london. a soldier brutally killed in broad daylight. a suspect urging onlookers to record his words moments after the crime. >> eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. >> out of the shadows, president obama set to deliver a major speech today on one of the most controversial and secretive parts of the u.s. war on terror. drones and whether they should be used to target and kill american terror suspects. and they're here, after a 17-year absence and weeks of anticipation the dreaded cicadas are popping up by the thousands. and a lot of homeowners are bugging out about it today, thursday, may 23rd, 2013. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> and good morning, everyone, welcome to "today" on a thursday

morning, i'm savannah guthrie. >> and i'm matt lauer. and it's tough to look at, but this is video of that horrific attack. this morning, military officials are worried about what it may inspire, not only in london, but around the world. >> the two suspects in custody are claiming their actions are in retaliation for the killing of muslims in afghanistan. >> let us get to michelle kosinski in london. good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, matt, the government here has called the brutal killing of the soldier in the middle of the day on a neighborhood street sickening and barbaric. this morning while police searched a home, top security officials met. the prime minister is calling this terrorism. police are asking the public for help, support, and calm. >> move back. move back. >> reporter: terror was the motive for this horrific attack. that is what it caused here. citizens screaming at police.

one suspect, hands covered in blood holding large knives delivers a speech to cell phone camera in front of the young soldier's body. >> that's eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. i apologize that women had to witness this today, but in our land, our women have to see the same. >> eyewitnesss say two men in a car knocked the soldier down on the sidewalk and then jumped out and started brutalizing him. >> they were hacking at the poor guy, chopping him, cutting him. >> some witnesses say the soldier was beheaded and the men asked people in the terrified crowd to take pictures. but a few women risked their own lives to try to help the soldier, guarded his body. and watch this woman bravely talking to one suspect. she is mother and cub scout leader who says she wanted to keep the men from hurting anyone else. >> yeah, that's what you had.

and blood all over him. and i thought what the heck happened there. >> but it ended in more violence. police closed in. witnesses say the men tried to attack them, that one had a gun. police opened fire hitting both suspects who were taken to hospitals and arrested. >> these are some of the most difficult attacks to stop. when two individuals do this with potentially no other connections to stop them when they're using things like knives and cleavers makes this almost impossible to stop beforehand. >> it is early to try to characterize this, but terrorism analysts say attacks by small groups without strong ties to larger terror networks is a trend we've been seeing over the last several years. the boston bombing is one of them. and the uk has seen similar attacks. savannah? >> thank you. national security and counterterrorism will be the focus of a major speech by president obama today. peter alexander is at the white house with details on that.

peter, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. this is the first counterterrorism speech of the second term. and the white house says mr. obama will make a strong case for the continued use of drone strikes. really this administration's tool of choice in the war on terror. also highlighting new efforts to bring about transparency and even new restriction in the so-called hidden war. president obama today will shine a spotlight on an issue that's been shrouded in secrecy. drones. senior administration officials tell nbc news the president's expected to outline plans to begin shifting authority over drone operations from the cia to the military. >> the significance is the pentagon will now control the drone program, which increases transparency both for congress and the american people. >> reporter: evidence of that renewed focus on transparency, this letter on wednesday where the obama administration for the first time formally acknowledged the u.s. targeted and killed an american citizen with a drone strike in yemen in 2011.

attorney general eric holder writing that u.s. officials determined al alawqi posed that threat. the government also acknowledged three other american citizens involved in terrorism have been killed by drones. today president obama will also renew his first term pledge to shut down the camp at guantanamo bay where a hunger strike has been ongoing for more than 100 days. >> it's a recruitment tool for extremists, it needs to be closed. >> reporter: and laying out his strategy in the face of an evolving threat from al qaeda. >> the president needs to explain to congress and the american people why we need to confront this threat and what tools, tactics and strategy he will use to deal with it. >> reporter: and while transparency is expected to be a major theme today, matt, it's unclear if the president will confront the issue cracking down on journalists who have been on the receiving end of national security leaks.

>> peter alexander, thank you. as always, the pentagon dealing with yet another sex scandal this morning. the latest case, an army sergeant accused of secretly videotaping female cadets at west pointe. mick, good morning. >> good morning, matt. you know, these military sexual assault and misconduct cases seem to be piling up. this time, at least 12 female cadets were the victims. allegedly videotaped covertly by a west point staff member they should have been able to trust. it's the military's most prestigious academy. defense officials say army sergeant first class michael mcclendon is accused of using a hidden camera to secretly videotape female cadets in locker rooms and showers. mcclendon has been relieved of duty and charged on four counts. as a west point staffer, he was responsible for the health and

welfare of the very cadets he'd allegedly targeted. earlier this month, lieutenant colonel jeff krisynski was himself charged with sexual battery. and at ft. hood, texas, the army is investigating accusations that a sergeant first class there sexually assaulted a woman. he too was in charge of sexual assault prevention. >> the very person that is supposed to be there to protect you in the military is found to be abusing women. how can any woman in the military say that i have a safe place to turn? >> reporter: there were 26,000 sexual assaults in the military last year. but fewer than 4,000 were reported. many victims fear the military justice system is stacked against them. joint chiefs chairman martin dempsey shares that concern. >> if a perpetrator shows up with a rack of ribbons and has four deployments and a purple

heart, there's certainly the risk that we might be a little too forgiving of that particular crime. >> in fact, the accused in this case is a decorated combat veteran who earned bronze star in the war in iraq. many lawmakers on capitol hill argue, however, the only way to really crack down on sexual assault in the military is to dramatically change the military justice system. and they're pushing for legislation to do just that. >> thank you very much. kirsten gillibrand is the senator from new york and serves on the armed services committee. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt. >> you can't blame people for shaking their heads at this. every couple of weeks there's another headline involving sexual assault or sexual harassment within the military. do you think the military in this case is simply a microcosm of society in general? or is there something deep within the culture of the military that turns it into a breeding ground for things like this?

>> well, matt, i think you're right that these allegations coming to light over and over and over again continue to undermine or confidence that the military can address these problems. what we need is better transparency and accountability and victims to know that justice is possible. and that's why so many of us on a bipartisan basis are advocating when a victim is assaulted or raped, she should be able to report those crimes directly to a military prosecutor and not have to tell her boss. >> i understand that. >> the chain of command. >> that's dealing with something after it happens. what is happening in the culture of the military that causes it to happen in the first place. >> well, i think when you have these cases occurring over and over again and there's no response and there's no accountability for these kinds of rapes and crimes, it allows the culture to continue. and that's why we think we need dramatic change. i believe that these kinds of cases are serious crimes and they have to be treated like

other serious crimes and that means elevating them out of the chain of command. >> you are a mom, i think you have boys, but if you had a teenage girl and she were to come to you and say, mom, i'm thinking of joining a certain branch of the military, would you have severe second thoughts about that? >> well, matt, i think any parent would ask, is my child going to be safe? because more than half of these sexual assaults and rapes are actually committed against men, more than 50%. so you have men and women who are offering their lives to serve this country, to defend this country, to die for this country, and you should not be asking them to be subjected to this by the hands of their colleagues. and men and women who sacrifice so much need to be treated with respect and be protected. and this latest case at west point, someone was supposed to be looking after these young cadets, not subjecting them to this kind of treatment. >> before i let you go, really

quickly, your reaction to anthony weiner running for mayor of new york. he's a former colleague of yours from congress. is he the guy qualified to run the largest city in the country? >> well, you know, we have a lot of great candidates in that race and i'm staying out of the primary. but i expect the voters of new york to make that decision about what's best for them. >> i'll let that be the answer on that one. senator, thanks so much. thanks for your time this morning. >> thank you. >> thanks. the first funeral will be held today for one of the victims of monday's devastating tornado in moore, oklahoma. in moore this morning with the latest recovery efforts. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. moore just can't seem to catch a break. we're in the middle of thunderstorms here right now and conditions like this are expected to last much of the day. it comes as some residents for the first time were getting into their homes to try to salvage what they could. >> there's tons of debris. >> reporter: new video is a jaw-dropping look at the

tornado's power. >> it's going to knock those poles down. >> reporter: as the cleanup continues in moore, officials say as many as 13,000 homes were damaged. losses could total $2 billion. >> we know that people are really hurting. i mean, there's a lot of recovery yet to do. >> we're learning more about the victims, among the dead ten children, two infants. the youngest, case, he and his mom died in the 7-eleven. and best friends and third graders at plaza towers elementary along with classmate nicholas mccain. >> he's my boy. he's a good boy. >> oh, my gosh. it's everywhere. >> reporter: for those who lost their homes, life is nowhere near normal. >> how do you start over? >> that's what i'm trying to figure out myself. >> jason williams and his wife kat pull out soggy furniture and

personal items. one pickup full at a time. for now, the couple and three boys are staying with family. 15 minutes and seemingly a world away in a home still standing with power. >> i mean, just insulation, debris. >> they're wearing donated clothing. their stuff is in trash bags. nothing feels like it used to. surviving on a small starter check from their insurance company. >> really, we're thankful we're here and we just take it one step at a time. >> their job's on hold, lives in disarray, so much unknown. can they rebuild? and where will the kids go to school in the fall? >> reporter: and the williams family is a story of so many families who lost their home. they do have a place to stay, a roof over their head, but there's so much to do, they don't know where to start. meanwhile, president obama will tour the devastated areas on sunday. back to you. >> thank you so much. so many of our viewers have asked what they can do to help. if you want to find out about

those resources, we have a special page set up on our website, go to today.com/hope. >> we encourage you to do that. natalie's down in florida. there are new developments linked to a deadly shooting involved with the boston bombing incident. >> we are learning more this morning about the man shot and killed by the fbi on wednesday who had ties to deceased boston bombing suspect tamerlan tsarnaev. pete williams has more for us from washington. pete, good morning. >> good morning, tamron. investigators say the man they were questioning told him that both he and tamerlan tsarnaev killed three people near boston two years ago. that statement came, they say, from todashev, a mixed martial arts fighter. while being interrogated tuesday night by the fbi, massachusetts state police officials say he attacked an fbi agent and was shot and killed. but authorities say just before that, todashev confessed to

playing a role in a brutal triple murder in massachusetts in 2011. one of the victims was a friend of tsarnaev's. law enforcement officials say todashev claimed that tsarnaev was involved in the killing too and started as an attempt to steal drugs from the three victims but ended in their deaths to keep them from talking. officials stress they do not believe that todashev, the man shot and killed in orlando had anything to do with the boston marathon bombings. >> pete, thank you very much. a fourth grade field trip in minnesota has turned deadly. a rock slide at a mississippi river park known for its fossils killed one child, injured two others, and right now one more is still missing. poor construction materials blamed for last month's factory collapse in bangladesh, this according to a government investigation. that probe also recommends life prison terms for the building's owner and others found guilty of violating building codes in the disaster that killed more than

1,100 people. now to wall street, cnbc's jackie deangelis. >> good morning, tamron. well, the volatility could extend on wall street today, this after the roller coaster ride we saw yesterday. the dow up by more than 150 points, but closing 80 points lower. and some traders blaming that on what they call a conflicted fed. one that's worried about paring back the stimulus program but also concerned with short-term economic growth. and that backdrop now makes the data today very, very important. investors watching weekly jobless claims and data on new home sales and home prices. tamron? >> thank you. it is prom season, i probably don't have to tell you that, and most of us have cringe-worthy photos from our big night to prove we were all awkward teenagers at some point. well, now thanks to "time" magazine, we have proof that even the commander in chief donned the white dinner jacket. there he is, that is 17-year-old

barry obama at his senior prom in hawaii in '79. president obama's classmate released the pictures to "time" complete with the yearbook inscription to her calling her, quote, extremely sweet and foxy. >> this was his friend's girlfriend? >> no, it was his date. he called her foxy. >> this is the friend's girlfriend. >> but i don't know if it's more troubling the white jacket or that he used foxy at 17. who says? >> it was '79. >> exactly. >> there's a lot probably great about being president. having your prom photos out for everyone to see, not one of those. >> the ladies knew they looked good, that's why they released the picture. if you thought you looked bad -- >> guys don't look good in the photos. never do. let's get down to al roker. al, good morning. >> good morning, everybody. of course, we're still thinking about our friends in oklahoma, especially this morning. we're here at universal orlando resort, we'll tell you why. part of our great american

adventure. but let's go to oklahoma right now, the radar is firing up, unfortunately, we're seeing more strong storms, a lot of lightning strikes coming out of this. hopefully, though, wherethe wor. but you can see we do have a risk of strong storms to the west of there from amarillo, abilene, wichita falls, we are looking rainfall amounts. basically about a half an inch to an inch of rain and then we have also got along the eastern seaboard we have some severe weather firing up as well. going to be airport delays up and down the east coast and risk of strong storms from washington all the way up to burlington and a lot of rain. we are talking one to three inches of rain from new york on up into new england. you don't have a lot of good news for memorial day either. we will have your local forecast. but first this message.

good morning. candace just posted this beautiful photo of a rainbow. this is near dulles airport, south riding, virginia. a few minutes ago. few breaks in the clouds. sun coming out with a few sprinkles. showers we see on the storm team 4 radar are passing southwest to northeast. just light rain now, western suburbs it is going to continue off and on through the morning. moderate to perhaps heavy downpour was thin ezer and lightning this afternoon. slight risk of severe that's your latest weather. we did have some troubles getting in here, matt and savannah, airport delays, and that's our plane right there. >> that would be the reason right there.

>> and did it fit willie and natalie. we know they're with you too. we'll see all you guys in a little bit. >> all right, al, thank you. coming up, they're calling it swarmageddon. millions of americans get set to square off with those pesky insects. and can anthony weiner make a comeback in politics? what he should learn from other disgraced politicians who made it and perhaps some who didn't. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

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trying to figure out what sparked this house fire at prince george's county. it started around 10:30 last night in ft. washington. firefighters say when they arrived heavy smoke was pour prosecuting the bottom floor and basement and called in extra help to put out the fire. everyone inside managed to get out of the home safely. no word if this house had working smoke detectors. right now the army core of engineers is on their way to the mall to lay wreaths at the war memorials. the soldiers are marching 24 miles goat to the mall. they started at ft. belvoir and should arrive at the korean memorial at 11:15. from there they will head to the vietnam memorial before ending at the world war two memorial. we will look at your partly cloudy and check the roads when we come back.

good morning. radar showing scattered light rain across much of virginia into maryland west of i-95. advancing off to the north and east. we will have a few of the

passing showers over the next couple of hours. greater chance of some showers, maybe thunder and lightning. small chance of isolated stronger storms later this afternoon between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. and maybe a lingering thundershower until mid might. much cooler provide into saturday. some sunshine in and out. and memorial day looking nice. highs mid 70s. how is traffic? >> we have an accident southbound 270 at montrose road. left hov lane blocked. seeing delays from rockville pike to the spur. taking a look at the beltway east of 270. not affecting traffic as you are traveling on the inner or outer loops of the beltway. elsewhere tractor trailer accident 66 eastbound near lee jackson highway. up to shoulder. we are seeing three miles of delays and you are traveling 66 eastbound. back to you. >> thank you. another news

walt disney world... we all know it. or do we? ♪ if you haven't been here lately, you haven't been. because with 4 parks and so many new things to do, including the re-imagined test track and the all new fantasyland, there's a monstrous summer just waiting for your family. walt disney world. been there. haven't done that. ♪ 7:30 now on a thursday morning, it's may 23rd, 2013, and that is the scene in seaside

heights, new jersey. we're happy to say the jersey shore bouncing back from hurricane sandy. ready to reopen for the summer season. of course, coming up, we've got memorial day weekend. and we can't wait to get there tomorrow on "today" as we help them celebrate with a great concert from the group fun. tomorrow morning live from the jersey shore. i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie and tamron hall. >> speaking of great performers, psi is getting a lot of attention in cannes. celebrities lining up to take pictures with him. just one problem, that is not psi. we'll have the story on that coming up. sure looks like him. they give you instant cash for your old cell phones, but are these machines in hundreds of malls around the country actually fueling violent robberies? we've got a rossen reports on that subject. then, is it a simple case of a law being broken or more to the story? we'll hear from an 18-year-old girl charged with a sex crime

for having a relationship with another girl who is just 14 years old. all right. first, brace yourselves, we warned you they were coming and right on cue, the cicadas are here. one of our producers shot these images in her own backyard in new jersey. can you see them? there's tight shots there. they're on just about every leaf of those plants. she says her dog is eating them. nbc's tom costello has the latest on what some are calling swarmageddon. tom, good morning. >> reporter: yeah, they're everywhere. this is what you're up against right there. this is actual size. >> if they get that big, i'm moving to another country. >> reporter: no, it's about this size, actually. not to freak you out too much. the bottom line, depending on where you live in the country, the ground under your feet could start to sound a little crunchy. it's late may 2013 and the cicada orchestra is just warming

up, and no one could be happier than the self-professed bug guy. he insists this is going to be a great show. >> this is going to be like a drama. there's going to be birth, there's going to be death, there's going to be romance, there's going to be sex. >> reporter: and best of all, no one will get hurt. the bugs don't bite and pose little danger to plants. but if you've noticed holes suddenly appearing in the ground, get ready the cicadas are coming out of a 17-year hibernation. they're expected from north carolina up to new york and parts of new jersey, maryland and virginia they're already here. everywhere, actually. >> i think they're really cool. we may not like them in a month when we're listening to them. >> reporter: oh, you'll hear them, that's their mating call. and mating is the whole reason they climb out of the ground. there can be 1 billion in a single mile. singing together, their chorus

can reach 90 decibels and the bug guy loves it. >> it'll be as loud as a rock concert, but hey, these are teenagers, they're going to get into trees, they're going to sing. >> reporter: the warmer it gets, the louder that i get until they mate and die in about six weeks. then a 17-year wait as those cicada eggs transform from larva to bug. that means they'll be back again in 2030. now, i hate to gross you out at breakfast time, but some people actually like to eat these things. they call them land shrimp. and our professor bug guy even offered to eat one on camera and we said, you know, we've got people getting up in the morning, that's not a good idea. guys, back to you. >> we've got to eat more than one to do anything about this problem, tom. >> didn't the united nations encourage us all to eat more bugs? >> protein. >> on a silver platter. >> i think i've reached my quota of bug and larva footage for the morning. thank you very much.

>> reporter: see you in 17 years. >> okay. let's take a check of the weather from mr. roker down in orlando. >> "today's" weather is brought to you by the american cancer society, the official sponsor of birthdays. well, it is nice and balmy here down in orlando, florida. but not so much up into the plains. take a look at some of these temperatures. my gosh, it feels more lik temperatures. my gosh. it feels more like fall than spring. green bay, wisconsin, 60 degrees. ten degrees below normal. des moines, 69. louisville, 72. seems nice and warm. that's still five degrees below normal. rest of the country, temperaturewise, we are expecting hose temperatures to look pretty decent as you get down through the southern third of the country. from the southwest and into texas, on into the gulf coast. we expect to see temperatures in the 90s and 100s. chilly in the pacific north west where they have more rain coming

into the jet stream. dips down to the south. temperatures there in the 50s and 60s. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. cloudy and mild. 70 degrees. radar showing scattered light rain across virginia and into maryland. mainly west of i-95. advancing southwest to northeast and in the western suburbs, northern suburbs now, and it will continue to come through primt for the morning hours. then during the afternoon, maybe some thunderstorms. slight risk would be severe with damaging winds. looks like the time frame for that would be between 3:00 p.m. to 7:00. highs near 8 on. much cooler with the and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> all right, al. thank you. now to the art of the political comeback in the wake of disgraced former congressman anthony weiner's decision to run for mayor of new york city. andrea mitchell is in washington with that story. good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. anthony weiner joins a long list of political figures who have

attempted comebacks, most successful, but none with a personal scandal quite like his. >> i will fight for you every single day. >> two years after resigning his house seat in disgrace for posting sexually suggestive pictures of himself on twitter, anthony weiner is now hoping new yorkers will give him a second chance as mayor. kicking off his campaign with a video featuring his wife and child. >> look, i made big mistakes and let a lot of people down, but i've also learned tough lessons. >> there will be some people who will not vote for him, i suspect there'll be people willing to give him a hearing and an opportunity to make the case. >> weiner is just one in a long line of political comeback attempts. >> people are willing to give a candidate a second chance after a scandal if the scandal has not impeded forever his or her ability to do the job and also if they apologized. >> how many of you want to change washington, d.c.? >> reporter: most recently, south carolina republican mark

sanford won back his old house seat. only four years after tearfully admitting to lying about an affair with his mistress while he was governor. >> i did not have sexual relations with that woman. i never told anybody to lie, not a single time. never. >> famously, president clinton who once called himself the comeback kid survived impeachment and is now a global philanthropist and statesman. >> i'm deeply sorry i did noit live up to what was expected of me. >> eliot spitzer tried to make a comeback on cable tv after being forced to resign as new york's governor because of a prostitution scandal. >> i'm completely responsible. >> louisiana republican senator david vitter was caught on a d.c. madame's client list in 2007 but still won reelection three years ago. weiner is hoping new york voters are willing to forgive and forget. >> i hope i get a second chance to work for you. >> weiner has a big campaign war

chest and according to one poll, he could even come in second in a crowded field and there'd be a runoff. but that could all change now that he's actually a candidate and voters have a chance to really take a look at him. and although he's married to hillary clinton's long time close aide, the clintons have signaled they are not supporting this comeback bid. >> thank you so much. coming up next, instant cash for phones sounds good, but those special machines may be fueling more cell phone thefts according to police. we'll have that story. and the new pills promising to do for women what viagra did for men. but first, these messages. excuse me. thousands of cancer patients can't afford a place to stay when the best treatment is far from home. a room shouldn't be the difference between life and death. let's make sure that everyone who needs a room, gets one. let's make some noise. let's help the american cancer society

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los angeles with more on this. jeff, good morning. >> hey, matt, good morning to you. sounds like a great idea. an atm where you can trade in your used cell phone and get instant cash for it. but now some police say these machines are actually making it easier than ever for criminals who can steal your phone and quickly profit from it. >> they strike without warning. thieves snatching cell phones right out of your hands. some victims even getting beaten up. >> hi. >> now a top cop says these machines are fueling the violence. >> it's a motivator for the criminal element. >> they're called eco atms, kiosks that recycle your used cell phones. there are more than 400 of them in shopping malls across the country. here's how they work. you put your phone in a bin, the machine scans it for market value, and then gives you cash right on the spot. but critics say these machines are driving thieves to steal more phones for a quick payout.

washington, d.c. police chief kathy lanier. >> i can knock you down, steal your phone, find an atm and get up to $300 in cash for that phone. >> a thief stole her iphone right from her purse. she used an app to track it down and found it at this mall inside an eco atm. she got it back. >> they made it so easy for the thieves. it's a magnet. >> police say stolen phones have turned up inside eco atms nationwide. from georgia to texas to california. the company says it has a system to keep criminals away. first, scanning the person's driver's license and then taking a photo of them. >> and we have a team of people who verify in realtime that the person who is standing in front of the machine is the person who is placed in the license. >> what happens if the person in front of the machine isn't the same person in the license? >> we deny the transaction. >> we found that's not always

true. >> i need to take your picture. >> we sent these two producers who obviously looked nothing alike to eco atms in two new jersey malls. >> please press your driver's license against the scanner block. >> we had this producer use the other one's i.d. to cash in a phone. it's clearly not her, yet the machine still takes the phone and spits out the money. >> don't forget your cash. >> same result at another eco atm. remember, the company makes money off the phones. we shared our findings with them. >> i want to show you a picture. >> sure. >> does this look like the same woman to you? >> no. >> what if i told you this woman went up to your machine and used her i.d. and sold two different phones. >> i would say we missed that one. >> twice. >> we learn from each transaction we do. >> if we found this in one day, who's to say this is not happening at a lot of your kiosks in a lot of different states a lot of different days? >> well, we work hard to make sure it's not.

>> he says out of every 10,000 phones bought, they discover five are stolen and those are returned. but d.c. police say they're finding a lot more than that. tracking at least 200 stolen phones to these machines. eco atm says it also provides photos, fingerprints and phone serial numbers that have helped police make arrests. >> we're collecting more information about these people selling stolen phones than anyone else. >> working with us after the fact helps, don't get me wrong. >> the phone companies says because of our investigation they're reviewing their i.d. verification system and looking for ways to improve the system and employee training. here's the take away. right now, grab your smartphone and write down the serial number of the phone if it's ever stolen, matt, police say that's the best way to track it and get it back. >> that's good advice. thank you very much. up next, a first look at kmart's newest tongue in cheek commercial which could have some people blushing.

that's right after this. >> i'd love big gas savings. [ female announcer ] get ready for the latest splash from mcdonald's. introducing the mccafé blueberry pomegranate smoothie. made with a luscious blend of blueberries and raspberries with a splash of pomegranate juice. hurry in and try a small for just a dollar. ♪

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[ static warbles ] kmart are at it again. we showed you their tongue in cheek ad that sold the virtues of shipping your pants. >> now advertising a huge discount on gasoline. take a look. >> oh, i hate these big gas prices. >> sounds like you could use some big gas savings. >> i'd love big gas savings. >> save 30 cents a gallon. >> 30 cents a gallon, that's a big gas discount. >> a really big gas discount. >> really big gas discount. >> this solves your big gas problem. >> totally solves my big gas problem. >> look at that big gas truck. >> hello, big gas man. >> get big gas savings. save 30 cents a gallon when you spend $50 or more at kmart. >> i think that's great. >> by the way, mission accomplished.

they put this online 11 hours ago, it's got a ton of hits. >> i want to see how many outtakes there were. >> well, basically they blend it together so much it doesn't matter. >> you think they designed the ad campaign and then said, okay, we'll make it about gas. fans of "friends" get a reunion they've been waiting for for years after your local news. . ryobi has over 50 products that work off of one 18 volt battery. and with new improved lithium and lithium plus batteries, you'll get a whole lot more done in less time. plus, they'll improve the performance of every 18 volt tool we've ever made. now that's getting more power for your money. ryobi one plus. the one system that delivers more. available only in one place. the home depot. now pick up a special buy lithium ion drill kit for just $79.

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of flavor and aroma. green mountain coffee for your keurig brewer. brew a better day. ♪ [ female announcer ] when is it okay to lose the cover-up? when you can. take the special k challenge... and lose an inch from your waist in two weeks. ♪ my, my, my, my with the help of delicious special k red berries cereal, you can truly enjoy a cover up free summer. what will you gain when you lose? . . . 7:56 is your time. tom kierein is tracking the potential storms for this afternoon. >> right now we have light rain scattered across east and west virginia. virginia and maryland this morning.

advancing southwest and heading northeast. but, yes, later this afternoon, generally between 3:00 and 7:00 we could get some strong thunderstorms that might produce wind damage. a small chance of that severe storm. showers and thundershowers this afternoon into this evening. windy and much cooler weather moves in for friday and saturday. bit milder for sunday and memorial day. and that's the way it looks. >> tom, thank you. we are racking problems on the road as well. your

february 22nd. a landmark transportation bill is up for consideration in the virginia legislature. even though it's backed by republican governor mcdonnell, tea party republicans refuse to support the plan. but terry mcauliffe thinks this is too important a time for partisan politics. mcauliffe reaches out to democrats and urges them to support the bill.

and the bill passes. terry mcauliffe. putting virginia first. good morning. we have delays. 66 eastbound mere lee jackson highway due to an earlier accident. the accident has been cleared but we are still seeing residual delays up to five miles. looking at a 23-minute drive

from the fairfax county parkway to the beltway. elsewhere 95 out of dale city heavy volume delays, 3 1/2 miles of delays there. 25 minutes from the prince william parkway to the beltway. elsewhere 270 southbound also seeing volume delays will. as you are heading towards the spur. back to you. >> thank you. another news update ♪ 8:00 now on a thursday morning, may 23rd, 2013.

a little bit of a hazy one out here on our plaza. we say hello the folks gathered outside. we want to remind everybody that tomorrow the band fun is coming out on the boardwalk. good morning, everyone, i'm savannah guthrie alongside matt lauer. >> i always knew it was great to lose your hair. i don't have to worry about this. it's windy out here. and you've got a problem. but that's okay. coming up, we'll tell you about a story. allergies, a lot of people having trouble here. but the story getting a lot of attention out of florida, an 18-year-old girl charged with a felony for a same-sex relationship with a younger classmate. now, she's been offered a plea deal that would make her serve no jail time. her parents aren't sure they p want her to take that deal. we'll explain why. >> yeah, it's an interesting case. and women have been talking for years when the female viagra

pill might come for them. there's new research out there, trials right now on medications. we'll talk about that in a few moments. all right. first, let's go inside, natalie's in orlando, tamron hall is inside with a check of the headlines. british officials say the murder of a british soldier who was hacked to death was a barbaric act of terror. one of the two suspects recorded on cell phone said he was avenging the killings of muslims in afghanistan. wednesday's attack happened near london's military barracks. police opened fire and wounded both suspects taken to hospitals and arrested. charged with secretly videotaping and photographing female cadets. michael mcclendon recorded some of the women in bathrooms or showers. he's been transferred to ft. drum in upstate new york. the allegations come amid recent series ofsex scandals. tiger woods says a remark by

sergio garcia was wrong, hurtful, and clearly inappropriate. but woods tweeted wednesday that it is time to move on. on garcia said he would serve fried chicken if woods comes over for dinner during the upcoming u.s. open. the spaniard later apologized but is taking heat from his main corporate sponsors. the spat erupted during a recent tournament when garcia accused woods of purposely getting the crowd worked up while garcia was in the middle of a shot. chilling video is among the evidence being released by utah police in the susan powell investigation. the mother of two young boys disappeared in 2009 under suspicious circumstances and was clearly worried something might happen to her. >> this is me, july 29th, 2008. it is 12:33. >> a year and a half before susan powell disappeared, she shot this home video documenting her family's personal belongings. >> covering all my bases making sure that if something happens to me or my family or all of us that our assets are documented.

>> west valley city police released the video along with thousands of documents and photos from their missing persons file when they announced the end of their active investigation of the case this week. >> no stone has been left unturned. >> many of susan powell's friends and family said she had concerns about her safety. among the documents released is a handwritten will where she wrote for mine and my children's safety, i feel the need to have a paper trail at work which would not be accessible to my husband. and if i die, it may not be an accident even if it looks like one. take care of my boys, i want my parents, chuck cox, very involved in charge of their lives. on the tape with son charlie playing nearby, she hints at a rocky relationship with husband josh. >> got in a rage as you can see and broke this. >> despite the grave concerns about her marriage, powell expressed a bit of optimism on the video. >> hope everything works out and

we're all happy and live happily ever after as much as that's possible. >> josh powell killed their two boys charlie and braeden and himself in february of last year. susan has never been found. president obama spoke about the comforting power of music when he honored carole king at the white house last night with the gershwin prize of popular music given by the library of congress. take a listen to the big moment. ♪ when you're down in trouble and you need some loving care ♪ >> king, of course, the frequent guest here on our show is the first woman to receive the award. it is now 8:04, back to matt and savannah on the plaza. hey, guys. >> love carole king. >> thank you so much. let's check in with al in orlando this morning. al, good morning again. >> yeah, we're at universal orlando resorts, and hey, kathie

lee and hoda made it. no, kidding. we've got curious george, the grinch, thing one, thing two and the always popular olive oil and popeye. let's show you what we've got weather wise here in orlando. it's going to be pretty spectacular as our great -- today's great american adventure continues. temperatures are going to get into the upper 80s to low 90s today for a high. and tomorrow, we' high. tomorrow we are on the jersey shore. eww. not so good. temperatures in the 60s. and it is going to be raining. well, it is still going to be a good time. let's look at your forecast for saturday, wet weather in the plains. also through texas, showers in the pacific northwest. windy and wet in new england. in the northeast. for sunday, sunday, we have more rain in new england. sunny and hot through the gulf coast on into texas. the southwest. and then memorial day, here's what we are shaping up for. we are looking for more rain from the plains into the mid and lower mississippi river valley.

showers continue in new england. we will have sunshine in the northeast. and some rain along the coast of northern california. plenty of shine, though, continuing from texas into the southwest and the plains. here's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. good morning. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist tom kierein. right now getting scattered light rain across eastern and west virginia, maryland, virginia. moving southwest to northeast. and we will have these passing light showers here for another few hours. later this afternoon, could get some thunderstorms romg through and between 3:00 and 7:00 there is a slight risk they would be severe with damaging winds. highs reaching near 80. right now we are in the low 07s. windy and much cooler form. mys in the 60s. lot of clouds around. maybe a shower morning and midday. and winds still blustery on saturday. and we'll have more here from universal orlando as our "today's" great adventure continues. savannah? >> thank you so much. coming up, a "friends" reunion nine years in the

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[ male announcer ] meet the best low-light smartphone camera. [ camera shutter clicking ] better than iphone. better than galaxy. the windows phone nokia lumia 928. ♪ we're back now at 8:10 with what's trending today. images and topics hot online. earlier today we talked about anthony weiner who just kicked off his bid to become the mayor of this city, new york city while he spent the first full day of his campaign holed up in his apartment with a horde of reporters camped outside. when there is no story to cover,

reporters wait. his aides sent the group of reporters down some pizza. what do the reporters do? they cover the pizza. they start taking pictures of the pizza on the sidewalk. that is the day in the life of a political reporter. and you actually mentioned you had an entire class in school of whether you are allowed to eat a pizza given to you by all subject you're covering in the news. >> yes, in journalism school we talked about if you go to an event to cover it and there's food supplied it was a matter of journalistic ethics not to eat the food. so we know that the reporters -- >> where did you fall on that? you never eat the food? >> well, i try not to eat the food -- >> pizza -- >> put it this way, it always occurred to me, but i can't say i have never strayed because sometimes you're starving, you know. but i don't know if the reporters ate the pizza or took pictures of it. >> by the way, he's now campaigning at a local subway stop, not a subway station or

subway store. no, he's actually greeting commuters in the subway this morning. >> remember a few weeks ago when rumors of a "friends" reunion had everybody buzzing, had to have jennifer aniston and nbc quash them. some familiar faces for hosting advice. >> some advice, well, maybe you shouldn't show up at somebody's house at 8:00 in the morning and you should call first. >> wait, what are you talking about? we used to walk into each other's apartments all the time. >> no. >> we're friends. >> no, that was a tv show. you know, we haven't actually seen each other in a really long time, like eight years. >> now, david, that is not true. >> it's matthew. >> what's going on here? >> court? >> lisa. >> it's jennifer.

>> we're still on for tomorrow night, right? >> yeah. >> good. >> portia. >> no. >> that's ellen. >> no, it's not. >> no. >> see, she just said no, it's not. you really should've called first. good luck with the show. >> i should have called. >> leblanc, get out of the fountain, man. >> not the friends reunion i had in mind. >> all right. take a look. psi took cannes by storm this week posing for photos, hitting the parties and enjoying the limelight which is what psi's supposed to do, right? the problem, that's not psi. this is a look-a-like of the gangnam superstar, a dead ringer. i think it looks like alec baldwin. >> no. >> what are you talking about?

>> what do you think? >> a korean alec baldwin. >> psi tweeted that's a fake version of him and he responded with the hashtag real psi in singapore. i think it looks like alec baldwin. >> we have to go back and look to see if it was actually psi who performed on the plaza here. it could have been the imposter. >> that got me thinking about you dancing again. >> dancing. >> i can't get that image out of my head. >> has me thinking about this subject. are teens finally finished with facebook? new evidence suggests enthusiasm for that social networking site could be waning among the country's youth. the pew research center found that teens, in particular teens, don't like rubbing virtual elbows with their parents, grandparents and other adults on the site. so oversharing and too much drama were also popular complaints among the teens. instead, that age group seems to be flocking to some other social networking sites like twitter and instagram to stay connected.

now for its part, facebook says, you know what, we're still pretty popular with the under 25 crowd and let's not forget, they do have 1.1 billion users. >> they do. >> as of may. >> this does not surprise me at all. i think once you are crossing paths with your mom or grandparents on facebook, i think the cool factor is just -- >> it goes away. we have a 16-year-old and all of his grandparents are on including my mom who has spied on him recently. >> or when your mom starts friending your friends. >> which she's done. >> if i'm on twitter now, am i going to kill twitter? >> yeah, probably. >> come on, no. >> actually, yeah. exactly. if we're on it, it's by definition not cool. well, this morning, you probably had a donut or perhaps a croissant for breakfast. have you had both at the same time? introducing the cronut. >> this is a pastry hybrid, a

new york based chef came up with this. does anyone want to try it? >> what's it filled with? >> find out. >> heaven. >> you coordinated it with your outfit. >> i did because when i get it all over me, it won't blend in. >> no, i'm way behind. >> i'd love to try it, but i have to read the next story. >> i'll try it for you later. >> tamron loves it. >> now we will turn to a case that's getting a lot of attention in florida, actually. an 18-year-old high school student facing criminal charges for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old. nbc's kerry sanders is in sebastian, florida, with that story, kerry, good morning. >> reporter: well, good morning, savannah, the lawyer for the 18-year-old does not dispute the facts in this case. her client has been expelled from the high school here and now that teenager faces a difficult decision. accept a plea deal or fight the charges, two charges or lewd and lascivio lascivious behavior on a minor.

>> shep wanted to speak, but when she walked to the microphone, she couldn't find the words. wrapped in her father's arms, the cheerleader's story has become a cause to more than 150,000 online. freekate.net, a petition on change.org and facebook posts all urging the state attorney drop the prosecution. the honor student faces two counts of lewd or lascivious battery. if convicted, she could go to prison for up to 15 years, the same as if a boy were convicted of the same crime with an underage girl. and she would be a registered sex offender. >> she's been robbed. >> katelyn's parents say they believe the charges resulted because the parents of the 14-year-old cannot accept their daughter had sex with a girl. >> this is killing us as a family. i would just beg for them to look at that and look at the

reality of it, listen to their own child, what she says, you know. and just what's the purpose of this. >> charles sullivan is an attorney representing the 14-year-old alleged victim and her parents. >> this is a violation of the law that's based upon an adult having sexual relations with a minor. the gender, sexual orientation of the parties has nothing to do with the prosecution. >> how are you holding up? >> every day's different. some days i'm my happy self, other days i'm overwhelmed, scared, i have my days. >> the state attorneys offered kate a plea deal, but her attorney says she would still be a convicted felon and would have to attend sex offender counseling. her hope now -- >> i'm definitely hoping for a better plea deal, but if not, then we'll have to do everything that we can do to win the fight. >> the clock is now ticking. the state attorney has told

katelyn's lawyer they have until friday afternoon to accept the plea deal or go to court. meantime, the 14-year-old in this case has now turned 15. savannah. >> all right, kerry sanders, a little bit of a lighting issue there. kerry, appreciate it very much. let's turn to lisa bloom. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> does this case raise a lot of questions. but let's start with this straightforward application of the law. the fact of the matter is, there are statutes in every state in the country that prohibit sexual conduct with a minor and that minor's consent is not a defense. is this an open and shut case on the law? >> well, that's right, savannah, an 18-year-old is an adult in the eyes of law. and in florida if you're 18 and have sexual relations with a 14-year-old, that's statutory rape. an 18-year-old can drink, can work, live independently sign contracts, a 14-year-old can't do any of that. there's a line in the law on age. >> there's a law that looks at it and says there's a power imbalance when you're talking about an adult and minor.

>> and psychologically there's a big difference between 14-year-old and 18-year-old. >> a lot of people look at the facts of this case and ask would this be prosecuted at all. forget the law is on the books, if not for the fact this is a relationship between two girls. >> and that's the question. so i looked at fbi statistics online and turns out that 9 out of 10 people prosecuted for statutory rape are male and 9 out of 10 victims are female. overwhelmingly it's heterosexual boys prosecuted for this. this seems to be an outlier. >> they've been offered a plea deal from the prosecutors which would mean no jail time, house arrest, she would be a convicted felon and there would a chance that the judge could withhold adjudication and she wouldn't have to register as a sex offender. do you take the deal? because her parents aren't so sure she should. >> very reluctantly if she were my client, i would say, yes. two years house arrest is a long time, but she's facing up to 15 years in prison. this is a tough law.

she can petition the court under the romeo and juliette statute, which is she wouldn't be the sex offender list. in the long-term, not all that bad for her in the two year short-term, pretty bad. >> and what's the alternative? if she doesn't take the plea, she goes to court, isn't the verdict going to be guilty because she's acknowledged this conduct and as we just discussed the law's straightforward on this. >> she really doesn't have a defense. ignorance of the law wasn't a defense. the law just looks at the age of these two girls, both of whom admitted to the police they had sexual relations. >> very quickly, there's a public petition now and i think it has something like 150,000 signatures to get the prosecutors to drop the charges. is that the kind of thing that can be persuasive to a prosecutor? >> it can be. the prosecutor has broad discretion here. he can offer a better deal to her. that's within his power. the petition could affect that. if she goes to court, of course, the petition can't affect what a judge would do. >> a lot of interesting legal

issues and parenting issues too. thank you very much. send it over to matt and tamron. now a story out of texas also getting a lot of attention. a baby born after the mother's heart stopped beating. >> oh, man, this is amazing, matt. this is a story we first heard about through our houston affiliate kprc. three co-workers are credited with saving two lives, that newborn baby and her mom. >> reporter: for this family, every day is a gift after 76 days in the hospital, 3-month-old elena finally home after a touch and go delivery into this world. they call elena's birth a miracle, mother erica is an english teacher. she collapsed in a co-worker's classroom when she was nine months pregnant. >> i told her, i feel very faint. and i put my head down and essentially just passed out. >> erica's husband is a teacher at the same school and was only two classrooms away when his

pregnant wife fainted. >> i opened the door and walked in and erica was lying on the floor. >> erica says an undetected heart defect caused her heart to stop. >> i had what's known as athlete's heart. nine out of ten times people die from the initial collapse. >> they used cpr and a defibrillator to keep erica and her baby alive until a paramedic arri arrived. >> it was literally a ticking time bomb and happened when i was 36 weeks. >> erica was rushed to the hospital and within minutes, doctors delivered her baby an emergency c-section. >> there were two lives that were hanging in the balance the whole time. >> doctors told her family it was a postmortem birth because her heart stopped beating in the delivery room. but thanks to physicians and erica's three co-workers both she and her baby have beaten the odds. >> i'm extremely lucky. i don't call it lucky, i call it blessed because if i didn't have the people there that were

there, i wouldn't be alive and neither would she. >> erica's co-workers were honored by the missouri city council. baby elena is expected to be off oxygen tanks by early next week. doctors implanted a pacemaker to monitor her heart. it is incredible. but to see her hugging that baby and both okay. it makes your day. >> yeah, really good ending to what could have been a tragic story. tamron, thank you very much. still ahead, the gang down in orlando is challenging us to a little movie trivia competition. >> can i already wave the white flag of surrender? you want to go up against al roker on movie trivia? >> no, i don't. >> we'll have that and more. but first on a thursday morning, a check of your local news and weather.

good morning. it is 8:26 on this thursday morning. i'm aaron gilchrist. you will want to avoid part of

14th street again today. still closed between new york avenue and pennsylvania avenue because of that sinkhole. ddot says it may not be done fixing the hole until this weekend. let's gait check to forecast now from storm team 4 meteorologist tom kierein. >> grab an umbrella. we have low clouds over the metro area. producing a few sprinkles mainly west of i-95 this morning. little bit of light rain. moving from southwest heading northeast. that's going to be with us here lou the next several hours. hen later this afternoon, could get thunderstorms. only a sly chance they would be severe between 3:00 and 7:00. after that lingering showers and thunder million mid might. much cooler, windy tomorrow. small chance of a shower. still a bit of a blustery wind saturday winds settle down and gets warmer sunday and memorial day. back to you. we will check the roads for you in

good morning. southbound bw parkway, having slowing as you approach 197. average speed of 44 miles per hour. after you it that spot pregoing all the way to the beltway. 59 southbound looking good as you approach the beltway. once you get to the beltway stop and go traffic. outer loop is slow. looking at a 26-minute ride from 95 to 270. >> thank you. you can tune in

♪ 8:30 now on a thursday morning. it's the 23rd day of may, 2013. got a nice crowd out in rockefeller plaza this morning. and there's also a nice crowd down in orlando. that's universal orlando resort where al, natalie, and willie are hanging out this morning. and today the gang gets back together on the jersey shore. >> we're headed to seaside heights, checking on the recovery from superstorm sandy. governor chris christie will join us live and we'll have a special concert series from the band we've been playing this morning, fun. we're going to start summer off right tomorrow. >> meantime, inside studio 1a matt lauer alongside savannah

guthrie and tamron hall. we'll reveal consumer picks for the best and worst airlines in this country in time for your summer travel plans. and viagra for women. how it works and how soon it could be available. >> all right. but first we want to check in with al and the weather. good morning again to you. >> well, not just the weather, guys, but i've got exciting news. yes, that's right. all you transformer fans out there. that's right, the battle continuing here in orlando with transformers the ride 3d opening up here at the universal orlando resort june 20th. joining us, bumblebee and with an exclusive interview, optimus prime. good morning. you don't have to go for the mike. how involved are you in designing this ride? >> if you are resigned to headquarters, that information is classified. >> oh, okay. i've got clearance.

>> my apologies, mr. roker. all recruits who enter the facility will be briefed in all possible danger that megatron and decepticons present. >> that's megatron right there. >> yes, and i would advise you keep a safe distance. he's the greatest evil we have ever faced. bumblebee, prepare for battle. >> i like the sound of that. all right. so all. >> i will do the weather before things get out of hand. roll. roll out! come on. there we go. let's check the weather and show you what is going on. first of all, for our friends in oklahoma, severe thunderstorm and flash flood barn warnings, rainfall rates of over two inch necessary the last hour. lot of lightning. hopefully it is going to stay. that's as bad as it will get. we won't ever won't be looking at my more severe weather for that.

today we have a ricks of strong storms just to their west and to the south and oklahoma and texas, rain in the pacific northwest, risk of strong storms also in the northeast later today. all the way into the into the mid atlantic states. sunny and hot through the southwest tomorrow. we are going to see more rain making its way through the mid atlantic states and into the northeast. and rain become through the plains. all right. so since i said your line, why don't you say mine. >> of course. here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. we have had some passing light rain showers over the last several hours. mainly west of i-95. and they have been continuing to move to the southwest heading northeast. light rain in washington here over the next hour or so. and later today, much of the area should have showers and maybe some thunderstorms. late afternoon into early evening. slight risk they would be severe. highs reaching near 80. tomorrow much cooler. highs in the 60s. blustery wind. still a gusty wind on saturday.

>> and that's your latest weather. by the way, savannah, in the break, optimus telling me very upset about the engagement plans if you know what i mean. >> really? i never knew he was a fan, al. thanks so much. well, now we'll take a turn and talk about the effort to find a drug that would boost a woman's sexual desire. they may be nearly here. >> don't let erectile dysfunction get in the way. >> for 15 years, the little blue pill has offered men help in the bedroom, but what about women? studies show between 1 and 4 years into a relationship, a woman's sexual interest begins to dive. and up to 15% of women between the ages of 20 and 60 years old suffer from what's known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder defined as a lack of lust that creates emotional stress. in an excerpt from a new book, "what do women want" the "new

york times" magazine highlights a new set of drugs that aim to increase sexual desire in women. let's turn to sex and relationship experts ian kerner and logan lepcot. i should mention, actually, these two new drugs we mentioned are created by a company called emotional brain. they're still in the trial period. could be years away before we have fda approval. let's get that out of the way. first of all, let's address the problem that this aims to correct which is that women in monogamous relationships have some sort of inordinate dropoff in sexual desire. do you find that on the front lines of this? >> i would say for couples as a whole men and women sexual desire does tend to wane as you go through a relationship. we did a survey of about 5,000 men and women on the topic of sexual boredom and relationship boredom and 50% were bored in their relationship. >> but we seem be surprised when it's men. when women are saying i'm bored,

i want novelty, i want diversity and it calls into question this concept of monogamy. we might choose it, but is it natural? jury's still out . >> and boredom is not a medical issue. you don't take a pill to make your relationship less boring. >> that leads me to my next question. let's say a woman does have a drop you've in sexual desire that she finds to be so problematic she wants to address it with apharmaceutical. can you even do that? isn't female sexuality kind of complicated? >> hugely complicated. and we are a pill-popping society, but women have been socialized and brow beaten for years, turn off your sexuality, don't be sexual, you're not equal to men in these areas. all that guilt and shame plays a role in our libido. >> what are the implications of trying to fix this with a drug rather than addressing deeper relationship issues. >> i think you're treating a symptom and not the cause. for me, your sexual well being is connected to your overall well being. if you don't feel desire in the bedroom, there could be

something wrong with diet, exercise, stress levels, your health. >> your partner. >> your relationship. >> last but not least, your relationship. but i will say, you know, particularly like for the millions of men and women who are on antidepressants and who have artificially high seratonen levels, perhaps having a pill to balance and lower it temporarily -- >> be careful, sex therapist, let's not get too graphic here, but some people call this viagra for women, that's a little bit of a misnomer. >> it works by increasing blood flow to the genitals, female sexuality is different. the lens through which we like to talk about sex is always b biological. >> what's interesting about the drugs being tested is it seeks to address desire, something more psychological. >> exactly, and the other thing to remember is even with viagra,

doesn't address desire in men either. and there are millions of americans, in fact, in all of my work with couples, it is just as likely for a guy to be experiencing low desire as for his female partner. >> all right. thank you so much. we appreciate it. coming up next, the best and worst airlines according to consumer reports. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

[ female announcer ] from meeting customer needs... to meeting patient needs... ♪ wireless is limitless. we're back at 8:40 with "today's" travel and something to consider when you book your get away. >> out with the new best and worst airlines list. mandy walker is the senior project editor. good morning. >> good morning. >> it'll be a great morning for some airlines, not a good morning for others. what are the criteria? >> we look at a lot of things. we look at specifically how easy is it to check in? how clean are the cabins? how is the cabin crew service. what's the inflight entertainment like? how comfortable are the seats in many cases not so comfortable.

>> you've got a newcomer on the list coming in with a bang. >> we do. >> tell us about that. >> virgin america, first time on the list coming in at the number one spot. people were really happy across the board. check-in was a breeze, they love the air flight entertainment, the screens on the back of the seat that provide free tv and movies too. one woman told me she flew from palm desert, california, and lax and spent the night just to fly. >> last year's number one fell to number two, that's southwest. is it because they did something wrong? or virgin america was that good? >> no, they got a high score. number two and jetblue, number three were very close. people were happy with them, as well. southwest, people have to love the fact you can check first and second bags for free, jetblue, you can check one bag for free, which is great. people love jetblue's seatback entertainment. >> people wished the inflight entertainment was a little bit better. >> yeah. >> hawaiian airlines, another

fairly new airline and new to the list. >> new to our list, expanding the number of cities they serve like virgin america. and when you got to the middle of the pack, hawaiian airlines, frontier and delta, did well, but people were a little less happy with the seating comfort and lack of inflight entertainment. >> so we've done the good. i guess we have to do the ones that weren't beloved. >> the ones that were the bottom of the list. >> spirit airlines. it's interesting, their whole business model is to charge a much, much cheaper price. >> and they do, yeah. >> but there are a lot of what consumers consider hidden fees. >> being charged unexpectedly for a fee, translated to people being very unhappy. and it's true that spirit might charge 90% less on some routes and other airlines, but they have a lot of a la carte fees. >> we don't just pick on spirit. what were some of the airlines that finished toward the bottom of the pack? >> u.s. air, american and united. and when you get down to that level, people were a little less happy with how easy it was to check in and the cleanliness of the cabin and cabin crew

service. >> a lot of times it seems people were liking newer planes. sometimes jetblue has a newer plane. >> and because they've been making so much money on fees, there are new planes coming online, especially a lot of the bigger airlines. >> thanks. mandy walker, thank you so much. coming up next, a real fish out of water. heading to yellowstone, but first, this is "today" on nbc.

we're back at 8:45. as you probably know, we were all headed to yellowstone national park as part of our great american adventure when that tornado in oklahoma changed our plans. actor and author steve schirripa was going to join us there and made the trip ahead of time to find out how city folks cut it in the wilderness. legend has it there's a man who lives deep in the wilderness.

>> i heard he fishes with his bare hands. >> i heard he was raised by wolves. >> a man so rugged, so extreme he's known around these parts simply as el oso, the bear. he rarely ventures into the civilized world, he's rarely been seen until now. >> hey. >> howdy. >> i'm steve. >> steve, i'm jenny. nice to meet you. >> so you going to teach me how to fly fish? >> i'm going to do it. you can't do it looking like that. hate to say. >> what's wrong with this? >> you ready to hit the water? >> let's go. >> this ain't coney island, i'll tell you that. all right. >> maybe not. >> this is terrible! >> no, no, no, it wasn't that bad. >> i'd rather go to the fish store. have you taught celebrities, other famous people? >> yeah.

you're the biggest. >> you're the biggest, not the most famous, the biggest. >> their her waders, weren't they? >> they were not. >> tell the truth. >> come on, baby. >> you really can't find any better place to fly fish than montana, especially here. you have people coming all over the world to fish here. >> i taught oprah to fish, gayle to fish, kevin costner to fish. it's some of the hardest fishing you can get out here. >> oh, this is where the fish are. wonder why i didn't catch nothing earlier. >> there it is! >> oh, come on, baby! come on! we got one! >> you got it. all right. >> let me say hello to it first. >> this is a rainbow trout. well done. i'm so proud of you. >> whenever you come to montana,

there's one food everyone has to try. >> a little bit of new york right here in montana. not bad. can anyone say frozen? so i'm here with warren. let me ask you, how long have you had the ranch here? >> since 1979. >> what time do you wake up in the morning? >> 3:30 every morning. >> 3:30, you're like matt lauer. i assume one of these beautiful horses i'm going to get up on. this is a tall one. >> no, none of these horses here, steve. your horse is in the barn. >> special horse? >> yeah, special. >> let's go, pal. ♪ >> whoa, whoa, whoa. >> here's your horse.

>> get out of here. what's the name of this horse? >> wildfire. >> really? i'm not riding that. i'm not riding that, warren. >> he's really gentle, steve. >> yeah, i can see. >> no, no, no. >> that's the best you got, huh? >> that's the best i got. think you can handle it? >> let's do it. ♪ >> this is what i'm talking about festus, the mule here in montana for the "today" show. all right, easy baby. >> i wanted to see him on wildfire. >> i know. oh, my gosh, the clap, it's killing me. >> we want to thank steve for being such a great sport and, of course, we're sorry we never made it out to yellowstone, it would have been a lot of fun. >> i hope we get a chance to get

back there. it's beautiful. we'll go head to head in a movie trivia challenge with our gang in orlando. february 22nd. a landmark transportation bill is up for consideration in the virginia legislature. even though it's backed by republican governor mcdonnell, tea party republicans refuse to support the plan. but terry mcauliffe thinks this is too important a time for partisan politics.

mcauliffe reaches out to democrats and urges them to support the bill. and the bill passes. terry mcauliffe. putting virginia first. back now at 8:52. al, natalie and willie is spending the morning at universal orlando resort. and guys, i guess you've been studying and you have a little challenge for us.

>> we sure do, guys. so you know, of course, the rides here include everything from the hulk, spider-man, jurassic park, we thought we would test your movie trivia knowledge and put it to a little game. >> and we've asked greg foster of universal orlando. he's the emcee to help us out. the first question goes to new york but we can steal, is that correct? >> correct. >> take it away. >> all right, everybody. let's get started. this first question is going to go to matt, savannah and tamron in new york. the wizarding world of harry potter is here at universal orlando resort. how many harry potter films were made in the franchise? >> five. >> i know. >> i'm going to go with there are seven. >> i know. can we steal? >> that's your answer? >> is that our final answer. >> sure, why not. >> if we stall, we have to answer fewer questions. >> okay. >> seven. >> that is incorrect. >> eight. >> eight is correct.

>> split the last book. >> you're fired. both of you are fired. >> these ringers are terrible. >> second question, willie, natalie and al on the orlando team, which film was not directed by steven spielberg, a, jurassic park, b, jaws, c, the terminator, or d, "e.t.." >> "terminator." >> correct. >> easy. >> okay. >> rub it in a little. >> all right. now we're going back to new york. "despicable me 2" comes out later this summer, who voices the lead character? is it, a, robin williams, b, steve carrell, c, russell brandon, or d, jim carrey. >> we are going to go with -- >> i think it's -- >> really? >> i'm not sure. >> i'm going to go with steve carrell. i'm going with steve carrell.

i'm taking an educated guess. >> that is correct! >> i never get it. new york is on the board. >> showed them a little mercy. >> there we go, coming back to orlando. now, the sixth film in the "fast and the furious" franchise opens this week. >> natalie just went to london and interviewed this entire cast. >> this is us. >> why don't you ask natalie what her middle name is? >> i can give you -- >> the good thing is it isn't all about universal movies we've got coming out. >> all right. now, this one for new york in the film "e.t." what is "e.t.'s" favorite candy. >> oh, my gosh. >> is it, a, m&ms, b, reese's pieces -- >> what's that? >> reese's pieces. >> that is correct. there it is. back to orlando, here we go.

here we go. >> that's a lot. >> like two. >> all right, guys. in the film "beetlejuice," what must be said three times to make him appear? >> oh -- >> beetlejuice. >> correct, yeah. >> wow, that was tough. that was good. >> here we go. we're coming back. coming back to new york. last question. >> is that it? >> we're done. >> we're out of time. >> here we are the trophy. >> what? >> what was the final score. >> we want to thank all the little people. >> we are the world's greatest superstars. >> who set this contest up? the same guy that rowed the canoe for natalie and savannah? >> we'll see you guys in a few minutes. first a check of your local news and weather.

it is 8:56 on this thursday morning. i'm aaron gilchrist. in our headlines if you visit arlington national cemetery you will get to see a moving ceremony ahead of memorial day. soldiers from the old guard place flags in front of the 200,000 graves there. this is called a flags in ceremony. soldiers will remove the flags after memorial day. let's see how the weather is shaping up now from storm team 4 meteorologist tom kierein. >> right now getting scattered light rain across parts of morning virginia, maryland, eastern panhandle of west virginia. later today we on get stronger storms in this yellow zone. severe risk between 3:00 and 8:00. some of the storms in the yellow zone includes much of our region and could produce damaging winds and hail between 3:00 and 8:00 p.m. highs reaching near 80. much cooler weather moves in

with a blustery wind for friday and saturday. >> thank y for our families... our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created... a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more.. low and no-calorie beverages... adding clear calorie labels so you know... exactly what you're choosing... and in schools, replacing full-calorie soft drinks... with lower-calorie options. with more choices and fewer calories... america's beverage companies are delivering.

accident had morning in

mclean eastbound anderson route 123. all eastbound lanes are shut down. 395 as you approach the 14th street bridge, 26-minute drive from the beltway to the bridge. >> ♪

>> hey, scooby, where are you? welcome to a special edition of "today" on thursday, may 23rd, 2013. we are live from universal studios resort in orlando, florida. just the latest stop on "today's" great american adventure. and what a welcome it is. >> that's right. oh. i love lucy. >> classic tunes. "i love lucy." >> all the superstars. >> they're all here. >> right here, by the way, outside the gates of universal studios, florida. and this is the studio brass band playing some of our favorite theme songs. some of the most iconic characters here in the park as you can see, we've got lots of

"despicable me" minions and we have diego and dora the explorer. spongebob. >> they're all here. >> who's not here? >> woody woodpecker over there. >> all right. hey, you know, just next door to us, islands of adventure, universal's other theme park is home to attractions like the hulk roller coaster, jurassic park, and of course the wildly popular wizarding world of harry potter. >> i love that place. we were just here two months ago and absolutely love that place. also, of course, you can't come here and not stand and take a picture in front of the trademark universal globe. guess how much that weighs. >> how much does that weigh? >> i'll tell you how much that weighs. it's six tons, makes 75 revolutions per hour. >> full of facts. >> i'm full of knowledge today. >> in a little bit, we're going to head inside the gates, talk a little bit about america's fascination with theme parks. why people love coming to orlando so much.

plus, what you can do outside the park if you're planning a trip to central florida. so a lot to get to today. >> sure is. >> we wanted to start our take three. a few hours ago, al just landed here from oklahoma without sleep working hard for the last several days. >> you know what, what we did was inconsequential compared to what the first responders did. and now, the volunteers there who are helping all these folks. what's amazing to me was that literally the skies were barely clear and people were out helping people that they had no -- they had never met before. churches getting together and organizing and swooping down and swarming and helping the folks of moore. where that tornado hit. >> and there's been so many uplifting and incredible stories as we've been hearing and stories of survival. in fact, a great story that we're hearing about this morning is a new baby that was born there.

in fact, 25-year-old shayla thomas was in labor when that tornado hit. and she just delivered a little baby boy. let's take a listen to her. >> i look up at the ceiling and you see the tiles and stuff in the ceiling shaking and you see insulation start to fall. so i turned my head sideways and closed my eyes and i'm holding, you know, nurses' hands and we're there praying. i open my eyes because i can kind of see sunlight and i look as i open my eyes to the left, the wall was gone. the first thing i did, of course, was ask if all the nurses were still there and if they were okay. >> wow. just an incredible story. and shayla was transported to the hospital, had a c-section, the baby's name braden emanuel. his name means god with us. and the interesting thing, they chose the name before all this happened and so she's now saying

now i know why we chose that name. incredible story. >> beautiful story. >> there were a lot of miracles that happened in the middle of all of this. >> we're glad to see that. >> we'll keep our focus on oklahoma as we go forward here. we move to our take two. talking a little bit about the "forbes" 100 most powerful women. german chancellor angela merkel. >> she's been on that list for a long time. >> seventh time. >> it's great. >> and we have the brazilian president, melinda gates, wife of bill gates, first lady michelle obama, hillary clinton rounding out the top five. >> some celebrities in the top 50, beyonce was in at number 17, angelina jolie, 37, lady gaga at 45. >> and number six, facebook executive sheryl samberg. then you had arianna huffington of "the huffington post" giving the commencement address.

getting a lot of buzz online saying she feels we need both men and women need to redefine what we see as success. >> i think her message is so important in this day in age because so many of us are in the rat race. and you end up thinking it's all about career, it's all about making sure you hit that milestone and doing and being successful at your job. but it really, arianna huffington's message was making sure that she said the third metric about success should be happiness, fulfillment, do you feel you've succeeded in being a good person? and i think that sadly is something that a lot of people don't think about that much. >> that's right. >> are they really happy with their lives? >> let's read a part of her speech. she says i beg you don't buy society's definition of success. it's not working for anyone. not working for women, men, for polar bears, she says. it's not working for the cicadas apparently about to emerge, only working for those who make pharmaceuticals for stress, diabetes, heart disease,

sleeplessness. she's been accused of going against of all of the things we hear. that you have to be hard-charging, racing up the corporate ladder. >> not that she isn't any one of those. >> she's done incredibly well. >> certainly. >> but it's an important message. something resinating a lot with women. and men. >> and i think more and more men are really -- it really does. we've had gretchen ruben on a number of times. >> yes, exactly, the happiness project. >> and i think this is really taking root with people. because at the end of the day, it's not so much about how much you have, it's about how much happiness and fulfillment you have. >> absolutely. and there was a picture that was going around after oklahoma in the tornadoes. there was a picture of the sign that was laying in the rubble and it said something to the effect that, you know, things don't matter, it's all about having your family around you. and that's ultimately what it comes down to. you know, your measure of success really should be about

the people around you and the happiness you have in your life and fulfillment. >> it's a great message. >> really quick before we go, our take three, amusement park roller coaster memory. >> my first amusement park was also my first appearance on tv. >> really? >> yeah. >> in new york city, an amusement park called freedom land. it was the east coast's answer to disneyland, like a frontier theme park and there was a local kids show. and i told a joke, i stumped sonny fox and won a home run baseball. >> and you were a hit right away. >> i was 7 years old. >> a career was born. >> we were just here two months ago with my kids and we hit up all the roller coasters in the park. i love this place. we came for harry potter world, which have you been there yet? >> no, not yet. >> unreal, it's incredible how down to the -- have you had some of these?

go ahead, try some. >> can i give you some advice on the -- they're all really delicious. they're tropical flavored. >> mmm. >> did you salt? >> try it. >> did you give him one of the vomit or the booger? >> i don't know. what did it taste like? >> sulfur. sulfur flavored jelly bean. >> you got the special one. >> al knows a little bit better. >> that's horrible. i can't even share a fun childhood memory at this point. >> you're going to share that again a little later. >> share it again while i finish this up. what is wrong with you? let's go back to new york city for a look at today's top stories with tamron hall. good morning, everyone. a british official says the two suspects in the brutal attack have been subjects of investigations in the past. the two are in custody after a

british soldier was murdered with knives and a meat cleaver. one suspect with bloody hands was filmed on a cell phone camera saying they acted in revenge for british involvement in wars in iraq and afghanistan. british prime minister david cameron says his country will never give in to terrorism. and a national security speech this afternoon, president obama's expected to outline his plan to begin shifting control of drone operations from the cia to the military. on wednesday, the administration admitted for the first time that anti-terror drone strikes overseas have killed four americans, including one who was specifically targeted. and yet another military scandal in the u.s., army sergeant first class michael mcclendon is accused of using a hidden camera to videotape female cadets at west point in showers, restrooms, and locker rooms. he's facing four charges including indecent acts and dereliction of duty. new details in the deadly shooting of a man in florida being questioned about the boston marathon bombings.

officials say todashev told investigators that he and boston bombing suspect tamerlan tsarnaev killed three people outside boston two years ago. he was killed after officials say he attacked an fbi agent during questioning on tuesday. do not believe, though, he was involved in the boston bombing. an arizona jury tries again today to reach a unanimous decision on whether convicted killer jodi arias should live or die. on wednesday, jurors said they were at an impasse, but the judge told them to keep working. two weeks ago the same jury found her guilty of first-degree murder in the death of her one-time boyfriend. and the oldest person ever to make it to the top of mt. everest. this guy had four heart operations, four, in the last six years. the japanese man called making it to the summit the world's best feeling. it is now 11 minutes after the

hour, back to al, natalie and willie. another great feeling, a chance to be in orlando hanging out at universal. good stuff there, guys. >> it certainly is. thank you so much, tamron. how's that after taste? >> stays with you, natalie. >> there are delicious ones mixed in there. >> i'll take your word for it. >> you happened to pick the wrong one. let's throw it over to al for a check of your weather. >> all right, guys. and there are a lot of great groups that perform during the show, during the day here when people are walking around. we've got street breaks and power skits back here. let's show you a little bit of what they do. hit it! ♪ ♪

let's check your weather and see what is going on. these guys have to be sweating like crazy. it is about 90. let's show you what we have for today risk of strong storms making their way through oklahoma. getting up to two inches per hour. rain in the pacific northwest. risk of strong storms today in the northeast. all up and into new england. risk of strong storms, texas, into oklahoma. and rain into the pacific northwest. plenty of sunshine. hot tomorrow. southwest. gulf coast and more rain in the northeast. mid atlantic states. and we are looking at showers and thunderstorms still hanging around in the pacific northwest. you know who can do this? natalie could do this. natalie can do this. >> not at all. >> yeah. not. that's what'going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> getting scattered sprinkles across northern virginia and district and into maryland, eastern panhandle of west

virginia heading off to the north and east. then later this afternoon, in this yell zone, there is a potential for some strong storms that might produce some wind damage, maybe hail. looks like the prime time for that is between 3:00 and 8:00 p.m. and then tomorrow, turning much cooler. blustery wind. highs only mid 60s. smaller chance of a shower. and then saturday still a gusty wind with highs near 70 and a chilly morning. warm other sunday >> that's your latest weather. this is as much as i can do. >> all right, al. >> that's good enough. natalie's getting over there. >> sure. thanks. coming up next, america's love affair with amusement parks. what is it we love so much about these places? that's right after this.

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ooh-hoo, i can't wait to clean something besides the shower. [ male announcer ] scrubbing bubbles' foam penetrates tough grime and kills 99.9% of bacteria, so cleaning the whole bathroom is easier. scrubbing bubbles. [ female announcer ] sc johnson. "taking in the scenery" and "hey, they're taking our stuff," no need to panic. walgreens has over 8,000 stores across the country with all your prescriptions on file and just about anything else you might need along the way. because you never know what the road will bring. so swing by walgreens today for all your summer must-haves like snacks and sunscreen, right here. at the corner of happy and healthy. and welcome back to today's great american adventure, we're here at universal orlando resort. orlando is one of america's top

vacation destinations, 56 million people visit this town every year. >> unbelievable. >> most of them come, the main reason -- >> theme parks. exactly. there are incredible rides. everything from "despicable me," rocket roller coaster back here. but the reason really people coming back to these places is good old family fun. >> wally world, here we come. >> the family trek to the amusement parks truly american tradition. some say it's a right of passage. >> first ones here. >> almost everyone has a favorite part of the park. >> i love roller coasters. >> i like the funnel cakes. funnel cakes are good. >> the adventure. >> seeing it through their eyes. >> but more than 400 amusement and theme parks across the country, it's not just fun and games, it's big business. the industry generates approximately $12 billion from the nearly 300 million people who visit u.s. parks each year.

americans have been flocking to amusement parks for over a century. inspiration for the modern parks we know today is said to have come from the 1893 chicago world's fair. >> that's what introduced the midway to the amusement industry, a walkway lined with rides and attractions. it's elaborate buildings and use of electric lighting was a foreshadow to today's big theme parks. >> the fair also introduced a modern marvel by an engineer named george ferris. >> people would line up for hours to ride it. >> a few years later, coney island opened the doors to the famous amusement park. with some more rudimentary entertainment, eventually adding its own ferris wheel. and while these classic rides are still entertaining thrill seekers, today's parks are so much more. >> these days, amusement parks

are all about outdoing the last one. can it go higher, faster, can it propel you into the air? more dramatically -- >> universal hopes to kick that drama up a notch with truly high-tech rides fully immersing guests in 3d worlds where they can get up close and personal with favorites like harry potter, spider-man and the soon to be opened transformer. spread across 107 acres, the resort features 26 rides, 150-foot drops, one water park, 16 dinosaurs, 24 simpsons characters, countless minions, three hotels, 76 restaurants, and a whole lot of this. >> nostalgia is a huge part of why they're flocking back. the look you get on a 6-year-old's face the first time they go on a roller coaster, that is a feeling we want to recreate every time we walk into an amusement park.

>> well, you know, one of the other things that people love, there are a lot of great characters in these theme parks. here at universal, one of the most beloved is "lucy" here. one of my favorite moments is that. give me a little bit of that. >> oh, sure. hello, friends, do you feel bad at parties? you should try it with me, al. >> sure. >> and we taste some and your line it's so tasty too, just like candy. >> it's so tasty too, just like -- oh -- hold on. is that -- >> let me see. >> this is really good. >> it's not too bad. okay, i'll try some of yours. it's not too bad. >> that's fantastic. >> all right. and we're going to be back with steals and deals.

>> try a little more! after these messages. [ laughter ] smoke? nah, i'm good. [ male announcer ] celebrate every win with nicoderm cq. nicoderm cq is the unique patch that helps prevent the urge to smoke all day long. double your chances of quitting with nicoderm cq. for aveeno® positively radiant face moisturizer. [ female announcer ] aveeno® with soy helps reduce the look of brown spots

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and their families. pick up a specially marked package of brawny® to learn how you can help. i wa s ha ving an affair with greek nonfat yogurt, 0% fat packed with protein thick and creamy look i'm in a committed relationship with activia and i've been happy now with activia greek i can have the best of both. activia greek. ♪ dannon still got a lot for you here at universal orlando. including a behind the scenes tour from the chefs, to the people who run the roller coasters and test them. >> smooth operation here. also, some of the fun outside the theme parks, all the fun you

can have in central florida. and, of course, jill martin is here with summer fun edition of steals and deals, sunglasses and bladeless fans. >> and -- >> we've got the blues brothers. >> boys. >> ellwood and jake. hit it, boys. >> all right. ♪ >> somebody scream! ♪ coming to ya on this dusty road ♪ ♪ i've got a truck load ♪ don't worry -- [ female announcer ] now you can apply sunblock

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>>. it is 9:26. breaking news. we are told two adults and two children were on the bus and the kids are fine. adults were taken to the hospital. we expect that they will be okay as well. now we will bring you more information on this as we are able to find it out. right now let's gait look at the forecast from tom kierein. >> right now got low clouds over the metro area. that's live view from the city camera. they are producing a few scattered sprinkles. no storms around now. in this yellow zone later today we could get severe storms with damaging winds and hail. 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. covers most of the region. as we get into tomorrow much cooler weather moves in. blustery wind. highs 60s. small chance of a shower. still blustery wind on saturday. sunday and memorial day warming up. >> thank you, tom. we will se

good morning. we have an accident in herndon northbound fair farr fax county avenue. the right lane is blocked will. aaron, back to you. >> news4 is teaming up with the red dros help

♪ welcome back to universal

studios florida. we are on rodeo drive and being treated by the universal superstar parade. a lot of familiar characters. there's spongebob, dora the explorer, we saw the minions from "despicable me" pass by. spongebob right now. it takes them about 45 minutes to get through the entire park here. >> this is -- if you have children, you recognize every these. >> where does -- what town does spongebob live in? >> come on. >> i don't know. we're not there yet. >> bikini bottom. >> bikini bottom. al is down the parade route a little bit. good practice for the thanksgiving day parade. >> exactly. i felt very thanksgiving day parade-like as we come down. and, okay, spongebob just went by you. believe it or not, he's going by me now. >> oh, my gosh. >> wow. there you go. hi. how's it like being with

spongebob? >> i love it. >> she loves it, guys. loves it. >> all right. >> here comes squidward. >> what about a check of our weather, al? >> it's pretty much the same where you are, natalie. >> 5 feet away? >> exactly. >> how about street unofficial start to summer. starting with saturday. wet weather in the northeast. windy and wet. hot through the gulf coast. hot in the southwest. rainy in the central plains. for sunday, sunday, more rain in new england. rain from the plains into the mississippi river valley. rain in the pacific northwest. and plenty of shine and hot through the southern third of the state. on memorial day, clears up here in the northeast. and hot and sunny through the gulf coast. more rain in the lower mississippi river. back into the plains. sunny and mild in the pacific northwest. hot in the southwest. showers along the northern california coastline. here come the gang from hot.

that's what's going on around the country. show the gang from hop. show the hoppers. come on. he is not going to show them. here they come. that's what's going on in your neck of the woods. here we have a lot of low clouds. they are producing light rain scattered mainly west of i-95. it is going to be with us over another couple of hours. then maybe later this afternoon some stronger storms. some of them could be severe with damaging winds and hail. like the time frame for that would be 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. a big change for tomorrow and saturday. highs only in the signatures. blustery wind and maybe a shower tomorrow. small chance of that. then a bit milder as we move into sunday and memorial day. chilly mornings. 40s to 50. afternoon highs low and mid 7 ons. warmer on tuesday and wednesday. there's dora. what's dora's cousin's name? >> diego. >> very good. >> that one i know. >> you're working on "despicable

me" next. many coming here to the theme park, it's all about the fun, family entertainment. but as you know, a lot of work goes into making sure everything runs smoothly. >> and it's pretty rare they peel back the curtain and let people see behind the scenes of a big park like this, but they did it for us. on any given day, tens of thousands of people will visit universal orlando's two theme parks. to be twisted, spun and splashed. but long before the sunrises over this resort, these parks are already in action. hundreds of park employees are hard at work clearing paths, trimming trees, washing sidewalks. by 6:00 a.m., executive chef steven jason and his team are inside the universal test kitchen already well into a 20-hour a day operation that services 76 restaurants across the park. >> caught 1,000 pounds a day. >> that's not all, 1,000 cakes

and pace stries. and approximately 15,000 chocolate chip cookies will be distributed around the park. thousands of lemons are squeezed and mixed ready to be delivered to thirsty thrill seekers. >> these are the pies we serve. >> it's 6:45 a.m., outside in the park and chris is hard at work with his team of mechanics. >> we're here to get it online, make sure it's a safe, fun day for all of our guests. >> waking up a roller coaster is not a job for the faint of heart. chris' morning caps off with three consecutive test runs. >> no lines for me, not in the morning. >> great day at the office. >> but before any of the rides even make it here, they all begin here at universal creative headquarters where access is limited and creative minds are hard at work thinking of the

next big thing like the soon to be opened transformers the ride. >> this is a model that lays out the whole attraction and shows us a vehicle. that's the bright spot going around. >> universal creative president mark woodbury says it all begins with an idea. >> a while back, this was a blank sheet of paper. we'll start dreaming up concepts of how to make this thing become a great attraction and start to model, you know, what are the specifics of it. we take it from two dimensions into three dimensions and start to look at how these characters are going to be brought to life and how are we going to put guests right into the action, come face to face with guys like optimus prime. >> a unique collaboration of writers, film makers, and engineering that turn a model of hogwarts into a three-dimensional world. >> the activity and innovation is really creating memories for families that last a lifetime. >> and it's not just the rides that have creative minds at work.

universal orlando produces several live performances throughout the park. the biggest production is a daily parade featuring all of the park's most popular characters and entertainers under the careful supervision of michael ielo. >> we wanted something the entire family can gather and enjoy, from mom and dad to kids to the grandparents. >> by 1:00 p.m., technicians begin to roll out floats while hundreds of performers are dressing, stretching, swinging, and practicing. >> it really is a combined effort and a blend of organized chaos to get it all kind of put together. >> show time. >> and while the work is high energy and can be exhausting, the payoff is big. and before long, there'll be time to do it all over again. >> and our thanks to universal orlando for that peek behind the scenes. >> that's right. >> dora rolls with quite an

entourage. >> she does. >> coming up next, the orlando edition. >> jill came down. >> part of the parade. but first, these messages. hey, the camera man. >> hello! >> part of the parade. oh benj, you have an absolute sea of treasures here. but that peculiar contraption there has caught my eye... ...would you indulge me? you see, the smart tube reaches the bottom so you can spray every last drop. that is magnificent. yes it is... isn't it? absolutely magnific... my bottle! my eagle! introducing... quick , get a rodent. uh, re-introducing ...a rodent, benjamin. smart tube technology. new honey bunches of oats greek yohere we go.ole grain. honey cornflakes and chunks of greek yogurt. i'm tasting both the yogurt and the honey at the same time. i'm like digging this yogurt thing. i feel healthy. new honey bunches of oats greek.

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she gives me snickers peanut butter squared and i eat it. it's snickers with creamy peanut butter, would you like one? let's just keep an open mind. [ groans ] [ male announcer ] if you like peanut butter and chocolate, you'll love peanut butter and snickers. try snickers peanut butter squared. you'll love peanut butter and snickers. ♪ ♪ haircolor is propelled into a new era. garnier invents olia... our first ammonia-free permanent haircolor, powered by oil. a major technological breakthrough. oil can do more than condition hair... olia propels color deep inside the hair.

maximum color performance. visibly improves and restores hair. 100% gray coverage. pure, luminous, vivid color. haircolor will never be the same. olia creneatw ed by garnier. ♪ welcome back to a special orlando edition of jill's popular steals and deals. "today" contributor and contributing editor of "people style" jill martin traveled down with us and she has products perfect for your summer vacation. all the deals for you, exclusively our "today" show viewers. welcome to orlando. >> yes, the summer fun edition. whether you're coming to a theme park or staying at home for a summer party, we have something. >> these are all good things at low cost. let's get to the sunglasses first which i'm wearing a pair. you need them on a day like today. >> and i lost mine on the mummy ride yesterday. i needed a pair of these.

>> new york sunglasses, the retail $60, there are 12 styles offered. the glasses are polarized. really great glasses that reduce glare. the retail is $60, the deal is $18 for any of the pairs, that's 70% off. >> they come in so many different styles as you see here. go online. >> yeah. i'm having fun with them. protecting the eyes. over here, this is something you need when you are heading indoors here. a lot of air-conditioning, it can get chilly. this is the convertible tie dye scarf. it can be a dress, towel -- >> retail $150. >> it's a bird, it's a plane. >> she's actually modelling it, not that you need it here today. it's made of natural and manmade components. >> and soft. >> very soft. >> coral and all the blues and blacks. >> retail $150, the deal is $29, that's 81% off. so if you're going indoors to

outdoors, this is the perfect thing. >> here's another thing that's perfect for the long car ride on the way here if you want to educate your children at the same time. you've got the baby genius summer package. it includes ten cds and five dvds. >> keep your kids occupied. >> that's right. >> the retail $150, ten cds, toddler tunes, silly songs, underwater adventures. the retail 115, the deal is $29.99 for the whole package, 74% off. >> that's perfect. now the great deal from ihome. this is a rechargeable speaker system, perfect for ipads, ipods, and the iphone, but not the iphone 5. >> everything before it. and this is great if you're entertaining, home entertaining now. $139.99. two different choices, the first is a rechargeable stereosystem. great for movies. and the second one is portable app friendly rechargeable speaker system. the retail $139.99, the deal's

$49 for either one. >> amazing. >> 65% off. great for barbecues, entertaining. >> and you're going to need this today. >> see how cool -- >> it's the bladeless fan by jet stream. >> the deal is $299. >> this is bladeless. >> safe for children and pets. >> thank you for laughing. it's a one-year guarantee. retail $299, the deal is $65, 78% off. and we've all been sitting in front of this. >> you need that today. >> i think we've got some minions who are getting ready for some mayhem. again to remind you what our products are, the mark new york sunglasses by andrew marc. the convertible tie dye sarong, and the pack by baby genius, and we also have the speaker

recharging station by ihome, the bladeless fan by jet stream. if you have any questions go to today's steals and deals. hello, mr. minion, how are you doing? coming up next, we'll have fun outside of the theme park. kerry sanders takes us on a tour of things tooed in central florida after this. lost your youthful radiance? recapture the skin you were born to have. introducing, new advanced génifique

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to make just about anything delicious. simply add jif chocolate flavored hazelnut spread. whatever you put it on... reaches a whole new level of deliciousness. choosy moms choose jif.

[ female announcer ] for everything your face has to face. face it with puffs ultra soft & strong. puffs has soft, air-fluffed pillows that are dermatologist tested to be gentle on your skin. face every day with puffs softness. face every day i'll bebooop. back. hi, listen i think you could do better. oh no, he's a nice guy. no i'm talking about your yogurt. see dannon oikos is so rich and thick and smooth. so smooth. in a national taste test dannon oikos fat free strawberry flavor beat chobani 2 to 1. mmmm. stamos? look babe - i'm doing better. she means the yogurt. join us babe. try it for yourself. dannon oikos greek nonfat yogurt. ♪ dannon go olive garden's three course italian dinner, just $12.95. choose one of five new entrees.

go grilled with our new chicken toscano served with creamy parmesan risotto. or go succulent with our new shrimp penne. plus soup or salad and breadsticks. finish on a high note - dessert! three full courses just $12.95. olive garden, we're all family here! and try our lighter fare menu. 5 delicious choices under 575 calories. y'all having a good time here at universal studios? >> there's a lot more to do outside the theme parks, of course, in the sunshine state. everything from crystal springs to gator farms. >> absolutely. and our buddy kerry sanders went to check out the must-see attractions right here in central florida. >> florida is known for its beaches.

there is also water underground. more than 600 springs with crystal clear h2o. average water temperature, 72 degrees, the spring fed waterways are homes to manatees. and caves that lead to hidden rivers deep under florida's soil. the explorer ponce de leon thought it was the fountain of youth, that is still an attraction today. >> i don't feel any younger. i'm not going to throw away my cane and start dancing. >> liftoff. >> from underground to up in space, the kennedy space center's new exhibit of the space shuttle "atlantis" is expected to open in june with an up close 360-degree view of this national treasure. and then there's gator land, the

oldest themed attraction in central florida where if you're brave enough or crazy enough, you can sit on the back of a live alligator. ouch, that could hurt. >> too close for comfort. you can travel over the alligators on the zip line. another topsy-turvy adventure literally, the upsidedown house. >> wow, you need to be getting -- whoa. >> for those who want to escape for a little relaxation, there's the tower and garden. and just for us, a special song on their famous bells. and a sight before sunset, the bat barn in gainesville home to

over 300,000 bats. from wings -- ♪ under the sea -- to tails, yes, mermaids, they've been performing here since the 1940s. mermaids, and you thought they were a myth. for "today," kerry sanders, nbc news. >> all right. kerry, nice work if you can get it. let's try a little of the fountain of youth water. >> is that a subtle hint? forget the glass. >> all right, natalie. too much. too much. you're going to end up -- >> that's water. >> force of habit, she sees a wine bottle shape and pounds it right out of the bottle. >> like kathie lee and hoda. >> we'll have much more from

orlando, but first this is "today" on nbc.

we want to thank everybody for a great morning here at universal studios in orlando, florida, and we're going to ride out in style in a '57 chevy. >> that's right, our flights are delayed so we're hitting the road to jersey. >> and we're going to be meeting matt and savannah live from the jersey shore tomorrow seaside heights. bye, everyone. >> with fun, don't forget!

good morning. it is 9:57 this thursday morning. i'm aaron gilchrist. a former teacher accused of making child foreign will appear in court today. eric toth was arrested last month. police believe he filmed a sex act with a student. let's get a look at the forecast from storm team 4 meteorologist tom kierein. >> good morning. temperatures low to mid 70s. sunshine trying to break out. also a few showers passing well west of washington. no severe storms but later today in this yellow zone we could get some strong storms, 3:00 to 8:00. some could produce damaging winds and hail. after that windy and turning much cooler friday into the weekend. how is traffic? >> we have an accident in the southeast d.c. 500 block of ridge road involving a school bus. we had a couple of people taken to the hospital there. texas avenue closed between acree an street and ridge road.

elsewhere 395 northbound, just north of edsall road, jam-up. >> news4 is teaming up with the red cross help victims of the oklaho

>> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," with cakathie e

gifford and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hello, everody, it's thirst-day thursday, may 23rd, we're so happy you're here with us today. >> we are. and we also happen to have my sister in the house. >> yes. >> she is waving bye-bye. >> she's here and she's enjoying herself, enjoying all that new york has to offer. >> we have do get her back to new york. she's got to come get a new job here so she doesn't have to go to dubai bye any more. >> we were laughing at great, great k-mart ads. do you remember one called "ship my pants." you have to say is nice and slowly. let's watch that and remember. >> ship my pants? right here? ship my pants? you're kidding. >> you can ship your pants right here. >> did you hear that? i can ship my pants for free. >> wow, i may ship my pants.

>> billy, can you ship your pants. >> i can want to ship my pants. >> i just shipped my pants and it's very convenient. >> very convenient. >> i shipped my drawers. >> i just shipped my nightie. >> i just shipped my bed. >> if you can't find what you're looking for in store, we'll find it at kmart.com right now and ship it for free. >> that's the best ad. >> it's so funny. >> so k-mart has got another one. they say this is an ad about -- how do we say it? flatulence. >> what's? >> maybe by the same ad agency. >> i hate these big gas prices. >> it sounds like you could use some big gas savings. have i would love some big gas savings. >> k-mart members save 30 cents a gallon. >> that's a big gas discount. >> a really big gas discount. >> honey, this solves your big gas problem. >> this solves my big gas problem.

>> look at that big gas truck. >> and that big gas man. >> hello, big gas man. >> shop your way members get big gas savings. save $30 or more when you shop big gas k-mart. >> how do they think of these things? >> i bet if we met them we would know exactly how they do it. >>s did prom season and that means time to pose for those cheesy prom pictures with the wrist corsage and what-not. everyone's got one. president obama was released today. he's in a little foursome group. and you see the -- >> i can hardly -- >> there he is. >> this came from kelly almond. a high school friend of obama's, they double-dated. everyone talks about how people sign their yearbooks. i think, he signed her yearbook saying kelly, it's been nice getting to know you this year. you're extremely sweet. and foxy. >> i don't know why greg would -- would want to spend any time at all with me, you deserve

better than the clowns like us. >> foxy is the key word. >> in high school when a guy signs your yearbook and you would wait to see how he signed it and what he wrote and how long he was writing, if he was writing a short little thing. it was nerve-wracking even to ask. would you sign my yearbook. because then you're waiting for the big deal. >> how did any of us make it through high school? >> did you like high school? >> no, i didn't. >> i never liked school at all. >> no, thank you very much for asking. i didn't. i, i liked drama and i liked, i didn't like school. i liked doing something and learning it. you know -- some classes i enjoyed. but overall, i always couldn't wait to get out of high school. i couldn't wait to get out of college. so -- >> well everybody's different. >> i knew what i wanted to do. >> i wanted to work with hodie. >> and your dream came true! >> and now let's spread it around a little bit more, target. >> target sells a lot of great

clothes, now they're selling wedding dresses. and they're great, they're affordable. >> it's not just the bridal. >> it's the whole party. >> it's the whole thing. >> how cute are those? come on. >> that is cute. it's bridesmaids, flower girls, everybody. >> the average woman spends about $1200 on her wedding dress. these are more affordable. they start at $99.99. that's $100 for a wedding dress. >> and they have a bridal registry and everything. >> i think that's very great. >> very, very smart. >> bobbie thomas's wedding is coming up. >> it's aquaphor for me. because i walked in this morning, i had no idea, i knew i had gotten. i had been outside since yesterday. i got home at noon. we're trying to get our back yard all done in time for the wedding. and i literally from noon yesterday until 8:30 last night did not sit down. >> one thing you've never had, kathie lee has never had since

we've been together five years, is tan lines. today is different. i wish you could see it big red aha, that's how much i love bobbie. but anyway, thank you for the aquaphor, i appreciate it. now "consumer reports" is out with the annual list of the best and worst airlines. >> here are the top three airlines, according to "consumer reports." number three is hawaiian. number two is southwest. and the number one airline according to "consumer reports" is one you love, virgin america. >> i love virgin america. >> what do you like about them? >> they're very cool interiors. great all the electronic stuff you know. they're comfortable. >> and you know what else they offer? like they offer massages. pedicures. >> i haven't been on one with those. >> on the internationals, they do. you have to sign up for it. then you get that. if you make the list. that's good. >> that's very cool. >> now the worst airline is

spirit, because they charge everything for everything. >> you think you're getting a cheap ticket and you're so excited. and you're like your luggage costs and everything ads up. >> they've moved on, we can't see it. >> we don't know what the others are. >> we don't care. because -- yes. >> we're not interested. >> nobody gives a rip around here. >> everyone talks about the cicadas are coming, the gross bugs, the big crunchy ones. >> is that what they're called? cicadas. >> they're out in force. >> are they nutritious? >> we should catch them and eat them. >> if they're nutritious -- >> in salads. in south africa they have a whole other issue going on. >> what is it? >> bab booobaboons. this came from jukan video. they witnessed it all. >> get out of there. >> get out of there. >> here we have some baboons in a kitchen, just hanging out. >> hey, dex.

>> here we have a baboon destroying a house. yes. >> get out of here. get out of here. >> huh? >> don't want to play with my cat, get out of here! come on! >> get [ bleep ] out of here! >> that was disturbing and troubling. >> i've had guests that stayed too long and got a little messy. but it never got to that. what would you do? >> that would never happen. in a would never happen to us. there's no baboons going to run through my apartment in new york city. >> this is new york. i'm not concerned. >> nothing can happen in new york, just when you think it can't. you be careful, missy. >> have you ever sat at a meal with a friend and they take their phone, or you're on a date and they take their phone and put it on the table while you guys are eating. so there's the phone and it glows and buzzes. >> usually somebody would put it down and say i'm so sorry. but if this is, this is such and such i'm going to have to --

>> that's what you do. >> that's not what some people do. some people put it there and they glance down and you're telling and emotional story and they're like uh-huh, uh-huh. >> turn-off. it cost a friendship for me. we're still friendly, but it's not the same. we had wanted to get together for like a long time. finally did. and took the time out to finally get together and she was on her blackberry the entire time. and i was -- >> this is one that, hold on, i got to see the name of the song. it's written down. back of a piece of paper. here it is. i was watching the billboard awards and there was this great country singer named k kc musgraves. she sang a song called "merry go

round" it's country by a little mellow. let's listen. a a. it's music. she's actually singing. >> and they're clever rhymes. >> can i tell you, when i pick a song -- >> somebody started rapping in the middle of that, i would

freak. >> you wouldn't like? >> i would -- no. i wouldn't like. i would detest. >> let's do okay. is it okay or not okay to smile for your mug shot? >> let's see what we had to say. >> well yeah. >> well duh, it depends on what you were arrested for. huh? >> yes, it's okay. because it's probably going to be your most-viewed shot. sadly. >> i like the laughing and the cackling. >> we always hit it out of the park. don't we? >> this one was average. when she talks, god listens. >> from the new usa dramady, the talented john hayes. >> and two ladies from the plaza get ambushed. >> will they like what they see? get ambushed. >> will they like what they see? >> i bet there's a redhead ok s o i' get ambushed. >> will they like what they see? >> i bet there's a redhead 've been having ok s an affair of sorts o i' get ambushed. with greek nonfat yogurt,ey see? loaded with protein 0% fat that thick creamy texture, i was in trouble.

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>> here hee is, a blonde, middle-aged woman with a direct line to the guy upstairs. we didn't write that. >> we're talking about the tony and emmy-nominated actress, who is starring in the nbc comedy "save me." anne heche. >> after the near-death experience, she discovers that she can talk to god. take a look. >> god talks to me. >> lucky you. >> right? that's the best response i've heard. most people say don't be a liar. hey you should probably get your head examined. >> well whoever says that to you, poo-poo on them, i think you're special. >> hey, pastor jim. >> god told me to tell you something, pastor jim. >> god talks to you, too? >> yes. god says you can be 242 years old, pasten jim.

that's old. >> yeah. >> and anne is with us today. >> i only saw the first episode of this and i thought it was quite clever and tough material to carry off without it seemg satirical. and you're terrific. >> i definitely -- >> i want to open up the conversation of spirituality and god. just like in that clip. who doesn't talk to god. what does it mean to you and how would it be different. >> well the opening scene is great. you're drunk off your butt. you've been out all night. >> well i'm drunk off my butt right now, that's a given. where's my wine? >> you find your husband, the adorable michael. michael landis. >> in bed with the very, very pretty mistress that he has and you go to bludgeon him but think better of it, right? >> who doesn't want to kill their husband, that's kind of logical, right? but at the end of the -- well i don't want to give it away. but something happens to her, too.

i don't know if it's god's power or mine. but there's a sandwich involved and a near-death experience and lightning and it ends up with her in the hospital. >> but with a whole new persona. >> yeah. >> this must have been an interesting script to get because it is very, very funny. parts of it are terrific. but there is a serious message underneath of it all. >> i think people are wanting to do something a little bit different on the network. when they came to me and said what would you feel about doing a comedy about a woman who talks to god and i said that's right up my alley. i'm interested in spirituality. i'm interested in having a conversation about what god means to us. how we are interpreting hope -- prayer, morality. sensitivity. love, consciousness, all of that stuff through somebody who is obviously imagining that she's talking directly to the yaalmigy and that's very confusing for everybody else. >> let's say you've burned many bridges in your life and some of your friends who don't want anything to do with you. now you've got a direct line.

so now you've got this advice that they -- like -- >> well i have knowings about people. god tells me things. and then they don't understand how that's happening. and i think that's what the kind of magic of the show is. beth has gone through a transformation, she's been given a second chance at her life to make it right. so all of this wonderful joy and glory and enthusiasm is coming out of her and she has all of these knowings about everybody else. where is it coming if it's not god. my husband said please tell me you said todd, not god. if all of a sudden you came on the show and said the show is going to change a little bit this morning because god is talking to me. >> i say that every day. >> many people do. and that's kind of what i want to be exploring. >> you know, it's brave and i think it's terrific. and you're a lot of fun. >> how is the rest of your life? you have two lovely kids, and a great boyfriend. >> and one named atlas? >> atlas, he's four and living up to his name, he's such a

tank. james homer acts seven and he's 11 and atty acts four and he's seven. >> we're happy to welcome you to the nbc family and we hope you're around for a long, long time. anne, good luck. >> "save me" premieres tonight on nbc. wait until you hear what google has in store for this woman. and they're almost ready to come out of the hair and makeup, ambush makeovers for two lucky ladies from our plaza. go! go olive garden's three course italian dinner, just $12.95. choose one of five new entrees. go grilled with our new chicken toscano served with creamy parmesan risotto. or go succulent with our new shrimp penne. plus soup or salad and breadsticks. finish on a high note - dessert! three full courses just $12.95.

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every year google invites kids through kindergarten through high school to show off their artistry in contest called doodle for google.

the winner gets inpressive prizes including getting to see their winning illustration on google's home page. >> the theme this year was my best day ever. out of 130,000 submissions this one won. by 18-year-old sabrina brady of sparta, wisconsin. welcoming someone home. it's just beautiful. >> sabrina is here with google technologist, daniel seaberg. >> congratulations to you. sabrina. she'll graduate from high school tomorrow. >> of course you will. what did you think when you got the call out of all of those doodles, yours is the one that was chosen. >> it was very shocking. i didn't think i would make it to the top 250. now i'm the winner. >> it's a little surreal. >> it's very personal. obviously. this was ten years ago, your dad was in the military and you were just, you were how old were you --? >> i was ten. >> eight years ago. so it really obviously meant so much to you when he was sent off. >> where was he serving at the

time, sweetie? >> iraq. he was gone in a psychology kind of sense in my critical point when every little girl has their daddy moment i kind of lost him in the middle of mine. so it was definitely i missed him, yeah. >> daniel how was it selecting? was this an easy one for you to pick? >> i think the judges would agree it's a tough competition to judge at any point. you have 130,000 entries from across the country. >> they must be brilliant. >> i look at creativity, artistry and how well it ties into the theme and the theme was the best day ever. so i think with what you see with sabrina's is you see this emotional connection to people. as soon as you see it, you can feel it i'm a father of a daughter as well and i think that it's a pretty special story. >> your dad just happens to be with us on google plus, it's i think we have him, do we have him? do we have him? >> there he is. >> what did you think when you found out your little girl won this? >> i couldn't believe it. i was, i was shocked.

it was unbelievable. just -- speechless. >> you knew shoe had artistic talent. i'm sure she painted all over your house and on walls and everywhere when she was a little girl? >> yes. she's a very, very talented artist. and i knew she had talent. with the whole family does. i mean she's going to art school and everything for college. but it's still, it was a wonderful surprise. >> well we wish you the best of luck in art school. dad, congratulations and thanks to the folks at google. >> i think there's a lovely prize she won, isn't there? >> $30,000 for college scholarship. the school gets $50,000 tech grant and then of course it's on the home page for hundreds of millions of people to see. >> congratulations to you and for google for putting this on, it's aw lost your youthful radiance? recapture the skin you were born to have. introducing, new advanced génifique to reactivate 10 key signs of youth and recapture skin's radiance and smoothness. engineered with a new advanced dropper.

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we're back on this thirst-day thursday with today's

plaza ambush makeover, where two ladies are swept off our plaza and into hair and makeup. >> courtesy of our "today" ambush makeup team. >> with "today" contributor to the stars. ♪ louis liccari, la la la la la ♪ >> and "today" contributor and almost married, bobbie thomas. >> it's such an exciting day. bobbie is getting married and we have the makeovers. >> not today. >> nice of you to take time out of your busy schedule to join us, bobbie. >> first up, donna king is 65 years old from springboros, ohio, when we asked what she did with her hair each morning, she said not much. her grandkids were thrilled when we approached her on the plaza, let's take a listen. >> hi i'm here with donna and her grandchildren and nieces and bryce, why do you think she deserves a makeover? >> because she does a lot of stuff for us and she takes us --

she takes us to new york and we wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for her. >> aw, it sounds like you're selfless and girls, what would you like to see her wear? >> i'm not sure. >> i thought you had an answer. >> underarmor and some nike shoes. >> so workout wear, but i think we might put her in a dress. how does that sound, donna? >> that sounds good. >> vickie and rhonda raise your hands, and her grandkids. here is a picture of donna king before. all right, donna, let's see the new you. >> oh! all right. >> okay. are you guys ready? >> take off your blindfolds. >> oh, my gosh. >> you look hot. >> okay, donna, are you ready? >> spin over here and look. >> you look good. >> i'm sorry, fancy.

>> look right here at camera 12. louis, louis, nicely done. >> the fact that you're a grandmother amazes me. i can't even -- it doesn't register at all. this is arden's haircut. he raised the bob, it made it more appropriate for her body shape and face shape and the bangs, peek-a-boo bangs. what could be sexier. i added soft highlights to add to the texture of her hair. it's a bob, but it's got feeling. >> a what do you guys think? >> i think she looks fantastic. >> what do you think? >> wow. >> they're not tennis shoes, what do you think? >> looks good. >> bobbie, that dress is perfect. >> tell us about it. >> the perfect color, it's a muse dress and i love the neckline, because it was built-in jewelry but you can still go walk around the city with the kids. >> a big round of applause for donna. >> our second lady is andrea michaelson. 56 from farmingville, new york. she constantly struggles with

trying to rein in her hair. so she begged us to help her tame her mane. >> i'm here with andrea and her daughter and we've been discussing not only that you deserve a makeover. but what would you like to see her in? >> a more form-fitting dress, probably. >> and you're afraid of anything tight, right? >> nothing tight. >> i threw all my tight clothes out. >> i'm dressing a little more with the flowy things. >> well we're going to negotiate between flowy and spandex. okay? you're in good hands, i promise. >> okay. >> i got a feeling bobbie won that one. andrea is here with her daughter, melissa. we're going to take one last look at andrea before and bring the new andrea michaelson right in. >> oh wow! >> now that is a change. >> all right. melissa, you want to take it off -- oh my god! >> that is a different human

being. >> andrea, turn around. you're not going to recognize yourself. are you ready! [ scream ] >> you're like the real housewives of farmingville. >> turn right here and look at camera 12, sweetie. >> louis, you made her a strawberry redhead. >> i wanted to soften her. she always went to the darkest burgundy browns and it made her, it almost created shadows on her face. i figurered take it will other direction, let's go strawberry blonde. just a very light strawberry. you can see it just lifted, made her skin creamy. that plus the haircut and the makeup it's a completely different woman. >> what do you think, melissa? >> oh, my god. you look like -- like lucille ball? >> how about marilyn monroe. >> she was a beautiful woman. and tell us about the outfit. >> i'm just excited. i got to pick pink.

and louis, you rock. when we talked beforehand about your color hair, you had the plum color, but your coloring we were having that conversation, this is so good for to you go lighter and warmer and then just have the fun bow belt and white shoes. >> a beautiful figure, that dress -- >> exactly, it's by muse. >> a big round of applause. >> thank you, louis, thank you, bobbie. >> all right. sweeping views, sand and surf all for $200 a night or less. >> the best beach escapes for all for $200 a night or less. >> the best beachmarjorie...r i can't stand you! you're too perfect. even the inside of your dishwasher sparkles. ok, so i'm the bad guy for being clean? you said it! you know, you... bababababa ladies! let's not fight dirty. hi, cascade kitchen counselor. see, over time... new cascade platinum's triple cleaning formula delivers brilliant shine that finish gel can't beat. it even helps keep your dishwasher sparkling.

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naturally beautiful results. >> announcer: today's travel is brought to you by choice hotels. the official hotel of summer. >> it is time to pack your bags for today's travel. summer's almost here. if you're thinking about a beach vacation. but you can't stand the crowds or the overpriced hotels, listen to this -- >> janine tornotori the senior

travel editor for orbitz says for coast to coast there's so many charming beach escapes that are family-friendly and affordable and she's here with the best. >> the key is affordable. everyone wants a beach vacation in the summer. it's where can you go and still get a good deal. >> i love your first one, sanibel island. >> which is charming. >> right around fort myers, naples, beautiful. >> it's world-renowned for its shelling. give the kids a bucket, send them down to the beach. you see everyone out in the morning trying to get the good shells. over 70 golf courses here, it's so nature-based. whatever you want to do. you can spend a whole week, you're not going to run out of things to do. >> you like the marriott there? >> i love the marriott. the sanibel harbor marriott resort and spa. kids club, five pools, a conn"c nast" traveler best spot. $199 in the summer. >> that's not considered the high season in florida.

so that's great. >> your second pick is cape cod. >> cape cod, which can be popular and expensive. i picked hyannis, which is a great point to be, because you can take the ferries out to martha's vineyard. nantucket. and in town you have the john f. kennedy museum, great shops, little seafood shacks, all-around great american beach destination. >> sometimes you think of those places as pricey. but can you find good ones. >> we found the hyannis harbor hotel right on the harbor. hop on the ferries there. smaller but it's renovated. indoor/outdoor pool, fire pit, court yard. from $199 a night. >> your next one is one of my favorite places i'm going in a couple of weeks, going back because i love it so much, holland, michigan. is drop-dead adorable. >> people don't think of the midwest as having amazing beaches. but they're award-winning. >> and the cleanest water you will ever see. >> and the sunsets are amazing. the town was settled by dutch immigrants in the 1800s.

>> those are my friends. >> victorian houses and kind of a hip feel. you see street performers, coffee shops and little restaurants. you see a lot of cabins and cottages. if you want to stay downtown it's called the city flats hotel. $149 a night. a little more modern. it has amenities and you can walk to everything in town. >> a fun town to walk in. >> out west, carmel is a great spot. >> carmel is beautiful. 120 miles from san francisco. you know for over a century this has been the mecca for artists and musicianins and writers. >> the original name was carmel by the sea. >> they have a bach festival and a shakespeare festival. my hotel pick is the carmel mission inn, $149 a night. a small property, charming, it has the great california vibe. 165 rooms and free wi-fi and free parking. everyone is looking for those types of free amenities. >> and it's so cool that clint

eastwood used to be the mayor. >> you go up the pacific coast and you have a pick there, too. >> one of my favorites, cannon beach, oregon. 70 miles west of portland. one of the most beautiful beaches. nature-based. the little town is sandwiched between the pacific coast and the coast mountain range. mostly all local businesses, they try to keep out a lot of the big businesses, it has small-town charm. haystack rock is the big monument you see. and the hotel is the surf-sand resort, a $209 a night on average. eye cream socials and hot dog roasts during the summer, all-around beautiful property. >> thank you, jean, lovely to see you, she only had three children in our break. ♪ na na na na na na na na na ♪ ♪ i'm gonna use my two hands ♪ i'm gonna move a mountain

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barbequing season has begun, but that doesn't mean you need to throw another burger on the plate. >> this is the author of "bite by bite" 100 stylish little plates you can make for any party. >> we love it when peter comes. >> my book party many years ago, i'll never forget, the best little piece. >> unbelievable. at dottie's house. >> we're happy that the drinks aren't small. >> but these are little margaritas, right? >> we've got for memorial day, it's all about cocktails, we've got watermelon margaritas. >> beautiful. >> let's try. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> and hoda didn't care. >> delicious. >> all right. let's get started with our first hors d'oeuvres. >> we've main our own cookie cut anywhere the shape of a cutting

board. punch it out, toast it, top it with salami and cheese. >> and you have a charcuterie. how adorable is that? >> a little flag for memorial day. >> those are beautiful. >> i'll test it. >> a little cornichon on top, that's fantastic. >> next we've got a blt that is breadless. and so it's just a tomato wedge, cup it out, top it with a little mayo, avocado, bacon. and you're all set. >> this is, yellow tomato. >> i don't know. >> cut on the bottom and top. >> they don't have them in egypt. >> what does that even mean? >> what does that even mean? >> i don't know. >> it's fun, though. >> all right. >> this is good. this is excellent. >> so next we've got scallops. and what's really fun about this is that we took scallop shells that we bought online and got the glue gun out and glued right

in here and for a few seconds you hold it, get it dry and you set it like this and it drys, but it's just the greatest little server. to hold the scallop. >> i might have to try one of those as well just to be -- >> what's on top? >> so just a little horseradish cream and chive. simple simple. >> is that good? >> uh-huh. >> what is next? >> next we've got you know, for the kind of season, we've got the shrimp roll. and we take a, we take a store-bought hot dog roll and we want to make this easy. >> right. >> cut off the ends. make it sort of a nice size whether you're having a stand-up cocktail party or maybe it's dinner. plump in some store-bought you know, cooked shrimp. dash of mayonnaise. celery, a little jalapeno for some zip. >> look how cute. and -- >> everything is so adorable. >> can we do the dessert. >> this is what you believe in,

hoda. >> s'mores, you guys. >> s'mores, but they're in a little bite size. and you can take a store-bought marshmallow. get the scissors out. >> do a little snip. >> and voila. >> while you're snipping, we'll just taste. >> here, you want to taste one. >> i'm having the blt. >> all the recipes are on our website at klgandhoda.com. >> thanks so much, peter. >> one of the singers who bites the dust is the very talented and hand some singer from "the voice."

♪ ♪ arkansas native josiah made a big impression when he auditioned for "the voice" capturing the attention of three

coaches and every single female viewer in the country. >> but the team voted off two judges, which meant the end of the road for this young man. i have a feeling you're going to be okay. >> first of all, congratulations for getting as far as you did. what was it like being on that stage? it was a nail-biter for us watching. >> it was an amazing experience, i got to hang out with the likes of usher and being trained and mentored by them. unforgotable experience. >> apparently the other judges weren't crazy about the song that usher had picked for you. if you could wind it back, which song would you have chose snn. >> i wouldn't have changed it. i love the song. i think i had a good performance. the next day i spoke with usher and he said honestly, dude, i watched it back and he said i'm very proud of you, you did a good job. >> so no regrets. >> no regrets. >> we want to know what's next. we saw you and we know you're going to have a long run with your career. do you have ideas of what you're

going to be doing soon? >> i've got some ideas. music is what i want to be doing full time. it's the transition into that. so i could use a new manager. >> your phone will ring now. you also have a modeling career that you can always fall back on if things get a little tight. >> i enjoy doing that but the goal has always been music and my push for years and that's what i want to do full time. >> and you're taken? you're taken? you're happily married. but sing a little love song for us to your wife as we go out, okay? as we wish you a beautiful lady, a great career. >> thank you. ♪ sunday morning ♪ rain is falling ♪ steal some covers ♪ share some skin ♪ clouds are shrouding us in moments ♪ ♪ unforgotable you twist to fit the mold i am in ♪ >> thanks, sweetie, can you catch the top eight on "the voice" next monday and tuesday on nbc. how to raise g-rated kids in

an

we are getting new information about the two men suspec