good morning. supreme decision. the nation's highest court set to hand down its ruling on president obama's sweeping health care law today. this morning the potential impact on all americans and the presidential race. >> inferno. at least 300omes now lost in one neighborhood alone as firefighters try desperately to get control of that wildfire raging in colorado. the conditions are not on their side. >> and magic pill? the first fda approved weight loss pill in 13 years. does it work? when will it hit the market? is it safe? we'll get the answers today, thursday, june 28, 2012.5

is it safe? we'll get the answers today, is it safe? we'll get the answers today, thursday, june 28, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television live from studio 1a from raul plaza. >> welcome on this thursday morning. i'm ann curry. >> and i'm matt lauer. the health care law, president obama's signature achievement, the the nine supreme court justices will either uphold a decision that will uphold or invalidate the law. >> it will have huge ripple effects for health care across this nation. we'll talk about the fallout this morning. >> and a high school teacher fired after a year after she used some pretty harsh words to describe her students in a blog, words like lazy and rat-like. the school claims that had

nothing to do with her dismissal but she insists that it did. we're going to hear what both sides are saying in this story. >> and also a little bit later on on a much lighter note, matthew mcconaughey is going to be here. he stars in not one, not two but five movies this morning, including a steamy role in "magic mike." heap also got married less than three weeks ago. we're going to talk to matthew about his big day, his very busy career. we're excited about that. we begin with this morning's highly anticipated ruling on president obama's controversial health care law. nbc's justice correspondent pete williams is at the supreme court with more on this story. >> reporter: after all the courtroom battles, political fights and six hours of arguments here over the law opponents call obamacare, it's up to the supreme court to answer the fund al question, is it constitutional. it became a flash point in the presidential campaign.

>> we're going to have to have a president and i'm that one that's going to get rid of obamacare. we're going to stop it on day one! >> reporter: and it's a hall mack of the obama presidency. >> everybody should have basic security when it comes to their health care. >> reporter: 26 states and a national business group challenged the law's central requirement that all americans get health insurance. they say congress's power to regulate commerce does not extend to people who choose not to buy something that, is, who don't have insurance. if congress could do that, one member of the supreme court said when the case was argued it, could order people to eat their vegetable. >> everybody has to buy food sooner or later so you define the market as food. therefore everybody's in the market, therefore you can make people buy broccoli. >> reporter: but some of the nation's largest insurance companies now say even if the court strikes the law down, they will honor some its requirements anyway, keeping children on parents' policy until age 26,

covering blood pressure screenings. but insurance honors would not honor other popular parts of the law. >> they can't guarantee they will sell you a policy regardless of your health status. they can't guarantee that i won't be charged much more for the monthly cost of my premium than my 32-year-old daughter would be. >> reporter: president obama himself said when urging congress to pass the law that the industry could not afford some popular changes without the mandate. >> and unless everybody does their part, many of the insurance reforms we seek, especially requiring insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions just can't be achieved. >> reporter: those are the big questions. so now what? we'll know the answer soon when the court issues what may be one of its most important decisions. >> so what will the fallout be? david gregory is monitor of

"meet the press" and savannah guthrie is here. it's not going to be a one-page decision, it's going to be weighty. how much are we going to digest this before we know what it says? >> it may not be capable to be quickly reduced to a headline. there are four complicated issues. number one, is it too premature to hear this? number two, is the mandate constitutional or not? if they strike down the mandate, what part of the law if any can survive? and finally this law had a huge expansion of medicaid, some of which the states would have to pay for. states have argued they have been put under such a burden that the federal government has exceeded its power. >> if the court decides that congress does not have the power to force americans to buy something and in this case health insurance, do you think the other provisions in the law will follow? >> that is the essential question here. because some of the supporters of the law have said, wait a

minute, you can let some of the law survive but the opponents of the law say forget it, it's too interdependent. if you strike down the mandate, the whole law has to go. >> david, the white house is waiting anxiously for word on this. they are putting out this idea that it's not all or nothing, that they can claim a partial victory if some provisions of this law are upheld. is that spin or reality? >> reporter: well, what the president will try to do, i'm told, if part of this law is struck down is really go out and tell the american people what the implications are, positive and negative, that are there are other parts of this bill that will still be held up. it is an opportunity for a president who, frankly, has not won the argument on health care yet, matt, to explain to the american people why it's necessary and how it will actually affect people's lives, something he has not done totally effectively yet if you look at the polling. >> this will have ramifications if three separate arenas, in the legal arena, the policy arena

that you were talking about and of course in this election year in the political arena. what is at stake for both democrats and republicans depending on how this decision goes down? >> reporter: here's the overall point i think is so important. health care reform was passed on a party line vote. what happens if it is struck down in part or in whole by a 5-4 decision? would that not underscore how dysfunctional our government is, the major institutions of our government are? that is a real nightmare scenario i think for the political class in this country. republicans no matter what happens today will stay on the offensive because they want health care to be replaced, to be repealed. mitt romney, republican leaders. the president has an opportunity if it's upheld to say this is the right policy, it is constitutional and it's more important now than ever. still an opportunity there for him to go out and say this was really necessary. if it's struck down, he's got some work to do here because it would be a real blow. >> savannah, in the last few

seconds i have left, this is the highest court in the land. is this the last in terms of legality that we're going to be hearing about this health care law? >> depends on what they do today. it may be litigated further down the road. but this big legal question, the epic showdown between the federal government and the states and who has the power, that goes back to our founders. >> thank you very much. nbc news will have complete coverage of that supreme court ruling as soon as it is handed down. here's ann. >> firefighters are struggling to gain ground on that massive wildfire raging in colorado, the flames so intense the full scale of the damage has yet to even be determined. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning. on friday the president plans to tour the damage here, a close-up look at a blaze that is dangerous and getting bigger. the destruction in colorado springs has yet to be tallied. shrouded in smoke, decimated by

fire. but as these images show, entire neighborhoods have been wiped out, their charred remains too dangerous for crews to reach. this was a war zone where firefighters had to retreat. >> we have seen what this thing can do. it got in a good shot and we intend to be prepared for the second shot. >> still only 5% contained, the waldo canyon fire has ripped pacifier breaks and hopped across ridges. in just hours the inferno doubled in size this week. 32,000 people have been forced to evacuate, ordered to find safer ground. sarah could see the flames closing in on her childhood home. >> we're all here for each other. that's what's important. >> reporter: with 20,000 home still threatened in colorado springs today, many of those who haven't evacuated are on notice to be prepared to leave. in the fog of choking smoke and

falling ash, neighbors cleared trees and loaded cars. >> this is everything we're taking in all these vehicles just this first trip. we'll get another trip later or tomorrow. >> reporter: this morning colorado springs isn't the only community on edge. in utah, the wood hollow fire is raging. a life was lost here, 56 structures destroyed so far. this one of six burning across the state. >> it can be grueling, long days. >> reporter: from new mexico to arizona, 6,000 firefighters remain on the front lines across the west. and even back in colorado where home after home has been lost -- >> your sister's over there. >> reporter: -- a sense of home still remains. in colorado springs here, this blaze has charred some 15,000 acres. while crews are making progress, they say they do believe hundreds of homes have been

lost. later on today from the air they hope to get a better count on the damage but they believe it is in the hundreds. ann? >> mig et with sobering news this morning. thank you. is now 7:10. here's matt. >> the brother of bernie madoff is expected to plead guilty tomorrow to involvement in the biggest ponzi scheme in u.s. history. mara, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. the fraud perpetrated by bernie madoff cost investors billions of dollars. for years he said he acted alone. this expected guilty plea changes all of that. more than three years after bernie madoff pled getty to the biggest ponzi scheme in history, federal documents say that bernie's younger brother is expected to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit security fraud and other charges, including falsifying records. the punishment carries a

ten-year prison sentence. >> given the fact this is the biggest ponzi scheme in history, this is probably the best out m outcome peter madoff could have hoped for. >> reporter: peter madoff was in charge of can't's day-to-day operations. >> peter madoff was the second most important person at bernie's firm. he was bernie's kid brother, eight years younger and whenever bernie was out of town, peter was in charge. >> reporter: madoff's wife and sons all worked at the firm. mark committed suicide. >> people have this incredible vision of him as a spectacularly skillful trader and it just never occurred to me that it was all fake. >> reporter: peter madoff is the first family member to be

charged in the fraud, but those following the case say other relatives are not necessarily off the hook. >> peter madoff's guilty plea on friday does not necessarily put all the other madoff family members in the clear because the prosecution investigation remains active. >> reporter: along with his ten-year prison sentence, prosecutors say peter madoff will also forfeit all of his possessions, which prosecutors value at more than $143 billion. but legal experts caution in the thend staggering figure may be symbolic and just represents the amount of money that flowed through the phony business. >> reporter: in the real world that's a paper number. the victims should expect little if any of that to be coming to them from peter madoff. >> reporter: when peter madoff does appear in court to plead

guilty, he's not expected to admit to knowing about the ponzi scheme himself. >> thank you very much. it's 13 minutes after the hour. once again, here's ann. >> now to an unanswered question tied to the shooting death of florida teen trayvon martin. just who was recorded screaming for help on that fitful night in february? we have details on why investigators may be one step closer to finding out. >> reporter: good morning, ann. it's a new piece of critical evidence that may finally answer once or for all the question of who was screaming "help" moments before that fatal shot was fired. was it george zimmerman, who is charged with second degree murder, or trayvon martin who is now dead? who tear george zimmerman tell the events of that february night it was 17-year-old trayvon martin who attacked him. but that rainy night when

17-year-old trayvon martin stopped at a 7-11 and then came face to face with george zimmerman, their ensuing confrontation resulted in at least eight 911 calls by residents. in one of those calls in the background you can hear a scream for help. >> do you think he's yelling help? >> yes. >> but who was it? listen again. now prosecutors have a recording to compare to the 911 call. >> help, help, help. >> reporter: that may sound like a dog barking but it's george zimmerman screaming one month after the shoot persian gulf. >> we're just going to have the gentleman reenacting a few things. >> reporter: investigators took zimmerman back to the neighborhood and asked him to call out for help. >> help, help, help, help, help, help. >> reporter: and later another recording.

initial fbi analysis of the 911 calls could not determine who was screaming. prosecutors wanted a sample of zimmerman's voice to make a comparison to the 911 calls. what would make it easier, say experts, would be a similar recording with trayvon martin. >> you have george zimmerman able to respond to police requests to make this 911 call and have it recorded but you don't have a comparison to trayvon martin because he's now dead. >> reporter: when trayvon martin's mother heard the scream, she said "a mother knows her child's voice." >> that was my baby and he was pleading for his life. >> reporter: but zimmerman is adamant it was his voice. >> help me, help me. >> reporter: george zimmerman will be back in court on friday. his lawyer wants him in civilian clothes and not shackled in

handcuffs. he says it suggests his client is guilty. george zimmerman has entered a not guilty plea. >> natalie is standing by at the newsdesk. good morning to you. good morning, everybody. the how the is set to vote today to o hold attorney general in civil and criminal contempt of congress over the fast and furious gun tracking operation. the house is expected to pass the resolution. >> for the first time in 13 years the fda has approved a new prescription diet bill. belviq has been approved for adults who are clinically obese or overweight with a medical complications like diabetes. u.s. doctors have been calling on the fda to approve weight loss treatments as the nation's obesity rate has skyrocketed to 35%. it is expected to be available as early as 2013. we'll have much more on this coming up.

>> a plan to split rupert murdoch's board has been approved. now let's head to wall street. kayla -- is on wall street. >> the markets here are losing steam. spain's cost to borrow money is rising sharply and fears europe won't solve its debt crisis are on continuing. investors here in the u.s. are also watching shares of news corporation. that split is expected to be divided this morning. shares are rising and it's a stories investors like. >> kayla taushe, thank you. >> a 15-mile dust storm called a haboob hit the phoenix area wednesday. it zipped through at about 25 miles per hour. no one was harmed.

and some beautiful pictures of our planet to marvel as taken by nasa crews turning them into a time lapse whirl wind of our home spinning away in space. it's absolutely stunning to see the whole video. it's 7:19. back over to matt, ann and al. >> wow, that music is beautiful. wow, bring it. >> can you see the haboob down there also. >> i got called that last night. >> i think there was something else you were called. >> let's see what we've got for you. first of all, we're talking about unfortunately the weather for these fires, these ely, the the wildfires not great. afternoon scattered thunderstorms, dry winds and we've got fire watches, red flag warnings and fire weather watches from nevada all the way to ohio and we have more heat to talk about. dangerous heat advisories throughout much of the midsection of the country on into the east by friday.

27 states will have temperatures over 100 degrees affecting 50 million people between now and friday. that's what's going on around the country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> enjoy this while you can. it is a comfortable morning. good morning, tom kierein in storm center 4. right now we're in the 60s throughout most of the region and later today with the low humidity, we'll climb into the low and mid-90s. the beginning of the heat wave and then the humidity will roll in tonight. the peak of the heat over the next few days appears to be today, tomorrow and saturday. highs near 100 each day. small chance of an afternoon >> and that's your latest weather. ann? >> al, thank you. just ahead a real estate developer in michigan this morning behind bars this morning accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill his wife's alleged murderer.

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and it gives us broad spectrum uva/uvb protection. that sun won't quit. and neither will we. thanks to new coppertone sport pro series. let's go ! that's how we embrace the sun. good morning, i'm aaron gilchrist 7:26 on this thursday, june 28th. brace yourself for a brutal heat wave. storm 4 meteorologist tom kierein has our forecast. >> these are the final hours of comfort as the big heat will begin to build here by later this afternoon. we'll be in place into the weekend. so, enjoy this morning while you can with low humidity and it's fresh and cool in the 60s with sun and a blue sky and later today, though, into the low and mid-90s with somewhat increasing humidity and tomorrow through the weekend, first part of next week. >> a check on the morning ♪

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outer loops hitting the brakes at new hampshire avenue. these delays continue as you head to i-270. aaron, over to you. >> thank you, danella a. another upd

♪ cross my heart and hope to die ♪ >> that is the new video for "one more night," the latest video from maroon five. the grammy winning rock band will be here for a live summer concert. that's tomorrow on our plaza in our 8:30 half hour. meanwhile, it's 7:30 on a thursday morning, june 28, 2012. i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry. just ahead, news for millions of americans struggling with their weight. >> for the first time in 13 years the fda has approved a new

prescription drug for weight loss but there are concerns about its safety. >> and americans spent an astonishing $1.7 billion every day at restaurants. we hope you're making healthy choices when you eat out. this morning consumer reports tells you if you're spending your money in the right restaurants. >> and matthew mcconaughey is in the house. you know he just got married. congratulations are in order for him. also he's going to talk about his role in a movie called "magic mike," in which he actually didn't have to but decided that he wanted to strip down, seriously strip down. and he says he enjoyed it. so we're going to find out why coming up. >> he has his tie loose this morning. he might could it right here in the studio. >> i would not complain. >> and a teacher fired after a year she blogged about her students calling them disengaged lazy whiners. she's filed a lawsuit. we'll be hearing from her.

>> also we'll begin with a strange case in michigan. a man charged in an alleged plot to kill the suspect in his wife's murder. craig melvin is in detroit with more on this story. craig, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. bob is being held in the job behind me on a felony solicitation of murder charge. they say he was trying to pay one hit man to kill another alleged hitman. this is wealthy business man bob bashera in prison garb wednesday appearing for his arraignment. >> he met with another person, not a law enforcement official, on several occasions for the purpose of hatching a plan to kill mr. gents in jail.

>> reporter: he was charged with the brutal killing of his wife back in january. bashera was named as a person of interest in his wife's death but was never charged. >> the evidence will show he didn't want mr. gents to testify in any future proceedings. >> reporter: the mother of two was found in her luxury mercedes, far from the gross point neighborhood where she and her husband lived. she'd been strangled and severely beaten. gents confessed he was offered $2,000 and an old cadillac to kill jane, his wife of 30 years. he maintains he had nothing to do with his wife's order or nothing to do with hiring someone to kill gents. >> i think the evidence going to show that he was set up.

>> reporter: in an interview conducted by dennis murphy that aired last month, he would not talk about reports he had a secret life still and an mi mistress with an underground sex dungeon. he says in an interview he misses his wife. >> let me tell you i loved my wife dearly. >> reporter: he is being held on a $15 million bond. prosecutors allege he met with two middle men, made them strip down to check for wires before making the down payment on the jail house hit. if he is convicted on the solicitation of murder charge, he faces the possibility of life in prison. ann? >> craig melvin this morning. thanks. and now here's matt. >> a high school teacher in pennsylvania who was caught slamming her students in an online blog has now been fired

and she's fighting back claiming school administrators held her to an unfair standard. dede is in doylestown, pennsylvania. >> good morning. this week natalie found out she won't be coming back. natalie monroe is looking for a teaching job. >> this is my career. this is what i want to do. >> reporter: for six years she was an honors english teacher. on tuesday the board dismissed her following a unanimous 7-0 vote. she gained national attention last year for calling her students "utterly loathsome," lazy, frightfully dim and rat-like on a blog that went viral. >> i'm not sorry for what she said. >> reporter: natalie says her posts were meant to be anonymous. they didn't name the school,

students or colleagues but she did post a photo of herself. >> it was to get out my feelings like a diary. >> reporter: her remarks stunned students and her employers. >> her comments were unprofessional, disrespectful and disturbing, particularly coming from the heart of an educator. >> reporter: monroe was suspended in february of last year when word of the blog spread on facebook. her students who she'd called tactless and dunderheads. in one part monroe took on parents asking "don't you know how to raise kids?" >> i think she owes it to the parents and students who apologize. >> reporter: monroe offers no apology sfp. >> sometimes the truth hurts. >> reporter: she was allowed to return to work and ultimately was dismissed.

monroe says she was fired in retaliation for her protected free speech. >> it is clear that's what they were leaning toward the entire year because they were holding me to different standards as other teachers. >> reporter: monroe hasn't been blogging much these days, but she did respond to her dismissal in a post saying "i've been set up." >> i know that people are mad about it but it's true. i stand by it. >> reporter: nbc news did reach out to school district official bus we did not hear back. the school board has said monroe's dismissal had nothing to do with her free speech, had everything to do with her job performance and her release process was the same as that of other teachers. >> thanks so much. >> let's great check of the weather now from al. >> ma, thanks so much. what are the odds we got a mother/daughter -- it's both your birthdays? >> yup. >> what's your name?

>> lisa and courtney. >> where are you from? >> boston. >> and you're only 12, 15 years apart. you look like sisters. oh, she gave you a look. what was going on there? was go? yikes. what's happening as far as today is concerned. showers in the pacific northwest and new england in between record-breaking highs. 50 million people affected by 100 degree heat. then for tomorrow, that heat is going to be making its way east with record-breaking highs moving into the ohio/mississippi river valleys and few more showers in the pacific northwest and sizzling conditions from interior southern california into the southeast. it's going to be hot here in the northeast with temperatures getting up into the 90s. that's what's going on around the country. good morning, it's refreshingly cool and comfortable now, but this is going to be the last of it here for the last several days. right now in the 60s throughout most of the region with low humidity and sun and a blue sky. later today, though, it will climb into the low and mid-90s

and getting more humid later this afternoon. then sweltering humidity moving in late tonight and it will be in place near the weekend. highs near 100 each day. small chance of a >> i guess i owe these folks an apology. i almost ran you over with my bike yesterday? >> yes, almost did. >> those are the people you told me you almost got, al. thanks very much. still to come on a thursday morning, the parents of a 9 week-old baby who was killed by a wild dog speak out about their 32-year fight for justice. we'll talk more about that right after these messages. stages. but when joint pain and stiffness from psoriatic arthritis hit, even the smallest things became difficult. i finally understood what serious joint pain is like. i talked to my rheumatologist and he prescribed enbrel. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, and stop joint damage.

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it was ruled that a dingo killed a baby 32 years ago. sara james, we go to you. >> reporter: this has been a long battle looking for acknowledgement that a dingo is a wild animal that can be dangerous and deadly. >> half a lifetime ago, half a world away, an anguished australian mother would utter that unforgettable phrase, but it would take 32 years before a coroner agreed. >> please accept my sincere sympathy on the death of your special and loved daughter. >> reporter: baby azara had indeed been killed by a dingo. >> finally you're exonerated and finally it's done. >> reporter: for lindy and her husband, the nightmare began in 1980 with a family camping trip

to airs rock. what happened that evening as a slumbering 9-week-old azara was snatched from the tonight would be portrayed in "a cry in the dark." they insisted a wild animal had taken their child. >> it was a powerful beast with sharp teeth. >> reporter: but authorities were skeptical and lindy was put on trial for murder in 1982. >> the senior prosecutor labeled the dingo story a lie. >> reporter: this pastor was shocked of the rumors. >> with why we should be accused of being linked with satanic activity is completely bizarre to us. >> reporter: he writes about the case in his new book entitled "heart of stone" and attributes suspicion surrounding his family with the culture of the time and a fascination with movies such as "the exorcist" and rosemary's

baby." >> i thits it was the back drop that drove the belief we were up to no good. >> reporter: but michael admits he had his doubts about exactly what his wife saw. you mentioned the fact that at one point you did question lindy on what happened at the tent. >> a father needs to know exactly what's happening when it's to do with your own daughter. >> reporter: lindy faced criticism from all sides about her stoic demeanor. >> by the time it came to trial, it was two years later and they expect you to be crying the same way as you were on the night thhappened. >> reporter: but what clinched the prosecution's case at the time was forensic evidence which experts said showed blood in the family's car. >> she sat in the front seat of the family car, held azara out in front of her and slit the child's throat. >> reporter: the jury found lindy, then eight months

pregnant, of murdering her own daughter and sentenced her to prison for life without parole. just a few weeks later, lindy was whisked to the hospital only to have her newborn daughter taken away. >> i was losing another daughter all over again. so it was like losing two of them rather than one. >> reporter: there was a heavy toll on your family. >> a huge toll on the kids in particular. and it's hard to go to school with kids coming up and telling them your mother's a murderer. >> reporter: then three years after lindy was convicted and sent to prison, authorities discovered a tiny jacket that had belonged to baby azara near a dingo layer, further undermining her conviction. so a soundproofing spray, some copper dust and a spilled milkshake and somehow that gets

mistaken for baby azara's blood? >> stranger than fiction. >> reporter: in light of the new evidence, lindy was immediately released from prison with her conviction overturned two years later. >> we will continue to fight for a just conclusion and for our names to be cleared. >> reporter: which finally happened this month with a death certificate stating what the family has known all along. lindy and michael divorced in 1991 and each has since remarried but what happened all those years ago is both past and present. is it over? has the final chapter been written? >> there are questions for sure and why did it take so long? who was involved? and how could so many mistakes be made systematically? >> reporter: for her part lindy is working to help others who have been wrongly convicted and is looking to the future. >> i can look the world in the

eye. now i've got a clear conscience and know that god knows i've got a clear conscience. >> reporter: she says she'll remember azara always. >> when people tell you you'll forget, they've never lost anyone. anyone who has ever lost anyone knows you doesn't forget, you just learn to handle it better. >> reporter: both lindy and michael say one reason some may have been reluctant back in 1980 may have been a concern that dingo attacks could hurt tourism in the area. they say this has brought relief to them and their children. matt? >> up next, the fda approves the first diet prescription pill in years but does that pill work? right after this. now there's a new way to help put bedwetting frustrations...

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against the battle of the bulge. the fda has approved a new diet pill called belviq. good morning. this drug i understand changes the brain chemistry so it makes us feel like we are full? >> right. this drug took me by surprise. there are several in the pipeline. when it was announced yesterday, i zeent it coming but it does target the serotonin levels in the brain that makes you feel satisfied and good. if you adjust serotonin levels it's believed you will feel satisfied and eat left. >> does it work, joy? >> it does work but there's only a small impact. we fond people lost while they were taking the drug about 5% of their body weight which translated to about 12 pounds on average, compared to people taking the placebo who lost

about five pounds. the other thing is you have to have a good diet and get regular exercise along with taking the medication. so the medication alone does not work. >> at the same time, this is the same drug that the fda rejected in 2010? >> it comes down to they say these drugs are dangerous, there are heart problems, people get agitation when their brain chemistry changes. it's not perfect. but the drug marvs come back and say if you lose this percentage of weight you lower your risk of diabetes. it goes back and for the. i don't love this drug. long term we'll have to see if people will comply with changes in diet and lifestyle. 5% sounds great and if you're a diabetic and that little bit gets you going, it's fine. this is not meant for people with congestive heart failure.

i think this will get fda approval and will be on the market in '13. i'm watching this cautiously. >> there are a number of drugs for weight lost in the pipeline. is there a rush now to get them out? >> there's a rush for the pharmaceutical companies to get them out but we've seen a pretty slow fda for approval. >> this is not for everybody. it's for people defined with obesity. you want to be at least 30 pounds overweight to consider the drug or have an issue because of your weight. >> thank you so much. >> any time. >> much more coming up, including matthew mcconaughey after your local news. no! but, i'm about to change that. ♪ every little baby wants 50% more cash... ♪ phhht! fine, you try. [ strings breaking, wood splintering ]

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good morning, i'm angie goff. the time right now 7:56 and serious summer heat is back. let's check the forecast with meteorologist tom kierein. >> good morning, it's not here yet, we have another pleasant morning. low humidity and temperatures in the 60s to near 70 degrees here as we approach 8:00 and later today, though, it will rapidly climb and near 90 by noon and mid-90s mid-afternoon and starting to get more humid late afternoon. hazy sunshine, heat and humidity for the next several days. just a small chance of afternoon storms, little greater chance maybe on sunday and remaining humid, but a little bit cooler as we get into next week. angie? >> thanks, to

good morning. traveling in prince george's county. baltimore avenue just past 410. police are on the scene possibly blocking one of your lanes in that area and over to virginia, 25th street north and washington boulevard, a crash there. please, use caution. more

♪ ♪ 8:00 now on a thursday morning, the 28th of june 2012 as the crowd at rockefeller plaza wave at home to the loved ones. the music is a reminder that adam levine and the boys from maroon 5 will be rocking our plaza tomorrow here on "today." i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer and al roker. we have a star in the plaza. we have got matthew mcconaughey. he leads a band of male strippers in a new movie called "magic mike." and heap also got married just a few weeks ago. we have a lot to talk to him

coming up this morning. >> talk about a rude awakening. i walked out of the door this morning and people are saying "matthew, i love you" and i thought, how nice. they're all pointing at that guy over there. also the new york yankees are in the middle of their hope week where they honor some really deserving people in the community. i got to chip in and spend the day with a really wonderful 5-year-old boy and wait until you see what he got the yankees captain, derek jeter, to do for him. >> that's pretty cool. on another note, how does your favorite restaurant chain stack up when it comes to value, food and nutrition? nearly 48,000 folks took part in a new survey for "consumer reports" rating things like taste and value. we will share those results. >> matthew mcconaughey still saying high to people in the crowd, really nice. now let's get a check of the morning's top stories. hey, natalie. good morning, everyone.

in one of its most anticipated decisions, the supreme court today is ruling on president obama's health care reform legislation. the justices are examining the constitutionality of the affordable care act and specifically the centerpiece of the plan that americans be required to get health insurance. 26 states challenged the legislation. firefighters are desperately trying to get control of the huge wildfire still raging in colorado. dry weather conditions, strong winds are fueling flames that have forced more than 30,000 people from their homes and burned some 300 homes in one neighborhood alone. >> the younger brother of convicted swindler bernie madoff is expected to plead guilty tomorrow for his involvement in the biggest ponzi scheme in u.s. history. court documents show peter madoff will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit security fraud. the punishment is a ten-year prison sentence.

>> new audio released in the shooting death of trayvon martin that may help investigators determine who was screaming for help on that fateful night, martin or the accused shooter, george zimmerman. the recording released has zimmerman yelling "help" several times at the request of investigators in an of the to compare his voice to the voice on the 911 call. and now here's brian williams with a look at what's coming up tonight. >> good morning. coming up tonight, we'll know much more about what the supreme court decides. and whatever they come down with on the topic of health care, it will affect all of us by the end of the day. we'll look at all of it for you tonight on "nbc nicely news." >> and for a look at what's trending today, one of our favorite chefs around here paula deen is showing off her new slimmer self on the cover of "people" magazine. the queen of southern cooking

has dropped 30 pounds six months after she revealed she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. >> this reing is not getting a stamp of approval from twitter users. it's an anti-cheating wedding band engraved with "i'm married." this will set you back $550 and comes with a lifetime guarantee of till death and all that. >> and a new demo of google's goggles are racking up hits. you can share the experience of flying in realtime. google is also trying to take a bite out of apple's ipad dominance, unveiling its new nexus tablet computer. >> not bad. mr. roker is --

>> over here! >> right there. louisiana girl. what's your name? >> kennedy. >> and where in louisiana do you live? >> bell flat. >> you had to check with momve? >> bill plat. you had to check with mom first. you got it right. let's see what we have for you, our pick city of the day, seattle, washington. the home team, showers developing and a temperature of about 74 degrees. we've got a lot of heat in the midsection of the country, unfortunately. we're going to be looking at sunshine here in the east and look for some showers moving into the pacific northwest. and record highs stretching from the southwest into the upper ohio river valley. cincinnati, today, will get to 101, as well detroit. as will chicago. earliest 100 degree readings for those three cities. 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.

beautiful morning. temperatures are in the 60s to near 70 degrees and not very humid. gorgeous morning under way, but later today, it will heat up. near 90 by noon and then mid-90s mid-afternoon and some hew nidty beginning to creep in. very humid friday, saturday and sunday and extreme heat in the afternoons near 100 degrees. feel like 110 with humidity a >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thank you very much. when we come back, matthew mcconaughey is here. he's talking about life as a newlywed and his brand new movie. we'll get to that right after these messages. [ female announcer ] introducing a match made in skin heaven.

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back now at 8:09. matthew mcconaughey is having a great year. he got married to his long-time girl friend earlier this month and he has five movies out this year, the latest is called "magic mike," a stripper review, where mcconaughey plays the over-the-top boss named dallas. >> can you top this? can you top this? no, no, no, no, no. can you touch this? no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. the law says that you cannot touch, but i think i see a lot of law breakers up in this house tonight.

>> matthew mcconaughey, good morning. you look like you're having too good a time up there. >> oh, that was a ball. that was so much fun. >> first let me talk to you about getting marry to camilla. you've been together for such a long time. you're i'm sure enjoying being called a husband. but she didn't say yes at first? >> she didn't say yes right away. i took a knee. i said will you marry me and take my name? i won't say what she said but yes was not the first word out of her mouth. took around 30 seconds. i told her i'm on this knee, i'll outlast you, i'll stay down here for a while with a little chatter from my family and her family in the background, too. >> they all knew what was going on? >> they knew, she didn't. >> she was just shocked because i don't know who would say no to you. >> she said she was shocked. >> you had this big wedding, and were the two kids you have with camilla in the wedding as well?

>> they sure were. levi brought the rings on the necklace. vida brought the rose petals. i don't think she dropped one pet al. they -- >> sounds like a great time. not many people get engaged and learn how to strip at the same time. >> no coincidence. >> good for camilla. >> what caused you to decide you wanted to play this role? >> i got a call from steve soddenberg, never got a call from him, a director who i respect. there's this guy dallas who runs the show, the emcee, the

business man, believes he's the messiah of the male stripper universe. >> why did you say yes when you didn't have to take off all your clothes? >> well, i was going to regret it. if i was going to be in the one stripper movie of my life and i'm sure as heck not going to be a real stripper, i would have regretted not giving that a punt and not saying -- >> why? >> because it scared me. i don't want to do that and as soon as i said i don't want to do that, i said you got to do that. you got to give it a try. if i didn't do that, i would have regretted it. >> so you've always been a guy who likes to confront his fear. >> the fun fears, yes. and this was a fun one. >> really? there was a wardrobe malfunction in this one, want there? >> there was. i snuck out on that. >> i don't know what we can say on morning television. we're talking everything came

off. >> not everything. a thong with two little strings on the side when i was down in the mosh pit, and i felt it happen and i'm glad my ft hand knew what to instinctually know what to do and what to cover and i rolled out of there. >> you actually got so good at figures out these moves that you actually have names now -- >> i do have names now and i definitely cannot say any of those. >> i didn't know what the names were or i would not have asked. >> yesterday i had a lot of fun, we all danced outside. he is pretty cool about this having been a part his past, trying to make his way in life. how much did he help you get into the groove of thinking

what's going on in the minds of these young men? >> well here, shared some stories. we went to a male review in new orleans about an hour and a half and that was about all the behind-the-scenes research i felt like i needed to do. channing was sort of the technical adviser for everybody on the film. this was a time in his life, 18, 19, 20, which is a universal story for a lot of young men and women at that age and you're not sure what you want to do with your life and it's not a bad thing to make $200 for two hours at that age. >> and you get to stand up in front of 200 women screaming as you're taking off your clothes. describe that experience. what exactly is that like? >> the hardest part is that entrance from, okay, it's about to be action. you're going to step from behind the curtain on to the stage to go perform. the heart's ponding, very er -- pounding, very nervous.

and then after you get into it, it starts to get fun. when it's over three minutes later and everyone's on the ground laughing, including myself, you want to do it again. so you go out there and hopefully get take two. i mean, it a hoot. you're on the stage, it kind of fun rock star stuff, do you know? >> when you say you want to do it again -- >> no, no, no, i'm probably done. >> good. well, no, not good. >> with public displays of nudity, stripping. >> what are the other movies you have out. >> we had "bernie" come out. then "magic mike," then a film called "killer joe" where i play a hit man. that will come out july 28th. and october 6th "the paper boy" and a beautiful story called "mud" will be able out late next

fall or early next week. >> so life is great m. >> it is healthy. personal life is good, career feels good and we'll just keep on cultivating. >> keep doing it, matthew, mcconaughey. you're great. thanks so much for joining us. >> thank you. the movie is "magic mike" and it comes out in theaters tomorrow. >> and coming up, a special boy who got to live out his dream with derek jeter. that's coming up next. on like somebody had set it on fire. on and the doctor said, cindie, you have shingles. he said, you had chickenpox when you were a little girl... i said, yes, i did. i don't think anybody ever thinks they're going to get shingles. but it happened to me. for more of the inside story, visit shinglesinfo.com

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>> we're back here at 8 :20 with a special week here in new york city that even fans that boston red sox fans might be able to appreciate. hope week signs a spotlight on very special people and i got to be a part of it.

>> 3,000! derek jeter has done it. >> as far as heros go, they don't get any bigger than this. >> 3-2. that one is drilled deep to left field. that ball is going to be gone! see ya! >> world champions for the 27th time. >> but even heros need someone to look up to. and this week it's a 5-year-old with fortitude, a cook with compassion and horse lovers with unbridled heart. the yankees hope week is a week-long community service initiative bringing care, attention and a few surprises to deserving honorees. >> reach for the sky! >> this may just look like horsing around but for 9-year-old owen atkins, it's a chance to be like everyone else. >> walk on. >> flying manes provides riding therapy to children with special

needs like owen with cerebral palsy. and this year mark texeira is trading his gold glove for day in the saddle. >> i thought about when i was a kid honestly and just it's great for him to have some of the same experiences that i had. >> stole home, yeah. nice job, man. high five! >> stealing home and hearts. he's called the angel of queens, the superman of roosevelt avenue. jorge munoz, a former school bus driver, has been cooking and delivering meals on his on dime to the hungry and homeless every single day for the last eight years. but today jorge has some help in the kitchen. a few yankee chefs including robinson cano.

>> what's on the menu today? >> it's amazing what jorge has been able to do in the community. >> and the yankees wanted to help him by filling his pantry. and invading him to their house. >> jorge munoz will throw the ceremonial first pitch. >> it's clear for jorge sel selflessness is his main ingredient. and finally, my buddy. andy has a condition that requires him to stay out of the son and has left him legal live blind. like any little boy, he's dreamed about playing baseball and that dream has it and him all the way to yankee stadium, from throwing out the first pitch to high fiving the players after the game.

his energy and curiosity unending. >> what's that? >> that's an air conditioner. >> why do you get to have gum? >> i haven't had any gum yet. all the players walk in there and go in that door and shower and wash their clothes. >> oh, they'll be naked in there? will they be naked in there? >> for a little while. >> reporter: he was fearless, even when meeting yankee captain derek jeter. >> he's the captain of the new york yankees. >> what's the significance of hope week? you do this every single year for kids like andy and other kids. what's the significance? >> it draws attention to people doing great and wonderful things in the community. i think a lot of times they get overlooked and people do a lot of wonderful things. >> and it reminds you a little bit of priorities. playing ball is great but when you can help somebody with a gesture, a simple gesture, a shake of the hand, it must mean a lot.

>> no question. spending time. i think the easy way is to give money but when you look at people who give their time, i think that's something cherished a little bit more. >> reporter: even when it's getting a 5-year-old something as simple as water. >> i need this a little more cold. >> you need a colder water. >> captain, can you do that? >> yeah, i'll be right back in one second. >> and though andy may not appreciate it now, his parents know one day he will. >> this will sink in in ten years or so and he's going to look at the video and say i asked derek jeter to get me an ice cold water. >> but the thing is derek jeter got it for him. >> that's the story of the week without a doubt. >> and i loved spending the afternoon with andy. he's a great kid. >> just ahead, consumer reports ratings of chain restaurants. but first your local news.

i'm aaron gilchrist. we're about to crank up the heat. >> pleasant now, but by this afternoon, we'll be into the mid-and 90s and right now around 70 degrees. later today, more humid and most of the day, still not a lot of humidity, but a lot of sunshine but then, yes, the humidity does build in. in place tomorrow and through the weekend and first part of next week. cool count down a little bit by the fourth of july. highs near 100 tomorrow, saturday and sunday, aaron. >> thank you, tom. traffic is coming up next. stay wit

good morning. traveling southbound, baltimore avenue, closed from 410 to queensbury road. you want to take kendallworth avenue instead. beltway at 295. crash there. interloop blocking the right lane and the earlier crash now

moved to your right shoulder lane also at 295 and be aware of this. seeing significant delays on the inner loop as you make your way towards the inner loop. ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] go from being on the road to being on vacation. hilton honors. the guest loyalty program with over thirty-eight hundred hotels worldwide.

8:30 now on this thursday morning, the 28th day of june 2012. tomorrow if you stand by the plaza, you'll be treated to a concert from the grammy winning band maroon 5. you're listening to a little of their music right now. it should be a great summer

concert. stop boy in our 8:30 half hour. out on the plaza, with ann curry, al roker and natalie. what do we have coming up? >> we have an assessment of all the food you can choose between at chains, restaurant chains. "consumer reports" is out with the list and we'll give you the results coming up. >> and a lot of people heading to the beach this weekend and next week, july 4th. what are some of the best beach reads throughout? we have two great beth selling authors. they've got their picks for the hottest books to bring to the beach. >> speaking of hot, today's professionals are here. they're back and they'll be tackling some of the hottest issues of the day, including the latest change to facebook that has outraged many users. we'll have that and a lot, lot more. >> how about some weather? >> it is going it is going

to be down right hot. i mean, i was going to say darn and then tried to say down and i went asian on you. yeah. that's right. this really detearierates. showers in the pacific northwest and sizzling conditions through the south. as we move on into saturday, more heat continues. it is going to be rough, heat all the way up to new england and then sunday, sunday it stays even hotter with the northeast getting into the action with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s and more showers in the pacific northwest and sizzling weather and gulf coast and ohio river valley into central and southern california. that's what's going on around the country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> heat wave begins here this afternoon. good morning. tom kierein storm center 4. right now, though, it's pleasant. we're in the 70s and it's not very humid. we have some sunshine, just a few clouds floating through. later today, though, how to make it in the mid and low 90s later this afternoon and humidity

increases and in place friday through the weekend and each afternoon up near 100 degrees and it may feel like 110 when you factor in the humidity. small chance of isolated storms popping up. that's your latest weather. now let's check in with big willie scott. hey, uncle willie. >> here we are in the beautiful sculpture gardens at the national gallery of art. a lot of people walk past it and don't see it. it's right next to the national gallery. happy birthday from smukers. beautiful morning. leslie oldt, 100 years today plus seven. 107 approximately follows poll tex all the time and loves to cook for the family. >> eddie, it's a lovely lady because her father wanted a boy and said by god, i'm going to

name her after it. 105. loves to play wii bowling. never heard of it. i've heard of it. it's a video game, right? that's all i know. anyway, take a look at clarence. we're proud of clarence. he's the pride of portsmouth, virginia. clarence "ace" parker. he played as a professional football player and baseball player and is the oldest living member of the nfl hall of fame. yes, they are proud of him. and we have catherine babbitt of friendswood, texas, 100 years old today. proud veteran, served as a staff sergeant in world war ii, one of the lady members of our armed forces.

william murray from wheeling, west virginia, 100 years old today, world war ii veteran and was on the first boat that landed on k day. send shivers up my spine. lillian and don corbin, sarasota, florida. they've been married five years and they love to cruise all over the place. >> thank you so much. coming up next we're going to get the consumer reports ratings of the best restaurant chains as voted on by you but first this is "today" on nbc.

. americans spent $1.7 billion a day eating out at restaurants. what are the best chain restaurants in the country? nearly 48,000 diners weighed in

on their favorites in this month's "consumer reports." todd marks is here with the results. four basic criteria, right? >> food, mood, value and service. it doesn't get any more elemental than that. >> did all of them carry the same weight? >> they're all key parameters, they're all the same. >> let's get right to the italian. one of the best rated was bravo cucina italiana and the low was ram romanio's macaroni grill. >> romano's did about average. and bravo, which is according to the size did an exemplary level. >> in food and in quality of ambience. >> part of the mood, which is

part of the dining experience. it's very important. >> let's move on to the pub style or grill, on the highnd you have houlihan's and on the low, hard rock cafe. why? >> houlihan's has improved their game in recent years. >> it's subdued. >> you want to talk about hard rock, a lot of people gave it bad marks for value. that pulled it down. and it was also considered it had worse servicing, more people complained about than any other restaurant. >> hard rock responded saying today's report doesn't align with our own independent research and isn't indicative of our recent business performance. let's move on to the family

category. first watch was on the highnd and friend lip's on the low. >> if you've never heard of first watch, you should. they've topped the ratings for a long time. they're informal, great for kid, indestructible and you can be yourself. they generally lack when it comes to the quality of the food and the service. >> friendly's has been at the lower end of the ratings but they fell short, especially in the cleanliness area. >> let me give friendly's their say. they said as friendlies emerged from bankruptcy in january of this year, the company has had a singular focus on improving the customer experience in every one of our 389 restaurants across the 16 states. we understand the root cause of this issue and have seen recent improvements in our customer experiences. maybe they'll be on the up swing next time around.

let's talk about other major chains, cheese cake factory, red lobster, uno's. >> very big chain, middle of the road chains. they're above average but the bar has been raised so there are better players in their respective categories. >> as i mentioned, $1.7 billion a day spent by americans in restaurants. some quick tips, snip out some specials or eat when others don't eat or eat at the bar. >> you order off a smaller menu. you can even get cheap drinks at fancy restaurants. >> and join an e club. >> at imaginian open's just for signing up, you get a $10 coupon for your first meal. >> reporter: to find the full resorts, you can head to today.com. up next, two best selling authors share ♪ eir

oh yeah, this is what a weekend getaway should feel like. and does. if you're here that is. feel the fun. feel the hamptonality.

back now with today's sizzling summer reads. two best selling authors are here with their picks of this year's 12 must reads. charlesaine harris and janet evanovich. good morning. >> good morning. >> we're going to break this into three categories. the first one is the beach season. charlene, you like "wicked autumn" and "let's pretend." >> i love both of them.

"wicked autumn" has a priest who is a former agent. it's fun, it's not too serious. it's wonderful to read. >> and "let's pretend this never happened? >> it's fabulous, it's bitter, it's funny, i laughed so hard tears came to my eyes. >> that sounds like a good beach read. janet, you like joan rivers' book "i hate everyone starting with me." >> yeah, yeah, i love joan rivers. she's funny and there's such an element of truth to all these funny things that she says. i started a book tour flying out of florida in the middle of a tropical storm and i had joan with me. so if i could laugh through that, that's a good book. >> so the laughter translates from the page. >> yes.

>> and you like "the after wife." >> very compelling. it starts off with the death of a husband but it's about a strong woman. it's very well written. it's a page turner. very uplifting and funny book. very entertainmenting. >> it rocket yours emotion around. >> it does but it picks up and it's not some read. you like "the rook" by daniel o'malley. >> i love that look. it opens with a woman standing in a circle of corpses and she had no idea who she is and she she nodes she needs to retrace people. it's incredibly complex, weirdly funny and just fascinating all the way through. >> and "defending jacob."

>> that's a more serious book temperature. defending jacob, if you're a parent, can you identify with the central character very strongly. he's a district attorney whose son is accused of murdering a classmate. and there's a lot of discussion about the violence. >> it has some serious -- >> it's a chewier book. >> speaking of chewy, your rainy day pick is a little different. you have "media raw." >> i love anthony. he's gorgeous, he goes to places i would never go, he eats food i don't have the courage to eat and this book is so beautifully written. he writes better than i do so of course i hit him for that. >> but you at mitt it. it's a great book about the food industry. it's very entertaining.

>> and then lady karn eelus f m from -- it's a wonderful book about a woman at the turn of the century. >> we could either be talking about scary mysteries or the romance novels so "once burned" about jannine frost? >> i picked one of each. >> look at those rippling pecks. >> she ripples pecks with the best of them. jannine frost is an intelligent, witty writer who has chosen romance as her genre and super natural romance at that. >> and those across the river by christopher biehlman. >> scary. scary, scary, scary. >> "heat rises" for you, janet. >> again, this has the television tie-in. we don't actually know who

writes these books but it's a good mystery story, good sexual tension, a fun read. >> and rafa and then -- if they had a whole body shot, i would have paid twice as much. >> maybe the sequel you'll get the mid section. thanks for your picks. we're back in a moment but first this is "today" on nbc.

welcome back, everybody. it's 8:50. this is not easy to say but this is going to be my last day as a co-host of "today." i'm going to be part of the family still but i'll have a new title and new role. i never expected to leave this couch after 15 years but i am so grateful, especially to all of you who watch because matt and i and everyone who sit on this couch weeks often call ourselves a family but you are the real "today" show family. you are why i have ventured into dangerous places and interviewed vick tateors and jumped off of planes and bridges and climbed mountains and landed in the south pole and convinced the dalai lama to come live in our

studio. i have loved you and i've wanted to give you the world and i still do. they're giving me some fancy new titles, which essentially means i'll get tickets to every story we want to cover with a terrific team of my choosing and we're going to go all ofrt world and all over the country at a time when the country needs clarity. we're being given the chance to do the work most of us got into skrournlism to do. t -- got into journalism to do. after all of these years, i don't even know if i can sleep in anymore. i'm not sure if i can but i know whatever time i wake up, i'll be missing you and i'll be believing in you. i love all of you, especially all of you who are behind the scenes, behind the cameras, i love you guys, mark and anthony, all of you guys, davey, i love all of you. and i love all of our brilliant, brilliant producers. and for all of you who saw me as

a ground breaker, i'm sorry i couldn't carry the ball over the finish line but, man, i did try. so to all of you who watch, thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me touch yours and thank you for your tweets and your e-mails and for your support and i will keep trying. i'm so sorry i've turned into a sob sister this morning, please forgive me and i hope you'll miss me well. >> oh, do we. i'll start with the group and i'll say something we've said a thousand times. you have the biggest heart in the business. >> i wear it on my sleeve this morning. >> no, you put it on display every single day in this studio and you have for, what, almost 20 years on this show? the way you care about people comes through in every single story you report. there could be a thousand examples. a few we just want to remind our viewers about. i will never forget the way you handled the story of those american hikers who were held

captive in iran, the ordeal they went through and your interview with ahmadinejad and because of you that we were told he would release those hikers. >> and i recall the tsunami and the day you reunited that family with their daughter. >> they were great, great family. >> and you being the queen of tweet, you were able to use the power of twitter and reunite them. >> but our whole team was involved with that. that was so nice. and thank you. >> and most recently, ann, who could forget the incredible efforts you are still making and will continue to make to help all of those military families who are returning to the front lines and you helped with the

hiring heros campaign to help them find jobs and that was your doing. >> i'm proud of the show. >> you have a beautiful voice and you're going to continue to use it. >> thank you, my sister. i'm proud of the show for putting that kind of material on tv. i'm really sorry, forgive me. >> can we just say it's not good-bye, not by a long shot. we're going to continue to put you on planes, maybe jump out of one or two. you'll be with us at the olympics. most importantly you've made us better and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. >> thank you. thank you so much. >> we'll be back with more.

good morning, 8:56 on this thursday, june 28th. i'm angie goff. let's go to tom kierein with a look at our hot forecast. >> not hot yet, but it will be. right now, off to a pleasant start. good morning, still not very humid.

temperatures in the mid and upper 70s and hit the mid-90s this afternoon and then the humidity rolls in tonight and will be in place friday and through the weekend with afternoon highs near 100 degrees each day. it will feel like 110 when you factor in the humidity. as we head towards the fourth of july, a littl

good morning. traveling southbound route 1 baltimore avenue now at queensbury road. your right lane blocked earlier and all southbound lanes were blocked and now just the right lane. outer loop at new hampshire avenue, jammed. the lanes continue to i-270 and take you 35 minutes to get there. >>

we're back now with more of "today" on a thursday morning, the 28th of june 2012. a nice crowd of people gathered outside our studios this morning on a pretty thursday morning. we're hoping that the weather will be continuing this way as we have our summer concert tomorrow morning. i'm matt lauer along with natalie and savannah guthrie and al roker. we have our panel of professionals. >> the question is whether cookies should get political.

we'll have them weigh in on that and other hot topics in the news. >> speaking a hot, a new twist on sun protection. there's clothing that has actually spf protection built right in. >> a lot to get to. let's check out the headlines. natalie's here on the sofa. >> from the supreme court a key and long awaited ruling on health care reform. this morning the high court rules on the constitutionality of the health care overall and its so-called individual mandate, which requires that americans buy health insurance or face a federal fine. the hall mark of the obama presidency 26 states and small businesses challenged it. the decision of the court could be one of the most important in generations affecting virtually all americans. >> another tough day on the front lines for firefighters.

with the fires nowhere near contained in colorado, thousands of homes remain threatened. >> prosecutors have a recording to compare to 911 calls that night. investigators took george zim r zimmerman back to the scene of the shooting and asked him to call out for help. >> if you're one of the many people struggling to lose weight, there may be a new pill to help. the fda on wednesday approved the first long-term weight loss pill in more than a decade. belviq is meant for adult who is are obese and overweight and suffer with add laet one medical complication such as diabetes or high cholesterol. the fda says it may help people to eat less and feel full. >> results of a new cambridge university study may put a spiel on some women's faces.

the study finds men who help with household chores, that means doing the cooking, cleaning and dishes, they are happier, healthier and have a better sense of well being. expert suggest it may have something to do in part with feeling less guilty. take note husbands. >> don grady who played fred mcmurray's show "my three sons" has died. he was receiving hospice care at his home. don grady was 68. >> now with the los angeles glass glas gla galaxy, david beckham did not make the european team.

>> a survey found if there were ever an alien invasion, 65% of americans feel president obama would be better suited than mitt romney in handling that. it's a bizarre survey. >> that's just ridiculous. >> okay. >> meanwhile, on to other things. if your mom ever told to you chew your food slowly, you're going to really appreciate this. peanut here, the turtle, his eyes apparently birg than his st -- bigger than his stomach, eating a raspberry. >> it's like a yule log. >> it is mesmerizing. >> speaking of ufos, it's 4 minutes past the hour. >> it's good of david beckham to say he hopes the british team wins the gold as owe o opposed to saying i'm not on the team, i hope they go down in the first

round. >> mr. roker. >> unfortunately as natalie told you, we have horrible wildfires out there. weather is not going to help. scattered afternoon storms, dry winds will be bringing in storm winds of 45 miles per hour. we've got fire danger warnings, red flag warnings from nevada to ohio up into michigan. and then we've also got heat to talk about. we've got dangerous heat. we've got heat watches, heat warnings and heat advisories from texas as far forth as minnesota and as far east as ohio with 27 states and 50milli affected by 100 degree plus readings. 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. just past 9:00, temperatures into the 70s throughout most of the region and reagan national at 78. humidity levels will increase by tonight and will be with us friday, saturday and sunday with highs reaching mid-90s.

today ought to be even hotter than that as we get into the weekend afternoons. just a small chance of an isolated thunderstorm popping up. and as we head towards the fourth of july, a little bit cooler, but sti >> that's your latest weather. savannah? ♪ i've been taking care of business ♪ >> now to today's professional the, star jones, donny deutsch and dr. nancy snyderman is here. >> we have an account from a stanford police detective who said one of the ways zimmerman could have deescalated the confrontation is if he had identified himself as a neighborhood watch captain. star, you're our lauer. is this legally significant as we look at this case? >> i literally screamed at my own television when i saw the news and said "duh." that would have been one of the two things he could have done. one, not get out of the car.

two identified himself. it never ceases to amaze me that people assumed that zimmerman was afraid of trayvon but never for the first time thought trayvon may have been in fear of zimmerman. he may have been in fear of some dude walking down the street confronting him. >> donny and nancy, does this change your opinion of the case? >> we'll never know what happened. it's a tragic case. >> it will be interesting to hear with the new recordings versus the scream that night if everything will turn on that. we were talking about plea daelts deals or how this is going to go down. he should never have gotten out of the car. it's a disaster that never should have been. >> this is an extraordinary case and unusual facts but on the issue of neighborhood watch captains, is this a service or something that outlived its usefulness?

is it capable of abuse? >> it's capable of abuse or we wouldn't be talking about it. >> you can have abuse in any situation where you put two human beings together. i think it's positive for people to take matters and protect their communities. >> how about, hello, i'm george zimmerman, i'm a part of the neighborhood watch. are you a part of the neighborhood? extend your hand. all of a sudden it's not that confrontational. >> that's not reality. >> it is reality if you treat people the way you want to be treated. >> it's not a congenial situation. >> you have to question why wasn't it a congenial situation? you approached it in a negative way. >> and why pro actively is someone carrying a gun? we will prove on to a top. they did this oreo for a symbol of pride for the gay communities. there were comments for it,

against it. donny, is it a good idea for companies like this to get involved in a political issue? >> the issue aside, here's what should govern a decision and only one thing. their shareholders. they have a responsibility, all corporations have a responsibility to the people that invest in their company to sell their product. having said that, if they made a calculated and i think this is a smart decision that taking that stand and maybe con temporizing the grand and building an emotional bond is right for selling cookies and it's the right decision. my company did the first commercial, two gay guys shopping for furniture. that was a company about inclusion and it was right for their brand. >> i like what donny says in terms of it being business oriented but a moral standing ground. you sort of say this feels good but i'm doing it because it makes sense.

>> you are agree, though, there's nobody a bigger supporter of game rights than me. but having said that, if it was not right for their business. >> i found it very interesting that the cookie is 100 years old. they made a very decided opinion. i'm not an investor in this company but i'm a consumer and i love my oreos. i loved this! loved it, loved it, loved it! purely as a consumer. >> if you didn't agree with the sentiment, would that make you leave the brand? >> yes, as a matter of fact i left a brand this week, whichly tell you about off camera. >> let's talk about facebook. it cot in some trouble with some of its use thers week because it changed the e maim address that users had provided as part of its profiles to a facebook.com address. facebook says we did tell our users but maybe we didn't adequately warn them.

are they on thin ice this morning, as far as a privacy issues? >> i think this connectivity, the whole thing with the ipo, this brand is in trouble. i don't want to -- remember i told you that for a lot of reasons it's going to keep coming down and down and down. >> i was in a meeting silicon valley. they all have stopped using facebook. they think that the previouscy issues are so egregious that they no longer do it and this was the heart and soul of the silicon valley. >> now that young people are starting to feel as it if their business is being put out on the street and it not cool anymore, once they think it's no longer cool -- >> it's not even the privacy issue, it's -- >> it's not cool. >> let me be devil's advocate

for one second, if you give your information to facebook, do you in any way assume the risk -- >> yes. i don't have anything on my facebook that i wouldn't want my grandmother to see. >> have you seen this ring. on the inside it's engraved "married." if you were to slip off that ring, your finger would still say married. is this an idea whose time has come or if you need the ring you have a problem? >> a lot of times women are attracted to men with rings because it's not a long-term commitment. >> you are so wise, it's going to stop you from cheating.

it does not matter -- >> what is officially a hoochy? >> a hoochy is a person that even if you're running for the president of the united states and the wife is dying of cancer, you will still go after him. that is a hoochy. >> do you spell it with a ie or a y? >> ie. >> no one in anyway mai family wear as wedding ring, including my parents. >> well, the commitment's there. >> you try to end on a high note but you just won't let it happen. >> coming up who takes the cake for the best cake in or contest. there are the contestants coming up. i'm a typical mom. i go to amusement parks. and my kid's games. and just like any typical mom i'm thrilled when my champion loves to eat something nutritious,

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on our "quest for the best," we asked you to send in your best homemade birthday cakes. from a wide range of entries, we've narrowed it down to three finalists this morning. ladies, good morning. they're here with their cakes. good to you have here, mona, kelly and as well as i'm sorry, emily, i'm going to taste test all of your cakes but instead we decided to get a real pro here. how excited will you be to hear that martha stewart -- martha is going to be here to judge the cakes. come on in, martha! and martha is a real pro here. she's going to tell us what she's looking for. tell me what do you look for when you're judging these cakes?

>> i look for creativity, originality, i look for beautiful design and i look for taste. >> of course. fantastic. >> and that's all in the execution of a baked cake. these are quite something. >> they are. of course you all have, you know, you're home and you're working on these creations but i understand, moania your husband helped come up with the design plan, is that right? the champagne bubble cake here? >> he came up with the idea of a champagne bottle for a dear friend of mine for her 40th birthday. >> let's give it a try, martha. >> you can make the most beautiful cake and if it doesn't taste good, what the heck. >> right. and this -- now i understand there's a minty chocolate flavor in there? >> there's a mint ganache and brownie and -- >> it's a brownie, chocolate cake and ganache in the middle.

>> and the frosting t? >> it's plain frosting but there's a layer of dark right there. >> now we have our nasle cake. >> this was for a child? >> yes, it was for my sister's child's first birthday. we do big birthdays for first birthdays. >> i can see that. >> what's the sand? >> it's graham crackers. >> what else is the basin siin the case? >> it's a chocolate kate with peanutbutt

peanutbutter mousse. the towers are rice crispies and -- and the towers, too? >> last but not least we have emily. i hear you do all of your bake being. you're a college student at the university of vermont. what does your roommate think about that? >> the top is the best part of the cake. i've been decorating cakes since high school. >> this is your whimsical guard i don't know cake. people slug toll make their cakes flat but you see this is by intention sp. >> it is by intention. i followed through. >> wow, that's pretty hard to do. >> she has quite a career here. >> and look how nice the slice is. >> it's perfectly layered.

so it's a chocolate base? >> it is a chocolate base with an italian butter cream? >> how long does it take to put something together like this if you're doing it every detail from scratch? >> you have to make fondant a day in advance and let it sit. >> are you thinking of going into cake decorating? >> i am but i'm going to school. >> how many minutes do have i? >> you have 20 seconds as i work my way back here. they're all maamazing. >> they are all original and creative but in terms of taste and it always comes down to taste for me despite the other categories --

>> appearances and everything else. >> that one there. >> emily! all right! emily takes the prize this time, our first ever "quest for the best." martha, if you would do the honors. >> emily takes the cake. >> oh, wow, look at this. >> that is quite a trophy. >> congratulations. keep up with your baking. medical school is good, too. if you know how to bake, you can all pay for medical school. >> coming up next, we're also going to take a turn. our next search on today's "quest for the best" is for the best comedian to the country. three finalists win a trip. and still to come this morning,

stylish summer clothes that protect you from the sun. but first these messages. n you . great grains. great grains cereal starts whole and stays whole. see the seam? more processed flakes look nothing like natural grains. i'm eating what i know is better nutrition. mmmm. great grains. search great grains and see for yourself. [ female announcer ] weak, damaged hair needs new aveeno nourish+ strengthen. active naturals wheat formulas restore strength for up to 90% less breakage in three washes. for strong, healthy hair with life, new aveeno nourish+ strengthen. ♪ spread a little love my way ♪ ♪ spread a little something to remember ♪ [ female announcer ] fresh milk and real cream makes philadelphia and the moment a little richer. ♪ ♪ [ birds chirping ] unh! [ female announcer ] oikos greek yogurt.

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[ birds chirping ] unh! [ female announcer ] oikos greek yogurt. possibly the best yogurt in the world. it is 9:26. good morning. i'm aaron gilchrist thursday, june 28th. tom kierein has a check of our forecast. >> still pleasant, not too humid. temperatures in the upper 70s much of the area and bright sun now coming down and we'll have that with us throughout the rest of the day, not a lot of humidity, but heat. we'll make it into the mid-90s by mid-afternoon and then the humidity rolls in tonight and will be in place friday, saturday and sunday and each day up near 100 degrees during the afternoons with a high humidity and just a small chance of

good morning. checking out the beltway for you, sluggish. if you're traveling in virginia

making your way from the interchange heading to the dulles toll road, you're at 32 miles per hour on the interloop in that area. montgomery county still very slow, just looking

♪ don't worry, nobody got hurt. but they sure know how to rock. the grammy award winning band maroon 5 has a new album in stores. they're going to be here tomorrow to rock the plaza with songs from their new album. come on down to the plaza tomorrow here on "today." >> adam levine can take a punch." that's going to leave a mark! >> absolutely. >> coming up in this half hour,

protecting yourself in the summer sun. we all know the drill about sunscreen but now clothing marvers are getting into the act with uv protection built right into the clothing. >> that's right. experts say we're in for a very buggy summer because of the mild and moist summer. lou is leer wihere to keep thoss pests away. but enough about yourin-law jok. let's show you what we got. first of all, starting with tomorrow. rain in the pacific northwest and warm through the great lakes and new england and sizzling in the southern half of the country with record highs in the midsection of the u.s. for saturday, we're expecting more rain and the coastal pacific northwest and sizzling through the southeast and gulf coast into the southwest. hot even to the northeast of new england and then sunday, sunday we're looking at more showers along the coast and the pacific northwest and the sizzling

weather continues mid-atlantic states and into the upper plains and the upper mississippi river and ohio river valleys. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> starting to heat up. tom kierein storm center 4 and all these areas on orange and those are areas into the 80s. eastern shore and parts of northern virginia already now hitting the low 80s and reagan national on the potomac is at 78. later today should be into the mid-90s mid-afternoon. getting more humid tonight and into the weekend. each day hazy, hot and hum >> and that's your latest weather. >> coming up next, summer fashions that provide sun protection for the whole family. but first these messages. where choice is on the menu. start with all the fresh salad and warm breadsticks you want. choose 2 appetizers made for sharing. then 2 entrées from 6 of our favorites. classics like eggplant parmigiana

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of any traditional mattress brand. ergonomics. [ male announcer ] tempur-pedic. the most highly recommended bed in america. [ female announcer ] visit a participating retailer and save up to $600 on a tempur-cloud supreme mattress set. ♪ this morning on today's "moms," built in sun protection to your clothing. she has fashionable items that will help you protect against the sun's race. we have to talk about the da dangers of skin cancer. it's the most preventable kind of cancer every year. >> doctors are seeing an increase of 75,000 people diagnosed with melanoma.

the fashion companies are finally taking note. you're going to see items that have upf and fpf ratings. no matter what we show today, you're going to see some good fashions. you have to make sure you're still applying sunscreen to the exposed part of your bodies. that's the nitty-gritty science. let's get to the fashions. >> we have a beautiful couple dressed for a barbecue. and they are also going to be well protected. come on out. >> it's a perfect mix of cool and casual. we wanted to put her in something that's really lightweight. we love the summery feel of this. this has an fps 50 plus rating. it will block 50% of the sun's rays. that is $75.

that's a real life couple. her boyfriend kevin, we put him in a cue baseball short and those also have a upf of 50 plus. and the hat, you always need a hat. that's from sunday afternoon. everything you see here isnd unr 100. >> thank you very much. we wanted something a little more stylish for a picnic. come out, joan. >> we really wanted to elevate the look. i think we accomplished that with joan who is going to a picnic. this is from cabana light. it's $90. we love the beading around the neck. this company was started by a fashion editor who was also a skin cancer survivor.

and you see a lot of companies come out of san diego, australia. you can trust that everything here has a upf and you'll be protected. >> this is amazingly stylish, wearing this even over a bathing sued. >> thank you so much. it looks beautiful on you especially. next you want to take your whole family out for an outing. ali taking christian and stella. ali is one of our producers and these are her kids. >> putting sunscreen on a child can be like wrestling a giant worm, right? very difficult to do. >> very hard. >> you want to get them in these kind of clothing because it really will protect them and they'll look adorable. let's start with christian, a columbia top and lands end shorts. you're looking for something comfortable for the long hall. every that the kid are wearing,

we have stella in lands end, that's all moisture wicking. it's great if they want to go on a water ride because it will absorb all that. and ali, one of my favorite girls, she's looking super stylish. the skirt is actually a skort. it's 40d and it's shorts underneath. she'll be super comfortable. it has a temperature regulating system so when it senses high temperatures, it cools you down. >> all of their outfits are so cute. >> you're smiling now. yay! thanks, ali. and finally, you dressed cassandra head to toe. >> this is more of a party, wear

fib rick and light colored clothing. people are freaking out saying that's sun protection? we tacked about the right red hat. that hat is $55 and with every purchase 5d goes to stand up for cancer, for skin cancer research. so that's a great thing to buy. and the pants are draw strings, they're really comfortable. you really can find affordable options that are stylish and functional because you're getting protected from the sun. >> i don't know if you guys can hear me, but if you can come back out one last time. thank you to our models and congratulations on your little girl. coming up next, we'll have more of our summer survival guide.

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♪ i don't like spiders and snakes ♪ >> this morning on today's "healthy home," staying bug free this center. the weather has provided the perfect breeding ground for bugs that bite, sting and ruin your garden. today we have effective ways to keep those bugs and pests at bay.

good to see you. >> good morning. >> so it's that time of year. it looks like it's going to be a really bad bug season. >> it's been dry in a lot of the country but they're still out there. even though we haven't talked a lot about west nile virus yet, it is out there. it's very important to protect yourself. it really starts personally with repellent. >> and a lot of folks say i'm worried about putting deet on. >> deet is the most effective repellant. there are some forms of non-deet that work but i've found that deet is the most effective. there are different percentages of deet within them. the american pediatric association, with children no more than 7%. for adult, 15% is the max. you don't need anything more than that. >> a lot of people say spray it on the clothing.

>> even better. >> does citronella work? >> it does work when there's a breeze at night. in europe they use the oil as a repellent. the breeze is not your best friend when it comes to mosquitoes. >> you say you can pretreat areas? >> these hose attachments, these products you can go and treat the grass, put it on the hose an hour before you have a party, it will permeate an odor to help repel the mosquitoes. it is not a replacement to mosquitos but it will help you. >> standing water is where mosquitos breed. get rid of it if you can. these dunks form a film over the water so the lar va can't hatch.

>> and then there are some old school things. >> that's called a fly swatter. this is a wife's sale, a zip lock bag filled with water with tin foil or pennies in it, hung offer the door in the sunlight. this is for flies. there's certainly about the reflection with shiny objects they perceive as danger and they won't come in here. it works well with horses. >> what about plants? >> there's moisture in these plants so they come and eat it. there's a ton of different products on the marketplace can you use. this seven, this powder, is one of the industry standards to springle. it's broad spectrum coverage -- >> safe? >> safe to a point. i don't want it on your vegetables. the organic products, ortho bug

be gone, whitney farms has a -- that's not the bottle. ultimately you're going to eat this food and i don't want to you put this stuff on there. >> grubs. this is the time of year to put the grub control down. this can ruin your lawn. this product by jonathan green is really effective. it goes down once, it will kill them. this is a broad spectrum grub control that can even help ants around the perimeter of your home. follow the instructions and you will be bug free. >> coming up next, we'll span the world with the one and only len berman. first this is "today" on nbc.

we're playing the olympic music for you. we're going to take you on a wild ride through the whacky,

wonderful world of sports. >> june featured the miami heat and the u.s. open but what were sure the top sports of the month. let's go "spanning the world." >> unbelievable! >> all right. on your mark, get set and play ball. the best catch to end the game, derek salberg, lower columbia college washington state. this is a fly-off catch. it ended the game. our oops of the month. when you go to give usain bolt flores at the end of the race, you might actually wait until he slows down. >> look at the kid in the first round, he sticks his tongue out at the batter. that's not nice. so take that, kid! and it's time now to come in from the bullpen. no, not you. get back in there! >> our dangers of the month. rugby is not dangerous to play.

it's the celebration. >> oh! >> oh, my goodness! that's not good. >> and in monaco, connor daly and nobody got hurt! >> we have lots of fans of the month. the best place to drink your chocolate milk is right out of the stanley cup. >> i got to get me one of those mankinis. in italy. in houston corey scott catches the home run ball and it's his 11th birthday. happy birthday. our ballpark moment. it was star wars night in arizona and our sideline reporter princess leya. and who was that yuts on the field during the rain delay? oh, bill murray. that's who it is. never mind. our reporters of the month. who better to do the weather than lakers forward meta world

peace. >> and to get from this island to this island, take a boat. >> nice. >> and in front of the tv camera, you just might attract the attention of beer drinking dutch soccer fans. >> our p.a. announcer of the month, ray play who introduced michael jordan all those years. >> michael jordan! >> well, he does the honors at a wedding. >> guest of honor, amanda and sean! >> and our happy ending of the month, in columbus, ohio, she stepped to help lift up a competitor who had fallen and to cross the finish line. >> we love you as always, len.

>> a little soft ending. >> but had you that mankini in middle. >> i have to get me one of those. >> tell her about the shrinkage, jerry! >> coming up, kathie lee and hoda back with channing tatum. we got to stick around for that one. >> and ambush makeovers after your local news and weather. [ female announcer ] the son of a single mom. proud father of two daughters. president obama knows

that women being paid 77 cents on the dollar for doing the same work as men isn't just unfair... it hurts families. so the first law he signed was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act to help ensure that women are paid the same as men for doing the exact same work. because president obama knows that fairness for women means a stronger middle class for america. [ obama ] i'm barack obama and i approve this message.

good morning, 9:57 on this thursday, june 28th. i'm angie goff. so far it's a nice day outside. let's check in with meteorologist tom kierein. >> we're rapidly warming up as we approach 10:00 and temperatures climb into the 80s throughout much of the region and reagan national now at 83 and southern maryland already into the mid-80s there and it will continue to climb into the mid-90s by mid-afternoon with gradually increasing humidity,

but not too bad. a lot of sun, though, today. tomorrow high heat and high humidity and in place through the weekend with a small chance of an afternoon thunderstorm and a greater chance on sunday. and a little bit cooler, but still rather humid on the fourth of july. how's traffic? >> still seeing delays. the outer loop, you're slow as you head to the dulles toll road. on 395, still just a bit under speed and not too bad here at duke. as you get to the 14th street bridge, it will take you 45 minutes to get there from the beltway. >> don't forget to tune in >> don't forget to tune in tomorrow to "news 4

captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello, everybody! welcome to thirsty thursday. it's june 28th. we are delighted to have you with us. it's a bit of a sad day. >> today it was announced after 15 years, ann murre ku murre cu she would be leaving as co-host of the "today" show. she is going to have a seven member team, travel the globe

and report on stories she cares a lot about and loves. >> nobody better at it than she is. take a listen to her this morning. >> this is not easy to say, but today is going to be my last morning as a regular co-host of "today." i'll still be part of the "today" show family, but i'll have a new title and new role. this is not as i ever expected to leave this couch after 15 years, but i am so grateful. especially to all of you who watch. >> a class act. >> she talked about the family. we are glad she is going to stay a part of our family. >> we loved having her around. >> i wish her all the joy she deserves. because she does. she finds great joy in doing things i can't even imagine doing. >> going places. >> and going places. she is very courageous. she is a very dedicated to what she does. she is going to bring great stories from all over the world.

>> she is fearless. i know a lot of you guys ask about this and we are here to deliver good news. our mugs. you now how you wanted them? you can't get them yet. you can preorder them on the nbc universal store.com. they should be in stock in mid july. >> at the nbc experience store. >> what takes so long? >> the question is why do you want them? why? who wants to look at that one. >> that's not great. >> and the cartoon. >> how much are they? >> $14. >> did we say that already? >> i just did. >> that's expensive -- for a mug? >> is it? >> yes. it is. okay. >> i have nothing to say about it. we don't get a penny out of it. if you like us and you want to drink out of us, who are we to judge? we are very happy that you do.

>> it does make a lovely gift. >> so there is breaking news when it comes to weight loss. this is a big deal. it mate "nightly news" as one of the top stories. the fda approved a new weight loss pill. there has not been a pill on the market since fen-phen which was 13 years ago or so. this is called belvique. you have to be at least 30 pounds overweight. i guess the rub is, you have to take the pill and diet and exercise, so what's the point of that? >> so it's not great news. >> it's so-so news. >> it helps you, apparently, lose 3% of your starting weight within a year. >> more than would you normally lose. >> if you just started exercising and eating right, you would probably lose more than 3%. >> dr. nancy said to be cautious about this drug. with any pill, what is it for every action there is an equal

and opposite reaction? >> good for you, hodi. >> i learned that in high school. there are going to be obviously some side effects. >> somebody who's done it the old fashioned way we know of is on the cover of "people" magazine this week. paula deen has lost -- look at her, she looks great. she lost 30 pounds. >> she lost it where no one can lose it in your belly. it's so hard to lose your tummy. >> you stop drinking alcohol and you lose it in your belly. >> really? >> notice mine hasn't changed in a long time. good for her. she is admitting now she was not right about all that -- she's diabetic. she got creamed from the press waiting three years to tell everybody about it. we are happy for her. when she is here, just lights up the studio. she is a doll. so good for her. >> i'm glad she's on the cover of "people." >> yeah. for something good as opposed to something -- >> something not so great.

>> something your mother is embarrassed by. >> there is a controversy brewing. there was a woman who worked in a restaurant, okay? i guess the restaurant wanted more foot traffic. they asked all the waitresses to wear skimpier outfits, tighter skirts. she felt uncomfortable. she said i don't want to wear that skimpy skirt. i didn't sign on for hooters. too bad. they took her hours and cut her hours way back. >> they did not force her to wear the skirt, but they did cut her hours way back. >> she ended up quitting because she couldn't make a living. now she is suing claiming sexual harassment. wrongful termination and unpaid wages. they are saying she quit and we are not paying her. >> usually i don't like anything that smacks of a lawsuit that is just not justified, but in this case, she had already been working there for a long time. you don't change the rules mid stream on people and get mad at

them if they don't love the new rules. especially if you have a personal aversion to something like -- she wants to be a modest woman. somebody seems to have a little kinky thing about little skirts, school girl things. i would be uncomfortable with it, too, unless i had really great legs. >> then i'd say, yes. sign me up. >> no, no. i'm on her side for this one. i think she is justified. they are saying we didn't fire her, she quit, but if you can't make a living, what's the point? >> they cut you back so far you have no choice. >> yeah. because they don't like to pay, what's it called? >> up employment? >> yes. >> that stuff. if you've ever seen one of those men with a unibrow and you think why don't they just pluck the middle? it's about to be trendy. a university of kentucky basketball player named anthony davis is in talks trademark

his unibrow. look at it. >> oh, my gosh, is that real? >> yes. he has a saying. >> a little like little richard. >> it's called "you are are's the brow." . >> that is really attractive. i think it's going to catch on. why wouldn't it? it's so attractive. think of the time you'll save. i must spend good morning, everyone. the u.s. supreme court has just handed down one of the most anticipated decisions in decades. a ruling on president obama's signature health care law that is sure to have sweeping ramifications for millions of americans and politically impact the presidential race as well.

nbc's justice correspondent pete williams is now poring through that decision. he has it in his hands. we're going to get to him at the supreme court in a couple minutes. i'm also joined by david gregory, of course, our moderator of "meet the press" and savannah guthrie is our legal correspondent. she joins me here many new york. while we wait for pete to go through the document that's probably more of a novel, let's talk about the options the justices had. >> we think it will be a lengthy opinion because there are four discreet issues before the court. number one, is it time for the justices to hear this case? it's basically a jurisdictional question, whether it's premature for them to decide the case right now. if they say, we can decide it right now, they get on to the central issue, whether that individual mandate that requires every american to get a minimum amount of health insurance, whether that exceeds the federal government's power under the constitution. if the court were to strike down that mandate, they'd have another more complicated question. how much of that more than 1,000-page law could survive? could they sever it?

would they have to strike it all down? finally, one last issue. there's a huge expansion of medicaid in this law. some states have said it's so big, it puts such a burden on us, it violates the federal government's power. >> we might not be in for one decision here. we could be in for multiple decisions with majorities and minorities on all of those things. >> there's no question. there's a lot of ways to skin the cat, to use the old saying. for example, the court could uphold the mandate but for different reasons. we could have a deeply fractured court. there could be a different end result. >> we'll know all this in a moment, david. let's talk about the fact the obama administration has been anxiously awaiting this decision. how much hangs in the balance for the president? >> we have a presidential election coming up in about four and a half months. that's really what's been hanging over all of this, as you can imagine, matt. interrupt me any time when you get word of this. that's really the impact here.

if any of this is struck down, the president's in a very difficult political situation where he's got to try to defend what's left, and also talk about the implications. republicans, including mitt romney, who about a year ago this week announced for president one of his major arguments would be he would repeal the president's health care law. all of this will be seen in the context of how both sides will argue this as we move forward over the next weeks and months leading up to election day. >> we're seeing comments on blogs already that savannah is passing in front of me saying this ruling is very, very complica complicated. the white house putting out the scenario that this is not all or nothing. they might be able to claim some limited or partial victory here. is that realistic? >> well, it is -- >> david, let me interrupt you. pete swwilliams is now ready fo us at the supreme court. pete, good morning. take us through. >> reporter: the bottom line here is the supreme court has upheld the health care case. they've said that it can't be

upheld under the commerce clause, the individual mandate can't. this is chief justice roberts writing for the court. but he said it can be upheld under the court's taxing authority. the bottom line here is the supreme court has upheld the health care law. it is a penalty, not a tax, nonetheless the chief justice says it can be upheld under the court's taxing authority. now, i haven't had any chance to read what the vote breakdown is here, but it is chief justice john roberts writing the majority opinion saying that you can't uphold the mandate under the commerce clause. so this gets at the argument that it's wrong for congress to require everyone to buy health insurance. so they've left the penalty, the tax impact, and they say congress can do this under the taxing authority. so let me just take a brief moment to look at the vote breakdown, matt. >> all right. go ahead. you do that. let me bring savannah back in.

this sounds complicated and confusing for the average person. what's being said? >> it's a very interesting result. it's interesting we have the chief justice writing the opinion. we'll learn, of course, i assume, that the left members of the court join him in this. there were really two theories of constitutionality that the federal government was arguing. first they said this is a valid exercise of the federal government's power under the commerce clause. it appears the court rejected that argument. that was the main argument. >> yet saved it. >> alternatively, there was an argument that said, look, we have a mandate with a penalty. the penalty, in essence, is a tax. the federal government has a rather unfettered ability to fax. that's what the court held on to, saying because of the federal government's taxing power, the mandate operates as a tax and therefore it is constitutionally okay. it is a very, i guess, perplexing result. politically, when this was fought out in the congress, the

obama administration said, this isn't a tax. in the legal papers, they took the legal position it was and it was valid under the taxing authority. >> david, let me get you back in here. you know the obama administration and the president himself are watching this. what they know right now is that millions of americans heard the headline coming from people like pete williams that the supreme court has upheld the health care law. what's the reaction going to be at the white house? >> well, that's a huge victory. in is crucial in the white house view that the individual mandate be part of comprehensive health care reform. if you're going to achieve something approaching universal coverage, that you have to be able to pay for it. one of the ways that you can pay for some of the benefit is if, you know, people with prior conditions are accepted on health care plans without insurance rates going up and that everybody has to have a stake in that system, not just those who need health care, but younger people who may not need much from the health care system. they need to have insurance as well. that's part of the balance that makes this work. by the way, it's not just the

president who argued that the individual mandate was important. so did mitt romney. back when he was pushing a health care law in massachusetts, he argued that an individual mandate was important as well. it's something that conservatives pushed for. way back when hillary clinton was trying this, that's part of what was necessary. this is a central tenant. we'll see how the rest of this shapes up. this is very, very important for the administration. >> all right. pete williams continues his speed reading. what else have you learned? >> reporter: so it's a 5-4 decision with chief justice roberts joining the court's liberals in upholding it. the other conservatives voting to strike it down. the chief justice basically says that it is a tax. it does impose a tax, but there's basically no penalty on a taxpayer if you don't pay it. this is unlike any other tax. if you refuse to pay your income tax, for example, you can be prosecuted. that's a crime. there is no penalty associated with the failure to pay the

penalty for not buying health insurance. so the supreme court says in essence, there's no real compulsion here. i can tell you that this is one of the scenarios that administration officials had considered, that if the court did this, they would consider it a big victory. their view of this is that a rational person who has a choice between paying a penalty and buying insurance will buy insurance. and that will keep the health care system working. that will provide the insurance industry enough income to support the so-called guaranteed issue provision that says you can't be turned down for pre-existing conditions, and the community rating provision that says you can't vary your rates based on a person's age or sex. they think this will compel enough people to buy insurance that it will keep the system going. it has to be said. if you don't buy insurance and you don't pay the penalty, i don't know what happens. there's no penalty for not

paying. >> where's the teeth in the law then, pete? >> reporter: right. i guess there aren't any teeth. it's more the fact that if you're the average person and facing a choice between not paying the penalty or buying insurance, the theory is you'll buy insurance. the fact is, there's no penalty if you don't do either one. so it's going to remain to be seen here how this works in practicality. as a matter of law, as a matter of what the supreme court says, they said we can't uphold it under the mandate. we've struck that down because that's not constitutional. it doesn't give them the power to regulate people in commerce that don't have health insurance. therefore, you look to other ways to uphold the statute because there's a long-standing rule of interpreting laws that you try to construe them as constitutional if you can. that's how you do it. >> pete, i think most people watching right now know that this is the highest court in the land. does that necessarily mean we

have seen an end to all legal challenges on this health care law, especially at the state level? >> reporter: no, because, you know, i haven't looked yet at what the court says about the very important questions to the states, which is what happens to the medicaid restrictions. my colleague kelly o'donnell has been reading that portion of the opinion. she says it seems to uphold the medicaid resixtrictionsrestrict. remember, none of the 2014 provisions have kicked in yet because they won't for another two years. as they kick there could be additional lawsuits. the overall claim that the whole health care law rises and falls, this was the moment, and it failed. >> let's make sure people understand what you just preferred to. the provisions in this law that have not kicked in and wouldn't until 2014, the insurance manda mandate. adults cannot be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. that's the guaranteed issue. restrictions on charging more on the basis of a person's age,

sex, or medical condition. the so-called medical rating. no annual dollar limit on the amount of coverage a person may receive. exchanges must be operational in each state. and the expansion of medicaid. let's go back to savannah. you'd like to comment more on the staff that chief justice roberts took. >> it's fascinating to see him being literally the difference between life or death of this health care law. this is someone who is clearly a conservative jurist, but found himself aligned with the libe l liberals on the court. it also, in some sense, is expected from chief justice roberts. if you talk to people who are veteran court watchers, those who are litigated before the supreme court, something i heard over and over again as we waited for this decision is, chief justice roberts is an institutionalist. he cares about institution of the court. he has talked about whether or not the court is starting to be looked at as an ideological institution, a part of an institution. he's well aware of the context

in which this decision comes in the heat of a presidential election, a president's signature domestic achievement. it's fascinating. >> we were talking earlier about the timing of something that chief justice roberts wrote on monday in a decenti ining opinin a completely different case. he said -- he criticized the court's majority in that case for having failed to, quote, display our usual respect for elected officials. he went on to say. they say this sort of thing all the time. the timing of this coming on monday just before this decision. >> very interesting, especially because it's clearly on his mind. this is a cannon of constitutional interpretation that the courts are supposed to be deferential to the elected branches of government. here's an example of where chief justice roberts took a position, obviously, where he's saying i'm not going to substitute the court's decision for the congress, but it will be a controversial one. >> david, let me bring you back in. we talked about reaction from

the white house and president obama. how do the republicans now react to this? what are you expecting to hear from it them? >> well, talking to republicans on capitol hill over the last couple of days, their argument will be that nothing changes for them. just because it's constitutional doesn't mean it's good policy. you've heard that from governor romney as well. he's going to make that argument as he has in recent days. he's never really taken on the constitutionality of it. he's argued that it's simply bad policy, and he'll move forward from there. again, he has to answer questions about his own approach. he did something very similar in massachusetts, but he's been opposed to it on a federal scale. i think it's full steam ahead for the republicans in terms of the individual mandate. i think the political context is so interesting with chief justice roberts. he has spoken publicly that a 5-4 on the court under mines the

supreme court. he's take an big step here. he's going to be cheered for that by some on the right and the left, criticized i'm sure, as well, by some on right. don't forget, there are also key decisions coming on this fall that he may be looking at, affirmative action, where he may take a different view. >> thank you, david. let's go back to the supreme court. pete continues to mull over this document. what else do you have, pete? >> reporter: matt, one thing on medicaid, it's interesting that the court's opinion on the mandate or the tax or the central part of the health care law is a bit of a compromise. the same thing is true on medicaid. what the supreme court says is, yes, the way the medicaid law is phrased right now, it would be unconstitutional because it says to the states, if you don't expand medicaid coverage the way the bill directs you to, that is to say bring more people into coverage and give them more benefits, then you lose

everything. you can't have any part of the medicaid system at all. the states that challenge that said that's not fair. the supreme court basically agrees with the states. so what it says is what the federal government can do is ask the states to provide these new benefits, but if the states say no, then you can't throw them out of the medicaid program. so it's again a question, in practical terms, how many states are going to want to go along with this, and how many states are going to say, you know, thumb their nose at the federal government and say no? it appears from this decision if the states refuse to go along, the federal government can't throw them out of the medicaid system. >> i think that's significant based on what pete is saying. in some sense, it has the potential to undercut the health care law in a potentially significant way. the expansion of medicaid to increase the roles of those who are uninsured is a key part of the health care law objective. if some states, by the way it's states objecting to the provision.

if they said, you know what, we don't want to take this medicaid expansion. they have the option not to. then that potentially could undermine some aspects of the health care law. in the light of day, that may become more and more significant. >> as we've mentioned, they were obviously closely watching all this at white house. we're expecting to hear from the president sometime today. right now, let's go to kristen welker, who's live at white house with reaction. >> reporter: good morning. according to a senior administration official, we are expecting to hear from the president in a couple of hours. i've been talking to them over the past several days. he has clearly been thinking about his reaction to the three possible scenarios to this given the complexity of this ruling. he is likely working on his specific reaction. he has maintained he believes this would be upheld, but still, because this is complex, he's likely right now working with his aides on his specific remarks. senior administration officials have been watching this closely

this morning. the president expected to be in the oval office with vice president biden at 10 a.m. this morning when we were watching all of this come down. so what are we expecting to hear from the president? clearly this is welcome news. clearly this is what the white house was hoping to hear, but you're not going to hear a victory lap from this president. remember, he's in the middle of a tough re-election battle, and the economy is still in a difficult place. so his remarks will likely be upbeat, however he probably won't be spiking the ball, as it were. the president right now working on his reaction. we expect to hear from him in a couple of hours. >> you don't expect the president just a little -- and david, you can weigh in also -- to say, look, i told you this was constitutional all along and the republicans were on the wrong side of this issue. isn't that something that could become a mantra on the campaign trail? >> yeah, matt, i'll take that. i think it's a very important point. i think the president will be delicate in his language. he's going to use this as an opportunity with so many people

watching and paying attention to this to try to continue to make the case for health care. what it means for people -- remember, there's so much of this health care law that nobody's feeling yet because it doesn't go into effect until 2014. before that time you're going to have either a second term of president or a new president, mitt romney. and there could be legislative work under foot to try to roll back some or all of this as we just talked about. i think this is an opportunity that he seizes to argue why this matters, how it affects people positively, and what the implications would be if republicans try to roll it back. he hasn't really found his voice on that. >> pete williams, as i congratulate you on your speed reading, i'll give you the last 20 seconds here. take it away. >> reporter: well, we have a health care law intact. the question now is, is it going to work in any way nearly the way the administration hoped it would? if you take away the mandate, if you take away the ability to punish states if they don't want to go along with the new medicaid thing, then how many states and how many people will

voluntarily do what the bill wanted them to do? that's what we'll have to see. >> pete, thank you. savannah, thank you. david, thank you. some of you will stay with us here on "today." others will return to your regularly manfredini. . . . it is thirsty thursday.

that means it's time for today's plaza ambush makeovers. when we pluck two lucky ladies out of the crowd and surprise them with a new look. >> here is our resident makeover team, "today" contributor and style to the stars, luis licari, and "today" and "us weekly" contributor jill martin. >> beautiful weather. >> beautiful day, huge crowd. there were so many people, we were walking and walk iing wondering who should be picked? we got two good ones. >> let's start off with jill. she is 62 years old.

after recently suffering the loss of both her parents and separating from her husband, she decided it was time for a brand-new start what better way than with a makeover? >> good for her. >> i know this has been such an emotional year, to say the least, for jill. you really want this for her. >> i really do. she deserve as brand-new start. she is one of the most beautiful people inside her friend and i would really like to see her be just as beautiful on the outside. >> you're going through a difficult time, but there's a lot of guys out there who want a hot woman. are you ready to go? >> i'm ready. let's go! >> always comes down to that with jill. >> it sure does. >> now, jill is here with her three friends, cindy, kathie and claire. you guys ready? keep your blind folds on till i give you the green light. here is jill before. all right. come on out. let's see the new you.

>> sassy. you ready? take off your blind folds. take them off. >> let's see it. turn around. >> ah! >> the redhead will do that. >> look right there look at camera 12. tell us about that. the tut and everything. >> okay. debby, her hair got too long, too faded. she really needed a hair cut and hair column yofrmt color. debby gave her this hairs cut which is chic. we took her from the midwest to new york city. >> are those asymmetrical bangs or is that drinking? >> what i did, her hair color was just faded. it was washing away her skin color. i made it a little bit deeper.

it looks like it grows from her head. she is a redhead. we brought her back. >> what do you think? >> she looks beautiful. she was always hot, but she is hot now. >> fire engine hot now. >> that is a great dress on her. >> adrianna papel. sexy and sophisticated and how she described her new man and how she wanted to look. the earrings are from kohls. >> join your friends. >> thank you. >> our second lady is jennifer golden, 53 from cleveland, ohio. this mother of four never made time for herself. when she called her son to tell him she was getting a makeover, he did not believe her. let's listen to her story. >> she dragged you out of bed this morning and surprise, you're being interviewed. why do you want this for your girlfriend? >> i don't think she really needs it. i think it's exciting. she wanted to come to the

"today" show and see what's going on. this is very exciting for her. i'm excited for her for that. >> you're a very smart boyfriend for what you said. this is going a be glamorous day. >> i'm very excited. i'm looking forward to a change. it will be nice. >> all right. john's got his blind fold on. one last look at jennifer before. bring out the new jennifer. ♪ baby you're a firework >> all right, john, take it off. >> wow! woo-hoo! smoking. >> see if he's right. >> oh, my god! >> that is beautiful. >> those are asymmetrical bangs. short hair, lots of style. she wanted to try a change. she had blonde hair all her life. i gave her a brown that will

wash off over the summer. it's a color that contains no developer. >> it's sexy. did you dye her eyebrows, too? >> you're giving away all her secrets. >> doesn't of? >> and of course he made the make-up work. >> what do you think of your girlfriend? >> fantastic. she always looked fantastic and she deserves this. she works really hard. >> sweet. >> i love those earrings with that dress is so cute. >> her figure is unbelievable. this is great. if you want to be daring for summer, pick a bold print. this is from maggie london. just a little over 100. >> the earrings? they are darling. >> h&m. >> come on out, jill. come out. >> all righty. up next, problems with the a.c.? lou manfredini will answer your questions. [ female announcer ] what would you call an ordinary breakfast pastry

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mommy! i went potty! that's great, honey.... where? for life's bleachable moments.

when our favorite home repairman answers all those pesky problems you have around the house. >> lou manfredini is host of "house smarts" and is here to answer your e-mail. >> we have a lou and a loo. >> my toilet won't flush unless i hold the handle until it is

finished flushing. how do i fixthis? >> do you have any idea who bay winkleman is? he's a famous fisherman. this is my babe winkleman fix. get a medium size fishing bobber. inside the toilet there is a chain for the flapper. she's got to hold this open till it goes in there clip the bobber on the chain. when you start to flush, the water goes, this wants to float. it will stay open till the water goes down. it's that quick. or she can go one step further and replace the flapper which is easily done. these two tabs that go on and a new chain. this particular one made in wisconsin here in the usa. >> she could probably save a couple of hundred dollars. >> these are $5. the bobber is 50 cents. >> here is a question from joyce. i have a musty smell coming from a crawl space in the house.

have placed damp rid in crawl space but it still stinks. what is damp rid? >> a product that absorbs odor. she probably didn't use enough of it. airflow is your friend in a crawl space. any box fan that can move things around can help. >> do you need it going all the time? >> it will be helpful. this is a product line called natural magic. smell this one. this is vanilla. you want to eat it. doesn't that smell good? >> you probably shouldn't. >> you should not eat it. these products are natural. what they do is permeate into the space. they grab the mal odor, wrap around it and eliminate it. you won't smell this in there, but it does grab it. this is called gonzo. this is volcanic rock. you hang it. it absorbs the odor. doesn't smell like anything. it works continuously.

it's all natural. then after you start to smell the mal odor -- >> are you saying male odor? >> mal. >> you take it out into the sun four hours, it regenerates because it's volcanicish. have you been to a volcano? >> yes, i have. >> how does it smell? >> like a volcano. >> what is the best way to plug the openings around a window air conditioning unit? >> the window units come with these ears that go into the sides of the windows to seal it. sometimes you can't get that tight seal. in the wintertime we talk about window kits to seal the airflow out. you can do the same thing by -- >> is that saran wrap? >> basically, you put this around the window, use a hair dryer to tighten it up and it will seal it around. >> for how long? >> the whole summer. against the window. we don't have a window.

imagine the window frame comes down and this gets taped. it tightens up. you won't even know it's there. >> you said blow dryer and i tuned in. >> it's very effective. for these companies that make these things, they don't sell them in the summertime. it is a great opportunity and it will seal it out. >> thank you, lou. up next, we have all american wines for the fourth of july. >> finally.

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proud father of two daughters. president obama knows that women being paid 77 cents on the dollar for doing the same work as men isn't just unfair... it hurts families. so the first law he signed was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act to help ensure that women are paid the same as men for doing the exact same work. because president obama knows that fairness for women means a stronger middle class for america.

[ obama ] i'm barack obama and i approve this message. ♪ america >> now on today's wine cellar, a toast for our country on the fourth of july with wines made in the good old usa and paired with all-american food. >> no matter what is on your

menu, sommolier has done all the leg work for us. >> you figured out wines that were well with the kind of foods we'll have over the fourth? >> i did. anything people could throw at you for the fourth of july. >> she wants to have a shrimp. >> if you have a cold shrimp dish, what is the right wine? >> i read johan vineyards pino gris. it has more richness and will stand up to the weight of shrimp. >> shrimp is rich. >> i love that. >> what else would this wine go with? >> that would be great with salmon on the grill, particularly with a ginger teryaki glaze. >> have another shrimp, they are so good. i have shrimp and french fries all the time. >> chicken wings.

>> now we are going to new york state. this is a dry reisling. >> she doesn't like that. >> one thing i hear every day, i don't like reisling, it's sweet. this is a dry reisling. >> you're talking to one who can't stand this wine, and go. >> it's not as sweet as many of them are. i give you that. it's so crisp. >> this goes with spicy food? >> something with a little bit of spice to it. you can do it with grilled pizza. it would be great with the shrimp, as well. reisling pairs with just about anything. whenever there is a challenging pairing, i reach for a reisling. >> good for you. >> i'm sorry, it's not a sin not to like it. >> that is true. >> plenty of other things to choose from. >> now to the sonoma coast. this is a rose made from pinot

noir. these days it is dry. >> that is delicious. it's so nice in the summertime. that is delicious. >> what do you have? >> makes up for that one. >> fireworks salad. >> more shrimp. that looks delicious. >> grilled pizza on the grill. >> i love it. >> people grill pizza on the grill? >> absolutely. enough with the white and rose. big bold reds. this is charles smith out of washington state. it is a big, bold, fruit-forward delicious wine that will stand up to whatever meat you want to put on to the grill. >> that's nice. >> we have sausage. you could easily put this with a steak, a burger, ribs, anything you want. >> what is the price range? >> all these are under $20 with

the exception of the pinot gris which is $22. >> this is an adult-only take on a root beer float. it is brooklyn's black chocolate stout poured over vanilla ice cream with ginger snap cookies. >> poor hoda can't have it. i'll take one for the team. >> how is that? >> fun. because of the stout, it's not too sweet. >> that's why i liked the other cookie the other day better. i don't like something too sweet. >> thank you so much. >> what's coming up next? >> thank you. >> sara is going to unleash adorable webtastic videos. >> first this is "today" on nbc. [ male announcer ] are you paying more

and more and more for cable --

and enjoying it less? upgrade to verizon fios internet, tv and phone for just $99.99 a month, guaranteed for a year with no annual contract. or choose a two-year contract and get $200 back and a two-year price guarantee. fios is a 100% fiber-optic network that delivers america's fastest, most consistent, most reliable internet. and now, it's faster than ever. you get speed you can count on... even when everyone at home is online at the same time. plus, the best tv picture quality. tired of cable's inflated bills? get fios for just $99.99 a month for a year with no annual contract. or choose a two-year contract and get $200 back, plus a two-year price guarantee. call 1.866.685.fios. that's 1.866.685.3467. fios. a network ahead. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v.

you'll be sending to your friends. >> this week we have two adorable videos featuring man's best pal. >> madeline the dachshund has fun with a cute little crab, but don't worry, nobody gets hurt. >> oh, my god. >> madeline was playing with the crab for 20 minutes before the owner decided they needed to capture this. >> poor little crab. >> they said madeline makes friends everywhere she goes, even if 2 it's with other species. >> that is so cute. >> look how pretty that sand is. >> i think the crab is cute. we have another one. the video of toby the pug. we think enjoying a massage from perry the cat. whenever harry was a kitty, he used to do this all the time to

toby. toby is snoring, if you listen closely. he is full-blown asleep. >> oh, my gosh, that is adorable. >> two home runs, sara. >> i take it they get along. >> thank you, honey. >> do they hire out that cat? that cat knows what it's doing, i'm telling you. >> coming up tomorrow, funny man eugene levy is here. >> we love him. he's a doll. how your eating personality might be stopping you from losing those extra pounds. >> sexy summer hair. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

and more and more for cable -- and enjoying it less? upgrade to verizon fios internet, tv and phone for just $99.99 a month, guaranteed for a year with no annual contract. or choose a two-year contract and get $200 back and a two-year price guarantee. fios is a 100% fiber-optic network that delivers america's fastest, most consistent, most reliable internet. and now, it's faster than ever. you get speed you can count on... even when everyone at home is online at the same time. plus, the best

tv picture quality. tired of cable's inflated bills? get fios for just $99.99 a month for a year with no annual contract. or choose a two-year contract and get $200 back, plus a two-year price guarantee. call 1.866.685.fios. that's 1.866.685.3467. fios. a network ahead. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v.