good morning. breaking news. anti-american protests turn violent in afghanistan as anger spreads over the burning of muslim holy books by american troops. at least six people are dead and the u.s. embassy in kabul is on lockdown. rally time. the dow breaks 1300 for the first time in nearly four years, a major post recession milestone, but is it time to celebrate? and the voice. president obama shows off his vocal talents once again. ♪ come on ♪ baby, don't you wanna go [ cheers ] >> we'll tell you what had him singing the blues today, >> we'll tell you what had him singing the blues today, wednesday, february 22, 2012.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this wednesday morning. i'm ann curry. >> i'm carl quintanilla in for matt. the u.s. was quick to apologize for the burning of korans and other materials saying they were improperly disposed of after being pulled from the shelves of a detention center library. >> that's right. it hasn't stopped the demonstrations from growing this morning in size and intensity. thousands have taken to the street forcing the closure of a highway. we'll have the latest on the story ahead. >> also "today" investigates how are dirty surgical instruments ending up in operating rooms? >> that's right. >> we talk with a man who became infected with a potentially

deadly bacteria during surgery and look at what's being done to keep you safe under the knife. >> and today's professionals will weigh in on a few topics getting a lot of buzz including the controversy over chris brown and rihanna's music collaboration, and also a school that charges parents when their kids get into detention. >> $5 a pop. >> let's begin with this morning's breaking news. deadly anti-american protests in afghanistan. nbc's jim miklaszewski is at the pentagon for us this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. sources are telling nbc news in kabul that the casualty toll has now risen to as many as six dead and nearly three dozen injured in violent protests that swept across three provinces there in afghanistan. in kabul it's reported that afghan security forces opened fire on protesters, killing at least one of the protesters, injuring a dozen others. now, this all began yesterday at the bagram air base north of

kabul when it was discovered the u.s. military had inadvertently ordered the burning of korans, the most sacred relin linridgel for their religion. the korans were confiscated because it was learned that some militants there were passing extremist messages through that koran. they were ordered disposed of. but immediately the commander of all u.s. military forces there in afghanistan, general john -- the general there ordered that all and immediate investigation be launched to determine exactly what happened. hamid karzai, the president of afghanistan and other afghan leaders were invited to join in the investigation and ordered a refresher course for all u.s. military, in fact, to the

cultural refresher course to respect islam and their tenets. the remarkable thing is after ten years it would seem that the u.s. military would be aware of the sensitivities and some u.s. officials are calling this a stupid mistake. >> all right. those are very strong words. jim miklaszewski, thank you so much on this breaking story. it's now 7:04. here's carl. >> here at home investors hoping for positive news from wall street. this a day after the dow crossed the 13,000 mark for the first time since may of 2008. what does it mean for the economic recovery and for you? here to talk about it is jim cramer from "mad money". >> good morning. >> i have heard it's an important milestone. others say just another number. what does 13,000 mean to you? >> stocks are no longer the enemy of investment. this kind of rally usually means the future is brighter than the

past. i like what i see. >> let's talk about what companies are doing. some american companies are beginning to fire on all cylinders. what kind of companies and why? >> industrial companies, companies in oil and gas, consumer companies. in other words, companies that depend on consumer spending. this is broad, carl. hiring is coming. >> the dow has doubled in value since the low in march of 2009. we know job growth hasn't kept pace. do you see that catching up with what the market has done? >> i like to look at the dow as a six-month precursor to what can happen. yes, i see things getting better. i'm not going to equivocate, carl. they are getting better. >> let's talk to viewers who have been too nervous to get into stocks, held their money in savings though they are making next to nothing. is this the time to get in? are they already late? is there a danger of buying at the top? >> oil and gasoline are too

high. i know europe is not resolved. i see bargains, carl. lots of companies that have done nothing in four years with good dividends. they are great places to be. much better than c.d.s. >> we talked about gas prices yesterday. we'll get numbers on housing this week. i think people are wondering how much of a drag is housing on the economy still? >> it's been the worst drag. i think housing starts will be up 10%, maybe 15% this year. that's a good sign but off a low bottom. when people build houses, a lot of jobs. if we get even some lift in housing, that's another good sign. >> finally, news out of greece, the second bailout. how important is that and are you seeing signs that europe is a little bit less of a risk to our economy now? >> i think it is important. if you're in europe the greece deal will ultimately not work for greece but it takes the big catastrophe off the table. that allows us to grow. we can look over our shoulders at greece but it's no longer

front and center. >> can you say the market will end the year higher than it is now? >> yes. i will do that! >> okay. good note to end on. jim, thank you. you can catch "mad money" weeknights at 6:00 and 11:00 eastern time on cnbc. once again here's ann. >> now to the presidential race and the neck and neck battle between mitt romney and rick santorum in michigan. it's romney's birthplace and a state he needs to win next tuesday. nbc's peter alexander is in detroit with more on the story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. it's not mitt romney but rick santorum who will take center stage at tonight's debate. all campaign season the debates have been rewarding the winners. newt gingrich in south carolina, mitt romney in florida and rick santorum is hoping for the same. but his campaign is already downplaying expectations. one adviser telling me while the debate is important it is not the end all be all for their campaign.

as the candidates prepare for tonight's debate in arizona, the latest nbc news marist poll shows it's the race in michigan that's heating up with mitt romney and rick santorum in a virtual tie. >> there is a lot at stake, folks. this is an important election. >> reporter: an election increasingly laced with references to religion. santorum is likely to be peppered about his comments on the president's phony theology. >> i will defend everything i say because it comes from here. >> reporter: on msnbc's "morning joe" tuesday, franklin graham, reverend billy graham's son praised santorum for espousing what he calls christian values. >> by your definition he's not a christian? >> you have to ask him. i cannot answer that question for anybody. >> you don't believe he's a muslim? >> no. >> categorically not a muslim? >> i can't say categorically.

islam has gotten a free pass under obama. >> reporter: with his front-runner status in jeopardy romney has tried to focus on the economy. at a town hall on tuesday he was asked how he would protect religious freedom and answered by attacking the president. >> unfortunately, perhaps because of the people the president hangs around with and their secular agenda they have fought against religion. >> reporter: the obama campaign quickly fired back, calling romney's comments disgraceful. earlier, reverend graham also questioned romney's faith. >> most christians would not recognize mormonism as part of the christian faith. >> so he's not a christian? >> most christians would not recognize it. >> reporter: tuesday night sarah palin weighed in, blaming the media for what she considers a double standard that attacks conservatives for invoking the bible but ignores president obama when he does the same like earlier this month at the national prayer breakfast. >> for unto whom much is given,

much shall be required. >> the theology he would adopt by reading the book of luke results in him say saying we need to increase taxes on hardworking americans? that's okay? but rick santorum talking about good and evil isn't okay? >> reporter: a clarification on the story reported yesterday. during the 2008 campaign reverend wright was not forced to resign for controversial comments. he had already announced retirement from his church when the comments drew national attention. ann? >> thank you. chuck todd is nbc's political director and chief white house correspondent. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. >> rom is leading rick santorum in arizona. the numbers are 43% to 27%. let's move to michigan. that's where the story gets good. romney is ahead by just two points there. there is a deeper story here in michigan. isn't there, chuck? >> reporter: there are a couple of things. there is an interesting split

here between organization and momentum. for instance in arizona, half the state has already voted. mitt romney leads by 30 points among folks who have already voted. in michigan, he leads by 20 points among folks who already voted. among those who haven't, that's where you see santorum's momentum kicking in. it's a one-point race in arizona among the half of the electorate who hasn't voted yet and santorum leads there. this gets into the issue of the early money romney spent weeks before the primaries got heated up has helped him at least potentially. if he avoids the upset, helps them avoid the upset, ann. >> let's remind people that romney is from michigan. >> yeah. >> he won it in 2008. his father was once governor of michigan. does he have a real chance then of losing michigan and what kind of setback would it be for his campaign? >> he does. when you look it would be because of ideology. you see the same split with tea

party supporters. santorum has a big lead. almost 20 points. among those who don't consider themselves tea party supporters, that's where he does best. the ideological breakdowns. the same thing among conservative voters, rick santorum leads by some 30 points. when you look at the way michigan has done where romney is doing well it's all around the detroit area which is where he grew up in the suburbs there. in the rest of michigan it's a lot more like iowa. well, that's a state rick santorum technically won, remember? >> to make it more interesting in michigan, michigan's primary is an open primary so democrats and independents can vote. does the romney campaign have to worry a little bit about democrats, possibly independents voting for rick santorum just to push him off the dime? >> they should. in 2000, the michigan democratic party was able to organize an anti-bush vote. it helped propel mccain to an

upset there. we see evidence in our polling right now. romney and santorum are even among independents. that should be surprising. why? in any other state where independents have been allowed to vote romney has dominated. more times than not the independents in other states have been moderates and they have been looking for the electable republican. this appears to be evidence of at least an anti-auto bailout. folks mad about the auto bailout. some sort of protest because santorum is doing a lot better among independents than in any other state we have tested. >> chuck todd with perspective. the numbers are always valuable. thanks, chuck. >> you got it. >> to the other top stories of the morning with natalie morales at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning. we begin with two western journalists including one american killed this morning in syria while reporting from the flash point city of homs. richard engel is in turkey on

the syrian border with more. >> reporter: good morning. an opposition activist inside the city of homs identified the two journalists as american veteran war correspondent marie colvin. she's worked for years for the british sunday times. the other, a french pho photojournalist, remy oshlik. they were in the city of homs in a media area. the city has been surrounded by syrian forces shelling the city from the outside. the opposition does control pockets inside of homs and the media center was in one of those pockets. it was one of the only places that had some degree of internet access. the two journalists were in the media center this morning when it was attacked and hit by a rocket apparently fired by government forces and destroyed. there have been videos posted online showing the destroyed media center, also including

graphic images showing the bodies of the two identified journalists. >> just awful. richard, at this point, is there talk of the u.s. possibly arming the opposition? would that be a viable option? >> reporter: i have spoken to u.s. officials. they are concerned about fuelling a civil war. they don't know who controls the opposition. there is a free syrian army controlling parts of homs, the media center where the journalists were killed. they don't want to fuel a civil war. on one more note, in addition to the two western journalists, three other journalists were also injured, including one in urgent need of medical attention. it is very difficult to reach them. the city of homs has been cut off. that's why there is a push from the united states and other countries to at least allow, if not direct weapons to reach the rebels, but some humanitarian

assistance. >> richard engel in turkey. thank you very much for reporting on a tough story this morning. in health news at home more americans are now dying from hepatitis c than hiv. many of them are unaware they are infected. according to the cdc, 3.2 million people in the u.s. are infected with the chronic hepatitis c virus that's a leading cause of liver disease and death. the virus is most prevalent in baby boomers. experts say many could have been infected decades ago and not know it. a freelance producer for the "amazing race" has been killed in uganda. jeff rice and a second local facilitator were refused to be poisoned after refusing to give up their possessions in an attempted robbery. he worked on the show's 20th season but wasn't working on it at the time of his death. the father of two worked on animal planet's "whale wars" and

"the biggest loser south africa." the president is singing the blues but if mick jagger stuck a microphone in your face you couldn't say "no" either, so he belted out an impromptu duet with b.b. king. take a listen. ♪ ♪ come on ♪ baby, don't you wanna go ♪ come on ♪ baby, don't you wanna go [ cheers ] ♪ sweet home chicago >> as you heard, that was "sweet home chicago." the president sent out a little hometown pride for the second city from the white house. i think they have an act. they should go on the road. now back to ann, carl and al. >> it takes a lot of chutzpah to sing in front of -- >> b.b. king. >> buddy guy. >> i like the look on michelle's voice like, oh, brother.

>> there he goes again. >> looks like a remake of "the blues brothers" to me. jake and elwood. >> let's talk about the weather. amazing day in the northeast today. >> but our friends in the pacific northwest arere singing, unfortunately. we have another big storm making its way in. lot of heavy rain as you can see in the mountains. we are looking at snow and we have avalanche warnings and in the mountains there and cascades. we have also got high wind warnings and wind watches and wind advisories as well for the mountains south. central montana and wyoming. looking at wind gusts of over 80 miles per hour and you can see the snowfall amounts anywhere from two to four feet of snow and along the coast rainfall of one to two inches. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> tom kierein in storm center 4. good morning on this wednesday morning, some gray clouds blocking the sun after we had a morning glory sunrise. about 20 minutes ago. right now under the clouds, temperatures are generally above freezing most locations but it is chilly in the 30s across much

of virginia and maryland. closer to washington, it is near 40 and fairfax, arlington, prince george's and prince george's counties counties. later today near 60 with increasing clouds. that's your latest weather. carl? >> al, thanks. now to a breathtaking show in the sky in the northern hemisphere. the largest solar flares since 2005 have created the most spectacular northern lights in years. michelle kosinski is in tromso, norway, inside the arctic circle. michelle, good morning. >> reporter: hey, carl. norway has had a mild winter, but a jaw-dropping aurora borealis. this is one of the best spots on the planet to see it. nasa predicted that this winter would be some of the most intense northern lights in half a century. it all depends on the activity of the sun which is on a 12-year cycle. right about now is the peak of it.

our trusty sun might look the same, but the headlines it's been generating, geomagnetic storm to hit earth -- not so comforting. unlike our brand of storm, when a sun storm slams the atmosphere at 5 million miles an hour, just last month, we get this. the majestic aurora announcing itself through twinkling curtains over the upper and lower latitudes. some of the most awesome in the true and most popular sense displayed in decades. bright green, pinks, sweeps and stripes. glowing rings. some of the coolest images have come from space. the violence of a sun burst settling into a glowing crown atop our planet. to see it in person -- >> it's like a painting maybe that moves. >> sometimes it makes me feel small. i mean, it's so great.

it comes from the sun. >> reporter: the sun has been throwing off more charged particles than usual which collide with earth's particles and shoot out photons or light. those are swept along earth's magnetic field and voila. >> the sun is coming out of a period where it's been quiet. but it is entering a more active period. we can expect solar storms multiple times per day. >> reporter: that makes for a lot of electricity up there. scientists just launched a research rocket into the gloers aw -- glorious aurora over alaska to see how it may interfere with our gps. >> turn left, then keep left. >> reporter: if a messed up gps doesn't make you late, staring at the aurora will. a peek we may not get to ooh and aah over for another dozen years. if you want to see it in real life you may have to go

somewhere inconvenience to americans. best places are iceland, greenland, norway, finland. you get the picture. but a lot of tourism is now geared toward seeing the lights. carl? >> amazing pictures and we liked the music, too. michelle kosinski, thanks. still ahead, a dangerous problem. why some surgeons are unknowingly using dirty instruments in operating rooms. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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just ahead, was it a well planned murder or insanity? the latest from a man accused of shooting a co-worker's husband outside a day care center. >> first, your local news. while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions

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wait. ♪ it's morning in the himalayas... [ male announcer ] it's sweet. it's nutty. it's absolutely delicious. kellogg's crunchy nut. it's morning somewhere. good morning. it is 7:26 on this wednesday, the 22nd day of february. shaping up to be a very nice day here in washington area. tom joins us now. tom? good morning. >> good morning. we have gray clouds on the eastern horizon. about a half hour ago, the eastern sky looked like it was on fire with the sunrise. now those clouds are blocking the sun and temporarily we will get the sun back later today. right now it is chilly. we are down into the 30s and low 40s much of the region. 43 at reagan national. later near 60 degrees. but then clouding back up again this afternoon and tonight. maybe some rain late tonight, predawn this day and then warmer tomorrow. near 70.

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7:30 now on this wednesday morning. it's the 22nd of february 2012 as we check out things from the top of the rock. al says in the city we could approach 60 degrees today which is welcoming for all of our friends gathered outside of the plaza. meantime inside studio 1a i'm ann curry alongside carl quintanilla in for matt. nice to have you here again. >> thanks for having me. >> just ahead "today"

investigates a growing problem. >> we are talking about dirty surgical instruments used in operating rooms across the country. why is it happens and what's being done? we'll have details. >> also, should parents be forced to pay fine ifs their children misbehave at school? also, would you eat a hamburger made from lab grown test tube meat? those are compelling questions that today's professionals, star, donny and dr. nancy, will weigh in on this morning. >> we begin this half hour with the trial of a man accused of murdering a father of two as he dropped off his son at a day care center in georgia. testimony started tuesday with testimony from the victim's widow. thanh truong is at the courthouse with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: hey, carl. good morning to you. 48-year-old newman is accused of gunning down rusty snyderman in november of 2010. the prosecution says he was deliberate in planning the killing but he's pled not guilty by reason of insanity.

they claim he had an affair with the victim's wife, andrea. the case against newman boils down to sun simple sentence say it is prosecution. >> the man wanted her in his life and he killed her husband. he got caught. >> reporter: the father of two young children was gunned down but the defense claims newman was delusional. he imagined he was visited by a demon who sounded like barry white and an angel who looked like olivia newton john. >> the angel told him rusty was going to harm the children. that he needed to protect the children. that he needed to kill rusty. >> reporter: newman's attorney described a man in financial crisis who suffered an abusive

upbringing. with the first witness the debate over newman's mental health turned into a salacious soap opera. andrea snyderman said newman, her boss at ge was obsessed with her and made repeated unwanted passes but she never reported it. >> do you have any idea why the defendant would have these feelings toward you? >> i think i'm a nice person. i'm a very caring person. i did nothing but try to help hemmy newman, suggested him to seek counseling in his marriage. >> reporter: prosecutors produced records of business trips they had taken together including one to south carolina. >> what happened there, ma'am? >> we were holding each other's hands. that's it. it may sound worse than it is. >> reporter: snyderman denied having a sexual affair with newman. >> there was no affair. who kills someone else's

husband? >> reporter: despite constant advances and a barrage of romantic e-mails she said she never felt threatened but her husband spotted someone snooping outside their home in a mask. police later discovered it was newman. >> rusty didn't recognize him. how would rusty recognize him? he was wearing a disguise. >> reporter: nine days later newman shot rusty. snyderman said a day care worker called saying something had happened to her husband. the prosecutor pressed her to explain why she never called her husband. instead calling her family and then newman six times. >> why didn't you call rusty. >> they told me something happened to rusty. what are the chances he'll answer his cell phone. >> i'm curious. why didn't you call rusty. >> reporter: andrea will take the stand in a couple of hours for cross-examination by the defense. if convicted newman faces life in prison. if found not guilty he'll be sent to a mental hospital.

carl? >> thanh truong, thanks. should make for an interesting day in court. newman's estranged wife is listed as a potential witness for the prosecution. we are joined by her attorney esther panich. >> good morning, carl. >> the defense says newman was stricken with mental issues. did you're client witness those issues during the course of their marriage? >> reporter: no. in fact, the only thing my client witnessed was that her husband had been cheating on her and was caught. so it has nothing to do with mental illness. in fact, this defense is really an insult to those who actually suffer from bipolar disorder. he had no family history -- go ahead. >> then there is a demon i wanted to ask about. the one that sounds like barry white. an angel that looks like olivia newton-john. what did you think when you

heard that testimony? >> frankly, the first thing i thought of was olivia newton-john. was it "grease" or "xanadu." if this case wasn't so serious resulting in the death of a good man, multiple families and a community then this would be laughable. unfortunately this is a tragedy which hasn't even seen the end yet. so for mr. newman to come out nine months after he pled not guilty to now decide he's seeing demons and angels is insulting. >> andrea snyderman adamantly denies having an affair with hemmy. does your client believe andrea is lying on the stand? >> yes. in fact, in the courtroom there were a lot of people who believed andrea was lying. she was completely evasive, argumentative with the prosecutor and the defense

lawyer. she has not yet told the truth. she seems to have had selective amnesia when confronted with e-mails indicating that mr. newman loved her. she said she didn't remember all the e-mails she got in two years. i don't know about you, but if a boss of mine sent me an e-mail telling me he loved me multiple times it's not something i would be likely to forget. >> you have alluded in the media in the past to the idea that there might have been someone else involved in rusty snyderman's murder. can you elaborate on that? >> not at this point. i think we are all going to have to wait to see what witnesses the prosecution brings out? you will have to have me on again. >> do you and your client believe it was a plot to kill rusty snyderman? >> we'll have to see the investigation. the district attorney is in control of their case and they are doing an incredible job. as is the defense attorney. >> does your client believe the

father of her children would be capable of a crime like this? >> i don't think anybody believe that is the person they love and marry is capable of such a crime. she never knew him to be violent. she knew he had cheated on her and when she found out that he was involved it was devastating to her. it is still devastating to her. she was no different than any other woman who went to work one day, came home only to find out that the police were at her door saying her husband had killed another man. it's unfathomable to believe that your husband, your family member is capable of such violence. yet he has admitted to killing rusty snyderman. >> thank you very much for your time. time now for a check of the weather and al. >> carl, thanks so much. a nice morning out here. you guys are having twins? >> twins! >> you're just letting the folks

back home know. >> we knew we were pregnant but we found out it's twins. >> your first? well, first and second. >> right. >> let's check out your your weather today. severe storms down to the southeast, atlanta, birmingham shall, nashville, greenville. possibility of tornadoes. rainfall amounts generally about a half an inch to maybe an inch of rain. but the biggest story will be the wind and the thunderstorms. more heavy rain in the pacific northwest, mountain snows, sunshine, 79 in los angeles. sunny all the way back to texas. few showers along the southern gulf coast. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. tom kierein, storm center 4. live view from our high-definition sky watcher camera showing quite a bit of cloudiness over the metro area and now and we will have those clouds breaking up later this morning. more sun breaking out. and temperatures are chilly, in the 30s and low 40s. much of the region. 43 at reagan national later today up around 60 degrees. lot of clouds around this

afternoon and tonight might get an overnight shower. and then tomorrow, near 70. gusty wind and then the 60s on friday. colder weather for don't forget. get your weather any time you need it. go to weather channel on cable, weather.com online. carl? >> al, thanks. up next, how clean are the surgical instruments in operating rooms? "today" investigates after this. ♪ [ female announcer ] kleenex® brand tissues are america's softest. no wonder people want to share them on and on. ♪ start your own chain of sharing. ♪ now when you send a free kleenex® brand share package, you'll get a sample of new kleenex cool touch™ tissues. just go to kleenex.com. kleenex®. softness worth sharing.

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neutrogena® healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% saw improved skin. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics. back now at 7:43. this morning on "today" investigates, an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes in the operating room. nbc news partnered with the center for public integrity to tackle what experts think is a growing problem -- dirty surgical instruments making their way into surgeons' hands. dr. nancy snyderman is "today's" chief medical editor. good morning. >> good morning. in my role as a surgeon when i

have asked for an instrument my assumption is everything is a clean surgical tool. what i have learned is that sometimes that's not the case. >> i had to have surgery to repair my shoulder. i was not worried one bit. i knew they were going to take care of me. >> reporter: like most patients headed for surgery john harrison put his faith and trust in the surgeons standing over him in the operating room. but unknown to most people, including john, surgery doesn't start in the o.r. it starts here in the basement of the hospital where instruments are cleaned, sterilized and reassembled. but new research shows too often surgical tools leave the basement still contaminated with hidden blood, tissue and other debris. then used on patients like john. >> we were told the recovery time for rotator cuff surgery would be about six weeks. just through physical therapy his shoulder would be restored. >> reporter: that didn't happen. >> something was wrong with my shoulder.

something was bad wrong. >> reporter: two weeks after the surgery john's wife laura rushed him to the hospital where he was told he was infected with a potentially deadly bacteria during his surgery. >> it was a nightmare. it was really frightening. >> reporter: an investigation found dirty surgical instruments had infected not just john but seven patients at the hospital during a two-week period. it's happening across the country with multiple outbreaks reported over the past two years. because only 25 states are required to report surgical site infections, experts worry this is just the tip of the iceberg. >> if we do not do our jobs correctly we can impact a patient's life. that's the reality. >> reporter: sharon green golden is the head of the sterile processing department in virginia, not the hospital where john was treated. she thinks of her team as the unseen patient advocates. >> it is a job that cannot be given to robots because a robot

doesn't have the critical thinking to say, this is still dirty. i need to clean it some more. sterile processing is one of the most important jobs in the hospital. >> reporter: green golden has made her department state of the art. a model for what should be happening across the country. she says in most hospitals people who are paid to do this work are hourly, minimum wage laborers and in every state except new jersey are not required to have any kind of training or certification. >> your hair dresser has to have a license. the barber has a license. the dog groomer has a license. the tattoo artist has a license. i'm dealing with instruments going in your body. i'm not required to be certified. >> a risk management clinical engineer at the university of michigan health system has done eye opening research that shows even when technicians follow cleaning instructions often times the instruments still contain debris.

it's not even an old instrument. >> no. >> reporter: oh, my gosh. you've shocked me. now you've shocked me. i would think that's perfectly fine. you open it up and that's horrifying. we ran a tiny video camera through suction instruments deemed ready for the o.r. it looks pigmented. it could be blood. >> or rust. >> reporter: it shouldn't be there. all contained some kind of debris. do you know how many times in my life i have used a suction like this? thousands. aware of the problem the fda recently had a meet ing where h presented his data. they must provide specific cleaning instructions for each instrument but the testing is done in a laboratory setting, not in the real world. if a dirty medical device finds its way to an o.r., the fda

doesn't require hospitals to report it. the fda declined to do an on-camera interview for "today," but gave us this statement. hospitals are reminded to carefully clean and sterilize reuseable medical devices. a patient's risk of acquiring an infection from a reprocessed medical device is very low. for john, what was supposed to be a six-week recovery has turned into a three-year nightmare. >> changed my life. it changed every aspect of it. waking up with pain. >> reporter: a surgery that was supposed to improve his life led to seven other surgeries, constant pain without the full use of his arm. >> this is what i have to live with. >> we asked the advanced medical technology associates for a statement. they said the medical technology industry is committed to providing patients with safe effective medical devices and diagnostics, ensuring the proper reprocessing of reuseable medical devices is a shared responsibility between the fda, device manufacturers, health

care facilities and physicians. now it is important to point out that this is a relatively rare phenomena, the idea you could get an infection going in for surgery. with the more complex surgical instruments the issue is the cleaning has become a much more difficult process. i want to thank the center for public integrity. they were a real help with the investigation. >> very important reporting. you would think they should be certified, people cleaning the instruments. >> we went to the university of michigan where they have the money in the bowels of the hospital to have a big reprocessing plant, but as you look at community hospitals this becomes an expensive process. and then a third party to do it. frankly, this is a shared responsibility where the ball is being dropped. who pays? the patient pays. >> again, out comes down to money. >> first, do no harm. at the end of the day, no matter who you are in the medical system, first, do no harm. >> important reporting this morning. thank you.

still ahead, the royal secret kate middleton just revealed for the first time. first, these messages. ugh, my sinus congestion, and it's your fault.

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good morning. i'm joe krebs. it is 7:56 this february, 22. george washington's 280th birthday. it is february. doesn't feel like it. here's tom. >> good morning. we have clouds over washington. right now, live view from our sky watcher camera. little sun trying to peek through. and temperatures are chilly. we are in the 30s and low 40s much of the region in washington, mid 40s now. later today, though, sunshine breaking out we will get to near 60. clouding up into late afternoon. maybe some rain tonight and then partly cloudy and blustery and near 70 tomorrow. gusty wind bringing colder air friday night into the weekend. joe. >> thank you, tom.

good morning. you are very slow if you are traveling westbound on route 50. at landover road 16 miles per hour. heading to kenilworth avenue a little faster but not by much. 23 miles per hour. delays continue on to new york avenue. you are having a live look now at florida avenue. no accidents but just big delays. joe, over to you. >> danella, thanks very much. another news update in 25

8:00 now on a wednesday morning. it's the 22nd of february 2012. we're stepping out to greet everyone gathered in rockefeller plaza. we have a nice crowd, young people included. we're glad to see them. meantime i'm ann curry alongside carl quintanilla in for matt this morning and, of course, al roker. you know it's warm enough for you two not to wear a coat but i'm a wuss. >> oh, no. >> we have today's professionals in the house with hot topics. >> lots of interesting topics. rihanna, is she sending the wrong message to fans by appearing on a new remix with chris brown? what about fancy coffee drinks

for toddlers. >> no! >> we'll hear star, nancy and donny's take on this. >> and in this election year how many of us have had to start conversations about politics and wish we hadn't started the conversation? how do you do it? you want to talk about what's happening in politics. we're going to get advice from dp from experts about how not to ruffle feathers yet make our point. >> and toward the end of february tax time is on the horizon. do you want to add to your refund or avoid paying too much? we'll walk you through the most overlooked deductions that could save you cash. >> millions of americans forget to take these credits. meantime let's hear from natalie morales with the top stories of the morning. good morning. >> good morning, everyone. the u.s. embassy in afghanistan is on lockdown today. afghan officials say at least six people have been killed after police opened fire to

disburse thousands of protesters rioting. the u.s. apologized saying the holy books were inadvertently burned. two western journalists, one american and the other frempbl, have been killed in syria this morning while reporting from the flash point city of homs. the americans were identified asthma rhas as marie colvin and rem remy olschlik. bodies were found after officers responded to a call of shots fired at a suburban spa. a preliminary investigation shows the gunman is among the dead. police say he was a frequent visitor to the spa. italian authorities believe four more bodies have been spotted in the wreckage of the costa concordia. they were seen in a submerged part of the ship which capsized

last month off tuscany. if confirmed it would raise the death toll to 21. 11 others are missing. today the obama administration rolls out the plan to cut the corporate tax rate from 35 to 28%. in exchange corporations would give up dozens of loopholes and subsidies they now enjoy. many analysts aren't giving the plan much chance of being passed in an election year. for a look at what's trending now our quick round up of what has you talking online. thanks to a new photo holding what appears to be a sonogram leaving a doctor's office drew barrymore has baby bump watchers buzzing online. she recently got engaged. and kate middleton revealed the name of her new black cocker spaniel to be lupo, italian for wolf. she let it slip at a primary school in oscar and somebody already created a twitter

account where he said he can't control his excitement over all the attention. so watch out for accidents. can this guy beat jeremy lin? back when lin played for the golden state warriors these comedians challenged him to a shoot off. lin tried big shots and no-look freethrows. he missed a couple. the comedian made the trick shot to beat lin at his own game. maybe the knicks should sign him up. it's 8:04. now back out to ann and carl. >> sounds like a lucky shot. lin is amazing. >> yeah. >> al roker can do anything. >> not anything. certainly not those shots. i'll tell you. you guys came from boston. are you on winter break? >> yeah. february break. >> what's your name? are you with them? >> yeah!

>> you're the silent partner. all right, dude. way go. let's check it out and see what we have for you. our pick city of the day, columbia, south carolina. 65 degrees. man. it is going to be -- look at these temperatures in the midsection of the country. oklahoma city going to be 22 degrees above normal. 18 degrees above normal. amarillo, 73. 60 in st. louis. rest of the afternoon highs around the country northern tier of the states the chilly side. 80s in southern california. southern texas as well. that's good news. southern florida looking at temperatures in the 80s also. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> mostly cloudy now. good morning. tom kierein, storm center 4. right now temperatures are chilly. clouds, in the 30s, low 40s. mid 40s right near the bay. and later today with sun breaking out later this morning into the afternoon, we will climb to near 60 degrees.

then clouding up late afternoon and overnight tonight. does look like a possibility of rain late tonight and ending dawn. warmer tomorrow. near 70. into the ikts to near 70 friday. maybe a shower with gusty winds and shannon is this many fingers. are you shannon? >> yes. >> happy birthday. you're double digits. get a woo-woo! woo-woo! >> woo-woo! >> all right. ann! >> we like a little woo-woo. thanks, al. coming up, today's professionals weigh in on hot topics including a school that basically charges parents when their kids are put in detention. we're back after this. ce park has been here since the early 50s. my dad and grandfather spent their whole careers here. [ charlie ] we're the heartbeat of this place, the people on the line. we take pride in what we do. when that refrigerator ships out the door, it's us that work out here. [ michael ] we're on the forefront of revitalizing manufacturing. we're proving that it can be done here, and it can be done well. [ ilona ] i came to ge after the plant i was working at

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back now with today's professionals. here to break down the hottest headlines and surveys is our team of star jones, donny deutsch and dr. nancy snyderman. >> today's professionals, welcome. >> thank you. we begin with the reunion between rihanna and chris brown. three years after they break up because he abused her, two songs hit the internet on which they have collaborated. star, is this something she should be doing? >> i have held the hands of a number of women as a prosecutor who went back to their abuser. i was in pain during that time. what i learned quickly is i couldn't tell them that they needed to get help. i had to let them come to that on their own. they had to do the work behind it. i'm not sure what rihanna and chris brown have done in the background. have they done the emotional work to get to this point? if they have, i'm glad they are able to work together. if they haven't then this goes

down a bad path. >> it sends a message. does it send the right message? >> i'm not a role model and she is. i'm not telling anybody how to live their life but there is nothing more heinous than a man hitting a woman or whatever that abuse was. i think you have an obligation as a woman that young women look up to not to send a signal that it's okay and we are back to business. i wish she took a stand and said, i am not working with this guy anymore. she has a responsibility. >> i think it sends the wrong message. no matter how much a man says "i love you" if he hits you, he doesn't even like you. she hasn't driven it home enough. when people are in the public eye and they say, well, i'm not a role model, i'm sorry, you are a role model by default. i worry that for everyone battered woman it sends a wrong message and for every adolescent girl entering into a relationship. >> i think it could be fixed by

the two of them addressing it -- >> not with the words they are singing. >> not in the song. not in a tweet. but because rihanna took on the responsibility of doing an interview publically, she took a stance against domestic violence. in order to come back, you have to say -- >> there is no coming back from that. a man hits a woman -- >> you and i know that. >> it's a deal breaker. if you heard the lyrics to the song, it's basically "hit me again." >> no excuse for a man hitting a woman, period. >> let's move to the chicago charter school in which students who get a detention must also pay a $5 fee. last year a school rakes in almost $200,000 in fees. >> i love it. i know there is controversy. i love it. when i ran a business 20% of the trouble makers take up 90% of the time. this is costing the schools money. let kids know there are

consequences. the $5 is not going to put food out of anybody's mouth. >> that's not true. >> it's wonderful because a kid has the ability to not misbehave. >> $5 could put food out of somebody's mouth. however, my mother would then require something of me. if i was taking money out of our family's pocket, if i made my mother have to come to school more than one time because i was misbehaving or running my mouth, trust me. that would not happen but one time. >> what's the definition of misbehaving? a lot of time the schools fail the kids. if a kid can't sit in circle time -- >> don't give me that. i promise it's not for that reason. >> you don't know that. talk about cheap fund-raising. >> a teacher will tell you what misbehaving is. >> how about a kid kicked out because he couldn't do circle time. >> that's a new york city -- >> it was a california thing. >> this is cheap fund-raising. >> this school in chicago deals with some of the worst behavior

problems. some kids that will never go to school. they graduate kids that go to college. they're doing something right. >> i wouldn't go to newt gingrich and make him do january toe -- janitor work. >> i think that's fine. >> how about this. a team of dutch scientists working on the first hamburger meat made from stem cells and lab grown meat. >> peta loves this. because no longer are we slaughtering cows. where does peta think the stem cells came from? bone marrow biopsies in the field? no. slaughterhouses. if a stem cell is from an animal, it's still an animal. >> is it possible they are slaughtering less cows? to me if it ends up with the same product and you're killing less animals, why not? >> this is the circle of life. we eat the meat, the meat eats the grass, we are buried under

the grass. didn't you see "the lion king"? >> by the way, i think even if we save some cows the circle of life will continue. why not? >> how would you market it if it tasted okay? if people wanted it? >> well, i will market it to the people who are conscious -- animal lovers. be up front and direct about it. >> it could be a hakun hakunhakuna matata burger. >> last night at the brit awards adele giving her speech. they cut her off. she flips the birds not to the fans but to the producers. >> what is it with girls behaving poorly in public? no flipping the bird. accept your award. it was bad that they cut her off. that's not a lady like thing to do. no flipping of the bird. >> act like an adult.

when is the last time you flipped the bird? >> i'm not sure what it means. >> that mentality is silly. >> this is someone everyone's embraced as a classy, fabulous bombshell with a voice from heaven and just left the grammys with an armful of awards. this degrades her a little bit. this is a moment she'll regret. >> i wonder if she gets a pass because she's white, not black. >> i don't give anyone a pass for being a bad girl. >> just weeks after m.i.a. did it at the super bowl. >> i wonder if this will be more gently received because she's a portly white woman. >> "a woportly white woman"? how about a zaftig bomb shell. >> i like rubenesque.

>> you do not. >> i do. >> cutting people off is unacceptable, yes? >> no. it's a business. if somebody is going on and on. >> you're about to get cut off. >> they should allow more time for the big award winners. >> finally in brooklyn, cafes are making what they call babycinnos. not caffeine free. >> a little bit of caffeine. a little bit of a splurge now and then it won't hurt the child. but there is no reason to introduce caffeine to a younger population. >> everything you can do to keep kids kids as long as possible. >> i agree. >> they have plenty of time to be an adult. >> a little chocolate milk. >> that doesn't even make sense.

>> just flip them the bird. >> right. >> star's going to her home grounds. she's on "the view." >> we'll talk more. >> another hot button issue. talking politics without ruffling feathers like this and losing friends right after this. capital one's new cash rewards card gives you a 50 percent annual bonus. so you earn 50 percent more cash. if you're not satisfied with 50% more cash, send it back! i'll be right here, waiting for it. who wouldn't want more cash? [ insects chirping ] i'll take it. i'll make it rain up in here. [ male announcer ] the new capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. what's in your wallet? sorry i'll clean this up. shouldn't have made it rain. dave, i've downloaded a virus. yeah. ♪ dave, where are we on the new laptop?

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but fortunately, somebody else was. at usaa we provide retirement planning for our military, veterans and their families. now more than ever, it's important to get financial advice from people who share your military values. for our free usaa retirement guide, call 877-242-usaa. what do you get when you combine the home depot with this weekend? the cure for cabin fever. because with get-it-done savings on everything we need... we can turn this weekend into a fresh floor... or an updated bathroom... or a brand-new look. so let's hit those orange aisles, and make today the day, we make a big difference, no matter how big our budget. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot maximize your budget with great buys, like mosaic tile, just $4.98 per square foot. with the election year in full swing the talk of politics is everywhere. what should you do if someone

you know is so passionate about his or her views he or she becomes politically incorrect? we talked to a family that's learned to navigate the political red tape. >> i would say i'm particularly blunt and honest and i tend to irritate people. >> it makes for awkward situations during dinner parties. we have often not made it through dessert. >> he likes to be the one politically incorrect person at the party. >> i never back off. i'm blunt. i stick to my position. i've got my friends, my family. i'm lucky. i stick to what i believe in and i go for it. so much so that people do walk out. >> with new people they're like, mark, watch what you're going to say. >> i make friends during the week just to lose them on a saturday night. >> here to break it down for us is the author of "social q's, how to survive the quirks of today" and anna post, co-author

of "emily post etiquette." good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> you don't want to have people you love and want to be friends with not want to talk to you again after a political conversation. how do you survive the times? >> one thing i find is that the more it looks like i am listening and hearing what you say, no matter how much i disagree with you and look for little bits of commonality between us and try to build on those. well, that's maybe as much as we can ask when we are talking to people we disagree with. >> we want to talk about politics. this is a time to do it. we really need to hash it out. >> what could be more important now or ever than the political future of our country? >> so, anna, how do you maintain friendships with people you disagree with completely? >> i talk about the phrase, "i have to think about that." you can acknowledge a point and give it consideration without giving up your own deep beliefs

and have an exit strategy. be willing to save the last word so you can save the relationship. that particular mom may need to use some humor and have weekday lunches. >> the knock down drag outs over politics and my dad would say, well, ann, i may disagree with you, but i'd still vote for you for president. it's that connection to create respect. >> absolutely. >> let's talk about things you have gotten, e-mails. you received one from janice new york. she wrote my boss is holding a weeknight fundraiser for candidate he's in love with but i do not support. my boss delivered the invitation to me personally and said, i'd like you to come. do i have to go? >> the old style rule, no politics in the office just doesn't apply anymore. every 15 minutes there is a new news item on my computer about

rick santorum or the president. it's what we are talking about now. especially at different levels in the company it's really the pressure an under ling may feel to go, the boss was in the wrong. i hope the woman works in an office where she can say, sorry, i can want make it that night. >> there should be a line there. we have one more e-mail. we don't have a lot of time. from dan in california. our next door neighbors have planted three lawn signs for a political candidate who is hateful to me. it makes me furious every time i drive by. can uh i ask them to take a couple of them down? >> no, you can't. fight fire with fire. get some of your own. >> there you go! it's a conversation we all have to continue to have. maybe if we don't argue and put down the other person. >> bingo. >> thank you so much. we're back after your local news.

8:26 is your time now on this wednesday, february 22, 2012. good morning. i'm eun yang. let's check in with storm 4 meteorologist tom kierein with your forecast for today. looking nice. >> yeah. we had clouds around this morning. now they are beginning to move off to the east. live view from sky watcher camera looking into fairfax, loudoun county with the sunshine beginning to break out. and farther west, it is all sunny and temperatures in the 30s to near 40 throughout much of the region. mid 40s near the bay now. later today much of the area will climb to near 6 on. we will have more clouds back in by late afternoon and overnight tonight. could get rain late tonight and ending predawn tomorrow. warmer tomorrow and colder for the weekend. >> all right, tom. thank you. a quick break now and

good morning. in the district southbound, 295 at route 4, dirt truck lost its load blocking the left line while crews are working to clear the dirt. traveling 395, an accident. it was in the shoulder lane over

here. 395 northbound at shirl ton circle, delays on 395 really serious at edsall. slow passing the 14th street bridge at 16 miles per hour. >> danella, thank you. more news, weather and traffic

8:30 now on a wednesday morning, the 22nd of february 2012. and a really pretty morning in midtown manhattan. i understand it will be something like 60 degrees later on today. that doesn't mean we don't need our coats and gloves this morning. meantime outside here on the plaza i'm ann curry alongside carl quintanilla and natalie morales and al roker.

matt's got the morning off. hope he's having a nice time away. meantime some creative ways to stay in touch with loved ones. >> with everyone's schedules sometimes it's hard to find time to call your mother. that doesn't mean you can't make time if you have tech savvy solutions. we'll talk about different ways to stay connected. >> okay. >> also, if you need reminding, tax day is less than two months away. if you are starting the process of putting all your returns and information together you're in luck. coming up we'll run through some of the most overlooked deductions and credits that could add to the refund you're hoping for. >> all right. a little bit later on, martha stewart is going to be here. she's always known for her comfort food, but this time it's comfort food with a lighter twist. she has great recipes that are 500 calories or less. >> so we can have a lot of them. >> a lot of them. hey! they're 100 calorie packs, let me have ten.

it doesn't work like that. >> as i was saying, let us know what the temperatures are across the country today. >> first i want to say hi to these folks. what's going on? >> we are raising money to fight cancer. >> very nice. now let's check your weather. we'll take a look for today a risk of strong storms in stormsd south atlantic coastal areas. looking at a lot of rain in the pacific northwest with intermountain snow looking at anywhere from 2 to 3 feet of snow. then as we move into tomorrow, risk of strong storms. lower mississippi river valley. into the mid mississippi rivers valley. light snow in the pack northwest into the central rockies. expected warm in southern california into texas, warm down in practice. mice and mild along the mid

atlantic coast. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. some blue now showing up in the western horizon. we had clouds over the metro area over the last couple of hours. live view from high-definition sky watcher camera. cloud cover continuing to move off to the east and still chilly for just in the 30s and low and mid 40s throughout much of the region. 44 later today. near 60. then clouds roll back in late afternoon into the evening hours. get some light rain late this evening and predawn hours on thursday. warmer tomorrow near 70. into the 60s, near 70i'm not su it's your birthday. i don't think you have enough signs. what's your name? >> carly. >> how old are you? >> 12, think. >> you think? okay. there you go. this young man's birthday. we know he's 4. ann? >> thank you, al. coming up, if you're too busy to call your mom we have high tech ways to stay in touch with her.

first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ call me back at 8:36. this morning on today's tech, staying in touch with mom. if it's been a while sints you dropped by or have given her a ring she's probably told you about it. instead of feeling guilty we have ideas to keep her happy. mario armstrong is a digital lifestyle expert. >> good morning. good to see you. >> that's a good intro song. ♪ call me >> no one calls anymore. >> your way of calling is video conference. >> what we'll see in 12 to 24 months is you will be looking at the phone, not answering it and putting it to your ear. video conferencing is the way to see people long distance. >> you need a camera and a

computer. >> you can do it on the laptop or tablet. you need a web cam. i'm holding one. what you are looking for is dual stereo mics for great sound. look for hd for the greatest quality and a high speed internet connection to ensure a great connection. >> does it matter if it's in the computer or not? >> no. you want to look at the specs. you may want to bump up and buy a web cam and put it on the laptop. it may be better than the web cam that came with the laptop. bottom line is when you are buying laptops, you will see web cams in them. >> how much are we spending on it? >> $39 to $99. >> we're going to put it to work, right? >> this is face time, apple's world of chatting. you have the ipad, iphone, itouch. if you have apple devices you can use face time to connect with family and friends. over here we are going to skype with al.

>> i don't talk to al nearly enough. >> there he is. he's in the window. skyping is easy. free to use. log onto skype.com, type in your name and profile. find any family members on skype, hit the video call button and chat with al. what's going on, al? >> it's amazing this technology. >> where are those $20 you owe me? >> i lost you carl. i'm sorry. [ disconnects ] [ laughter ] >> i don't believe that guy. >> that's how easy it is. you hit the video call and dial him back and say, no, it wasn't a bad connection. we know you tried to cop out on us, al. >> he's turning us down. there's a camera you cannot escape from. >> that's how easy it is. family and friends can connect. >> for those frustrated by the picture freezing is that a reason to give up or keep trying back? >> normally that means your internet connection is slow or

you may be doing too much wiggling. sit still. have great lighting. have an hd camera. the bottom line is you want to connect with family and friends over long distances. don't wait for the holidays to connect. skype helps with that. >> you say texting is a way to go. >> yes. texting is big. everyone is carrying a mobile phone. kids don't call their parents anymore. they want to text them and say, hey, mom, here's where i am. one of the things i like is group me. groups can text together. a whole family can be in one text conversation. you can have several different contacts and add more contacts. then you can see the messages as they are going back and forth. in this case they are talking about planning dinner tonight. texting is something that parents need to get comfortable with and need to move on. >> we know about facebook but social media has ways to connect you may not have thought about before. >> you have google plus which

has google hangouts. you can do multiple people. in this case we have six different people within this one window which is awesome. you could be planning a family wedding, a family celebration or something. you want to have everyone together. what's cool about google plus is whoever is talking at the time, that's where the camera focuses on at that particular moment. >> if you are shooting video, sending video, is there an easy way? >> yes. social cam. my favorite app for that. it's free. it's on the android and apple devices. my little page here. basically you shoot with your iphone or android. take a quick video. doesn't matter the length of time. you can send it to family and friends. you can make it private so only they can see it or make it public for everyone. really cool. >> what about with my mother-in-law. i already talk to her enough. you're out of luck? >> out of luck. get ready to put on some clothes because now you're on video, not just on phone. >> mario, thank you.

up next, money saving tax tips. the overlooked deductions you should take advantage of. first, this is "today" on nbc. [ husband ] i don't talk to them as much as cindy does. good morning, chickens! [ jim ] you know, that's our business. so we want to be the experts in chicken. we're not the status quo. perdue is the first and the only chicken company to have usda process verified programs for fresh, all natural chicken. [ jim ] this is an all-vegetarian diet. no animal byproducts, no animal fat. our chickens are not fed steroids or hormones. it's not gonna happen. [ jim ] we raise our chickens cage-free, and we set our goals higher than anyone. we're trying to make a better chicken. [ jim ] my dad did, my grandfather did, and it's what we do today.

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back now at 8:43 with today's money. tax season is here. if you are wondering if there are money saving tips you missed you're in luck. cnbc's personal finance correspondent sharon epperson is here with the most overlooked tax credits and deductions. sharon, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> millions of americans overpay their taxes. how much is this ultimately costing americans? >> we're talking about 45 million americans who itemize deductions on 1040 forms. they can claim deductions up to $1 trillion. we are talking about a lot of money you can save my bi putting in the right itemizations for credit. >> you say you want to talk

about tax deductions and credits. what are the differences? >> a deduction comes off the top of gross income. when it's subtracted you have your adjusted gross income. a credit is actually dollar for dollar reducing your taxes. so that's a bigger bang for your buck, or it can be. that's what to look for as well as deductions. >> starting with deductions, because it does add up to real money, state sales tax. that's something we can deduct. >> you have a choice between deducting state and local sales tax or income tax. for people who live in states that have no income tax this is a great thing you will want to look into particularly in florida or texas, washington state. what you want to consider, the irs has tables online that you can look at. you can also add to whatever they say the state sales tax deduction would be. add to that a home if you purchased that. add to that a vehicle, a boat, anything like this could be added to that and that may make

it even more cost effective to take the sales tax deduction versus the income tax deduction. >> because you're buying a huge item. >> your home building expenses can be added as well. >> medical expenses can also be deducted. when do you want to think about that? >> if you had a lot of medical expenses. it has to add up to 7.5% of adjusted gross income to deduct it. if you're self-employed look into health insurance premiums. long-term care insurance you could deduct. >> when it comes to your home there are a couple of deductions. refinancing points is one of them. >> that's a prepaid interest on the loan. you can deduct it over the course of the loian. you can take 1/30 of the points over the life of the loan. for every $1,000 you take $33. it may not seem like a lot but it can add up. >> as we saw, moving expenses can be deducted. at what point?

>> you want to look at the irs guidelines to make sure you are in the right time frame. so many people are having to move to get a job. that's something to consider. >> speaking of having lost another job, people looking for work. the cost of looking for work can help you. >> food, transportation, lodging. if you have used an employment agency the cost to print your resumé, business cards. those job hunting expenses, you want to keep track of because they are deductible. >> i'm going to list the other things. running your own business, the expenses for that can be deducted and getting more education. >> tuition and fees deduction can be significant if you qualify by income. that's up to $4,000. you can get the american education credit. that's $2,500. >> the tax credit is important. and we also can get credit for using energy saving, home improvements. >> some people may not be eligible because they have done it already.

but if uh you did it between 2006 and 2011 an extra $5 00 helps. >> it can cost you not to file. >> file on time. april 17th is an important deadline to meet. >> thank you so much this morning. >> sure. >> coming up next, martha stewart helps lighten up our favorite comfort foods. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on martha on "today" lightening up your favorite comfort foods. if you want to cut fat but not flavor martha stewart is here with recipes from her new cookbook "everyday food light." >> this is an exciting book. really it does cut out a lot of calories and fat. it's just right for our springtime eating. >> the flavor stays in. >> all the good ingredients are there. like meatloaf. three-quarters of a pound of ground sirloin, but instead of just meat, pork and veal we are using sirloin and chopped fresh vegetables. carrot, celery and onion chopped in the food processor. to this instead of adding the whole egg everyone is used to adding, just one egg white. and a quarter of a cup of panko. these are japanese bread crumbs which are made from a good white bread, no fat added, nothing.

just bread crumbs. this gets mixed up with salt and pepper. and bake it for 30 minutes at 425. brush it with your favorite barbecue sauce. >> i can't wait to try it. >> what makes the potatoes extra light is nonfat buttermilk. >> good ideas! >> no cream. you don't even have to put butter in the potatoes. they really taste good with buttermilk. >> you say we can make chicken parmesan tasty and light. >> no frying. bake it on parchment and the chicken is easy. want to do it? >> mm-hmm. >> one side of the chicken spo the egg white, then into the flour. >> that's just plain flour. >> right. into the egg white again. >> on the other side? >> no. only one side. then into the whole wheat bread crumbs. in there is grated parmesan.

>> there you go. >> bake it at 425. for ten minutes. take it out, put skim mozzarella cheese on top and serve it with your favorite spelt pasta or a really nice whole wheat pasta and tomato sauce. >> it doesn't look low fat at all. looks terrific. >> that's a nice southern staple, shrimp and grits. >> instead of a lot of cheese in the grit which is adds fat. >> sure. >> it's just about two cups of grits and only two tablespoons of butter. >> for flavor. >> and salt and pepper. let that cook. i love the shrimp part. here we have onions. a little bit of garlic. there is bacon fat. we cooked two slices of bacon. >> right. >> that give use a tablespoon of bacon fat. >> just for flavor. >> right.

no butter or oil. you add your tomatoes. these are roasted in the oven. one pound of shrimp and saute that. it takes about three minutes. really. >> it's light and quick. >> and serve it like that over the grits. sprinkle a little bit. this serves four people. >> light and economical. >> a little bit of the bacon for flavor. what a delicious dinner that is. >> and dessert. you can have your dessert and make it light. >> you can. >> mini mocha cheesecakes. >> but the cheese instead of being heavy cream and cream cheese it's low fat or nonfat cottage cheese mixed with cocoa and espresso. >> you get protein as well. >> yes. >> in these muffin tins you put in the cheesecake mixture. top it with a chocolate wafer. >> this is what they look like when they come out.

if you must, add a little bit of whipped cream. >> all right. let's try. you also made brownie cookies. >> one day i had left over brownie mix. i was trying a new recipe. i put just a tablespoon on parchment. it made brownie cookies. >> 100 calories. >> and so good. all the recipes in the book is an approach to lighter food. we all eat too much. >> yes, we do. >> why did you look at me when you said that? >> no! >> she knows you're a foodie. as we all are. >> i'll just hang out by the grits. >> martha, thank you so much. great ideas. >> now let's say hello to willard scott in florida. >> from beautiful sanibel, florida, at one of the nicest hotel resorts in the country. come see us. we'd love to have you here.

nice people. right on the beach. happy birthday from smuckers. do they have smucker's in there? if they don't, we'll close them down. earlene stacker from indianapolis, indiana. 106 years old. keeps her mind sharp by watching the news and reading the newspaper every day. that's good. that will fix you up. elmer carter of marlton, new jersey. 101 years old. proud wwii veteran. six battle stars including the bronze star. we salute you, sir. a patriot. how about that? anthony silva of hampton beach, new hampshire. 100 years old today. drove an rv across the country after he retired. then had an extended stay in las

vegas and a week later bought the rv back. i just threw that in there. louise borst of west palm beach, florida. 104 years old. enjoys riding her bicycle. how about that? and watching soap operas. we were saying there are not many left to watch. that's an era gone by. i used to listen to them on the radio. george jarrell of blacksburg, virginia. 101. good for him. that's pretty country down there. i know it well. he loves watching baseball. favorite team the atlanta braves. can't beat that. that's a good team. take a look. tucson, arizona's lee nin is 104 and believes you should exercise your mind and body. if i had one of each i would. that's all. now back to the great city.

>> willard, thank you so much. just ahead, the west ways to ease uncomfortable back pain. >> first, your local news. 8:56 is your time now on this wednesday, february 22, 2012. good morning. i'm eun yang. let's go to tom kierein for a look at the forecast. i think you are going to like it. good morning. >> a blanket of clouds over the metro area through much of the morning and now those clouds are beginning to roll away to the

east and revealing some blue skies off to our west. so we will have sunshine as the morning progresses. temperatures right now into the low and mid 40s around the metro area. still in the mid 30s across parts of virginia. and later today, the 50s to near 60. then clouds returning by late this afternoon overnight tonight and rain and warmer tomorrow. cold for the weekend. >> thanks so much, tom.

good morning. traveling the inner loop of the beltway in virginia. you are slow as you make your way past the work zone here. and your delays actually continue to the dulles toll road. you are at about 22 miles per hour from the interchange to the dulles toll road. that will take you 35 minutes at this time. traveling 395 northbound at edsall still seeing delays. crossing over the 14th street bridge, no accidents. >> thank you. more

back now with more of "today" on this wednesday morning, the 22nd day of february 2012. it is ash wednesday. it is also a heavenly day this morning here in rockefeller plaza. it is not too cool. a little cool but not too cool. it's expected to be in the mid 50s at some point today. >> and tomorrow. >> i'm outside with carl quintanilla who's in for matt this morning and al roker and savannah guthrie. we are all excited to have everybody here. we'll be talking about back pain coming up. >> millions of americans suffer from it, especially women. we'll talk about things you can do to help with back pain

including maybe lightening our load. we all carry big heavy purses with bricks in them. high heels. there are a lot of things to cause back pain. we'll have good tips for everybody. >> if you want to alleviate strain on your wallet, carl hurt his back falling off of his the other day. we have advice from the money 911 team. whether you are looking for low financing on home furnishings or trying to make the most of your spending accounts to save pretax dollars we'll answer your questions. >> all right. >> also, which celebrity style you would like to copy. ideas? >> slim whitman. >> who's that? >> i'm not a celebrity. >> gosling, yeah. >> americans weighed in on that as well as hollywood heart throbs you would trade your husband for. >> what? no! are we talking about that today? >> ivillage's annual entertainment awards. >> is it too late to vote?

>> i don't want to get in trouble with my husband. you'll call him after the show. it's not going to be good. meantime, we're going to ask natalie for the news coming up this morning. >> good morning, everyone. anti-american protests are raging in afghanistan this morning. it's the second day of demonstrations over the improper disposal of korans at a u.s. military base outside kabul. u.s. officials say the burning of the muslim holy text was inadvertent and apologized. as protests turned violent the u.s. embassy tells nbc news they are on lockdown. the supreme leader of iran said tehran's nuclear course won't be changed regardless of international sanctions or other pressures. he spoke on state television shortly after the u.n. nuclear team declared efforts to get iran to come clean on nuclear intentions have failed. two western journalists, one american and the other french

have been killed this morning in syria while reporting from the besieged city of homs. the american is identified as distinguished war reporter marie colvin. the frenchman is remy olschlick. >> dr. conrad murray is appealing his conviction. some say he would be a flight risk. he was sentenced to four years in jail after being found guilty of using the anesthesia propofol as a sleeping medication for the superstar. in health news, more americans are now dying from hepatitis c than hiv and many of them are unaware they are infected. according to the cdc, about 3.2 million people in the u.s. are infected with the chronic hepatitis c virus that's a leading cause of liver disease and death. the virus is most prevalent in

baby boomers. experts say many could have been infected decades ago and not know it. kate middleton has revealed the name of her new black cocker spaniel to be lupo which is italian for wolf. she let it slip tuesday while visiting a school in oxford. someone has already created a twitter account for his royal dogness where he says he can't contain his excitement over all the attention so watch out for accidents. in case you can't get enough of the duchess of cambridge you're in luck. now there is a spare. an english artist photographed the kate and pippa lookalikes as part of a fashion shoot. she may have the shiny hair and sapphire ring she doesn't have the prince to go with them. it's now four minutes past the hour. now to al for a check of the weather. very much on spot, i think. >> yes. now they have to find the william and harry lookalikes.

for today, your weather. look-alike. let's see what is happening for you today. a lot of wet stuff and snowy stuff in the pacific northwest. as you can see heavy rain moving in there. it is finally starting to slack off a little bit. but we also have high wind watches, high wind warnings and wind advisories all the way from coastal washington state into parts of montana and wyoming. wind gusts of over 80 miles per hour. snowfall amounts, anywhere from 2 to 6 feet in the northern cascades. also right around vail, looking at big snow as well. that's what's going on around the country. hear's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. tom kierein in storm center 4. just past 9:00 now. and our temperatures are warming into the 40s. much of the region. it is 46 now in reagan national. near 50 southern maryland and northern neck. martinsburg near 50. as well as out of the mountains with a southwesterly flow. climb to 60 this afternoon. clouds returning and maybe a shower overnight tonight and warmer tomorrow near 70.

then maybe some passing showers on friday and another mild day. ♪ somebody call 911 ♪ shorty fire burning on the dance floor ♪ >> time for today's money 911 where you get financial advice from our panel of experts. here to answer your questions, jean chatzky, the author of "money 911." david bach, founder of finish rich.com and the author of "debt free for life" and farnoos farnoosh torabi. good to see you. we'll start off with skype. we've got carla skyping in from st. louis, mo. good morning. >> hi, al. >> what's your question? >> my husband and i just bought a new home. we are looking to buy home furnishings including new furniture and are considering financing instead of paying cash. if we can find interest-free financing options. it seems most stores have 0% financing right now but you have to sign up for a store credit

card. would it be smarter for us to sign up for a new general credit card with a 0% introductory or balance transfer rate or should we siep gn up for the store cre card? we are concerned about the impact on our credit if we open credit at stores where it may be our only purchase in the next few years. >> i like the credit card better than the store credit card. interest rates on store credit cards are typically almost double interest rates on regular credit cards. you can really snag a good 0% credit card right now. what i like better than that and i think these guys would agree is that you live in the house for a while before you go crazy spending money on furniture. you will get hit with a expenses, maintenance, utilities and things you aren't expecting. be conservative. congrats on the house. >> thank you. >> that knock down furniture. nothing wrong with that. >> craigslist.

>> let's head to twitter. so if i tweeted, what's the difference between flex spending accounts versus a health savings account? can they both be a deduction on taxes? >> they can. there is a great alternative for people looking for ways to lower health care costs. there is the flexible spending account and what you can do is this. you can put up to $5,000 in the account. what's great about it is it's tax deductible. what you have to watch for is if you don't use the money by the end of the year, you lose it. it goes back to the employer. so the other alternative is the health savings account. that's for people with a high deductible plan. if you're single and you have a deductible of $2400 you should look at that account. the money rolls over for the next year and continues year after year. it's almost like a retirement account for health savings. >> what about the taxes?

>> it's deductible. go to irs.gov and put in health savings accounts. tons of information. >> back to skype to check in with kim skyping in from phoenix, arizona. good morning. >> good morning, al. >> what's your question? >> i'm trying to repair my credit. i have accessed all my credit reports. the reports seem pretty straightforward but i have a lot of questions regarding them. are there organizations i can access, maybe a nonprofit to help me really read my reports and give me advice as to how to increase my credit score? >> great question. >> great question, kim. congrats on checking your credit report. that's the first and most important step. we should all do it. go to annual credit report.com to get it for free once a year. first some resources. check out the national foundation for credit counseling. find a certified counselor in your area. not only can they help with your credit report and interpreting it but also looking at the budget, your bills, your debt.

a comprehensive plan that's free for you. check your local library. libraries aren't just houses with books anymore. they may have a financial literacy center that's free. you can access that in your free time. also check out free websites online like credit.com, credit karma. we have mentioned them on the show several times. and to boost your score, i haven't seen your report but i guarantee that paying your bills on time and lowering your debt on your credit card bills will be a boost. those two variables alone comprise 50% of your score. good luck to you again. great step checking your reports. >> thank you. >> now we'll hit the phones. john is calling in from minnesota. good morning. >> good morning. >> what's your question? >> thank you for taking the time to field my question. i have read both pro and con regarding this issue. on the surface it seems complicated. here's my question.

what is your opinion of paying off an existing home mortgage versus borrowing more such as with a home equity loan and investing the money in investment grade insurance contracts such as a tax-free investment as suggested by douglas andrews publication "misfortune 101"? >> i don't like it at all. here's why. >> that's simple. >> it's not complicated. don't do it. a lot of people got into trouble by using their houses as atms during the housing bubble. when you pull money out of your house using a home equity loan you put your house on the line. i have a money rule that says your house is a piggy bank, not a cash cow. you want to pay off the mortgage again and again. it becomes a savings account for your retirement. you can trade down into something else. >> the return on paying down your mortgage is guaranteed. if the marriage is 4% and you pay it off it's a 4% return.

if they promise you 4% that's a potential 4%. >> it's not a promise. >> not a guarantee. >> all right. >> so in other words don't touch it with a ten-foot pole. >> exactly. >> that's the advice of the panel. >> jean says don't do it. end of story. >> got it. >> we have a viewer e-mail from jessica from virginia. she writes my husband and i are going to be getting a decent tax return this year. wants to put it into savings which they have been rebuilding since buying their first home. i want to pay off our medical bills and save after. this is the only debt we have. we still have a good chunk for savings after paying off medical bills. what do you think? >> you're in great shape. normally i would say to pay off the debt. $2,000, it will be paid off and you don't have to worried. but there is a lot to be said for keeping your husband happy. if you compromise and put half

the money to paying off half the debt you will be half happy and the rest of the money in savings he'll be happy. it thaes a compromise called marriage. i would go that route. >> marriage counselor. now to patricia on skype from brighton, michigan. good morning. >> good morning. >> what's your question? >> so far bonds have played a minor role in my portfolio. i'm looking to diversify and decrease my volatility from stocks. i'm concerned that the bond market's best days are behind us because interest rates are likely to go up. how and when do i enter the bond market? >> if you're a buy and hold investor don't time the bond market. yes, the market moves inversely to interest rates, prices of bonds go up when interest rates go down. but if you are going to buy and hold for the long term until it expires the volatility interest rate won't impact your return. in other words you're still going to get back the initial

investment and the coupon payments. that's more than we can say for stocks. have some mix of bonds in the portfolio. it's diversification. >> and be patient. thank you, patricia. jean, david, farnoosh. thank you. coming up next, are you one of 5 million women suffering from an aching back? we'll help you straighten things out with tips to alleviate the pain. and then these aren't your average awards. we have all the winners coming up after these messages. [ female announcer ] there's a science to the perfect swisssh. it's about zero weight, 100% more nourishment, hair that's not weighed down. introducing new aqua light from pantene. our lightweight conditioning formula nourishes then rinses clean in seconds, leaving hair perfectly conditioned to swisssh. new aqua light. pantene. hair so healthy it shines. [ woman ] swisssh. here's mine. now you show me yours. come on! swisssh your hair and upload it

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get your free sample of quaker oatmeal squares on facebook. ♪ everybody hurts this morning on today's health, preventing back pain. according to the centers for disease control and prevention back pain is the most common source of discomfort and women in particular are at risk. dr. raj is a today contributor and contributing editor to women's health magazine. good morning. >> good morning. >> 5 million americans go to the doctor's office every year with back pain, particularly women. >> absolutely. >> why are we vulnerable? >> the back is the support system for the body. women in general tend to carry too many things. i was looking at the sidewalk right now. the men are walking around, not

a care in the world. the women have the purse, shopping bags, lugging kids around. we carry too much weight. >> we do. three common back issues i think that doctors see most often. first is muscle strain, herniated disks and osteoarthritis. starting with muscle strain. >> muscle strain implies a slight tearing or over stretching of back muscles causing stiffness or soreness made worse by sudden movements or a jolting or awkward movement. often gets better on its own, with ice, stretching or anti-inflammatories. >> herniated disk? >> right. the disks in the spine are cushions in between the vertebrae. they help protect it. with aging and other wear and tear it can sometimes bulge out or even rupture. if that rupture or bulge then compresses a nerve that can cause shooting pain in the back sometimes down the leg. sometimes a herniated disk doesn't cause pain. you may not be aware of it. >> when it does cause pain it's

excruciati excruciating. and then osteoarthritis. >> this is part of the general wear and tear of the joints. it happens in the hips, knees, lower back. it causes pain and soreness. >> with all of these you say if you are experiencing back trouble you should go to your doctor's office a make sure you get a thorough check. >> get it checked out especially if you have numbness, tingling, bowel or bladder problems. it could be a sign of something serious. >> there are tips to hopefully help prevent the visit to the doctor's office. you recommend we shape up our core. >> right. >> why are the muscles here so important to ensure that you don't hurt your back? >> you really want to strengthen the muscles that protect your spine including our abdominal muscles and back muscles. yoga and pilates are ways to include core strength in exercise. also low impact aerobic exercise

is important to strengthen muscles in the body. the core is important to make sure it's really maintaining a good cushion for the spine. >> and if you are carrying weight around the middle, a good idea to be fit and strong. >> the more over weight you are, the more pressure on your back. that will lead to pain eventually. >> you say to adjust your work space. what may contribute to the problem? >> so many people are looking at a computer screen for eight hours or more a day. you want to be sure the screen is in the right position. it should be at eye level. your neck should not strain up or down. that will lead to a full curvature of the spine. the spine should be in an s position, not a c. you want lower back support in the chair. keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. no crossing your legs, unlike us. >> no putting your leg under you. that throws you off as well. >> it causes mislimiemt. imagine a straight rod in the back. stay in that position most of

the time. >> next you say to stretch it out. >> stretching is important. especially before and after exercise. everyone should be stretching in the morning, the evening and middle of the day, especially if you are sitting for long periods of time. stretch out your spine. that will help with posture, too. >> and lighten the load. you mentioned we carry a lot of weight with the big purses. >> you don't need all those things. keep a second batch of hair spray or whatever at the office. use a bag that's right. some of the heavy leather bags are heavy. use canvas or faux leather. have it over your stomach like a messenger bag or a backpack style is better. lift with your legs when lifting, not your back. your back should be straight. >> don't bend down. great reminder for us all. thank you. >> thank you. >> still to come, the right clothes to flatter your figure. we'll help you find the perfect fit. first, these messages. [ female announcer ] this is not a prescription. this is mary.

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still ahead, we are rolling out the red carpet for the ivillage entertainment awards. >> and how about a spicy twist? enough about natalie. we're going to today's kitchen. >> first, your local news and weather. [ female announcer ] lactaid milk is easy to digest.

it's real milk full of calcium and vitamin d. and tastes simply delicious. for those of us with lactose intolerance... lactaid® milk. the original 100% lactose-free milk. 9:26 is your time now on this wednesday, february 22, 2012. let's check in with meteorologist tom kierein. hi, tom. >> good morning. we have had a blanket of clouds over the metro area last couple of hours. now receding to the east. sky watcher camera looking towards the west showing blue sky. we will have plenty of sunshine the next few hours. right now climbing into the 40s. much of the area reagan national now is at 46. and then later this afternoon, clouds return, might get a passing shower late tonight, pre-dawn thursday. sun back tomorrow. near 70. and then into the 60s near 70 on friday. maybe a shower but a cold, dry

weekend to follow. >> tom, thank you. we will take

traveling the outer loop of the beltway very slow at

connecticut avenue. delays start at georgia avenue and continue to wisconsin avenue. no accidents and inner loop, still jammed in virginia. little river turnpike. travel speed is 30 miles per hour. >> thank

all right. let's put the onion -- >> okay. >> perfect. >> bread crumbs. >> cayenne. wow! oh, excuse me. you scared me. >> you have that effect on people. >> wow. that's paula deen and yours truly at last year's south beach wine & food festival. we'll be there friday with paula. she'll discuss the fallout since she announced her diabetes situation. we'll have other celebrity chefs and a look at the sizzling style of south beach with jill martin, friday on "today." >> how can it be we didn't get our invitations, al? >> i know! and you're cooking. >> for the q.

on thursday. >> we're available. >> come on down. >> you have to butter up mark victor, our 9:00 producer. >> it will be beautiful and sunny there. >> 85 degrees. >> all right. coming up this half hour the oscars are sunday, but we have something perhaps even better. the entertainment awards are unlike any other from the star whose style you most want to steal to the man you would trade your husband for. the ivillage awards had a lot of fun this year. we'll have some of the winners. the guys definitely would trade in the wife for j. lo. >> man, you're going to get me in trouble. >> don't answer, al. >> and it's one of nature's most spectacular light shows in decades. we'll find out why the aurora borealis this year is the brightest in decades. and chef swartz is spicing things up with a brazilian meal that many families have feasted

on last night on the last day of carnivale. we are looking forward to that. first a check of the weather. >> today we will be expecting a plenty of sunshine here along the eastern seaboard. showers moving into the interior northeast. lot of wet weather, pacific northwest. risk of strong storms in the mid mississippi river valley. then for tomorrow, we have a ricks of strong storms, back through the lower gulf coast and mid mississippi river valley. leftover snow showers and pacific northwest. cold air makes its way into the great lakes. lake-effect snow showers there. sunny and warm from interior california through the southwest down in texas. that's what's going on around the country. hear's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. tom kierein, storm center 4. temperatures now are in the 40s and most of the region to near 50 degrees. later today, up around 60. shine in and out between now and mid afternoon. cloudy after that into tonight. maybe some rain late this evening and into the pre-dawn hours thursday. then sun back tomorrow. highs near 70. then some blustery winds on friday and front coming through

dropping temperatures out of the 60s to 70 early afternoon. down to the 20s saturday morning. and then >> and that's your latest weather. >> up next, from your favorite reality shows to the most stylish celebrities, the ivillage awards are in right after this. love this stuff. i'm starting to feel a change no longer feeling slow. i can't believe i thought irregularity was my normal. now i don't miss a beat. activia helps with occasional irregularity, when eaten 3 times a day. i knew lisa would love her new normal. ♪ activia love your new normal and introducing silky, fruity activia harvest picks. one more way to enjoy activia. to fill over 200 garbage trucks out of landfills each year? we can, with new glad trash bags, designed to be stronger with less plastic waste. it's a small change that can make a big difference.

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and the winner is -- the results of the third annual ivillage entertainment awards are in. if you wonder which hollywood hottie women want to change their husbands for or which star has the best style we have your answers. kelly, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> i like these categories. they are a little different. unorthodox. >> a little bit like move over oscar. instead of the academy doing the voting our community does. talking about the actors, actresses, the shows they have been talking about all year. >> let's talk about the winners, but first how did you. coup with nominees? is it the viewers and those who watch voted for the nominees as well? >> absolutely. our crack entertainment editorial team talked about coming up with eclectic, fun categories. topics and people that our community have been talking about all year long. that made it easy. >> our first category, trendiest

celebrity tot. we have shilo jolie-pitt, suri cruise, kingston rossdale, honor marie warren, liam and stella mcdermott and mason disick. >> the winner --? mason. any kardashian fan knows that's the son of kourtney. she put a post on the blog saying vote for mason. >> she campaigned. >> a little bit. that helped. >> clearly. the next category is the star style you most wanted to steal. we'll put up the nominees. emma stone, blake lively, kardashian, mila kunis, emma watson and kate middleton. >> kate middleton wins over the celebrity princesses. it was close. just a two-point difference from. the moment she put on her

wedding gown to every dress since fashion writers and fans love her style. sometimes it's chic for the red carpet but sometimes she uses clothes that don't break the bank. she wears an affordable dress or coat from an irish or english designer and within minutes it's off the shelf. >> and people can relate to her style and wish they look as good as she does. >> she's very comfortable in her fashion skin. we look forward to what she'll wear next. >> our next category is favorite reality show judging panel. you put some of the top reality shows out there. "american idol" won but it's a close second. >> "the voice" is right on its heels. this is significant. "the voice" is a relative newcomer and "american idol" has been around 11 seasons. an episode of "the voice" topped "american idol" in the coveted 18 to 49 demo which has tv writers saying "american idol"

has been number one for so long but how long can it go and "the voice" is there. >> the judges do have good chemistry. >> christina aguilera, ceelo stone, blake shelton, adam levine. fans are relating to this and it shows. >> saddest tv farewell. one of ours, meredith vieira. also regis, steve carell left "the office," all my children and one life to live and oprah. >> soap opera fans lost two shows and they are upset. their loyalty put soap opera farewells at the top. one life to live one and then all my children. the shows have been around more than 40 years. this was not just tv. they were like family to fans i.'s hard to believe in the age of dvr, but years ago lunch schedules, college schedules, work schedules revolved around the show. many stars started on these

shows. kelly ripa, kyle chandler. this is a launching pad for a lot of celebrities. >> a lot of folks feel like it's the passing of an era. >> it is. fans were hopeful. there was talk that all my children, one life to live may continue on the internet, but it fell through. it's a genre that's gone. >> we have saved the best for last. final category, man you would trade your husband for. >> we love our husbands. but we love this category. >> matt damon, ryan gosling, ryan reynolds, robert pattinson, jason momoa and jason segel. what would you vote for? >> ryan gosling. maybe ryan reynolds. >> the ryans. >> matt damon for me. >> it wasn't even close. robert pattinson with 64% of the vote. he's the leading man from the twilight saga. and the twi-moms, women of all ages are obsessed.

he's won this category every year for three years. the undisputed champion. clearly they are obsessed with him, obsessed with "twilight." he's only 25. some of the moms like that younger man. >> he is cute. kelly wallace, thank you. that was fun. up next, the most spe spectacular display of northern lights in decades. we'll show it to you after these messages. and the cereals your kids love. ♪ now all general mills big g kid cereals have more whole grain than any other ingredient. the same great taste they love in cereals like lucky charms and cinnamon toast crunch with whole grain that they need. just look for the white check, only on general mills big g kid cereals, the delicious way to help them grow up strong. now with more whole grain than any other ingredient. for you today ?

we gave people right off the street a script and had them read it. no, sorry, i can't help you with that. i'm not authorized to access that transaction. that's not in our policy. i will transfer you now. my supervisor is currently not available. would you like to hold ? that department is currently closed. have i helped you with everything you needed ? if your bank doesn't give you knowledgeable customer service 24/7, you need an ally. ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine living your life with less chronic low back pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine

or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaids, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. yes. yes. noooo! [ male announcer ] yep, subway broke the 200-calorie breakfast barrier. with delicious fresh fit mornin' melt breakfast sandwiches. subway. eat fresh.

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when we walk together, we are bigger than cancer. the american cancer society relay for life. find your event at relayforlife.org. in the last month the earth has been subject to a spectacular astronomical phenomenon -- the biggest solar storm in more than six years. >> couple that with a peak in the sun's activity and you have psy psychadelic northern lights. >> michelle kosinski has more from norway this morning. good morning. >> reporter: norway has actually had a mild winter but a jaw-dropping aurora borealis. this is one of the best places on the planet to witness it. you know, nasa predicted that this winter would be the most intense northern lights in half a century. it all depends on the activity of the sun which is on a 12-year cycle. right about now is the peak of it.

our trusty old sun might look the same but the headlines it's been generating -- geomagnetic storm to hit earth. not so comforting. unlike our brand of storm, when a sun storm slams the atmosphere at 5 million miles an hour, just last month, we get this. the majestic aurora announcing itself through twinkling curtains over the upper and lower latitudes. some of the most awesome in the true and popular sense, displayed in decades. bright green, pinks, sweeps and stripes. glowing rings. some of the coolest images have come from space. the violence of a sun burst settling into a glowing crown atop our planet. to see it in person -- >> it's like a painting maybe that moves. >> sometimes it makes me feel

small. i mean, it's so great. it comes from the sun. >> reporter: the sun has been throwing off more charged particles than usual which collide with earth's particles and shoot out photons or light. those are swept along earth's magnetic field and voila. >> the sun is coming out of a period where it's been quiet. but it is entering a more active period. we can expect solar storms multiple times per day. >> reporter: that makes for a lot of electricity up there. scientists just launched a research rocket into the glorious aurora over alaska, more than 200 miles up, to see how it may interfere with our gps. >> turn left, then keep left. >> reporter: if a messed up gps doesn't make you late, staring at the aurora will. a peek we may not get to ooh and aah over for another dozen years. if you think you may want to get

out to see the real thing in person you may have to go somewhere kind of inconvenience for americans. the best places are northern gasoli green land, iceland, norway. but there is now tourism geared specifically toward seeing the northern lights. back to you. >> it looks like it's worth the trip. >> and it comes with that music. >> it's like yani. celestial. >> coming up next, the traditional brazilian meal with a modern twist. first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning in today's kitchen we are spicing it up with the taste of rio. >> that's after the last day of carnival, brazilians sit down to a savory stew. >> laticia swartz is here to help us create the traditional

meal with modern touches. >> good to see you. >> i'm so happy to be here! >> we're starting with a cocktail. >> this is a cartina. >> to brazil! >> to drinking before 10:00 a.m. >> exactly. delicious. >> what goes into the fedowada. >> it is original from my hometown of rio de janeiro. i feel right at home. i grew up eating this. it is a black bean stew with different meats cooked inside. >> to different meats! >> we'll drink to that. >> usually this is what you see in brazil. >> right. what i love so much about the dish is it really represents the spirit of brazil. we are a mixture of three different influences -- the portuguese, native indian and african. everything is mixed here together. >> we're going to make an

american version. >> in brazil -- >> it's a pig hoof. >> in brazil we use a wide variety of cuts. but this dish allows you to be very creative. so you can stay in the land of familiar cuts as well. there we have ox tail, pigs' feet, sausages, you name it. here we have pancetta, chuck and chorizo. we are browning the meats here. we are then going to add the vegetables. can can you add them for me, al? >> what vegetables do you have? onion, skal lons, celery, red onion. >> all those. >> exactly. >> then you want to scrape the pan to get the bits. >> off the bottom. >> then add nutmeg, kacayenne a the star of the dish, the black

beans. >> did you presoak? these are dried? >> dried and we cooked it and save all the water. that's the soul of the dish. >> when i make beans i usually use canned beans which work as well, right? >> you can. but something we do in brazil, a little trick is we use a pressure cooker. >> that's the way my mom makes this. >> big time saver. then you return the meats. then you want to cook until it's -- you know, slow for two or three hours. >> on the stove top or in the oven. >> either one. we cooked here on the stove top. >> cover it, let it go for three hours or so. >> and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to get in touch with me at cheflaticia.com. i love to connect with people. >> looks delicious. >> let's transfer. >> you serve it over white rice. >> collard greens in brazil, orange segments.

>> nice. >> let me give you some to taste. >> you're not wearing shoes. >> no shoes in the kitchen! >> i didn't want to be so tall today. don't out me, al roker. you're the worst. >> want rice, guys? >> and you also serve it with collard greens which is something common in brazil, too. >> right. you don't have to go to brazil to cook this. everything is available right here. >> what's for dessert? >> a typical dessert we do is called fugine de lece. it's a brazilian flan and we use sweetened condensed milk. >> thank you so much. recipes on the website. today.com. >> still ahead, kathie lee and hoda. >> and fashions that flatter your

good morning, everyone. 9:57 is the time. i'm barbara harrison. wednesday, february 22, 2012. tough getting around the national mall right now because a new museum groundbreaking ceremony is under way. let's go to danella sealock with more on those road closures. >> good morning. so far the roads that are closed are madison drive between 12th street and 15th street. also in northwest, 15th street,

your closures are between independence avenue and constitution avenue. and also, constitution avenue is closed between 12th street and 17th street. finally, 14th street northwest is closed between independence avenue and pennsylvania avenue. all these closures will last until 12:00. now to tom with a look at the weather. >> shine now. temperatures are near 50. later today near 60. could get rain tonight and then warmer tomorrow, near 70. passing shower friday. but then over the weekend, turning colder, sunshine back. >> thank you, tom. coming up on "news4 midday," stressed out but can't [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for an incredible price: just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. it's an amazing deal, but it's for a limited time only. so don't wait. want to save even more? call right now and we'll add a special bonus:

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captions paid for by nbc-universal television >> announcer: live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hello, everybody. hoda and i are so happy you're here with us. it's february 22nd, wednesday. also around here and the rest of the world, it's ash wednesday. >> it is. the day after mardi gras. >> and the beginning of lent. very special day for many people in the christian faith. and only in america could this happen. it's ash wednesday, but it's also national margarita day. ♪ >> salsa in the house. >> thank you, darrell robinson.

>> for my margmargaritas. what makes these unique? >> this is a pomegranate margarita. >> pomegranate means it's also good for your sex life. >> you know, we don't really want to say that, but i'll let you say it. >> that's what i've heard. >> by the way, there's a show called "drink up." >> "drink up." >> which some people have suggested should be the title of our show. i did not know this. the original margarita was invented in 1948. >> wow. >> in acapulco by a socialite. i'll bet she was a lot of fun. >> and her name was? >> margarita sain. >> just lime juice, agave and tequila. three simple ingredients. >> that's what we're having now. >> agave, pomegranate, salt on one side. >> why the colored salt? people are getting weird. >> it's national margarita day! >> i know, but it gets your tongue green, gets your teeth green. >> that's why i left one side

unsalted. >> and we want to wish you all the best. >> happy margarita day. >> happy national margarita day. >> thanks for coming to see us. >> thanks, darrell. >> so yesterday, the president of the united states sang again. and this was one of those -- if you guys saw it, this is one of those full-court press kind of things. it was b.b. king. >> it was blues night at the white house. >> mick jagger. >> celebrating black history month. >> sure. and they were saying -- and you'll see, they were sort of egging him on. they said to the president, look, you do it for al green. >> he let the genie out of the bag when he showed how well he can sing. >> let's watch this. ♪ ♪ ♪ come on ♪ baby don't you want to go

♪ come on baby don't you want to go ♪ ♪ same old place ♪ sweet home chicago >> he has really got it. he'll have a new career after the white house, i think. i don't think b.b. king's going to let him open for him, though. that wouldn't happen. >> he's got pipes. he's got some pipes. >> you know what we didn't realize yesterday. we want to apologize to anybody that we offended. we certainly didn't mean to. when we were talking about people that still have their lights up and christmas trees. we heard from quite a few people that said, you know what? we do that out of love and respect and in longing for our loved ones overseas who are serving in the armed forces. we had absolutely no idea. >> we didn't know that. >> so they keep the light shining for them, and i think that's awesome. >> yeah, a lot of people responded on our facebook page that that's why they leave their lights on. >> knowing that, i might turn mine back on. thanks, everybody, for letting us know that. >> if you didn't already fall in love with adele, you probably

did at the grammys. she swept all the awards. she's great. anyway, so there's sort of, i guess, the british equivalent of the grammys in britain. and she was getting her award, i think it was last night. and she was giving her acceptance speech. it was weird because in the middle of her speech, she got cut off. and then she decided to -- >> let them know how she felt about getting cut off. >> coming to the brits and winning album of the year. i'm so, so proud to be british and to be flying our flag, and i'm so proud to be in the room with all of you. >> at that point, at that point, this guy comes up. and he says to her, i'm terribly sorry, but i'm going to have to cut you off. and what you see, kind of fuzzy in the corner, is her giving -- letting everyone know who's number one. >> she didn't do it to her fans, she says. really? really? >> she said it was for the suit. >> the suit.

>> the suit who cut her off. >> apparently somebody ahead of her -- and this is why you shouldn't do this -- had taken way too long and had not left enough time for her, which was the final one of the evening. you know, you can understand it, but it's still unfortunate. you know what else is unfortunate? >> oh, no, no. all right. sheila hershey, shayla hershey. we've shown you pictures before. this is one from her facebook page. anyhoo. >> i bet she's fun at cocktail parties. >> she does hold the guinness book of world records for the biggest breasts. she's got 38kkks. and she actually wants to go to ms. >> it took her 13 years and 22 surgeries to get there. why not just do it all in one fell swoop? i don't understand. maybe your skin can't stretch that much initially. it has to -- you know? >> gradual. >> yeah. >> anyway. >> i don't know. >> she's on one of those tlc reality shows that's called "my strange addiction." it says she has more surgeries to increase her breasts to an

"m," but she had a staph infection. she had to go back to the "ks" and not the "ms." it's very complicated. >> here's the sad part of it. you know what? she's obviously screaming for attention. you know, that will get them. that will get you some attention. but the sad part is that now she can no longer tie her own shoes, we understand. hoda, it's not funny. it's tragic. stop it. and this is the worst, she can't even hug her daughter. arms just don't go that -- they can't make room for another human being in there. so, you know, i mean, you know, i think it's -- she's addicted, definitely, to it. but there's, you know, if you take those breasts away from her, it doesn't feel like she has any value at all. and it's a terrible role model for young girls. >> i'm sorry. anyway. i feel bad. >> no, you don't. nobody believes you. >> i don't want what to say about it.

anyhoo. here's the thing. a lot of people do want cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery. >> they want a face-lift. >> they want a face-lift. all of these starlets in their 20s that are gorgeous, they say, i'm never going to do anything. the first -- ah! they run to the botox. >> right. so there's a new study out that says if you do plastic surgery, a face-lift -- >> right. >> -- the full-on face-lift, if you're wondering how many years that would take off, let's say you did it when you were 55 or 60. >> like i should have. >> they say it cuts off 7.2 years off of your looks. if you think you're going to look 10 or 15 years younger, you're really only look like you did seven years before. >> which i guess for some people it's worth the price and the pain and suffering and the recuperation. but i think a lot of people go in thinking i'm going to look 20 again. >> yeah. >> and the trouble is, once you start there, then you've got to -- you can't even go out and take the hair out of your face without giving yourself away because your hands don't look eight years younger or 20 years

younger. so you've got to do all of yourself. then you spend most of your life recuperating from a surgery. and nobody knows you anymore. and it's bizarre. >> yeah. a friend of mine said before you go in for plastic surgery, if you want plastic surgery or a lift or something -- >> and we're not putting anybody down who wants it. >> before you do it, they said if you can, take a week, if you can, and just rest. rest, sleep, go on a teeny vacation, then come back. because often when you feel wiped out, you're exhausted, you feel run down, i need to do this now. when you're on your best day to see if you really feel like you need it. >> or i'm telling you, these fillers these days are so good, you can look ten years younger just with fillers if they're done properly. just don't get 20 years worth at the same time. >> and it's hard to get lifts at all because if you do anything to your lips, it's so noticeable. that's the one thing. >> i know, i know. go to somebody who really knows -- find somebody, a friend, who looks fantastic and ask her, or him, who did it and

go to that person who's reputable. not everybody can go to my precious -- >> dr. wexler. >> dr. wexler. she's just not available for everyone. she's very busy. >> i'm not going to, like -- >> every other week. >> how weird. i don't like this story so you'll have to do it. i know i'm not going to like it. i don't even know what it is. >> apparently neither one have seen this, our facebook friend, michelle, saw this ad and posted it on her wall say it made her think of hoda and how she loves our show. >> before and after what? is that a shampoo? >> oh, hair. the little lioness had her hair done. i can't imagine why she thinks that. that's sweet, though, hoda. >> we also want to thank our fan of the week. sometimes we send our fans to great, exotic locations. >> almost every time, yes. there was just that one unfortunate trip. >> a wonderful guy named john posted this thank-you picture. he said he had a lot of fun.

>> abaco beach resort. you know what? that is so sweet. >> in the bahamas. he had some fun there. >> good. >> excellent. all right. so we are doing an '80s show on friday. okay? so do you remember what you looked like in the '80s? take a picture. get one of the pictures and send them to us on our website because we want pictures of with you that '80s hair, the shoulder pads. remember? >> we were talking about doing this show, i couldn't remember the '80s. it wasn't for the reasons you might think. i was so busy, i had just moved from california to new york. i was working on another show. and then regis and i met frank. >> boom, boom, boom. >> i couldn't remember. >> the '80s at all. >> no. i would mention a song, and i wouldn't know what decade it came from. >> yep. >> you know, or a movie. i said, well, i love that movie. they said, well, that was in the '60s. really? >> the '80s was a weird decade, madonna, michael jackson, that

kinds of musical -- >> so we're going to go down memory lane. >> yes, we are. >> on friday. >> we're also going to do an ambush makeover. if you feel like you're stuck in the '80s, you're going to get made over. >> it's going to be fun. send those in. sara's got a new batch of photos that will make you say, what the -- >> william shatner is here. be afraid. be very afraid. he's going to let us into his wacky, wonderful world. and that's right after this. new dannon pure,

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william shatner has boldly gone just about everywhere in his amazing career from starring in films, television series and commercials to writing best-sellers and making music, not to mention the horses. >> at 80, william has taken on yet another project bringing him back to broadway after a 50-year hiatus. his one-man show is appropriately entitled "shatner's world, we just live in it." hello. >> and we knew it was going to

be fun when you get here. >> i was so anxious to see you. i am so ready. >> you're jazzed, aren't you? >> well, i am jazzed about the show. i'm jazzed about you coming to see it. because it's a one-man show. and how do you talk about a one-man show based on dramatic, fun-loving -- >> you've had such an incredible life and career. >> but how do i say, come see, i'm so wonderful. >> you are. >> but other people have told us that. we were out of town last week. you just opened. >> yeah. >> you had stomach flu on your opening night. >> the night before -- the night before i got sick. >> and you have no understudy for your show. >> right. now i've got the flu. and what do you do? so what you do, and it's part of what i talk about in the show, is like you say, okay, this is great! i'm opening in the show that i'm obsessed with for a year and i've got the flu, that's great! i'm going to open with the flu as well! >> exactly.

did you incorporate it? >> well, in a way. before and after. >> but there was no barfing on anybody in the front row. >> during, i didn't incorporate it. >> do you take people through the whole kit and caboodle, through "star trek"? >> i talk about love, i talk about music, i talk about death, i talk about -- >> horses? >> horses. i talk about a horse. i talk about the love of horses. i talk about the death of a horse. i talk about the joy of horses. i talk about music. i talk about the beginning. >> and you sing at the end. >> and at the end -- >> a song that was written for you. >> brad paisley wrote a song for me. and he's coming -- i can't tell you exactly when, but he will come to one of the shows and help me sing his song. >> beautiful. >> give us a line or two of it. can you sing a line or two of it? >> sorry to disappoint you, but i'm real. >> that's a lyric from it. that wasn't exactly singing. >> that's how he would sing it. >> that's singing. what else would you -- you want

me to sustain a note? are you crazy? >> you did an album. come on, you did a cd. >> i've done more than one just like that. >> how much "star trek" is in it? >> about 15 minutes. >> and what do you say about that? >> there's nothing much to say about the filming of "star trek," but there were things that happened before and after, for example, nasa in "star trek" became sort of a partner. a symbiotic partner. and i talk about that. i talk about what happened after "star trek" when i was broke. and i'm lying in a field in a shell watching a man on the moon, watching astronauts whom i had met and said, i'll see you on the moon. and he's walking on the moon, and i need the money. >> why were you broke? >> i was divorced and took all the money and everything i had earned. and there i was trying to make a few bucks. >> you came back, though. you came back. >> you sure did. >> strong, baby. >> yeah!

with the flu. but i'm better now. >> we were a little worried when we saw that last priceline commercial. >> i know, i died. >> what happened? >> talk about being killed off. >> they want you to know that there are prices that are really low that, in addition to what you can bid -- >> there you go. >> what happened? >> the negotiator. i get one of the big laughs from the show, doing something about the negotiator. >> you know, i've known you for a gazillion years. one thing i've never, ever, ever told you. >> please. >> you were one of my first major, major crushes in "star trek." >> why didn't you tell me? >> i was 4. you know, whatever. >> age -- age -- >> there's no longer a barrier. but there was one thing that was a turn-off, i've got to tell you. >> age is a barrier. age has become a barrier. >> there was one thing that was a turn-off, but it wasn't just you. it was everybody. you all wore the pants. you looked like you were

expecting a flood. >> you never knew when the sewage department -- you had to have those things up there. i know, those funny little pants and tight little shirts. >> by the way, you looked amazing. are they in the smithsonian, your pants? >> i am. >> no, your pants. >> are my pants in the smithsonian? oh, yeah, tight little pants. >> cute. >> every so often i try and fit into them. >> you do it to me. >> that lady with the triple -- could you believe that? >> you know, is that coco? because i think you should name co and co. right? isn't that her name? >> thank you. >> there she is. sharing the stage with william shatner on broadway. >> you can catch william shatner in "shatner's world" here in new york. it's at the music box theater through march 4th. >> is there a chance it can be

extended? >> what? >> that's it. that's it. >> no, no. i'm going on tour. 15-city tour. the audience will see me in a city that they're at. come and see me. >> in a theater near you. great to see you. up next, the photo lineups that will make you say, what the -- then later, who knew and test your oscar knowledge. but first these messages. smokin. when the doctor told me that i could smoke for the first week... i'm like...yeah, ok... little did i know that one week later i wasn't smoking. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening.

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"what the what?" she has laughed her way through the photo shoots. it's crazy. and she's here with the week's top picks. >> that's right. we had plenty to choose from. so let's get to it. take a look at the first photo from norman lippert who lives in new buffalo, michigan. >> valparaiso vasectomy. >> it's a deal. it's a two-fer. you don't want to leave one out. >> photo two comes from heidi in portland, oregon. if you didn't take the deal from the previous photo, here's another little warning. before pregnancy, it could cause pregnancy. >> wow. you know what? that's true. >> you're going to want to speak about that. a couple glasses and we could all -- never mind. next up, allen martin from burlingame, california, submitted this photo of a urinal. >> drinking fountain out of order. well, dogs. dogs, you know. >> yeah, but that was taken in a

winery's bathroom. >> somebody has a sense of humor. >> a couple glasses and maybe that looks like a water mountain. >> they've been to napa valley. >> this is from bobby newell in new mexico. i know this tactic as well. i might still use it occasionally. >> scream until daddy stops. >> somebody's going to have to explain that to me afterwards. >> like you want ice cream? >> we all scream for ice cream? >> no, just keep screaming and eventually you'll get it. >> until dad stops the car. >> not that kind of daddy. >> that's hysterical. oh, my gosh, just one after another. killer! >> stop it. >> up next, a photo from betsy of rochess, new yo estrochester. you couldn't have found another place to sit. >> thank you, sara. i can't wait till next week.

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♪ and we're back on this wednesday ready to play our weekly trivia game we call "who knew?" the biggest night in hollywood is just a few days away. it's time to test your knowledge with oscar trivia. kathie lee is across the street at the nbc experience store. she's ready to hand out $100 to those who get the question right. and to those who don't, a cd. are you ready? >> i'm ready. >> who is the host of this year's oscars? eddie murphy? billy crystal? chris rock or anne hathaway? >> i'm going to have to go with billy crystal. >> you're going to have to go because it's right. >> billy crystal.

i haven't seen much of him out there on the publicity front. >> no, he's been very low-key. this is his ninth time hosting. he holds the second most hosted record after bob hope who did it 18 times. i always love when he embeds himself into the movies and sings about the movies. that's a lot of fun. >> he's great. i like his opening usually. back across the street. >> a study found that compared to the loser, whatever that means, married women who received the oscar for best actress were 63% more likely to do which of the following? cry onstage? thank their husbands? have children? or get a divorce? >> ooh. can i ask a family member? >> yeah. >> what do you think? >> we have very little time here. >> cry on stage. >> wrong. don't rely on your children for anything, i've discovered, in life, really. here you go. >> the correct answer is kind of a shocker. they are more likely to get a divorce. >> isn't that crazy? there was actually that found that. if you look at some of the

recent winners, sandra bullock, kate winslet, halle berry, hilary swank, they all win the oscar and then a few months or a year later, they get a divorce. a study found the husbands can't handle the women becoming so famous and successful. >> they're jealous of oscar. >> the men, there's no divorce rate correlation. >> because we like them to do well. >> so if you win, you have to sell your oscar on ebay to save your marriage. >> back across the street. >> sad. you said you're from braintree, massachusetts, all right? which one of the following classic movies has not won the oscar for best picture? titanic? the sound of music? citizen kane or rocky. gosh, you're so young, i don't think you'll know this one. surprise us. >> can i ask my mom? >> sure. >> "citizen kane"? >> see, ask your mother. that's exactly what you do. >> we're getting it now. "citizen kane." surprising. >> people consider that one of the best movies made of all time. in 1942 it was nominated for nine oscars, it only won for the

screenplay. "how green is my valley" won. >> back across to cath. >> from connecticut, what did george clooney bring with him to the 2010 oscar ceremony? his dad? a flask? binoculars or earplugs? >> it was his dad. >> boy, and she thought she knew. and how embarrassing. to be so sure and then to be proven wrong. no, it was his flask. >> his flask. >> i love him. >> so he brought a flask. >> and he showed it to the reporters on the red carpet. but what people don't remember about the oscars, it's a really long ceremony. it's over three hours. unlike "the golden globes," there's no alcohol. i really like he did a good thing. >> he brought his own. back across. >> from duluth, minnesota, which of these films received the most oscar nominations this year? "the help"? harry potter? hugo? or the descendants? >> what do you think? "the help"? >> see, she listened to her

child and lost again, i'm so sorry about this, really. >> the correct answer there is "hugo." >> the martin scorsese movie about the boy that lives in a train station got 11 nominations. "the artist" got ten nominations. "harry potter" has never been nominated. most successful film franchise of all time. >> surprising. >> the academy does not like that movie. >> time for one more. >> from lake george, new york. how many people work as seat-fillers on oscars night? >> 220? >> yes. good for you. >> wow, nice. so 220 people. >> 220 people. so you actually have to be related to someone in the academy, or you have to be an accountant or a lawyer. even when it comes to seat-fillers, there's nepotism in hollywood. you have to work for the academy. it's not just regular people. >> thanks so much. >> sure. coming up next, donny deutsch answers your guy questions. and then the fashions that flatter your figure and make you

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♪ activia love your new normal or its free. there are times when you wonder what's going on inside your guy's head. >> or you try and rablize what he was thinking when he made some sort of a decision. >> well, you're not alone. some of you may have questions, and we have the man who can answer them. >> we have donny deutsch. the deutsche man. ♪ donny donny deutsch man." >> oscar picks.

sb >> whatever you want to talk about. okay, sara. >> our question first is from judith. i've been dating a guy a little over four months. after three dates i could tell i was falling in love. he said he did not feel the same way. we have a great time when we're together. as time goes on, will he feel the same for me or should i move on? >> mistake number one, after a third date, don't ask a man about his feelings. >> ooh, yeah. >> just don't say what are you feeling. at some point into the relationship, you could say that. and the good news, he was honest with you. now, if he said to you, look, i don't feel this way about you, that's one thing. if he said hey, it's only been three dates, i'm not sure. that's an honest response. don't ask a man early on, how are you feeling? where is this going? not a good thing. >> also you don't know well enough to know if he's telling you the truth or not. >> i might do a little time-out and step out. i don't know after three dates. i know there's love at first sight. >> be mysterious. men like a little mystery. >> we like a lot of mystery. >> our next question is from

sheila. how do i get my man to take me seriously when i try to talk to him about my needs? >> first of all, the word "needs," it's an abstract -- who wants to deal with needs? but you have specific things that are important to you. and so you have to choose, as a woman, or a man it's reverse, what are the things that are really critical? him saying he loves you once a week. in other words, a man is not there to meet your needs. and vice versa. a man is there to be respectful of what's important to you and be cognizant of it. so separate those two things. i sound smart today. >> what's going on? >> who are you? >> what happened to you? are you in love? >> no. the more time i spend being a daddy, the more you elevate yourself. it's interesting. that is what's happening to me. i find things coming out of my mouth now. you have daughters, it changes everything. >> that's great. >> what's next? >> from mandy, my fiance is private about his past. i know enough not to be suspicious, but why is he so

private? >> by the way, a past is who you are. so there's nothing -- and by the way, in this world right now, it's not -- i don't mean to be a detective, it's not hard to find out. but by the way, i always, early on, like tell me about your last husband. so if he's being private about his past, there's a reason. that's not a good sign. because your past is who you are. you should be very open about where you're from, who you've been with. absolutely. that's just life. by the way, i'm always suspect of a girl, on a first date, i've never googled you. i know nothing about you. that's the person i know has been studying me for two hours. >> or me because i know nothing about it. >> you are rare in every way. >> oh. let's move on to the next one. i like that one. >> next from beatrice. my man seems to have little patience with conversations which doesn't involve my opinion. he literally shuts down, little things such as meal choices, clothing styles. my opinion is, is it okay to agree to disagree?

>> you said the key thing. little things. don't even bother. by the way, if you guys like different meals, like don't even get into those conversations. >> isn't there something strange about this guy who's turning everything off? >> maybe he's somebody who doesn't like conflict. >> or maybe he's hearing it 24/7. >> things that matter. okay? >> d.d. >> you're bringing back -- these aren't really fry boots but in that direction. this is the official coming back of fry boots. >> and 10-year-old roberto cavallis. we're very retro. >> no, you're very rare. >> that's working for me. spring is all about style, i told you. >> is it? >> you think you might have. i think you have none. you know, other people disagree. and then never have another bad hair day again. the tools that are going to help you with the perfect curls right after this. nyquil (st uffy

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if it's your hips that you think are less than hot or a bum

that you believe is a bit too big, we've got some ways to flatter your figure problems with some great fashions. >> and if you're an "instyle" magazine fan, you'll love what we're about to show you. she is the magazine's fashion features editor. hey, isabel, how are you? we all have problem areas. it's nice just to throw on a nice outfit and kind of erase them. >> sure. you want to emphasize the areas you do love and play up your assets. >> maximize those assets, baby. >> if one of the issues is a shorter leg, and we have sky coming out, tell us what's the right thing to do here. >> so if you do have a shorter leg -- and she's got a great pair of legs -- you want to start with a skirt that's high-wasted. this gives you the illusion that the legs start higher than they actually do. >> i lo of that skirt. >> it's a cute, flouncy skirt. keep it in the same skin tone or if you're wearing tights to create a long, continuous line. you absolutely want to wear a pair of nude heels. this adds another three inches.

the illusion of three inches. >> so what's a no-no? >> you don't want to wear midi skirts or mid-calf-length skirts. same with ankle straps. don't want to disrupt that line. >> thank you. if you have a full daierrierede. come on out. so what should you do? >> she's got a great posterior. >> yes, she does. >> a la kim kardashian. >> it's right up there. >> you know, it may seem counterintuitive, but you actually want to expose the area with a lot of coverage. you want to make sure that it's a continuous line. you don't want to add bulk with bulky pockets or a lot of embellishment on the back side, but you do want a trouser cut that's fitted, keep your shirt tucked in and the proportion and you see the difference where the waist comes in and where the curves start. >> thanks, mia. so if hips are an issue, carmela's coming out to show us.

hi. hello. >> she looks like she's on "mad men." >> exactly. so we're playing up the retro silhouette that a great pair of hips can provide. >> and most men actually like that. >> it's a very sexy hourglass figure. you know, we've tapped into two big trends which is the pencil skirt. this is ideal for accentuating your hips. we've done it in a print which further draws the eyes to that area. and then we have a peplum top which is very retro and we've belted it. >> again, the nude shoe. >> and the nude shoe for length. >> very good, isabel. >> let's bring out ms. bernadette. >> she's not quite a shayla, but she's got it going on. >> yes, she does. >> to really play up your bust area, you know, you don't want to overendow it with ruffles or embellishment. you do want a v-neck.

you want to open up the area. you might think oh, i want to cover up, but actually, that creates bulk. so you want to have the beautiful v-neck silhouette. you want to support with material in the shoulders and have a great bra on. and then the wrap dress creates the silhouette with the waist. again, it's about defining those proportions between the waist where it comes in and where you have. >> because even if you've got beautiful bosom, you can tend to look matronly if you're not careful. everybody looks gorgeous. thanks, isabel. good to see you again. up next, now that you've got the wardrobe down, it's time to conquer the curl. first, this is "today" on nbc. consumers today have a legitimate concern about the chicken they eat.

they want to know more about how they were raised, what they were fed. we spend a lot of time on the feed because a chicken is what it eats. [ jim ] this seal verifies we feed my fresh all-natural chickens an all-vegetarian diet including corn, soybeans, and marigolds. we actually ask the usda to come check us. we have never fed steroids or hormones and never will. no blood meal, no meat and bone meal. yuck. no animal by-products. it means when you put my chicken on the table, you know where it came from.

have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, i just don't know what to do with my hair? >> never. all right. well, why not put a little curl in your coif? there are so many fun ways to do it, and beauty expert grace gold

is here to help you get the perfect amount of bounce. good to see you. >> thank you. >> you've got some less expensive and more expensive options for each one of these we're going to talk about. >> i do. and each of these curlers, they give you a little different look. >> first of all, you have a glove on your hand. >> so not to burn yourself, right? >> talk about that curling iron you have. >> this is the clampless. this is the big trend right now. everybody's using these. but you do need a little michael jackson action with the glove. >> okay. >> you're going to burn. >> and the irons do usually come with a glove. our budget version is the pro tools. it's $29.99. it works great. and chi makes them in different sizes. >> will you show us how it works? there's no clamp. you actually use your hand on it? >> so you're going to take a section. you hold it down. you spiral around. >> and that works until you get to the end. then you hold it. >> this is why you need the glove or else it's not going to end well for you. and you get an s-shaped wave. >> very nice.

a lot of people use the traditional hot curlers. >> yes, hot rollers are great if you're intimidated by the tools. because this does all the work for you. >> okay. >> and in the drugstore, really nobody does it better than conair. $18.99, you get a whole set. this one is by remington. it's from target, $45. yes. and they come with clips. >> do they also come in bigger sizes as well? >> they do come in different sizes, yes. and the clips, if you're going to do this, use the clips because it makes it so much easier. >> and they don't leave a mark. >> you just take them out just like that. and then run your fingers through them. >> should you let it cool before you do the running of the fingers? >> yes. it takes about 15 minutes. you need it cool for sure. margot's got this beautiful look. it gives you a to us touselled, curl. >> what would you do with yourself? >> you saw.

>> you can curl with a flat iron. it needs to have a rounded edge if you're going to do that. and our budget buy here is a brand called cricket. it's $49. all of the bells and whistles of the $200 irons. and this one that we've used on lany, this is the fhi heat. this is my personal favorite. this is the move, okay? and practice on a cold iron first. until you feel confident enough. you close up, under. >> oh. >> turn once. >> oh, dear. >> oh, no. i'm scared. >> pull it down. it's like curling ribbon with a scissor. >> okay. >> and look at that. you get gorgeous curl. >> a little less than a minute. careful, it's hot. >> careful. >> and this last one, bobbie thomas talked about. >> this is the traditional curling iron. it gives you a circular curl. >> except it does the work. >> it does all the work for you. our budget buy is conair, $15 at the drugstore. >> while we say good-bye, show us how this works.

tomorrow he have a big show. nick jonas is coming. >> and sinead o'connor. i hope she's going to sing for us. >> look what happens. >> magic. and can you really curb your sweet tooth? >> we'll have all the answers. >> have a great winesday wednesday and national margarita day. tomorrow we'll see you for thirsty thursday. >> exactly. i love the hair. [ clanking ]

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