it. up next, dogs in need of a good home go from bow to wow, courtesy of jill rappaport, but [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices...

in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy. and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone.

"today's from bow to wow" is ought to you by iams pet food. life is better on iams.

♪ >> back with our series "from bow to wow" we take shelter dogs, clean them up and find them new homes. jill rappaport is here with us. >> we have 100% success record and the message is save a life, adopt a shelter pet. i know i always say every month this is the best group but -- >> this time is really is. >> may be the cutest group. what a gift they would make just in time for the holidays. ♪ i ain't nothing but a hound dog, cryin' all the time ♪ what a sweet angel, annie mae is, beautiful little doug. hound with a little burmese mountain thrown in. >> 2 years old, came in as a stray and a little underweight. >> she probably would be best with a family that has a nice big backyard. >> and older kids if they have older kids would be better. >> she's a beauty, and a sweetheart. look at the camera and say yes, i am very, very sweet.

and from a docile dog to a one that's a little bit of a devil, an active boy named kane, a year old. >> he's a west highland mix. >> west highland terriers are very sought after in all of the years i've been coming here never had a westie. he looks pure to me. >> i think so, too. i know you're pure, we'll agree with you. we should mention, energetic and smart. what an unusual but yet beautiful baby. this little love bug angel looks like a mocha parfait to me. penelope is an unusual breed, hua mix. >> she's 9 months old so still a puppy. >> she's a puppy and sweet as sugar. >> good energy and very smart and easily trained. >> this guy is baylee, a year old bishon friese, did i say

that right? >> baylee is 100% a-okay. >> he's got a clean bill of health. >> clean bill of health. >> all right, and as always we're joined by rick gentils. baylee we show baylee before and natalie morales has baylee with her. tell us why baylee is a great front. >> curly white lap dog and she's the sweetest dog, just back stage, holding her and relaxing. >> baylee had a leg injury. >> she's absolutely fine, given great medical care thanks to donations. they took care of her. >> let's bring out our next pooch, annie mae, olympic swimmer natalie coughlin has annie mae. >> thank goodness because she's

a strong dog. >> when she walks she pulls so you need somebody who is strong and one who walks with her and gives her a lot of exercise. >> you want a good place for her to run. >> shes aa calm temperament, though. >> good thing natalie had some muscles with her. >> next dog with michael phelps, penelo penelope, your favorite of the day. >> the kanahula mix. >> penelope is only 9 months old, she'll grow a little bit but she's easily trained, we get her to crawl on the floor, she sits and she just has the swe sweetest eyes, sweetest look. >> what kind of family would she be good for? >> any family. >> she's very mellow. michael, seems like a real mesh here. >> we may have found a love right there, michael. thank you so much. finally we've got kane, jean chatzky has kane. >> west highland terrier. >> we've never had one on before, he would be good in a home with older kids and

probably with no other dogs right now. >> why is that? >> he's dominant. >> he's dominant, and he's got a lot of energy, i'll tell you, a lot of energy. >> westies, if you know, they're very smart. >> can rebring all of our dogs out one more time, annie mae, penelope, kane and baylee, thanks to olympic swimmer. i think we're seeing why we said that. >> did we mention he wants to be by himself? >> thank you so much, richard gentils and jill rappaport, appreciate it. if you want to know more on how to adopt these dogs head to today.com. we have 100% success rate. today.com. w[ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable

and enjoying it less and less? upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. this holiday deal is only for a limited time. so don't wait. get fios at this great price. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, go to verizon.com/greatdeal. fios. a network ahead. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. coffee -- black, straight up.

extra cream, three sugars. iced coffee french vanilla. for me. iced coffee with a turbo shot. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. drinkin' dunkin'. america runs on dunkin' coffee. ♪ >> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today," brought to you by toyota. >> neil diamond is a music icon and a career spanning five decades, the grammy winning singer/song writer has turned out 16 top ten albums and 37 top ten singles. his newest album out next tuesday a collection of his best loved signature tracks called "the very best of neil diamond." great to have you back. happy holidays. >> thank you, matt. >> good to see you. you've done a greatest hits album in the past. >> yes. >> "the best of neil diamond."

>> yes. >> this is "the very best of neil diamond." >> the mucho best. >> what's different here? >> these are the original studio recordings and it took four record companies to pitch in and give up their studio recordings to make this, so i've never had this album out before. >> when you look at the songs here "forever in blue jeans" "sweet caroline," "i am myself" is there one you enjoy performing more than the others? i know it's impossible to pick a favorite. >> the one we're going to do in a minute is one of my favorites "forever in blue jeans" and i have to say "sweet caroline" has got a touch of something, there's a touch of god in that song. >> i want to congratulate you also, december 27th you're going to be honored by the kennedy center for your lifetime of work in the arts. what's it mean to you? >> it's a huge honor but i'm not going to let it go to my head. i've got a lot of work to do with touring starting next june and i want to make sure the tour meets up to the honor.

>> you know what? it always does. >> thank you. >> ladies and gentlemen, neil diamond. >> thank you, matt. ♪ ♪ ♪ money talks but it don't sing and dance and it don't walk ♪ ♪ as long as i can have you here with me, i'd much rather be forever in blue jeans ♪ ♪ and honey is sweet, but it ain't nothing next to baby's treat ♪ and if you'll pardon me i'd

like to say we'll do okay forever in blue jeans ♪ oh, yes. ♪ maybe tonight maybe tonight by the fire all alone you and i ♪ ♪ nothing around but the sound of my heart and your sighs ♪ come on now. ♪ come on now, come on now ♪ money talks, it you don't sing and dance and it don't walk ♪ ♪ as long as i can have you here with me i'd much rather be forever in blue jeans, babe ♪ ♪ and honey is sweet, but it ain't nothing next to baby's treat ♪ ♪ and if you'll pardon me i'd

like to say we'll do okay forever in blue jeans ♪ ♪ yeah come on, now. ♪ baby, tonight, maybe tonight by the fire all alone you and i ♪ ♪ there's nothing around but the sound of my heart and your sighs ♪ ♪ let me hear it now, let me hear it now, let me hear it now ♪ ♪ money talks, it don't sing and dance, and it don't walk ♪ as long as i can have you here with me, i'd much rather be forever in blue jeans, yeah ♪ ♪ and honey is sweet, but it ain't nothing next to baby's

treat ♪ and if you'll pardon me i'd like to say, we'll do okay forever in blue jeans, babe ♪ ♪ blue jeans, yeah oh, yes. >> "the very best of neil diamond" neil, thank you very much. have fun at the tree lighting tonight. we're back after these local messages.

we're following breaking news. news4 has learned montgomery county police have a suspect in custody in connection with a series of abductions and car jackings. all of the attacks happened at the westfield wheaton mall. look for the latest on the story throughout the day on nbc 4. on our website, nbcwashington.com.

good morning. we have sunshine and temperatures near 40 degrees throughout much of the region. low 50s this afternoon with a small chance of a sprinkle and a blustery northwest wind. and first part of next week, clouds return, and maybe rain on tuesday. how is traffic? >> traveling southbound on i-95 in maryland, route 100, the right lane blocked there. had an accident, inner loop at braddic road, and

er we're back with more of "today" on wednesday morning, the 30th of november. these folks celebrating because later tonight, al and vansavann will officially ring in the rockefeller christmas tree. big crowds, great entertainment,

a couple of lit hosts, we'll have a great time. meanwhile in the studio i'm matt lauer along with savannah and al and coming up in this hour, on a serious note, new details in the investigation into the disappearance of florida mother michelle parker. now her twin toddlers have been removed from their father's home, after he was named the primary suspect in her disappearance. so we're going to have more on a troubling story just ahead. on a different note ahead in "today's money 911" our experts are answering your questions on everything on what to do when a family member asks you for money to what you should watch out for if you want to take out a loan to pay off credit cards. > with the holiday shopping in full swing it's a good time to talk to kids about the value of a buck. advice for parents. nothing like going on vacation and enjoying great food so we're going to show you some of the best culinary getaways from the middle of the u.s. to the heart of europe, for the foodie in all of us. >> great, sounds good. let's go over to the news desk right now.

natalie is standing by with the headlines. hi. >> good morning to you guys once again and good morning, everyone. embattled gop presidential hopeful herman cain heads to ohio to campaign today, even as the future of his bid for the white house appears uncertain. in a phone call with supporters on tuesday, cain acknowledged that the latest allegations against him have him assessing whether or not his candidacy can proceed. cain said ginger white's claims they engaged in a 13-year-long extramarital afarm sparked a "fire storm." protesters from the occupy movements in los angeles 200 demonstrators were arrested and in philadelphia protesters there were forced from their encampment, marched through the city streets, dozens of people were arrested there. syracuse men's basketball coach jim boeheim says he is not worried about losing his job in his first post game news conference since his long time

assistant coach bernie fine was fired amid a child molestation against him sunday. three men, including two former syracuse ball boys acues fine of molesting them. boeheim says he supports the investigation but can only control what his staff does on the basketball court. michael jackson's doctor received the maximum punishment for his role in the pop star's death. conrad murray was sentenced to four years in prison, although he's expected to serve less than half of that due to overcrowding. the children of a florida woman who has been missing for nearly two weeks had been asking for their mother and now they may be asking for their dad. nbc's janet shamlian reports from orlando. >> is that a train? >> reporter: michelle parker's 3-year-old twins are no longer with their father, dale smith, her ex-fiance and the man place say is the only suspect in michelle's disappearance. the little boy and girl were

taken away from smith by the state tuesday, and spent the night with their grandmother, michelle's mother. a hearing today will determine who will care for them as the search foretheir mom continues. >> i want dale to do the right thing. i want him to take a polygraph test. i want him to tell us where she is, if he knows where she is. >> reporter: the 33-year-old parker, a popular bartender, was last seen dropping off the twins at smith's home november 17th. the same day the cuppal period together fighting over an engagement ring on a taped episode of "the people's court." >> come to order. >> reporter: smith's 234uly hired lawyer faced ronners tuesday defending his client's refusal to take a polygraph. >> it's a damned if you do and damned if you don't. >> reporter: and maintaining innocence. >> we have no bnss, we have no dna, we have no suggestion of anything except somebody with a history that people don't like. >> reporter: a long history,

smith was dishonorably discharged from the marines in 2003 after he was court-martialed and convicted of drug possession and domestic violence. according to police reports, the victim of that domestic violence was smith's second wife, shannon, who died just a few months later in what was ruled an accidental drug overdose. in the '90s, smith was charged with a number of crimes including burglary, trespassing and aggravated battery but was only convicted of battery, serving ten days in jail. with michelle, the relationship was described as rocky. >> i felt somebody grab me and yank me around. >> in 2009, she sought a restraining order against smith. when the twins were just fants. it was never granted, it was never granted identity citing a lack of evidence. now two years later, parker is missing and her twins too young to even understand are missing their mother. >> thast nbc's janet shamlian reporting. on a lighter note, good clean fun is no fun at all when

you're a baby male elephant. the 5-month-old at the british zoo have discovered the joys of rolling around in the mud. it's not that he can't struggle to his feet. he does get back up but keeps going back to the same scene of the slime. very cute. it is now five minutes past the hour. you're up to date. we turn it back over to matt, savannah and al. >> thank you very much. >> we should get the weather especially for tonight for the tree lighting. >> looking good, clear skies, not so bad.good. looking good. clear skies. we have a mess out west as a big storm system makes its way through the plains. it's bringing rain and snow and some areas in the inner mountain regions could pick up six to eight inches of snow, and the central rockies could see snow as well, and we have a strong santa ana wind developing, and that's until noon on friday. we could get wind gusts up to 80 miles per hour, and sustained winds between 40 and 50 miles per hour. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what's going on in your neck of the

woods. >> good morning. sunny in washington. skywatcher camera looking towards the north and west, and showing clouds beginning to move in from that region as an upper level disturbance moves in. we will have some of that later this morning and into the afternoon. right now up around 40 degrees throughout much of the region, and should climb into the low 50s today. might have a small sprinkle in the early afternoon. a blustery wind gusting up to 25 miles per hour this afternoon. cold tonight under ♪ money, money, money, always sunny in a rich man's world ♪ time for "today's money." jean chatzky, "today's" financial editor and author of "money 911" and david bach author of "debt free for life" and sharon epperson. this is an e-mail from a viewer in alaska, ryan writes "my

mother-in-law keeps asking for money. it's a small amount, usually about $50 a month, always pays us back when she says she will but it's been going on for about a year now and it happens each month. would it be rude to say no and stop sending her the money?" >> it's a little dodgy. i wouldn't say no. what's happening here is a sign of a much potentially larger problem, and so what you got to do is use this opening that your mother-in-law is giving to you figure out what's going on here, why is she unable to pay her bills on a monthly basis, where is she getting stuck? can you help out and i would be really careful. she said mother-in-law. >> yes. >> if the child, if ryan's spouse is actually being asked by the mother for the money every month, ryan's spouse should have that conversation. >> yes. >> so be really careful. >> also if you can afford the $50 a month, think about ul of athe times our parents gave us money. >> absolutely. i think, too, if they're already being asked it means something

is going going on. >> your point is so good, i completely agree with you. >> you want to know now. >> no one wants to have the conversation, it's always important to have it with the family when you can. >> good point, okay. our next question coming via skype, we have melanie here in new york, good morning, melanie. what's your question? >> good morning. >> hi. and your question, melanie? >> yes, we are considering taking out a consolidation loan at the rate of 7.99% to pay down our credit card debt. at the rate we're paying right now, minimum or mainly minimum, it would take us years to pay off these credit card debts. my husband has a chance to take out the consolidation loan but i feel it's the right solution at this time. we recently took a big cut in pay at work. i'm wondering what is the right thing to do. >> david, what do you think? >> melanie i have to go along with your husband on this and here is why. if you've got credit card debt, it's unsecured debt, meaning they can't come after you and actually take anything away.

if you pull money out of your house and do a consolidation loan, usually called a home equity loan, if do you that, you've now taken an unsecured debt and secure advertiitized i your home. people pull money out of their homes, pay off their credit cards and gotten back in debt. what i'd much rather see do you is the following, see if you can get one of your credit card companies to actually take all the debt over on to one card and lower the interest rate. what is happening is the credit card companies are being aggressive looking for new customers. they're offering 0% financing for up to a year, and even getting 50,000 frequent flyer points and sometimes a free plane ticket. if go you go on it bankrate.com or creditcard.com, all of the websites you see different credit card offers you may be able to consolidate the debt on to one credit card with the lower interest rate. call the credit card companies up and see if they'll lower the interest rate without making a

move. >> good luck, melanie. we go to the phone lines, samantha from indiana, she's got a question about her retirement account. hi, samantha. >> hi, i am a 26-year-old teacher with a teacher's retirement fund, a 401(k) and a roth 403 ] b ]. the financial guy at school is trying to convince me to change from roth to regular. i prefer to pay the taxes and know that i won't have to worry about that in the future. am i making a mistake? >> sharon, what do you think? >> i don't think you're making a mistake at all. i applaud her for saving for retirement this early and so in many different ways, you're hedging your bet and diversifying your retirement savings. whey think you need to do though is look at the fact this roth account that you have is allowing you not to have tax deductions now, but take the money out tax free after age 59 1/2, and that's a great thing because you're going to have three decades of growth there, likely you will be in a higher

tax bracket when you retire, when you take that money out tax free. that's a great deal and you also get the tax deductions from the 401(k) that you currently have, so you got the best of both worlds. >> quickly one more call in question, dina living in florida. good morning, dina. >> good morning. >> and your question? >> caller: yes, my husband and i both work and i'd like to calculate our tax deductions from our tax checks to equal little or no refund. we don't want a huge refund but i don't want a bundle of taxes either. >> go to irs.gov and use their withholding calculator which helps you figure it out. you're totally right, you don't want to give uncle sam a big interest free loan throughout the year. you want the money in your own pocket. >> dena thank you so much. guys, thank you, jean, david, sharon, thanks so much. for those of you on the east coast mr. bach is not only back but hanging around, he'll answer some more questions during a live web chat for the next hour or so. just head to today.com.

coming up next, whether it's brie in paris or barbecue in nashville, we'll check out some of the world's best kuleary getaways. next a new study in apple juice may have you thinking twice before you pour it, after those messages. they're for keeping us together. ♪ [ boy ] to dad, love sam. [ mom ] say "merry christmas." [ boy ] merry christmas. [ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. [ boy ] charlie brown spotted a small, scraggly pine tree. ♪

[ younger brother ] oh, do you want it? yeah. ok, we'll split it. [ female announcer ] made fresh, so light... ...buttery and flaky... this is half. that is not half. guys i have more. [ female announcer ] do you have enough crescents? sally, you don't need toys when you have... ♪ imagination ♪ imagination imagination ♪ ♪ helps you see the world in different ways ♪ yay! yay! ♪ this is a pony ♪ and this is a choo-choo ♪ [ male announcer ] it's movie time. and this is a... [ male announcer ] with a wii twist. what is this? [ male announcer ] netflix now delivers unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through wii and nintendo 3ds. all for only 8 bucks a month. ♪ but there are foods that i had no idea had so much acid in them. my dentist said that the acid in fruit, or fruit juice or fruit teas softens the enamel so that then it can potentially erode. once that enamel is gone, it's gone.

my dentist recommended that i use pronamel to help harden that enamel so that it's not brushed away. pronamel protects your teeth from the effects of acid erosion. i don't have to cut out the things that i love in my diet. i can have the best of both worlds with pronamel. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. [ male announcer ] more christmas for your money, guaranteed. keurig has a wide variety of gourmet coffee and tea to choose from. keurig is the way to brew fresh, delicious coffee in under a minute.

way to brew. so with keurig, every cup tastes like it's brewed just for you. because it is. this morning on "today's travel" culinary getaways. here are some of the best epicurean destinations as neila motamed joins us from "travel & leisure magazine." >> good morning. >> what are people looking for? >> readers are obsessed with

food, the one thing i can tell you whether you're going just down the street or going to another country, people want to know where to eat and actually are planning their trips around their meals. >> how do you select with so many choices across the globe? >> i eat a lot. >> you wouldn't know, looking at you. >> we travel all around and eat our way through and it's a tough job but someone's got to do it. >> sounds like what we do around here. talk about some of the great food scenes, start off with chicago and amazing they have the deep dish pizza, and tell us about ellie naeh. >> chicago is known for its pizza and steak but there's an ode to cuisine aspect to chicago so making food as much about theater and as much about presentation and molecular dishes, ofaviary, truffle infus

negrone. >> you don't want to eat them, they're too beautiful. >> they're also delicious. there's the public hotel that just opened, very affordable and they have a restaurant called pump room which i also recommend. >> stay there and check out the other places, great. next let's move on to nashville, which of course we know for country music but also nashville is emerging as a foodie scene as well, right? >> absolutely. we certainly think about taylor swift when we think nashville and that's great but i'm sure she loves to go out to places like cat bird's seat, only 30 seats and there's two chefs and the chefs are actually cooking and serving you what they want for that day. there's no menu and so you get to just experience what they're feeling for that day, withc ciso much fun. there are lots of great restaurants in nashville and known for barbecue. "travel & leisure" rated this

one of the favorite destinations to are barbecue. >> the yellow porch restaurants. >> the salad they're eating they're growing the vegetables in their garden and a big boom in food trucks around the u.s., noted in nashville, mos tacos per favore, and people swear by their tortilla soup, say it's better than penicillin if you have a cold. >> next up, international destinations of course you can't do a food segment without talking about paris. >> i can't. >> levon kontoire? >> first things first in paris if you're going there and haven't been, find an expert to take you around. i love wendy lynn from the paris kitchen, the ultimate foodie and connoisseur of all things delicious in paris. she's recommend l 'avan comp.toir, a 12-person standing space but it feels like you're

in the center of it all if you go there and we love mecarones in new york, the new cupcakes. >> which are not cupcakes. >> basically where they were invenned in paris in 156, they make 4 billion macaroons every year, decadent and delicious. if you don't get your macaroon fix in paris get it at home. >> in italy? >> la traversina, piedmont, white truffles, borolo, la la traversina for under $120 a night you can stay, take gardening classes, cooking lesson, yoga, and also eat, relax and enjoy. >> i'm there already.

nilou motamed, thank you. coming up, parents' advice on teaching your kids the value of money at this time of year. d's best eggs. the best in nutrition... just got better. high in vitamins d, e, and b12. plus omega 3's. there's one important ingredient that hasn't changed: better taste. better taste. yum! [ female announcer ] eggland's best. the better egg. you don't decide when vegetables reach the peak of perfection.

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earlier this morning, members of the u.s. olympic team, michael phelps, along with neil diamond gathered up toys and gifts through the crowd to donate. >> we have so many great companies who help with the effort, donated to 200 charities around the country and one of the companies is kaboodles donations. kathy thank you for being with us. >> good morning, we're excited our second time to be here and this year we were excited to donate both $40,000 in cash and $12,000 worth of kaboodles to all of the char idble foundations across the country. >> love cash and kaboodles. >> adults love them, too. >> we're celebrating our 25th birthday, things for young women, empowering them as well as the older women and take one from one and go up throughout

the rest of your life. >> it's important to empower women with over 200 charities youal are contributing to help in our cause. thank you, kathy. >> it's our pleasure. >> thank you so much. and don't forget, donate online if you want, come here in person and if you bring it to the plaza you never know who might pick up the gift. we have a lot of celebrities already. coming up in "today's kitchen" getting out some of that aggression by pounding the chicken but first your local news. almost tastes like one of jack's cereals. fiber one. uh, forgot jack's cereal.

[ jack ] what's for breakfast? um... try the number one! [ jack ] yeah, this is pretty good. [ male announcer ] half a day's worth of fiber. fiber one. we are following breaking news at 9:26. news4 learned the name of the suspect in custody in connection with a series much abductions and car ckings. this is 50-year-old henry levi sanders. he is charged with multiple counts of kidnapping and robbery. all of the attacks happened at the westfield wheaton shopping

mall. look for more information on our

good morning. partly cloudy in the metro area. temperatures in the low and mid-40s and later today in the low 50s with blustery wind and a chance of a sprinkle later this

afternoon. clear and cold tomorrow morning. thursday afternoon. could get showers next tuesday. traveling 66 westbound, an accident on sully road. emergency response team is on the scene, and expect delays starting around fairfax county parkway as you continue to head westbound. back to you. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices... in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy.

and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone. as far as this brick is concerned, knob's going to take nothing, nol 'til big daddy lets go and maybe just possibly, not even then. >> yeah, she was the quintessential movie star known as much for her great romances as great performances and we all know she was a great collector. tomorrow on "today" an exclusive look at the auction of some of elizabeth taylor's magnificent

belongings from designer fashions to jewels and acsensories, tomorrow on "today" and just in time for christmas. >> i like that one. >> it's like we'll take it, whatever it is. >> just a little. coming up, are you worried about the juice your child is drinking? maybe you should be. there's a new study by "consumer reports" raising major concerns about the amount of arsenic that could be found in major brands, many brands of apple and grape juice so what are the potential health risks? we'll have the latest. also ahead, all about spending and buying gifts this time of year but the holiday shopping season is actually a really great opportunity to teach your children that money does not grow on trees, we'll have pointers on how to talk to your kids about saving and spending. and then in "today's holiday kitchen" you got any pent up frustration? this segment is for you. look at what he's doing to that poor chicken. we're going to do -- >> pretend --

>> i'll pretend it's you after my outfit the other day. now we're fighting again. it's going to be a great christmas tree lighting. ♪ it's the most wonderful time of the year ♪ ♪ la, la, la, la, la >> it's going to be eye wonderful tree lighting, can't wait to see what happens life. >> speaking of lighting we should get the forecast. >> yes, let's sho let's show you what is happening today. we have showers in the pacific northwest. plenty of sunshine through the southern part of the country. and speaking of the tree lighting, clear skies at 5:00. people will start gathering. 9:00 temperature, 45 degrees, clear skies. and then for tomorrow, sunny skies along the east coast. and light snow around the central great lakes. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what's going on in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i am meteorologist, tom kierein, in storm center 4.

live view showing clouds moving in from the west northwest, and the clouds are advancing towards the metro area and will probably come through in the metro area in the next couple hours. we're in the 40s throughout much of the region, and later today in the low 50s. a blustery wind and some of the clouds might >> and that's your latest weather. >> are you okay now? >> we're good. we're good. coming up next, what you need to know before you give your child that glass of juice, coming up right after this. this year we all want something to believe in. like being able to shop for the gifts we want, however we want... and have them ready for pick up in 5 minutes, guaranteed. and if the gift we want isn't in store, it's shipped to us, free. only sears lets you get the gifts you want, when you want, at the prices you want. guarantees like that can make anyone a true believer. now that's real joy, guaranteed. use your sears card to earn up to 5% back in shop your way rewards points.

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now to some startling results of a study on fruit juice. "consumer reports" found arsenic levels in apple and grape juice that may cause parents to think twice before they pour their kids a glass of that stuff. tom costello is in washington with more on this. good morning. >> hi there, al, good morning. the magazine tested almost 100 samples of apple and grape juice and found that 10% had total arsenic levels higher than federal drinking water standards for arsenic itself. the latest study from "consumer reports" may scare some parents about the safety of apple juice.

of the 88 samples tested by "consumer reports," 10% had total arsenic levels that exceeded federal drinking water standards. unlike water there are no federal limits for juice. >> it's a product everybody feeds their children and infants and i don't understand why there could possibly be such a thing in something so natural. >> if it's to the point where it's causing harm to her development, definitely. i would stop. >> reporter: this isn't the first time apple juice has been in the headlines. >> i'm worried about it as a father of four. >> reporter: in september, dr. oz announced findings from his own study of arsenic levels in apple juice. >> some of the best known brands in america have arsenic in their apple juice. >> reporter: an independent lab found one-third had levels higher than what the epa allows in drinking water. the fda took issue with dr. oz's findings saying the study did

not differentiate between the two types of arsenic, organic and inorganic. now "consumer reports" says its tests do make a distinction, adding "most of the arsenic" it found was inorganic, a known kars sin gen. in september the fda insisted apple juice is safe. >> our testing found that lot of juice has such a small amount of arsenic in it that it would be no concern whatsoever. >> reporter: the fda still tans by that but in a statement to nbc news it now says it's conducting more tests to help determine if a guidance level can be established that will reduce consumers' exposure to arsenic in apple juice. the juice products association says it's committed to following federal guidelines as it has for decades, adding, "comparing arsenic and apple juice to water is not appropriate. regulatory agencies set lower threshold for drinking water for food and other beverages because people consume larger amounts of water." this point here is important, the fda said the level of

concern for arsenic and apple juice is 23 parts per billion, 23. only one of the grape juices tested by "consumer reports" exceeded that level, none of the apple juices exceeded that level or even reached that level. by comparison the fda's limit for arsenic and water is ten parts per billion. "consumer reports" does not suggest erasing juice from your child's diet. the american academy of pediatrics suggests diluting juice with water and limiting consumption to about four to six ounces per day for kids under the age of 6, no more than 8 to 12 ounces for older children. >> tom, thanks so much. still ahead, teaching your kids the value of a buck around this time of year. then later on, two delicious and healthy recipes for chicken in "today's kitchen," but first these messages. these warm hearty creations are only here for a limited time. ruffled lasagnette pasta, layered with creamy fontina and asiago cheeses

with roasted garlic and oven baked just for you. try it topped with pan-seared chicken and toscano tomatoes. or with slow-cooked beef braised in a chianti wine sauce. both served with our unlimited fresh salad or homemade soup and warm breadsticks. get together tonight at olive garden. when you're here, you're family. it's all crossed out... it's 'cause i got everything on it. boom! thank you! [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. if you find a lower price on a local print ad before christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix. they're for keeping us together. ♪

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this morning on "parenting today" teaching your kids about money during the holidays with all of the gift shopping and mall hopping it's the perfect time to teach children lifelong lessons about spending and saving. michelle borbitz, good morning. >> good morning. >> we're getting inundated with the tv commercials and toys kids need to have. how do you get through to them? >> be mindful they are being inundated and real life experiences are the best way to teach kids this great concept called financial literacy that a lot of them are flunking, so

what we have to do is weave it in next 26 days we can do that. >> the earlier the better. what is age appropriate? >> we know that by the time the children learn to count is when you should start talking about it because by age 5 kids have already learned money attitudes, age 5. so it's a lifelong process but there are simple ways to do it. >> get started now. >> yes. >> first thing you say to parents, teach kids to prioritize. >> how do you go about that? >> they want everything and anything. all of the ads fuel it. you simply teach them the wants versus needs and to really think through what do you really need? a simple little way to do that is set limits for younger children, it's the number of items that santa or mommy will be putting under that tree, for bigger kids it's a price point. give them an index card, one index card per item, what do you really want, draw it, or one index card and add up all the amount of money, what you'll find is the kid who really starts thinking through what they really do need.

>> that's great. next tip is another great one, make them earn it. >> oh, yeah. >> have them start doing chores, right? >> chores is one or bring out the little entrepreneur spirit. the lady next door needs raking, help her there, set up the garage there, get rid of the is it you have in the backyard. they earn it, don't give a loan out. how many cooler for a child to say grandma, i earned every penny of this present i bought. >> that is great. the next thing you say is, now that they have some money is to make sure you boost their consumer shopping skills. >> what you want them to do is better than how to be a smart little spender and one little way is hey i want to buy a tv for dad, don't know the best way to do it. can you go online and look at the "consumer reports." for the little one, the penny saver ads and figure out the best deal for perfume for grandma. go to one store with your child, why one store?

you're bet eter off to bring th penny saver ads to are that store and compare what is the best price point and most importantly, natalie, make sure the little guy goes to the cash register with his own cash, not your credit card, and if it goes over his price point, he has to take something out of the card. it's a great lesson. >> great lesson, absolutely. teaches them math skills as well. >> yes. >> also keep a spending and savings log because we know the spending and savings goes quickly this time of year. >> goes really quickly and they want you to be their atm machine. even a little guy can have a simple little record book of just write down how much money each thing costs or older teen can keep record of their receipts. this is also a great thing to remember to put in a stocking stuffer, a piggy bank for your younger one, even a little baby food jar is absolutely perfect for coins, because you can see through it but can't spend it until it's saved up. >> perfect, next thing is to teach them to cut impulsive shopping. >> yes.

>> so wait on the purchase. teach them to wait. . >> the wait is the hard part because they are so impulsive but one simple little one on this one is, when you get money from grandma, you just wait at least 24 hours before spending it or a week, or a few days, or whatever it is. what happens is by the following day, very often the kid goes i don't know if i really wanted that. makes them think it through, and wait something one of the best success traits that there is in life. >> we could all learn from that, learning how to wait and not be so impulsive. the last one is to consider buying gifts after the holidays, tell them to wait until after, because why? >> because the best deals are the day after. >> yes we all know that. >> that doesn't mean everything but many parents are actually saying let's do one gift after the holiday, it's almost always half the price, and it's fun to go shopping as a family together. >> right, and plus you get so inundated with gifts during the holidays so nice to have something after. michel michele borba, thanks so much. check out our website today.com.

coming up next, bringing out the flavor of chicken, pound by pound, but first this is "today" on nbc.

♪ this morning in "today's holiday kitchen" we're take the boring out of chicken by doing a little flavor pounding. marco kenora, chef and owner in new york is making dishes that leave your guests wanting more. good morning. >> good morning. >> we're going to pound the chicken. not about beating it out. >> despite what al says. >> before we do the pounding we have to butterfly it. >> the boneless skinless chicken breast doesn't get a whole lot. i'm going to show you a way to really bring out the flavor of it and add flavor to it. people say it's dry and flavorless and you know, gets a lot of slack. >> i notice you cut off the bottom third. why did you do that in. >> you cut off the bottom third,

thin enough and the top part that's thick we'll cut it and butterfly it through the horizon of it and not go all the way through, notice that. >> that's the butterfly. >> exactly, then it goes flat. you initially do a pounding with the tines and not too hard because you could really beat it up. >> what if you don't have a tenderizer? >> use the bottom of a pot or glass. >> i read could you also use an empty wine bottle which the image made me laugh. >> you could do that. then flip it. >> got it. not too hard but trying to expand its size? >> it will get wider. create more surface area to take on the flavor. then we're going to treat it with this is what i call the tuscan flavor so sage, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest. >> this is a paste we're going to create. >> exactly but it's important that you get all your ingredients, put them on the board and you chop them together so they all kind of infuse into each other. >> got it.

>> that's an important step. >> then you add in a little oil. >> a little oil to make a paste. >> stir it up and then pound this back in. >> right, so now i'm going to rub this on here. >> more pounding, great. watch those fingers. >> so pound that in there. >> are we trying to expand the size still? >> you can give it some of your aggression out if you want. >> apparently i have a lot. do the other side too? >> sure. >> because i'm still feeling aggressive. >> then a little bit of salt, always salt and pepper. >> you can cook this pretty fast, two minutes? >> we're going to show new real time that this thing is 60 seconds on one side. >> let's do it. you need a really hot pan? >> really hot pan because it's thin so it's going to cook quickly and you want to create color. >> we have two minutes so let her rip. all right. and now while that's happening you'll show us a different recipe. >> what is great about the technique is the versatility of it.

i'm going to do one with maple syrup and cinnamon ginger and nutmeg. you can go anywhere, you can think about the japanese pantry and do seaweed powder, soy sauce and ginger or indian with tumeric and curry so it's really versatile. >> a little maple syrup. >> a little and not a lot because this is savory food so we don't want it too sweet, just a tiny brush of it. >> what spices in there? >> ground nutmeg, ground ginger and ground cinnamon. >> okay. >> be very, very careful with these, they're very strong. >> are you going to pound this flavor in, too? >> absolutely. these tines embed the flavor into the breast. >> should i flip this guy over yet? >> no, let it go. you know what? how about i got to turn it up a little bit. >> all right. >> so let's get some of these. >> you made side dishes. >> with the tuscan one, pan roasted fennel. i think fennel is one of those

unsung heroes, it doesn't really get as much attention or love as it should. so that's just simply roasted in the pan. >> all right. >> with rosemary and lemon. >> now should i flip it over? >> sure, let's flip it. >> we're running out of time. >> look really good. >> really good. >> look at you. >> i'm cooking, everyone. >> yea! >> al, do you want to get some -- >> whose side are you on, marco? and the key is for a really hot pan. >> very hot pan, super fast cooking, so incredibly versatile. and super tasty because you have all of the surface area. >> marco, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> appreciate it. coming up, hoda and kathie lee go inside the minds of men. why? why? plus the voice for halfier cologn.

we have breaking news. a man is in custody in connection with a series of

abductions and car jackings in montgomery county. all of the attacks happened at the westfield wheaton shopping mall. look for the latest on this on our website, nbcwashington.com. we have had clouds rolling in after morning sun and a chilly start. right now into the mid and low 40s, and there are clouds coming in and out. a small chance of a sprinkle this afternoon. sunny, dry and chilly weather all the way into the weekend. danella, how is late morning traffic. i-66, sully road, still the accident in the roadway. blocking two of the right lanes, and your delays start at fairfax county parkway. back to you. thank you. christmas trees, wreaths and

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switch to fios and get our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement when you order online. save $840 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, offer ends soon. go to verizon.com/superoffer. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's verizon.com/superoffer. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. captions paid for by nbc-universal television from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hey, everybody. it's winesday, wednesday. oh, wait. ♪ >> who is that?

>> it's november 30th. guess what's going to happen out here tonight, everybody? >> we're going to get lit. >> you're always lit, hoda. tonight is special. >> the tree is going to be lit. it's going to be great. everyone crowds into rockefeller center tonight. there are some great musical acts who are going to be here. if you're watching on tv you're going to see them all, too. micha michael buble, carol king, neil diamond. >> he sounds exactly the same. people wonder what kind of guy neil diamond is. i did a long interview with him one day. i loved the shirt he was wearing. i told him that. at the end he goes, just a minute. at the end he goes into his dressing room, comes out and gave me the shirt. literally gave me the shirt off his back. sweet man. >> i do love when they sound exactly like they used to. by the way, i've been watching tv lately because that's what i do. >> you have a lot of time on your hands lately. things okay with you and jay? >> things are fine. there's this ad that comes on tv

all the time. >> right. >> it's for target. and there's this -- >> the crazy lady, right? >> she's a type a personality who wants everything perfectly. they call her the crazy target lady. look at her. >> shopping tips. mentally draw your beeline. here's mine. >> she's crazy. she's type a, and she's nuts. >> for the confused first timer -- >> anyway, look at her, she's nuts. i love her. you know the cards you sing into? ♪ christmas is here, fa la la la ♪ >> she's the kind of people we avoid. ♪ >> every time she comes on, hannah bursts out in hysterical laughter. she's a comedian, by the way. do you love her or do you hate

her is the question. her name is maria banford. >> she was introduced in 2009. she must be doing something right because she's still around, right? if this doesn't sell product for target, then she wouldn't still be here. it's obviously working. >> it's working. by the way, it is that tis the season. consumer reports did i guess some sort of survey. they asked people what they dread about this time of year. number one on the list was waiting in line. you know, that kind of stuff. also, they dread gaining weight and being in debt. and they don't like gift shopping. what they found -- >> here's the thing. there are solutions to every one of those things that you just menti mentioned. >> what? >> plan your hours. don't do it. or shop online. what was the next one? >> gaining weight. you can't help it. >> shut your mouth. then what? >> and then debt. going into debt. >> set a budget and don't go over it! >> you can't. you have to buy people presents. people you don't like, necessarily. you have to get them gifts. >> oh, no, no. just say, i'm not doing that.

>> this year. >> no. ever. it really works. i do it every year. it works. >> here's what they found the most surprising. most people, ten -- number ten on the list, 35 million americans dread being nice. >> bless you. god bless you richly and all your loved ones. >> people get tired of saying merry krchristmas and to you, t. they don't like it. i don't dread that. >> the only thing that's frustrating -- there's lots of frustrating things. but when boxes come and there's a gazillion peanuts. it takes an hour to open the box. i understand you've got to be careful with the packaging stuff. think about all the stuff that's going to go in the landfills, the waste. you know, it's sweet that people send you stuff. >> i think it's -- i think it's a little -- it's a weird survey, i think, don't you? what are you crabbiest about this time of year? >> you know what i'm grateful

for? >> what? >> i'm deeply grateful that i got something in the mail the other day. >> what was it? >> well, you know, i've always said that i'm absolutely sure there are no naked pictures of me out there in the world? there is. there is one naked picture of me. and it was last weekend. it has now disappeared. >> did it disappear, is the real question. >> it disappeared. >> that's what you claim. >> i was in ocean reef down where our beach -- in the keys. cass and i had gone for a six-mile run. or walk. i call it a run. she calms it a walk. i was hot and sweaty. i get in the shower. my phone goes off, right? beep, beep, beep, meaning there's a little message. i thought maybe it was frank, maybe it was cody. i get out of the shower -- >> naked. >> i usually take a shower naked. i go to press to see who called. click. took a picture of me.

>> naked. >> counter level, if you know what i mean. i didn't think anything of it. i just -- you know, because my phone, it takes pictures all the time. it's a flinstone's device. i don't know how to take a picture with my phone. i obviously don't know how to retrieve one or delete it. i don't think anything of it. we go to church on sunday. we go to the airport. i'm looking for the phone. i've left it at home. >> with the goods on it. >> so my friend stuck it in a fedex shop and shipped it to me. >> the picture was deleted? >> the picture was on there. funny thing if you don't look at it all the time, you don't know if it's yours or somebody else's, you know what i mean? who can tell? it was very blurry. i looked at it, i went, could be. had to figure out how to delete it. >> it was deleted all the way? are you sure? >> there are no pictures.

cass was checking it for me. she goes, mom, what are all these pictures? i go they're on the inside of my purse. so anyway. i'm very grateful on this particular day that there are still no naked pecktu pictures me out there in the world. today is no judgment day. don't judge my phone, hoda. >> "redbook" magazine is asking moms not to judge one another. they feel like everyone's a judge judy looking at how one another raise kids, if they are making homemade cupcakes when they go to school, whatever. this is a day that's going to be dubbed no judgment day. stop judging, joann lamarca. >> joann has a 6-year-old. >> no, no. >> kourtney kardashian. >> by the way, congratulations to kourtney. >> here's the real story. so joann was supposed to

bring -- >> oh, please. >> you said it in the make-up room. i think it's fair game. >> oh, god, katie, i hope you're not watching. >> anyway. she was baking those -- what are they called? >> cake pops. >> cake pops at midnight with her young son who was up at midnight past his bedtime because she wanted people -- >> not only that, she took pictures of the process so everybody would know she really didn't go to the store. >> it wasn't from the store. joann, we love you. we don't judge you. >> we'll tell you what we really think about that tomorrow. >> no. >> love you, jo. >> i just want to be a good mother. >> but you shall remain nameless. >> we're not going to give it away. >> here's something that happened. last night if you turned into nightly news, which i did. i turned the news on. i hear this -- like a fire alarm. i freak out. in my house it's one of the alarms on the ceiling. >> it's called an apartment building. >> exactly. you get a chair. i did what most people do, i

took my shoe off. i could hear it in my apartment all over. >> you want to destroy your fire alarm. >> have you ever tried to get one of those to turn off? >> it's trying to tell you to get out! >> it wasn't. it was on the news. i tried to unscrew it. it's hard. you push the button. it doesn't stop. i took the shoe. finally brian goes, i'm sorry. watch this tape for a second. i think we have it. >> going on here in the studio. tom costello, we should advise our viewers there's no danger to us. we'd love to make this stop. why don't you take it from our washington bureau. >> oh, my gosh. >> it's back on. bear with us here. >> didn't bother andrea mitchell one bit. >> it went for 30 minutes and no one could figure out how to shut it down. it was a 30-minute program. from the beginning to the close to the good night, it was still --

[ fire alarm ] >> that's joann lamarca getting back at us. >> that's happened to me before at night. i hear it. it's because the batteries die or something. you're exhausted. you just can't get -- you got to do what you got to do. keep a hammer handy. >> you know who i always loved and she was always one of my daddy's favorite, favorite singers. doris day. a lot of people think doris day has passed away. because she's been very much private in her older age. she lives very quietly. she takes care of animals. she's always been an animal activist. but she's still alive. and she has just released a new cd called "my heart." i thought maybe she had, you know, done new songs, you know. she was one of the most underrated actresses and singers of all time. deserves a lifetime oscar.

let's give her a lifetime oscar before the lady isn't here to have it anymore. >> she's 84 years old, by the way. >> i just said that. her album is called "my heart." maybe i didn't say that. these proceeds go to animal rights. ♪ >> this has never been released before. >> i've heard this one many times. >> not by her. ♪ my bundle of joy >> she's a treasure. >> beautiful. beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. >> you know what else is great, ho hoda? >> what? wine time. >> lots of different ways you can enjoy your wine now. you and i tried these before. these are delicious. >> they really are. >> they have resvesterol in them. they're called wine time. >> you know what's funny? i can't read anymore. can you see this? can you read that? where does it have to be for you to see it? here? >> right there. >> closer? >> yeah.

we just also wanted to let you know we had those things on yesterday. we got to get to this. >> we had the dog bowls on. we didn't give the proper website. here it is. >> 91% of the proceeds going to charity. >> i thought i said for good. >> biddingforgood.com. >> oh, it's bidding. i thought it was just good.com. it's biddingforgood. >> $135 million. we want to make sure. we have a big show coming up. the changing role of men. do you know what i'm saying? >> is it for the better? where are we headed? we're going to try and figure it out right after this. aren't these goods? mom. ♪ come see the tree ♪ there's presents underneath it ♪ ♪ and i know there's some for me ♪ ♪ get moving mom and dad ♪ wake up already please! ♪ how can you still be sleeping ♪ ♪ when it's six a.m. at least? ♪ so meet me downstairs, and make it fast ♪ ♪ 'cause christmas morning's here at last! ♪ [ male announcer ] it's our christmas price guarantee. if you find a lower price in a local print ad before christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card.

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[ male announcer ] vicks dayquil. defeats 5 cold & flu symptoms. ♪ we recently learned most men are comfortable with dates women who earn significantly more than they do. almost half say they'd be very willing to stay home if their wives made more money. >> the findings were a result of a joint survey on the state of man conducted by "men's health" and spike tv. is it a sign of the times or a cultural shift decades in the making. men's health magazine contributing editor and michelle callahan are here. >> women's health and men's health. >> i thought it was interesting. is this true? men really aren't concerned if they are outearn bid theed by t partner? >> it's a different era. look at the reception. 8 million more men were laid off than women because of the type of jobs that got hit. it's a different era.

some of the jobs men can do involve staying at home and work ing. 19% of guys in the survey said they loved being a stay-at-home dad. we're different now. >> i can understand that temporarily. >> minus the recession. >> ultimately doesn't it weigh very deeply on a man's sense of self if he is not the one? >> it would definitely be a blow to a man's psyche if he was earning no money whatsoever. but if there's a gap of some sort, it's not that big of a deal. >> isn't it true, michelle, that the person with the money, whether you agree to it or not, they have the power. they kind of do. they make a lot of the decisions because they have the checkbook. >> there is that sense. that's the challenge that couples will face. there will be that feeling of a loss of masculinity for some men. but what we're finding is that they are saying that they're okay with it. not only are they okay with the person they're dating making more money, but some are even saying they're willing to stay home because of that person. >> are the women turned off by that, though? >> i think some women might be turned off by it. some women might find it

refreshing. especially if they're a powerhouse in their career and need that support at home and their partner is willing to do it. we have to acknowledge where we are not only culturally but economically. we're in such a deep recession it's great that a man would have a positive psychological attitude about it. this is the situation we're in. roll with it as opposed to saying i don't care. i'm not doing it. i'm not helping out. that just makes everything so much worse. >> i thought the stay-at-home dad thing was interesting. 19% are stay-at-home dads which i thought was interesting. even more say they'd be happy to be a stay-at-home dad. >> i think a lot of guys are realizing how rewarding it can be to have the rug rats running around and be there for these important first steps they're taking. that's not everything you can do back in the '50s because you were off working punching the clock. right now even dads that do work or work part time, just make a little bit less money, can do that at home and still see those important first days. >> some even said they're willing to lessen their masculinity to be fathers and be better parents. >> sure. >> because their parents weren't -- their fathers were

very stoic, not necessarily as affectionate, didn't spend as much time with them. they're changing their definitions of manhood by saying they're more willing to do that now and do the things that their fathers didn't do for them. >> you can only go by what you know. when my husband is older than i am, so he has got his place in the record books, in the history books. when i started, he was basically retiring. i was making more of the money and all of that. he was fine with it and he was the one that discovered the joys of parenting because he could take the kids to school and all of that stuff. but my thoughts are for the kind of guy that hasn't made it in this world yet. still has unanswered questions about his ability to become the man that he was meant to be. and i think we don't know yet what kind of a psychological impact that's going to have on guys like that. >> we looked at men between 18 and 49. i would imagine if we parse ld that out and looked just at the younger guys that haven't really made their mark on the world, they're not secure yet, they wouldn't be as okay with this. the dating things, the question

comes up who pays for the check, how many times do you pay for the check, those kind of questions are still issues for guys to get over. >> sure. >> i think guys mind it a little bit unless it's a victoria's secret model. then they don't mind. >> thanks, guys. up next, sar ra's here with the wacky photos. not of me. i hope that really worked when i went -- >> delete. oh boy... i used our slate card with blueprint. we can design our own plan to avoid interest by paying off diapers and things each month. and for the bigger stuff, we can pay downalance faster to save money on interest. bigger? bigger. chase slate with blueprint helps you save money on life's little surprises. trip...lets... start your path to saving today, call 855-get-slate. ♪ vegetables picked at their peak ♪ ♪ so fresh my knees grow weak [ male announcer ] new hearty bertolli meal soup for two, with crisp vegetables and tender chicken. [ chef ] ♪ fresh tasting restaurant style ♪

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- snowy? what is it, boy? - [ barks ] what do you see? [ yipping ] [ woman announcing ] just like snowy, your dog's one of a kind. overactive imagination and all. [ barking ] long live your buddy. long live your dog. [ tintin ] snowy! purina dog chow. see the adventures of tintin, only in theaters. we're back with our digital segment we call "what the what?"

>> miss sara haines has sifted through all the photos you sent in. she's here with the week's picks. >> i've been laughing all week probably more at that, hoda. our first photo was sent in from emily from overland park, kansas. >> sometimes you do just want to celebrate, i guess. >> they were on a cross country trip. they saw that. i've never seen that take on it. >> that's great. >> jennifer from summerville, south carolina. he's either sleeping in there or on the couch. the guy that did this was actually doing -- selling garages. they were model size. so he was laughing that a guy sleeps in the garage. it's such misleading advertising. >> confused! >> we're more confused than ever. >> photo number three comes in from jim in ann arbor, michigan. good it's 24 hours. you never know when your feet may hurt. that's not the funny part.

suddenly it's like new! dick's. 24 hour toe service. next a photo from jeannette. it's a bird. it's a plane. it's a bungee jumper? literally, that could hit your car. don't they look like "avatar"? >> they look like sperm going into a fallopian tube. >> things have changed. gloria -- hoda, take that one. >> gloria mcmunagal. >> i don't think this translates very well. passa a wind. super noi tutti. it's italian. doesn't it read funny? it's like a telephone company.

>> i thought it was about flatulence. >> now it is. finally, are they trying to tell us something? let's just cut right to the chase. there's nothing good here. >> nothing good for you, that's for sure. >> thank you, sara. still to come, the voice winner, javier colone is here with brand-new music. >> the guy that sings this music. hot chelle rae is here. [ male announcer ] what if we could keep enough plastic waste to cover all of manhattan out of landfills each year? the equivalent of 140 million trash bags, gone. by using new glad trash bags, designed with reinforcing bands to be stronger with less plastic waste, we can. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference. ♪

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we're back on this winesday wednesday. our friends at rolling stone magazine are helping us out with questions from their special edition rolling stone rock trivia. kathie lee is across the street at our nbc experience store ready to hand out 100 bucks to those who get the questions right. those who don't, a copy of her cd.

here with me is christian horde. rolling stone's senior editor. are you ready? >> absolutely. >> across to kath. >> look at the beautiful ladies who work at "redbook" magazine. no judgment day. see how that lasts. what does aretha franklin spell out in respect other than r-e-s-p-e-c-t. tlc, tcb, tnt or pcp. >> pcp. >> i believe that's right! >> let's hear it. let's hear aretha. ♪ forgive me my problems >> pcp. >> short for take care of business. sort of common slang at the time. she sings it right before the sock it to me, sock it to me part. >> good piece of trivia. back across to kath. >> lovely lady from pennsylvania, madonna lost an advertising deal with which company after her controversial "like a prayer" video was released. dr. pepper, lipton, coca-cola or pepsi? >> pepsi.

>> everyone's on a roll today. you go! >> wow. she got that one right. that was a very controversial video. >> yeah. this is the video that had the burning crosses and the part where madonna sort of gets, like, very cozy with a saint in a church. >> i remember. >> not so shockingly religious groups were sort of outraged by that one. at least one of them called for a big boycott of pepsi. in the long run the controversy was good for madonna. >> usually controversy ends up being okay. back across to kath. >> can you imagine she might be from new orleans. the big easy. all right. how old was stevie wonder when he began his recording career? 9, 11, 13 or 15? >> 11. >> wow! everybody's really doing great today. >> is everyone cheating? what is going on? >> they're not. >> are you positive? 11 years old. youngster sf youngster. >> this is nuts. started recording in 1961 when he was known as little stevie wonder. the next year when he released an an album he was billed as the

12-year-old genius. truth in advertising. >> this lady is from new jersey. which cast member of "friends" danced with bruce springsteen in his "dancing in the dark" video? >> courtney cox. >> okay. this is ridiculous. let's see if we can go all the way with getting -- these aren't easy. courtney cox was in that video. where is she? >> yeah, yeah. >> she gets on stage? >> she gets on stage. classic video. classic bruce springsteen dance moves. she was about 20 at the time. this was like a decade before "friends." >> oh, my gosh. wow. >> this was actually shot at a real bruce springsteen concert. the bit where he pulls her on stage is totally staged. >> look how young he is, too. back across to kath. >> we were all young once, hoda. from florida, this lady. which artist had the greatest number of top 40 singles in the 1960s? elvis presley, the beach boys, the beatles or the four seasons? >> i'm going to have to say the

beatles. >> stop it! she's going to love this record! >> that's what i've heard. the streak is broken. the correct answer there is elvis presley. >> don't doubt the king. he had 50. 5-0 top 40 hits in the '60s. >> lady from houston, texas, how many times has michael jackson been inducted into the rock 'n' roll hall of fame. zero, one, two or three? >> one. >> because you didn't think it through. remember, there was the jackson five. >> yeah, uh-huh. >> another beautiful kathie lee cd for her. >> all right. again, he was inducted into the rock 'n' roll hall of fame twice. >> twice. for the jackson five and then as a solo artist. >> wow. when was he as a solo artist? >> 2001. i think right when he became eligible. >> sure. back across to kath. >> lady from new jersey, which rolling stones hit single was given to the group by john lennon and paul mccartney? "i wann barks your man," the

last time," "boys" or "get off my cloud." >> "get off my cloud." >> the correct answer, a, "i wanna be your man." >> the beatles did a version of this. they had ringo sing it which tells you what they thought of the song. >> hello. time for another one. >> from philadelphia. when bob dylan played at the white house in 2010, what did he say to president obama? it's an honor, sir. how did i sound? you're taller in person. or not a word? >> you're taller in person. >> oh, those cds are going like hotcakes. he didn't say a word. >> he didn't say a word. this was at a concert in honor of the civil rights movement. dylan performed, said nothing to obama. obama sort of spun it in a positive light. he said you don't want dylan being all cheesy and grinning. this is what you want from bob d dylan. >> good spin. this rock trivia rolling stone book is going to be available on newsstands starting i think next week. it's got a lot of great trivia in it.

coming up next, we have more music. you rooted for him during his days on "the voice." now javier colon debuts his first cd. he's in the house right after this. [ male announcer ] have you heard? it's bring your happiness to work day. campbell's microwavable soups. in three minutes -- the deliciousness that brings a smile to any monday. campbell's -- it's amazing what soup can do.

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on the brand names you love. famous footwear. make today famous. the winner of "the voice" is -- javier colon! >> that is javier colon's emotional reaction to his big win during the first season of nbc's talent show "the voice." that night he took home $100,000 and a recording deal with universal republic records. >> now after a summer tour with the rest of the show's contestants, javier has released his first cd called "come through for you." >> look at you. >> what a year you have had. >> it's been -- i mean, i can't even believe how crazy this year has been and just how different it is from, you know, six, seven months ago to now.

>> everything's changed. >> everything. everything has changed. except for the better. it's been an amazing, amazing ride that i can't even really, you know, describe. >> wow. >> can you see that tree over there? >> i know. >> that's your tree, baby. >> your tree. you own that tree tonight, baby. you're going to be out there with a bunch of very big, established stars. what's that going to be like for you? with people like michael buble. >> tony bennett. >> carol king. >> the beebster. >> like you said before, i'm pinching myself. it's very surreal to have seen this christmas tree lighting so many times on tv. wow, you know, one day i would love to be there singing. and to actually have that opportunity is amazing. >> what do you think about when we talk about the greats who are there. carol king, these legends who are there. how will you be around them? is it going to be fun? have you met any of them before? >> i have not. i have not -- i don't think anyone that's there today i have met. but i'm going to be -- it's going to be a struggle. i'm going to want to be a kid

seeing all these amazing stars. at the same time, you know, you are among them doing what they're doing, which is an honor. >> you're a pro. there was a time when you didn't think you'd be able to make it in this business. take us back to right before you auditioned. what was going on through that head of yours. >> right before i auditioned, you know, i had a lot of ups and downs with my career. i had a deal with capital records before this that unfortunately didn't work. i got dropped in 2006. for the last five years i was doing whatever i could to survive. doing, you know, some college shows here or doing some club shows. stuff like that. >> tough business. >> a tough business. and just before the auditions for "the voice," i had auditioned, i'd done a showcase for a label here in new york city. and i really thought that i was going to get signed. i just really felt good about it. and it didn't -- didn't work out. >> you've got this -- >> you've got an amazing family who's here in new york. >> 3 and 4-year-old. >> my baby girls. >> look at these little munchkins.

>> there they are. for them, life hasn't changed too, too much. they see daddy on tv a little bit more. >> like right now. from a hotel room. >> and they don't really think that it's -- they don't see that it's any different, you know, really. they'll, i guess, kind of eventually see that daddy does more singing than everything else. >> he'll always be daddy. >> your cd is cool. a duet with natasha beddi beddingfield. adam levine. >> did he coach you through this? i know he encouraged you. did he give you practical advice through the show? >> absolutely. even after the show. through the process of recording the album and stuff like that. adam has just been -- he's been great. like a big brother. just to be able to bounce things off of him. say, you know, is this normal? we're doing this. what do you think about this song? you know, stuff like that. >> always great. somebody who's been there before. >> many times. >> having a cd out must be surreal. is it? >> it's awesome. something i never thought i'd have the opportunity to do

again. especially on this level. you know, i'm just -- i'm honored. i'm excited. and i'm thankful, you know, for the fans that voted for me and for all the folks who are purchasing the cd. it's, you know, yeah. >> we wish you great luck. have fun tonight, by the way. >> he's going to be singing -- >> "the most wonderful time of the year." and my favorite song, "o holy night." >> mary christmas, sweetie. coming up next, the music never ends around here. hot chelle rae performs after this. in hands-free toilet cleaning. introducing the one-step toilet bowl cleaner from scrubbing bubbles. just step on the pedal. the 360 degree sprayer delivers a powerful cleaner to tackle lime scale, hard water and toilet rings. the new one-step toilet bowl cleaner from scrubbing bubbles. it's a remarkable leap forward in hands-free toilet cleaning.

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the sleep number bed's going to provide it for you. this season, give yourself the gift of better sleep. right now, queen bed sets start at just $899. and discover the amazing airfit adjustable pillow, the first pillow as ingenious as the sleep number bed, and the most innovative gift this season. only at one of our 400 sleep number stores nationwide. the toyota concert series on "today," brought to you by toyota. >> they're young. they're cute. but enough about me and hoda. they can sing, so it's no wonder hot chelle rae just took home the american music award for best new artist. >> this week the band released

its new cd called "whatever." they are here to sing a song. we think you may know it. it's called "tonight, tonight." ♪ it's been a really, really missed up week, seven days of torture, seven days of bitter ♪ ♪ my girlfriend went and cheated on me, she's a california kind but it's time for me to quit her ♪ ♪ whatever, it doesn't matter, oh well, we're going out tonight, tonight ♪ ♪ there's a party on the rooftop, top of the world, tonight, tonight ♪ ♪ and we're dancing on the edge of the hollywood sign ♪ ♪ i don't know if i'll make it, but watch out girl i'll take it ♪ ♪ it's all right, all right, tonight, tonight ♪ ♪ i woke up with a strange tattoo, i'm not sure how i got it, not a dollar in my pocket ♪ ♪ it kind of looked just like

you, mixed with zach g galifanakus ♪ ♪ whatever, it doesn't matter, oh well, we're going out tonight, tonight, there's a party on the rooftop, top of the world ♪ ♪ tonight, tonight, and we're dancing on the edge of the hollywood sign ♪ ♪ i don't know if i'll make it, but watch out girl i'll take it ♪ ♪ it's all right, all right, tonight, tonight ♪ ♪ just sing it like, oh, oh, oh, come on, oh, oh, oh, it doesn't matter, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ just don't stop, keep the beat pumping, keep the beat up, shut the beat down ♪ ♪ it's my party, dance if i want to, we can get crazy, let it all out ♪ ♪ it's my party, dance if i want to, we can get crazy, let it all out ♪ ♪ it's you and me and we're running this town, it's me and

you and we're taking the ground ♪ ♪ ain't nobody gonna tell us to go because this is our show, everybody oh, oh, oh, come on, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, tonight, tonight, there's a party on the rooftop, top of the world ♪ ♪ tonight, tonight, and we're dancing on the edge of the hollywood sign ♪ ♪ i don't know if i'll make it, but watch out, girl, i'll take it ♪ ♪ it's all right, all right, tonight, tonight, yeah it's all right, all right, tonight, tonight ♪ ♪ yeah, it's all right, all right, tonight, tonight, singing like, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ come on, oh, oh, oh, call you party people, oh, oh, oh, all you single kids ♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh, even the white kids, it's my party, dance if i

want to, we can get crazy, let it all out ♪ ♪ just don't stop it, keep the beat pumping, keep the beat up and shut st beat down ♪ ♪ it's my party, dance if i want to, we can get crazy, let it all out ♪ we'll be back with more of "today" on nbc. [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best.

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it is time to meet another one of our very generous partners in what is a big tradition around here. >> reality star fashion designer and author whitney port is here on behalf of crest 3-d. >> hello! >> you seem like you have a present in your lap. >> i do. i have a check for you guys on behalf of crest 3-d white strips. tr your annual toy drive. help spread smiles across america. >> that's so awesome.

>> it's important this time of the year, i guess, with the economy and things. >> right. everybody needs a little bit of something. i thought i'd come give you guys this. >> she's given us the cash and we can buy the toys ourselves. is that the way it works out? we'll have that in cash. >> you have a lot going on, by the way, in your life. a lot of people know you from "the city" and other shows. you've kind of shifted gears a little bit. you're doing more fashion stuff? >> right, yeah. i have my clothing line whitney eve. i'm wearing my jacket. >> adorable. >> thank you. working hard on that. obviously it's a hard industry to break into. especially coming from the reality background. but i'm trucking along and learning. >> what will you be doing for the holidays besides brushing your teeth over and over again. >> and wearing my white strips. >> by the way, your smile is fabulous. >> after eight years of braces and white strips. i'll be with my family. maybe go on a little vacation. in los angeles. i'm born and raised l.a. >> i can't believe you're only

27 and you've done so much already. what else do you see yourself doing? >> well, i would like to do obviously more in fashion. yeah. i want to continue getting better as a designer. >> thank you for the lovely gift. >> thank you for coming. >> thanks to everybody at crest 3-d. if you'd like to donate gifts for children up to age 18 you can do it up to december 21st at the plaza at the nbc experience store or amazon.com/today. check our website for the details. tomorrow, guess who's coming? mo molly simms! -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

we begin with breaking news in montgomery county.