good morning. here we snow again. yet another major storm breaks ice and snow to the heartland as bitter cold temperatures plunge much of the nation into a massive deep freeze. we're going to bring you the very latest on this new wave of wicked weather. breast cancer controversy. a new report says women with early stages of breast cancer do not need painful surgery to remove lymph nodes. a move that contradicts decades of medical practice and could impact tens of thousands of women. and back to jail? lindsay lohan heads to court today to face felony theft charges, and a possible probation violation. we're going to tell you why both could send the troubled actress to prison for a very long time, "early" this wednesday morning, to prison for a very long time, "early" this wednesday morning, february 9th, 2011.

captioning funded by cbs and good morning, i'm chris wragge. >> and i'm erica hill. good to have you with us. i hope you're warm wherever you are. >> it is cold out there. about 15 here in new york. we know that's just one portion of a nation that is under a massive deep freeze right now. the gentleman we want to talk to today that we haven't seen in the last couple of weeks, ted williams, who everyone remembers. this video taken by the "columbus dispatch" when ted was originally discovered on the side of i-71 in columbus. >> it was that video that was posted, at one point i think we were up to 20 million hits on youtube. he became a national sensation, had his first exclusive interview here on "the early show." so many people were pulling for him to use that golden voice, getting him off the streets. he is here with us exclusively in the studio this morning. joining us in his first interview since he left a treatment center. he had gone in to deal with some

alcohol and drug addiction issues. he left after two weeks. we're going to find out this morning why he left, what is next for him, and where he has been in the past month-plus since all of that happened. >> man with the golden voice, had some golden opportunities. a lot of them. but now we just have to see if those opportunities have been squandered or if he is on the right path. we'll talk with him exclusively. >> we want to begin with this blast of snow and bitter cold that is gripping much of the nation. cbs news correspondent don teague is in dallas with the very latest this morning, where you are getting hit hard again this morning, don. >> yeah, good morning, erica. this is the last thing residents here in this part of texas wanted to see. it's currently raining ice pellets here in the dallas area. this will soon change to all snow followed by more bone-chilling cold. it's another winter blast in the plabs and southeast. wind gusts up to 47 miles per hour whipped the texas panhandle all day tuesday, creating whiteout conditions that forced road closures overnight. and for those who did venture out into the cold, they were met

with windchills reaching a staggering 26 below zero, leaving some with hypothermia. in denver, plow crews got a late start, leaving drivers to deal with snow-packed roads. parts of kansas received up to a foot of snow. wichita had more than five inches. and residents throughout the nation's midsection suffering through a week of bitter cold have had enough. >> oh, i'm looking forward to the spring. >> reporter: but winter has an icy grip. overnight windchills plummeted below zero behind the cold front, while cities in its path are still preparing. oklahoma was pounded by up to 18 inches of snow last week. road crews are still cleaning up the mess, even as officials scramble to find enough road salt to battle what could be another foot of snow. >> we're down to about 20 times the mixture, which we were nearly zeroed out before we got this load of salt in here yesterday. >> reporter: and road crews in arkansas are also preparing for heavy snow.

and thinking what millions of americans are about winter 2011, enough already! well, the actual temperature here in the dallas area is expected to fall to about 10 degrees later today. you can see there are still some cars on the road behind me. but forecasters say soon the roads here will be like they are in much of the southern plains, totally impassable. >> stay home if can you. as you can see, the weather wreaking a little havoc with don's shot right there. don teague joining us from dallas. chris? >> erica, thank you. now to the crisis in egypt this morning. the government has issued its sternest warning yet, saying they will not tolerate the protests much longer. but the demonstrators still refuse to budge. cbs news' elizabeth palmer is in cairo with the very latest for us this morning. elizabeth, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, chris. you can probably see the knot bunching right behind me. in fact they're flooding in, completely confounding the skeptics who thought that long ago they would have gone off and given up and gone home.

the tent city in tahrir square is growing. as this protest entered its third week, those who spent the night were being joined by others determined to make history. yesterday the protesters filled the square in what may have been the biggest show yet. in the center of this vast space that's become the park of the upriding there was a monument to the young people killed in the first wave of violence, made of their bloodied clothes. some of the new energy came from the release of google executive wael ghonim arrested and held in custody for ten days for his online activism. he came to address the crowd and said, today is a time for all of us, egypt above all. but so far, ghonim doesn't seem to want to take up a formal leader's role in this extraordinary movement. the normal bustle of city life is resuming all around the demonstrations, big as they are. the protesters themselves recognize that if they want to

keep momentum, and force political change, they're going to have to come up with some new tactics. yesterday a group surrounded parliament, and reporters say they prevented egypt's prime minister from getting to work. but it was temporary. and the tens, even hundreds of thousands of people who want hosni mubarak to leave office have received only vague promises of reform from their government. now, as you mentioned, the vice president did warn the protesters that more civil disobedience wouldn't be tolerated. although it's hard to know when they decide what the government decides not to tolerate what exactly they're going to do about it. chris? >> cbs' elizabeth palmer for us in cairo this morning. elizabeth, thank you. >> imagine that front row seat that she's had from the very beginning of this and how we get to see how things change just by hearing and listening to that crowd behind her. >> just when the egyptian government thinks the protests will die down, yesterday they come out in full force. >> jeff glor standing by at the

news desk with a look at some of the other headlines we're following for you this morning. good morning. >> erica, good morning to you. good morning to everyone at home. an oil tanker headed for the u.s. was hijacked after the arabian peninsula this morning. the oil tanker "irene s-l" was attacked by armed pirates. the ship was carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil. there are 25 crew members on board. a vote that would have extended key provisions of the patriot act put in place after 9/11 has failed in the house. cbs news congressional correspondent nancy cordes is in washington with details on that this morning. nancy, good morning. >> reporter: jeff, good morning to you. it was an embarrassing miscalculation for gop leaders who failed to anticipate the level of opposition in their own party. they had called a special vote, one that requires a two-thirds majority to pass. but 26 republicans voted against the measure. and the vote fell seven short of passing. now, this bill would have extended roving wiretaps, secret

surveillance of foreign suspects, and access to business records. all provisions in the patriot act that supporters argue are vital to homeland security. >> the terrorist threat has not subsided and will not expire. and neither should our national security laws. >> reporter: 122 democrats voted against the extension, arguing it infringes on civil liberties, and they were joined by enough tea party affiliated republican lawmakers who consider it a big government invasion of individual privacy. >> how about the patriot act, which has the broadest reach, and the deepest reach of government into our daily lives? >> reporter: gop leaders blame democrats for bringing down a bill that the president supports. they're likely to schedule another vote under regular house rules which would require only a simple majority to pass. jeff? >> nancy cordes in washington. nancy, thank you. this morning, italian prosecutors say silvio berlusconi, the country's controversial prime minister, should stand trial for sexual

misconduct. berlusconi is accused of paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl and using his influence to try to cover it up. berlusconi is 74 years old, and has denied any wrongdoing. the first lady says the president has finally kicked the habit. after decades of smoking cigarettes, michelle obama said yesterday her husband had not smoked in almost a year. the first lady said she's very proud, and, quote, when somebody's doing the right thing, i don't mess with them. it is nine minutes past the hour right now. we check in for the first time with marysol castro. good morning to you. >> good morning, jeff. not as busy in the weather world today. >> for once. >> for once. good morning, everyone. let's take a look at the lower 48. you can almost cut the nation in half. take a look at this. high pressure rules the west coast. of course the warm temperatures really just in southern california. but here is the big old mess, tulsa has had the snowiest winter on record. so you can see, some snow, a mix of ice, and then further south is rain. the cold weather.

that is the headline for today. dallas, low visibility for your morning commute. and these temperatures feel like zero. these temperatures are well below normal. and here they are in fact, 4 in fargo, 17 in kansas city. the only hot spots, miami, >> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now over to erica. good morning. >> marysol, thanks. we want to turn now to this breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer. a new study concludes women with

early stage breast cancer do not ben five from undergoing the extensive procedure of removing lymph nodes. and something that's actually been standard procedure for decades in the treatment of this disease. joining us this morning with the details is "early" show medical correspondent dr. jennifer ashton. and we should point out, we're only talking about women here, not men with breast cancer. because the study only looked at women. >> right. >> what is so groundbreaking about this that it's being called a potential game changer. >> what we're talking about a procedure is known as a lymph node defection which was the standard of care for treating early breast cancer. and specifically we're talking about a lymph node here known as the sentinel lymph node. it is the watchdog lymph node of the cell, often the first lymph node to pick up cancer of the breast. in the past, when that lymph node contained cancer, a much more extensive removal of the lymph nodes in the armpit was done, which has significant risks. this study and others before it showed there was no survival benefit at five years and no outcome in the women who had the more extensive procedure. so the thinking is, less is

more. why do a procedure if it doesn't markedly change outcome. >> will this, in fact, change the treatment for those who have been diagnosed with early stage of the breast cancer? >> many breast cancer experts are saying this will be a practice changer like anything. a lot more research needs to be done. the results of this study are being described as interesting and provocative. potentially affecting 40,000 women in this country a year with early stage breast cancer. potentially it may make this procedure, the more extensive one, obsolete. >> so instead of having that full lymph node removal it would be something more akin to radiation and chemotherapy? >> there will always be aggressive medical therapy but in terms of the surgery just the lump itself will be removed and just that sentinel lymph node. just one lymph node instead of many more. >> helps to have you break it down like that for us, jen. >> pleasure. now to the latest troubles for lindsay lohan. she is expected in court today facing felony charges for allegedly stealing a one of a kind necklace. she also could face a possible parole violation.

both of which could mean she's headed back to jail. cbs news national correspondent ben tracy now has the story. >> are you nervous at all? >> reporter: lindsay lohan's life has long been a mess. but now it's getting much worse. >> did you steal the necklace, lindsay? >> reporter: the actress is sa accused of stealing this $2,500 necklace, seen on lohan's neck just days after this julie store near her venus beach home said it was stolen. when police filed a warrant to search lohan's house, the necklace reappeared. >> someone claiming to be a representative of miss lohan contacted lapd officials at pacific, and turned in the necklace. >> reporter: this afternoon, lohan will be charged with one count of felony grand theft. if convicted she faces up to three years in prison. >> this is really serious. this is way more serious than her duis in the past. >> reporter: the jewelry store claims to have surveillance video of lohan trying on the necklace on january 22nd. cbs news has learned that the actress believed she was loaned the necklace, and that she could

keep it if she is photographed wearing it in a major publication. she says she has witnesses to back up her story. earlier this week, lohan's attorney said when it comes to theft, quote, we vehemently deny these allegations. yet lohan is also facing allegations of assault. an employee at the betty ford center says the actress hit her during her three-month stay in rehab. and lohan is still on probation for her 2007 drunk driving case. meaning any trouble with the law can send her straight to jail. >> this is a girl that is supposed to stay on the straight and narrow. and she's got two serious allegations. assault, and shoplifting. >> reporter: staying out of trouble seems to be one role lindsay lohan cannot play. ben tracy, cbs news, los angeles. >> joining us now is cbs news legal analyst jack ford. jack, good to see you this morning. >> good to see you. >> she's taken bad behavior to the next level. we're talking about a felony charge. now if convicted and found guilty of this charge, what type of punishment, real type of punishment? >> talking about very serious things.

you know, the drunk driving charges, people don't realize, generally speaking they're not crimes. they're serious, obviously, but they're motor vehicle offenses. now you're talking about felony grand theft. and that's because the amount here, $2500 puts it into that category. once you get into that category, range of sentences, judge has available, but could be a maximum of three years, and you're talking about three years in prison. you know, you're not talking about three years probation. you're talking about the potential for some serious jail time. >> we're talking about being associated with real crime ma'ams now. this is a different type of prison than what she's been used to. >> if you're talking about motor vehicle violations they're usually within the municipality. usually talking about the county jail for that sentencing time. once you get into this category, now you're talking about state prison. >> we talked about the probation that she's on, stemming from a dwi in '07. how do these new theft charges now impact her probation from that case? >> what happens is, when you're on probation, one of the conditions is you can't violate the law. and we know that the last time she was in court, judge said to her, hey, if you come back here and you violate this probation,

i'm going to send you. now, you got to remember, at this stage these are just allegations. right? she hasn't pled guilty, hasn't been found guilty. if she is found guilty, if she does plead guilty, now you've got a violation of that. judge could bring her in and sentence her separately on the violation of probation. so she could do some jail time based on that, and she could do some jail time based upon the allegations of theft. so she has the potential, they could merge them, but they might stand inpend of each other. >> as far as the defense. we're seeing video. the jewelry store says one thing. lindsay lohan's friends say another thing. >> it all comes down to criminal intent. that's the definition. you take something from someone else with the intent to take it and keep it yourself. if i'm her lawyer i'm saying look, maybe this was a terrible misunderstanding and maybe she really didn't have the permission of the jewelry store. but she thought she did. for whatever reason she thought, either a conversation she had something, her assistant said, she thought that she had the okay to do this. when she found out she didn't, turned it right in again.

so it was a misunderstanding but not a crime. that's what i suspect you'll see. >> all right, jack ford, thank you very much. good to see you this morning. still ahead here on "the early show," ted williams. the man with the golden voice. hit a few bumps on the road to fame. including a quick stint in rehab. we're going to talk with him in an exclusive interview. his first since leaving treatment. when we come back here on "the early show." this is "the early show" here on cbs. amy, yocollege.na love best seven years of my life. i know, dad. your comforter. okay. mr. cuddles... toilet paper? oh, hey, scott. here, scott extra soft tissue. it's their softest roll ever. check out the pattern. it's softness done right. same soft rolls we use at home honey! one more thing, guys. oh nice a shoe rack! actually, it's a toilet paper rack. sweet. huh. huh. [ female announcer ] do you know scott? scott extra soft is softness, done right.

>> ( beeping, beeping stops ) >> announcer: free is better. do your simple return for free with the federal free edition at turbotax.com. turbotax. the most trusted brand of tax software. [ female announcer ] alli works when you work. if you skip this latte and opt for the smaller low-fat one, you'll cut about 12 grams of fat. then take alli with it to help boost your weight loss. so for every 2 pounds you work to lose, alli can help you lose 1 more. alli. how healthy works. um, i thought this was going well for a first date. it is. look at your suckometer. oh, i just quit smoking, and the craving's really suck after a meal. okay. ding! [ male announcer ] quitting sucks. nicorette makes it suck less, doubling your chances of success.

[ male announcer ] the uconnect touch system on the 2011 dodge journey controls the radio, media player, heated seats, climate control, navigation, phone, and more. this means that if you call shotgun on a dodge journey, you've just inherited a lot of responsibility. [ engine revs ] [ flag blowing in wind ]

just ahead an exclusive update this morning from ted williams. the man who went from being homeless, to being an overnight youtube sensation in this video taken by a "columbus dispatch" reporter. >> he also realized pretty quickly he wasn't exactly ready for all the success, and he is here to tell us all about that coming up in just a couple of moments. good to have him here with us this morning. this is his first exclusive interview since getting out of that rehab. some thought maybe he could use

a little bit more time there to really hash things out. we're going to talk to ted and see why he did choose to leave early. >> and also see what's next for him. it's been quite a road over this last month or so. a lot of offers came his way. are those offers still on the table based on everything that's happened? we will get you the full story from ted himself. that's just ahead as we mentioned right here on "the early show." >> this portion of "the early show" sponsored by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. - i'll be home soon. until then, i have my wingman helping me out. tommy? - i helped dad pick it out. - it's beautiful. - behind every open heart is a story. tell yours with my open heart collection at kay jewelers, the number one jewelry store in america. there are millions of reasons to give one, but the message is always the same: keep your heart open, and love will always find its way in. - i love you. - i love you too. [ female announcer ] and now, winter skin can be too. discover relief from dry, uncomfortable skin

with skin relief moisturizing lotion. only aveeno has an active naturals triple oat and shea butter formula that soothes, nourishes and restores moisture. women saw improvement in all five symptoms of winter skin in just one day. beauty you can see and feel. that's being comfortable in your own skin. aveeno skin relief. and now get dermatologist recommended relief from severely dry skin with eczema therapy. new from aveeno. discover the power of active naturals new from aveeno. ♪ that comes fromove a little green leaf ♪ ♪ zero-calorie, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ my skinny jeans zipped in relief ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet.

this is my band from the 80's, looker. hair and mascara, a lethal combo. i'm jon haber of alto music. my business is all about getting music into people's hands. and the plum card from american express open helps me do that. you name it, i can buy it. and the savings that we get from the early pay discount has given us money to reinvest back into our business and help quadruple our floor space. how can the plum card's trade terms get your business booming? booming is putting more music in more people's hands.

well, this is a story the whole world is talking about. the vigilante granny, 71-year-old ann timson who basically single handedly broke up a robbery in progress. >> never underestimate the importance of accessorizing with a handbag, it could fight off four-would-be robbers. >> she also has a son in connecticut. and she was speaking out

yesterday after this video which has basically -- it is a sensation that is sweeping the world. you don't want to mess with this grandma. >> no. we all love her. [ male announcer ] from maryland to the mall and beyond,

it's easy to spot a capital one bank. ♪

♪ ♪ the most branches and atms in the dc area. one near you. [ all ] what's in your wallet?

one near you.

beautiful shot of wolman rink there in the southern part of central park. people up early practicing their triple lutz. >> or salchow. >> there you go. on a wednesday morning. if you're thinking that maybe this year for valentine's day you're going to send some flowers to someone you love. don't order them until you see our special report this morning. >> consumer correspondent susan koeppen ordered hundreds of flowers online and by phone to see if you get what you're actually paying for. and you are going to be very surprised by what she found out. >> i always worried about that. susan koeppen gets to the bottom of it. before that, though, the golden voice of ted williams is back with us in our "early" show studios this important for his first interview since leaving

rehab. before we speak with him we wanted to take a look back at the odyssey of the man who went from homeless to household name in an instant. >> say something with that great radio voice. >> when you're listening -- >> reporter: the discovery of ted williams began with a classic tale of redemption. >> god bless you. thank you. >> reporter: this youtube clip of the man with the golden voice became an internet sensation, after being posted by a local reporter. eventually logging more than 20 million hits. lifting the homeless williams from the cold streets of columbus, ohio -- >> you were sleeping in here? >> yeah, i sleep right over here. >> reporter: into the bright lights of instant stardom. >> people can't get enough of you right now. >> reporter: including his first exclusive tv appearance on "the early show." >> now i'm more appreciative of life. i'm not taking it for granted. >> reporter: that interview led to countless more appearances. >> with our miracle man ted. and a pile of job offers and at least one paycheck. >> kraft macaroni and cheese. >> reporter: but the one about

time radio announcer had a troubled past. >> you drank yourself into a problem. >> i sure did. >> reporter: which came to light almost as quickly as his rise to fame. an addiction to alcohol and drugs. along with repeated arrests for crimes, including theft and forgery. >> hi, mommy! >> reporter: a reunion with his mother, whom he didn't seen in ten years, revealed a strained relationship with his entire family. just one week after bursting into the spotlight, the glare of attention seemed to be too much for williams. >> why is it going to be different this time? >> reporter: after appearing on "the dr. phil show" williams agreed to enter a texas rehab center for 90 days. >> if i blow this i die. >> reporter: yet after just two weeks of treatment he dropped out, prompting concern that williams' second chance could disappear as quickly as it surfaced. in this new video, licensed from williams' manager he's seen undergoing extensive dental surgery for a smile to match his golden voice.

>> oh, i'm sure. >> we made a second chance. >> reporter: all part of a makeover you can see on the outside. a new wardrobe. a cleaned-up look. but is it a serious step forwards sobriety and steady employment? as williams promises. or perhaps a finely calculated move engineered by his manager? job offers are still on the table. but can williams avoid the temptations of his troubled past to follow them? and joining us exclusively in the studio this morning is ted williams. ted, good morning. >> good morning. good morning. >> good to see you again, ted. we're going to talk these last couple of weeks where you're coming up here over the next couple of minutes. >> sure. >> but with all of this instant celebrity, that was basically thrust upon you, what did you find was the biggest challenge for you? >> trying to keep up and field all these possibilities of all of these job offers, and everything was just coming so fast. you know. and my manager alfred battle was

getting -- taking as many calls as he could at the time. it was just the challenge of just trying to keep a level head, and possibly come to one decision. but there were so many. >> and everybody's been so focused on that, and of course has brought you so much attention and a lot of good wishes. a lot of questions, though, too. there was concern initially you may relapse. you ended up in rehab again. you left after just two weeks. why did you leave so soon? >> actually that was probably a very rushed decision at that point. >> going in to rehab? >> yeah. it was too much, too fast, and i was just not really focused on what i should be doing. and then -- and i love dr. phil, let me just say that. i love him. his concerns and his caring will not go in vain. you know, i am definitely going to carry on. but i felt scripted. i was doing live phone-ins from rehab. you know, and i haven't known

anyone to have done that before. you know, you're calling in, hi, ted, how's everything going? and instead, i'm supposed to be in classes. the people at origins, where he sent me, was a fine, fine facility. you know. and so i was told by some people in the voiceover community in los angeles that they have a clean living sober house there. that's where i'm living now. and i could work and do some voiceovers, in california. >> and then are you -- it sounds like you're saying, too, in that facility you're better to able focus on your rehab for you, not for the millions of people who want to know about it. >> exactly. exactly. and the weight of the world was on my shoulders. i think i was just telling you a little while ago i was walking in airports, you know, ted, we're rooting for you. you know, hey, ted, don't let us down. >> well, do you sense that you got added responsibility now? because you did. you achieved the popularity that most people could only wish for in a very quick period of time. and people are rooting for you. and i think there's also a

portion of people that think, oh, he's not going to make it. >> no, i have a lot of people that are believing in me. and i think they're believing in me by way of prayers. and basically, this time around, i want to focus on the second chance foundation that we've established in columbus, ohio. and in light of the smearing campaign that they did with my manager, he is truly an example of second chance. and that's why he was picked for me to call. the first person, when the dave and jimmy show in columbus, ohio, called me, and he was the first person i picked up, because for over 25 years, he has been a successful, constant promoter. >> but can you understand why people -- why there is a concern for people that are in your inner circle because of the problems that you have had in the past? can you understand that? why people want to see you in rehab, and getting clean, and having all these opportunities that you have come to fruition? >> oh, yes. and that's why i'm, like i said, i'm in this living a clean, sober living environment.

i can work, but i have to come back and report, and random 2kr07s are made. you know, but i'm in this voiceover community. >> you told us initially, sitting here on this couch, that you were concerned about a relapse. about the they was a day-to-day thing for you. your mother sat next to you and she really captured a lot of hearts across this country, too. she's an incredible lady. she was concerned that all of this was going to go away a little too quickly and could push you into some sort of a relapse. >> she had mentioned to me, as well, just take it slowly. you know, just -- that's some of her advice through life, you know. and she would always say you're not going to finish what you started. and things of that nature. >> what was her reaction to when you decided to leave rehab and take this different route? >> oh, she thought i was getting ready to get back on the street with a sign. you know. she thought, lord what did he do now? because, you know, it came, and now that's another situation that i couldn't understand, the second i left out of there, it was all over the websites, it was, you know, ted williams

leaves. >> but you can probably understand why people would jump to those conclusions. >> yes. >> what do you do now to tell the countless offers that you had. some of those companies have pulled back a little bit. they're a little hesitant to do business with you. what do you tell them to reassure them? >> well, now some of these offers have come back to the table under the provisions that i do continue to live in a sober environment, and strive for sobriety and they want to come back on board with the many opportunities. >> well, how important is it for you to make sure that you do stay sober now? i mean it's all about you. >> the altercations that -- the gray goose who dr. phil uncovered and all that, that's behind us. >> people may not be familiar with that. but there was a confrontation with your daughter. because you're reunited with not just your mother, but children. >> that's right. >> exes in your life. >> that was a little too fast, as well, at this point with just a little bit of notoriety, i mean with this big world of notoriety, and then trying to

accomplish a relationship with my kids. it was just -- >> so where does the relationship stand with your children at this point? >> they love it. now everybody, all of our hearts are all for one. daddy, get well. you know, and i had the opportunity. the lord has blessed me to be able to be a stand-up father and an example of helping the needy. >> and you look a little different, too, we should say. >> yes, i've got these. >> a nice smile. >> dr. kovitko in columbus, ohio, who made this smile possible. >> still got the voice. >> and when you're watching "the early show" -- >> there you go. does that help you to have even this physical transformation? how does that help you as you are on this road to sobriety? this daily battle. does that inspire you? >> i'm going for the gusto. this move around, there's no more of these five-minute interviews, and waving on buses. all of that is behind me. now i want to try to really focus on the second chance foundation, which i want to give back to what america has given

me. god has truly blessed me. and i -- he's blessing me every second i'm here with you guys. you know. and i really want to thank adrien adrienne. >> adrienne is one of our producers. >> that's right. i love her dearly. >> real emotion. thank you for everything, again. for coming back and talking with us. >> oh, it was my pleasure. >> we wish you the best. >> thank you so much. and i'll keep you guys posted as to how everything's going. >> thank you. so many folks are pulling for you so they want to see this work out. the very best to you and your family. >> and the cavs need you, too. >> maybe i can bring them some luck. >> it is just about 40 minutes past the hour. want to get you a check

just ahead, our new hero. the granny who fought off a gang of bank robbers with only her handbag. she's talking. >> hear why super granny, as she's being called in the british press, showed no fear. no fear whatsoever. this is "the early show" here on cbs.

hershey's bliss. one square inch of indulgence... joy... pleasure. one square inch of extra smooth, rich chocolate. hershey's bliss. >> man: getting across town to a job interview is stressful enough without being late. i want guidance that takes me where i need to be, without any problems along the way. i feel the same way when i do taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step-by-step. and calculations are guaranteed 100% accurate, so i know it's done right. they even offer representation in case of an audit. which helps me reach my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> try turbotax online now. you don't pay unless you're satisfied with the results. achoo! the seasons change, but we still may suffer from nasal allergy symptoms. they can hit you year round... indoors or out. achoo! oh to have relief.

prescription nasonex is clinically proven to help relieve nasal allergy symptoms... including congestion, runny and itchy nose and sneezing. [ female announcer ] side effects may include headache, viral infection, sore throat, nosebleeds, and coughing. infections of the nose and throat and eye problems, including glaucoma or cataracts may occur. have regular eye exams. slow wound healing may occur, so do not use nasonex until your nose has healed from any sore, surgery or injury. nasonex can increase your risk of getting infections. avoid contact with infections like chicken pox or measles while using nasonex. it does not come in generic form. ask your doctor if nasonex is right for you. my old contacts would sometimes move and blur my vision. then my eye doctor told me about acuvue® oasys for astigmatism. he said it's the only lens of its kind designed to realign naturally with every blink so now, i'm seeing more clearly. [ male announcer ] learn more at acuvue.com. "you're an amazing, beautiful woman." "i love you." - that's not on there. - no, it's in here. - savings on select diamond fashion: one more reason kay

is the number one jewelry store in america. welcome back. we showed you this video yesterday. everyone loves this video. >> yes. >> if there's a robbery -- >> i want granny. >> you need a 71-year-old woman wielding a purse and a red jacket. look at her. making a beilein down the street. she saw this crime in progress, and 71-year-old ann timson decided to take matters into her own hands. and start, well, just beating down these four perps. >> and one of the guys fell

down, actually, and then was corralled by people on the street. >> look at her. >> she said she was even more upset, she sees the robbery and then she said they thought they could get away and no one stepped in to help her. this is a granny who means business. she sits on her local residence board to tackle crime. but more importantly she's a bingo caller. don't mess with the bingo caller. >> you bring up a very good point there. if you're calling bingo, you can swing a purse. >> exactly. >> i do love some of these quotes, by the way. i landed several blows against one lad. she says i was amazed, they all seemed mesmerized. >> i think they're so stunned. >> sure. >> these big, bad, burglars as we talked about and they were defenseless against her. >> it's one thing if you're standing there. let's say she's just standing on the corner waiting to cross the street. there happens to be this robbery taking place. she, i think it's the funniest part of the 1rid yo, runs towards them. she is on a -- she's a full-on sprint towards the young men.

>> it seems, though, that people who know her aren't necessarily that shocked by her actions. >> i know. >> because they would, you know, they would call her, too, if they were in trouble. >> i want her on my team. >> she should join the team. we should have her on the show. >> quote, i'm not a hero, but somebody had to do something. >> luckily ann was there. >> super gran. >> b-47. >> bingo. >> oh! i just got that. >> you're watching "the early show" on cbs. >> i missed it, too. when you're a stunt woman, work can be pretty unpredictable. from knowing when my next job will be to what i'll actually be doing. so in the rest of my life i like control. especially in my finances. that's why i have slate with blueprint. i can make a plan to pay off everyday things and avoid interest, or pay down my balance faster on the big stuff. that saves money. with slate from chase, i have everything under control... ♪ ...financially. announcer: debit card control. credit card flexibility. get both with slate.

until you look at the gumline. the problem is, you could have plaque along your gumline that can lead to gingivitis. in fact, one in two adults actually has gingivitis and might not even know it. fortunately, there's new crest pro-health clinical gum protection toothpaste. it helps eliminate plaque at the gumline, helping prevent gingivitis. and it's even been clinically proven to help reverse it... in just four weeks. it also protects these other areas dentists check most. new crest pro-health clinical toothpaste. for healthier gums.

[ male announcer ] the uconnect touch system on the 2011 dodge journey controls the radio, media player, heated seats, climate control, navigation, phone, and more. this means that if you call shotgun on a dodge journey, you've just inherited a lot of responsibility. [ engine revs ] [ flag blowing in wind ] the tree house i built with my dad. (girl) really? yeah. there you go. okay, i'm gonna work on the roof. dad, i'll be right back! (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. you made that for me? well you're making this for me. (announcer) choosey moms, and dads, choose jif.

okay, so coming up with valentine's day right around the corner, you order a dozen roses in a lovely arrangement. so what do you get? do you get that? or do you get that? >> it's a big question. when you order online or even over the phone you never really know what shows up if you're not there to greet it. until you put susan koeppen on the case. our consumer correspondent tells you what your money is really buying on "the early show." winter can be beautiful.

[ female announcer ] and now, winter skin can be too. discover relief from dry, uncomfortable skin with skin relief moisturizing lotion. only aveeno has an active naturals triple oat and shea butter formula that soothes, nourishes and restores moisture. women saw improvement in all five symptoms of winter skin in just one day. beauty you can see and feel. that's being comfortable in your own skin. aveeno skin relief. and now get dermatologist recommended relief from severely dry skin with eczema therapy. new from aveeno. discover the power of active naturals

new from aveeno.

t nookcolor, the best device for everything you love to read editors' choice. best dedicated ereader. magazines look spectacular. fantastic device. touch the future of reading at barnes and noble. nookcolor. these ladies have been exercising, watching their diets and enjoying activia light. well? i've lost a few pounds and i've never felt so light. carrie? well, i'm a size 8 now, but i feel like i can fit into my wedding dress again. at 70 calories, delicious activia light helps you be light and feel light too. and it helps regulate your digestive system. i'm fitting into my old outfits again, but i feel like i could wear my college clothes. yes! see? activia light. be light and feel light. "you're an amazing, beautiful woman." "i love you." - that's not on there. - no, it's in here. - the new charmed memories collection: one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america.

welcome back to "the early show" here on a wednesday morning. things warming up here on the east coast. in new york city. >> 10 degrees? >> yeah. >> oh, no it's down to 9! single digits! >> that's crazy. >> good lord. >> drop the confetti this is better than new years. the ball dropping in times square. this is great. hi, everybody, i'm chris wragge along with erica hill. coming up on this very, very cold morning on the east coast, as valentine's day fast approaches, we're paying attention to the affairs of the heart, including keeping your heart very healthy. and we're doing that this morning by learning how to boost

the power of various foods by matching them up with others. like apricots and almonds. or olive oil and tomatoes. combos are very tasty and most importantly, they are great for your ticker. >> it's like we're making a love match of foods in time for valentine's day. how about that? more cheesy puns coming your way. also ahead this morning, as we look at valentine's day, flowers, huge valentine's day tradition. especially when we're talking about roses. if you order flowers sight unseen, though, whether it's calling up the local flores or buying them online, do you actually get what you pay for? are you getting your money's worth? the results of a surprising "early" show investigation are just ahead. susan koeppen's going to give us all the details on that one. >> but it's going to be very interesting to see exactly what type of arrangement jeff has sent the two of us within the next couple days. >> i'm still waiting for it, frankly. >> it's massive. let me just tell you right now. dozens and dozens of roses. >> i just hope you got your money's worth on those roses.

>> i hope you like them. they're nice. anyway, i've got to get one for my wife now, as well. good morning, guys. good morning, everyone. another nasty southern storm this morning. it's snowing right now in oklahoma city. doesn't look too good there as arctic air pushes farther south. it's moving through texas, as well. cbs news correspondent don teague is once again in dallas this morning. don, good morning. >> good morning, jeff. arctic is right. it is brutal and miserable out here right now. we've got strong winds blowing. we've had freezing rain and sleet here in dallas this morning. as you mentioned, oklahoma has been dumped on with big snow this morning. oklahoma city, and tulsa, where they were still cleaning up from the big snowstorm they had last week. this is the last thing they needed. they've been scrambling to find enough salt and sand for the roads up there. here in texas, windchills of 26 below zero in the panhandle near amarillo, as snow blew through there yesterday. and that's all coming here to the dallas area.

most of the schools here are already closed, and 120 flights canceled at dfw airport. just a miserable, cold day. and it's all continuing to move south and east. jeff? >> all right. don, stay warm. don teague in dallas once again for us. investigators are trying to figure out what caused a tractor trailer to collide with two school buses in mississippi. police say the truck swerved in the wrong lane on a bridge about 40 miles south of oxford yesterday. the truck side-swiped one bus and hit a second bus head-on. three people, the truck driver, a bus driver, and a teacher were all killed. 17 students were hurt. it was a big victory for toyota. a government report found that electronic flaws are not to blame for all those reports of the sudden, unintended acceleration. millions of vehicles were recalled, you remember. and cbs news national correspondent dean reynolds is in chicago this morning with more on that. dean? >> good morning, jeff. about a year ago, transportation secretary ray lahood cautioned

toyota owners to stop driving their cars because of unexplained safety flaws. but now, after this long investigation into sudden unintended acceleration, lahood says toyotas are safe to drive. the government study was the best news toyota has had in a year. >> i told my daughter that she should boy the toyota siena, which she did. we feel that toyota vehicles are safe to drive. >> reporter: that's because after ten months of inquiry by scientists, including those from nasa, no reason was identified for the incidents of sudden, unintended acceleration, other than the easily fixed sticky gas pedals and bunched floor mats. critics had argued that the much more expensive and sophisticated electronic system on toyota vehicles, compromised of a multitude of mini processors had to be to blame. in the harrowing rides that gripped the nation a year ago. >> we're in trouble. we can't -- there's no brakes. hold on.

pray, pray. >> reporter: it to to has had to recall 8 million vehicles for repairs, and pay fines of nearly $33 million for not disclosing the problem in a timely manner. toyota profits were off 39% in the last quarter, and it's gone from the number two to the number three automaker in sales here in the last year. but it has always insisted its cars were safe. and though critics scoffed at the findings, investigators said that in the vast majority of incidents, involving sudden, unintended acceleration, or runaway cars, driver error was to blame. >> what most likely happened was pedal misapplication. >> reporter: besides, toyota dealers say customers are coming back. >> just rae firms what toyota has been saying all along about the product. >> reporter: and now they hope the problem goes away. jeff? >> dean reynolds in chicago. dean, thanks. this morning, us airways is

investigating how a baggage handler got locked in a plane's cargo hold just before a plane took off. it happened at reagan national on monday. the bag handler was only freed after a flight attendant heard screams and thumps coming from the floor. apparently another worker accidentally locked that handler inside. actress lindsay lohan heads to court today. she is expected to be charged with felony grand theft for allegedly stealing a necklace from a jewelry store last month. if convicted lohan could get up to three years. in prison. it's six minutes past the hour. we check in once again with marysol castro. nice green by the way. >> oh, well thank you, jeff. nice stripes. >> thank you. thank you very much. >> good morning, everyone. let's turn our focus to the northeast where the big story is, of course, the frigid temperatures. it feels like minus 15 to 15 degrees, of course, in fargo feeling more than minus 15. around boston it feels like 15. by the way, this is the first time in seven weeks that the northeast and the mid-atlantic get just nominal snow.

we've really been measuring snow in feet this winter. in the southeast, there is that storm we mentioned earlier in the broadcast. it continues to move across the southeastern part of the country, dumping some snow and some rain and a wintry mix. how much? aquarter of an inch to a half an inch of rain. new orleans and houston, three to six inches of snow around springfield and oklahoma city. >> this weather report sponsored by staples. that was easy.

>> thanks so much. that was your latest weather. now over to chris. >> marysol, thank you. coming up next, keeping your heart healthy by making the right food matches. some very important nutrition information when we return. this is "the early show" here on cbs. ♪ [ male announcer ] here they come. all the new tech products you need. and they're all looking for the same thing. ♪ the one place that makes technology easy. staples. with highly-trained tech experts and expanded tech centers, staples makes finding the right technology just the way you want it. easy. easy to buy. easy to fix. easy to save. staples. that was easy. >> man: delivering a 200-pound ice sculpture means i don't have any margin for error. one wrong turn, and i could end up unloading a puddle of water. >> gps: turn right ahead. >> man: so i make sure i have the right guidance to get me exactly where i need to be. it's the same with taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me

step-by-step. automatically double-checks along the way and even lets me talk to a tax expert so i'm never alone. which helps me know it's done right and get to my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> try turbotax online now. you don't pay unless you're satisfied with the results. but i'll be right there. ♪ [ screams ] [ people screaming ] [ tires screech ] ♪ [ tires screech ] ♪ [ man screams ] [ man on radio ] l.a., the end is near. ♪ [ male announcer ] without all-wheel drive, it's the end of the world. with dodge all-wheel drive, it's just snow. ♪ all you expect from the number-one recommended detergent by dermatologists. all free clear is free of dyes and perfumes. and has powerful stainlifters to help get your whole wash clean. it's all good.

to help get your whole wash clean. this is my band from the 80's, looker. hair and mascara, a lethal combo. i'm jon haber of alto music. my business is all about getting music into people's hands. and the plum card from american express open helps me do that. you name it, i can buy it. and the savings that we get from the early pay discount has given us money to reinvest back into our business and help quadruple our floor space. how can the plum card's trade terms get your business booming? booming is putting more music in more people's hands.

in this morning's "healthwatch," heart healthy food. heart disease is the country's number one killer. but, what you eat can actually lower your risk. and certain foods coupled together deliver a powerful kick. registered dietitian samantha heller has some good examples for us this morning. how are you? >> i'm good. >> this is heart healthy month. and we want to talk about some combinations that maybe not everybody would think of. >> that's right. >> that are great for your ticker. go right. >> let's start with what you should start your day with. >> we have green tea and lemon. and we know that green tea is good for cancer protection. but the anti-inflammatory compounds in the tea help reduce

inflammation in your arteries, which is really good for your heart. and one study found that the vitamin c in the lemon boosts your body's ability to use those antioxidants so they work really well together. i personally would add a dab of honey for taste. >> a tiny dab. >> yes. >> breakfast, oatmeal is a great option. but i mean, it can be a little boring at times. >> it can be boring. oatmeal has that great soluble fiber. we know it lowers cholesterol. the fiber in apples lowers cholesterol. they have a great antioxidant that reduces inflammation. you combine that with the walnuts. omega-3 fatty acids help reduce that fat in your blood called triglycerides. reduce inflammation. they work together for heart healthy boosting meal for breakfast, and it gets you through the morning so your energy doesn't crash and you don't go off your heart healthy regiment and grab a doughnut. >> and cinnamon? >> cinnamon is pretty good for heart health, as well, and can support blood sugar. cinnamon is a great addition and it's sweet without the sugar. >> talk about a couple of snacks.

because they always say it's nice to have a little something every three hours or so. you like almonds and apricots? >> the apricots are orange, that means they're high in beta-carotene. the almonds have vitamin e, and the vote minimum e and healthy fats help your body absorb the beta-carotene. it's a great snack. it's sweet. it's delicious. it sticks with you through the day. a handful will get you through. >> and this you've got a little edamame and some vegetables. it looks like a cruditeses deep. >> our producer susie made that hummus. edamame is a green soybean. you mash that up and mix it to make this fabulous dip. the soy protein is really a healthy protein. the shanghai women's heart study in china found that women who ate soy like edamame and tofu had a lower risk of heart attack. >> we move from the snacks now to dinner. and who doesn't love a little pasta? >> pasta, well we have the olive oil, the whole grain pasta and the tomatoes. these work together beautifully. the olive oil is

anti-inflammatory. the like peen, which is a powerful antioxidant in the tomatoes helps keep your heart healthy, your artery wall functioning. and the whole grains add that fiber that you need. >> whole grain pasta is the way to go. >> it is the way. to go. it's good, too. >> and dessert. i think everyone's been saying wow, the one at the end. and we've got some chocolates and some red wine. >> you know, it just makes you happy to think of strawberries and chocolate and wine. that just makes your heart happy. also, chocolate has polyphenols and those are heart healthy. they reduce blood pressure, which is, again, a risk for cardiovascular disease. the vitamin c and the strawberries work with that to boost that heart health. they reduce clotting. that's what the wine does. a little bit of wine reduces that blood clotting. raises your good cholesterol just a little bit. really heart healthy. and you know, when you're happy and you feel good, it's good for your heart, too. >> probably not going to be too happy if you have all eight strawberries. >> two would be good. >> one glass of wine. everything in moderation. >> that's right.

>> and you're all set. >> great to see you. good options here. really like them. >> yes. >> okay, up next, where are we? over here. okay. up next, you ever buy a nice bouquet only to see the flowers wilt and fade away too soon? we're going to nip that problem in the bud when we return. this is "the early show" here on cbs. >> "cbs healthwatch" sponsored by campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. aturally satisfying. so select harvest light soups are 80 calories or less, 100% natural. and-oh-so-satisfying. select harvest light from campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ ♪ express yourself

♪ ♪ express yourself ♪ ♪ oh, do it ♪ oh, do it ♪ express yourself ♪ hey [ female announcer ] coffee is like life. it's better when you add your flavor. coffee-mate, from nestle.

americans spnd nor than $1 billion on flowers each valentine's day. but are you really getting what you're paying for? consumer correspondent susan koeppen put her petals to the metal. here this morning with what you found, besides fun pun. >> fun puns. okay, so we spent the last few days ordering flowers. lots of flowers. everything from roses to mixed bouquets. and then we had them analyzed by an expert in the business.

valentine's day flowers are big business. with americans plunking down $1.7 billion on petals. things are busy at this flower shop, where they expect to send out more than 600 arrangements on valentine's day alone. so when do you start planning for valentine's day? >> last year, february 16th. >> reporter: but when you order flowers, especially sight unseen, do you really get what you pay for? and do the arrangements really look like the beautiful pictures shown online? we decided to order flowers from three different online locations. 1800 flowers, florist express and a local flower shop in new york city. >> welcome to, i call it flower land. >> reporter: and we enlisted the help of celebrity floral designer michael gaffney. we asked him to analyze our flowers once they arrived.

this is the sweet delights arrangement as pictured online at florist express. and this is what actually arrived. total price, including taxes and delivery $93. >> wow. >> reporter: we overpaid? >> wow, wow, wow, we should have three of these lined up for that price. >> reporter: and many of the flowers in this arrangement had been replaced with different ones. >> yellow mini carnations? don't see them. >> reporter: okay. super green roses. >> are you sure we've got the right order? >> reporter: next we ordered the fun and flirty arrangement from 1-800-flowers. and this is the bouquet that we received. total price with taxes and delivery, $70. >> boy, i don't know how they get away with this. this, on a country kitchen table, maybe. we're missing the boat completely here. >> reporter: and here's the how sweet it is bouquet from the local flower shop. but this is what we got when we ordered it. total price with taxes and

delivery $54. >> i think you got the wrong order. i really do. >> reporter: this really doesn't look the same. >> no. >> reporter: and the roses we ordered didn't look much like their pictures, either. so how do you think we did overall? >> i'm a little surprised. >> reporter: even though i thought some of these arrangements were very pretty, gaffney says we didn't really get what we paid for. >> we missed the mark on a lot of these. especially the value. >> reporter: and we contacted 1-800-flowers, florist express and the local flower shop. all of them offered to send us new flowers, no questions asked. they all have 100% guarantee. and the websites do state that arrangements may vary based on flower avail 5b89. >> but that seems like a huge variation. you actually confirmed that these were the correct arrangements. >> the one that looked like orange flowers and we got yellow flowers and we confirmed that that was the correct arrangement. there wasn't a mix-up in delivery. >> this is really disturbing. a lot of people use these to send flowers. how do you know, is there any

way to guarantee that you're getting the best value or your money? >> one of the best things that you can do is have a relationship with a flower smop if you're not sending flowers a lot that might be hard to do. but if you get to know the local flower shop in your area, you get to know the owner, you can develop a relationship, and they'll know what to send. what kind of things you like. also ask them, you know, how often are you ordering your flowers? how often are you getting them in and what do you have in stock right now and be specific about what you want. >> and sometimes it's better to go with that based on what's in stock or what's in season. >> yes. >> how do you, once you get the flowers, make them last? everybody has a theory to this. >> right. so these are some of the tips that we got from some of the experts. okay, first and foremost, you have to cut the stems. >> how much? >> so like a half an inch. >> okay. >> but cutting them is key. and if you leave them out on the table, say for 15 minutes you've got to cut them again. using a knife is better than using scissors, but you can use both. >> really? >> the scissors kind of pinch the stems. use being a knife is better. >> okay.

>> then you want to take the whole bouquet and dunk it in water. you want to submerge the whole thing. >> not just the ends. >> right. >> so you can take it, put it in a sink. put it in a roasting pan. you want the whole bouquet under water so the flower is sucking up all that water. >> for how long? >> for 30 minutes. >> okay. >> then you put the flowers in the vase. and you add a couple drops of bleach. >> bleach? >> killing bacteria. >> won't kill the flowers? >> not going to kill the flower. kills the bacteria in there, and then you need to change the water every day. every other day. and then you can keep snipping the ends. >> keep snipping? >> cutting the ends to keep the flowers fresh. >> all right, susan, here's you go. when those flowers arrive on valentine's day. >> this was a great assignment. >> it was. >> thank you. >> still ahead, if you think your guy wouldn't appreciate flowers, we've got great gadgets for you. úú7ú

welcome back to "the early show" on a wednesday morning. we have some great suggestions. if you were with us yesterday we took a look at valentine's day gifts for the ladies in your life. for your daughter, your young daughter, all the way up to the older woman in your life, perhaps your wife, your mom. today, boys, you're in luck. it's the guy's turn. cutting-edge tech gadgets, along with some retro favorites. look at that. everybody remember the snoopy sno-cone maker? that frankly works for any age. just one of the many items our good friend katie linendoll has brought in for us. a lot of fun stuff. so we'll get all of those to you just ahead here on "the early

show." >> i'm a big fan of the darth vader toaster. >> the darth vader helmet after that super bowl commercial, right? >> see what we can do. >> also coming up, "the early show" cook-off heating up. the battle for breakfast. it continues. and it is batter up this morning, as we take on jeff's favorite, pancakes. celebrity chef scott conant is here to supervise and judge. let's hope jeff and i can get our scores up just a little bit as we trail the ladies so far after one day. >> you brought in a secret weapon. >> my father used to make us pancakes every tuesday night when my mom worked. so i ate them when i was a kid, breakfast for dinner. and it's my wife's recipe for pumpkin pancakes this morning. >> get ready. nicole, fingers crossed that your recipe works. >> thank you. let's check in with marysol castro. final check of the weather. good morning to you. >> good morning you guys. good morning, everyone at home. it's 15 degrees currently in new york city. expected high of 29. any way you slice it, it's just

cold. you can ee see the western half of the country, high pressure. colder than normal temperatures except for southern california. the big story, of course, the snow in the nation's heartland. the high temperatures, not so high at all. 4 in fargo, 17 in kansas city. chicago 10 degrees. but you can see los angeles, 75 degrees, brownsville 65 degrees. over to the west coast you can see from medford up through seattle, morning fog will give way to some spots of sunshine throughout the afternoon. just from i-5 from seattle to medford. it does burn off by midafternoon. the coast will see afternoon sunshine and average temperatures, slightly warmer temperatures. it's expected to stay this way through tomorrow. by the way, it's still windy in the southern california area, gusts of about 15 to 25 miles per hour. these are the beginning stages of the santa ana winds. of course we're going to keep an eye

thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now over to erica. >> valentine's day gifts for women tend to be fairly easy, right? not always the case for the men in your life. "early" show technology expert katie linendoll is here to change that for us with some super fantastic gadgets that are sure to warm his heart and that we may actually want to steal. ladies, just a warning. good morning. >> good morning. >> the first one you have. >> yes. >> i'm a little skeptical. we're going to dim the lights in the studio. >> mood lighting. like a seventh grade dance. we're going to make it real awkward. >> stairway to heaven anyone? >> so the first one is, this like i get really crazed about people with monogrammed like his

and her towels. we're going to kick it up a not. this is his and her interactive t-shirts. now as you see here, those six hearts here for, that's your life. when you get close, within hugging distance of your lover, they light up. so it starts with two hearts when they're close as we are here, the shirts light up. $18. >> on the shirt or do you paste this on? >> no, no, that really comes on the shirt. totally. >> okay, that's number one. i'm not sure i can do that one. but this next one. >> head phones. >> huge. who doesn't need head phones? >> everyone has an mp3 player. these are urbanears. 14 colors to choose from. they even make what i call the white mystery airhead option. you can have them choose the colors for you, in case you don't know what you're going to get. we got the urbanears, they're about $40 to $50 on urbanears.com. we also have plantronics, no

wires. so you cook up to your mp3 player, they're $100 but they're a great investment. for that traveler, for the commuter. somebody who wants to listen to music without having all the wires. >> by the way, ladies, here's one you will want to steal. the next one is kind of funny. we're going a little fun. a little goofier. something playful like hey, happy valentine's day, would you like the flu? >> exactly. you can't get a dude a box of chocolates. but you can get him a box of microbes and nothing says i love you like e. coli, the flu or the common cold. these are fun for the office. cute ones you can stack anywhere. for $20 from our friends friend. >> who doesn't like the sound of this? ready? >> yes. facebook like and dislike stamps. this needs no -- >> so as for katie's gifts so far. i will say i like. >> and if we could just add a dislike button for facebook for

everybody that posts photos of their meals i'd be a happy person. did you ever see that? just eat the food. dislike. >> done. >> how much are these? >> $14. >> i love it. >> i'm in. >> up next. okay what do i do with these goggles? >> this is a bit of a splurge. if you have a skier these are these are high def ski goggles that not only look cool, they take high def video from your point of view on the slopes. they also take five mega pixel stills. you can take video, stills and share it. there's a lithium ion battery. hour and a half of video you can take. you can take six hours of video and 9,000 photos. awesome, practical gift for that skier/snowboarder in your life. >> that is very cool. i like those. >> serious hd. >> so if you're plurnlging, this is a super, summer splurge but you have a good reason for it. >> we know skype, we know g-chat where you can video chat with someone. this is like the ultimate.

this is the cisco umi. i learned this word from payless, it's called the bogo. it's for buy one get one free. you can video chat through your tv. and if you're not techie, this is a super simple setup. so you can actually communicate right through your television. >> and it's in high definition. >> buy one get one free this would be a great gift for maybe a parent in your life. >> exactly. >> and then they can see their grand kids. >> no excuses for long-distance lovers these days. >> oh, look at that. or you could just get a sno-cone. >> this is awesome. this is like nostalgia. >> it's just like i remember. >> it's under 20 bucks. >> i can't believe they still make it. >> i know, right? >> for anybody who doesn't remember you put the ice in here. >> get the little shovel. >> goes in the chimney. you push it down, you turn the crank. >> you can't screw this up at all, and you get a nice little frosty treat. >> you do realize everyone in the studio is going to be fighting over this. >> totally. >> and hello! i think jeff was already saying

how much he loves the star wars toaster. >> breakfast in bed has leveled up. the $50 toaster, darth vader, it imprints right on the bread. if my dude brought me breakfast in bread with darth vader stamped on it. it's over. we're in bed the rest of the day. that's like a definite win. i'm just saying. and then it comes with kwof if i made my storm troopers. darth vader dark side roast. >> it's a full bodied sharp brew with spicy undertones and a smoky dark roasted complexity. he's complex that darth vader. >> he is. he's a real man. >> luke, i am your father. okay, last one before we have too much fun. remote control helicopters. these things are great. i tried a number of them with my son. they are impossible. you went through 14 different helicopters for us? >> i broke like every single one. this is one of the best ones. it actually can be controlled 360 degrees. it's typically $100. on sale until saturday at toys "r" us for about 50 bucks. you can crash it, as you can

seen. >> boom. >> and i'll get it again because it's really awful. >> it fell in front of the camera. >> okay. thank you. >> this is a disaster. but i swear it works. >> that's why it's on sale. she tested 14 and this was the best one. >> oh, bring that back here. >> for more on those products logon to our website at earlyshow.cbsnews.com. >> this portion of "the early show" sponsored by coffee-mate. we think coffee is like life. it's better when you add your flavor. ♪ hey hey good looking >> good thing that just happened because the real high jinks are just about to begin. this morning the battle for breakfast continues. and it's all about my favorite pancakes. yesterday we cooked erica's favorite morning meal, grits. the ladies, of course, you see the scores up there right now. judge on a scale of one to five. today our judge this morning is scott conant, chef at new york's scarpetta restaurant and a judge on the food network's "chopped." good morning. >> good morning. >> thanks for being here.

>> nice to be here. >> it's a little early. >> definitely early. >> good time to do breakfast. who doesn't love pancakes? >> un-american to not like pancakes. >> it really is un-american. you are making up your own batter here. what's in yours? >> this is buttermilk, eggs, butter inside that and just some regular flour, as well. just very simple. i have -- i'm going to put a little bit of butter inside here. this is the way. i do pancakes in the restaurant when i want to do something like a savory component of a dish. so a little bit of butter. i like when it gets a little bit -- just a little bit brown, a touch, and just -- i'm going to make them very small. what i'll do sometimes, if you want -- >> so it can spread out a little bit. >> adjust the temperature. the real key is to adjust the pan. adjust the temperature so it's not cooking too high. you want it to go nice and slow. what will happen is in the interior, the interior of the pancake as well as the exterior starts to cook at the same temperature. so it starts to bubble up a

touch and doesn't get too brown on the bottom. >> who knew that pancakes were so scientific. >> a little soulfulness goes a long way. >> it looks nice. nice color. >> we'll see what happens. >> why don't we get started here? we have four completely different pancake recipes. why don't we start with erica? >> i'm going to go with erica. >> here we go. >> i know you had mentioned that you have a few different things going on. >> i do. i have a hot mess, as usual. i'm doing buckwheat pancakes because i really like that sort of nuttier, more robust flavor in my pancakes. i'm also going to be putting in flax seed meal. a lot of things i make for my kids because it gives them nutritional boost and a little bit of cinnamon. then i'm going to mash up banana and have bananas and walnuts in there. >> but you're doing two different types. >> i am. and then for some of those banana walnut ones i'm going to add some chocolate chips, because i think the chocolate in the morning makes everyone happy. >> there's nothing wrong with that. i wouldn't be the one to argue with you. >> so that's what i'm working

on. first i've got to mash my banana. >> nice mashing. >> thank you. >> so then you're going to put it in the pan? >> no, i'm going to put a little bit into the batter. rather than sliced bananas. >> i'm a little slow on this. >> i've never actually done this before. >> it's a good time to start. >> we've got darth vader coffee. >> darth vader coffee is a great accompaniment. and the bread, as well. the toast. so -- >> what do you have doing? >> i'm going to do -- so my father used to make pumpkins -- pancakes for us every tuesday night while mom worked. i'm combining that with my wife's pumpkin pancake recipe. >> ooh. >> so we've got pumpkin puree. there's some coriander, some nutmeg, some cinnamon. you like that? >> where did you even learn there's a spice called coriander? >> i have no idea how to make it myself, really. but i'm going to try. my wife does do a wonderful job with this. i think one of the keys is, for me when i eat pancakes, one of the stars is not just the batter but the syrup.

we had syrup brought in from western new york. i used to make syrup with my grandfather on the farm right near attica. and so we have pure new york maple syrup. yes, attica. from western new york which is the best part about it. >> awesome. >> so a little hometown love, as well. >> a little hometown love. >> a lot of family going on. >> give you a little tip about the pancakes. >> please do. >> should have added the egg whites at the end. >> i know, i should have waited longer. >> you haven't incorporated your flour yet. >> i know, it's a mess. >> that's why i made another one here. >> there's already one done. >> i'm going to make it out of this. the whole process is accelerated. never mind the pressure, scott. >> come on. >> all right, let me concentrate here. >> so you have one giant pancake. >> this is just one of a few. i was literally weaned on chocolate chip pancakes. i mean that whole heartedly. so i've got a little bit of a

twist on that and then i've got some walnuts in there that i like. a few raspberry accents at the very end. i think they're going to go over very nicely. i'm just having a little -- >> i think what you're going to do is just be patient with it. >> we talked about that before, when you've got the bubbles. >> i've got a great base here. >> that's not bad. >> i'm afraid to flip. >> i think you're flipping too early. >> that's a huge pancake. >> that's what i side. >> if it dumps -- >> keep it over there in buffalo, would you? >> attica. >> attica. >> attica. >> all right. and you're nerving this with what? >> i'd really rather not give it away right now. >> oh! oh! >> come on. >> geez! >> oh, boy. >> as the defending champ i really need to keep some of my secrets. >> i sense you're lacking a little bit of confidence if you're afraid to give away -- >> i like you a lot. >> i'm confident. >> you caramelized your bananas.

>> i did. unlike erica, you know, i don't try to conceal anything healthy. this is not a healthy breakfast for the kids, which i make. i caramelized some bananas with sugar and brown sugar and butter. and we're going to do one pancake, nutella, those caramelized bananas on top and then another pancake on top and some just regular, very -- dlz nothing fancy about this. we love it on sale. >> sounds pretty fancy. >> well, it is. >> got it on sale. >> you're going to do like a pancake lasagna with nutella? >> a pancake lasagna. a napoleon, exactly. of the pancake variety. now, i've got to -- please. >> all right. >> she's trying to concentrate. >> i'm never dismissing the judge. never. >> we're going to try to do this as quickly as we can. we're right back. the results of the competition. stay tuned. úú7ú

oh, please. >> the battle for breakfast continues. erica claims she has a defective burner. >> they're not cooking. i had to turn it up to 5. >> it is slow cooking but if you do it right you can get it done. >> erica's trying to finish off pretty quickly. >> i'm going to have to get back to this. >> that's a great idea. >> doesn't it look pretty? >> spectacular. poor effort. let's start with, this raw pancake. >> poor effort? >> poor effort. >> you mean p-o-u-r, right? >> what i tried to do is make it a little brown on one side. this one i may have taken off slightly too early. you have some of the syrup. you need more syrup? >> let me just taste it. >> what is that? >> that's a pancake. >> oh. you know, i just wanted to see. >> here. >> what do you think of that? >> do you have eggs in that batter? >> yeah.

>> so it's good but can you taste the eggs. there's a lot of the great spice of the pancake. >> the coriander. >> you've really practiced all the spices. that's good. >> well done. >> i think this is good. i'll give this a 3. >> 3? >> i'm very tough. >> so much for home field advantage. >> i know. >> i'll give that a 3. i will say the quality of the syrup is really good. >> thank you. >> but that has nothing to do -- >> it's about the pancake, right, scott? >> it really is about the pancake. this, sir, if i may, is a monstrosity. >> thank you. >> he made a birthday cake. >> this is rough. i'm -- i'm going to start there. anyway, this is not -- this is for some, clearly not for others. >> this is a chocolate chip pancake. >> reddi-wip? you couldn't even whip up -- >> time constraints. >> good pancake? >> it is not. >> oh, no. >> i'm going to give that a 2.

>> really? >> i'm sorry. you're a nice guy. >> not anymore. >> get in there, erica. >> a 2? >> i'm known to be a little bit -- >> oh, wow. >> i don't throw compliments around either, by the way. >> get a little bit of nutella, a little bit of banana. i'll be quiet. >> this i got to hear. >> the banana's really good in anything with nutella. you just, i mean, you're starting ahead. so i'm going to give that a 4. >> oh. >> wow. >> thank you. >> you are tough. >> i mean, i was giving her a win for the nutella alone. >> let me try this one. see how bad it is. >> this is from my batter. >> oh. so really -- >> this has chocolate, as well. if you like chocolate. and this doesn't have chocolate. >> this is what i like about yours. i like that it's not as much

chocolate. it's not as overwhelming as this. this is just -- this is just -- there's no restraint in there. >> no. it's definitely -- >> it's an insight into chris wragge. >> international house of heaven. >> i like this. i mean, i don't know. i disagree. >> what's the score on erica? >> he's thinking. >> erica, your pancake is really flat. it has really -- i mean, no pun intended, flavorwise, there's not a lot -- you haven't developed a lot of flavor out of this, at all, frankly. >> it's a pancake! it's delicious. what are you talking about? >> so i'm going to give you a 3, as well. i like the subtleties of the chocolate and all the other elements -- >> you're saying it's too subtle? >> good job. >> definitely not sweet enough. >> i'm from connecticut, we're very restrained. >> i'm from connecticut. >> we'll talk later. >> scores are 3, 3, 2, 4. that's the lowest score that's ever been given out. >> it is. >> for the competition.

>> but he didn't get a two. >> he did. >> all right. >> i'm sorry. >> so after two rounds of scoring, erica 7, marysol is in the lead with 8. chris only has 5. i have 6. >> so anything that happens. >> and tomorrow, i'm up when katie lee joins us to help cook my favorite, french toast. >> oh. >> oh, yeah. >> again, a very plebian dish, which is normal, pedestrian. tomorrow we'll have a different word of the day. >> i think the word of the day should be nutella. >> that is word of the day. >> yummy, folks. >> thank you, scott. >> have a great day, everybody. we'll see you tomorrow. local news is next. úú7ú

this is my band from the 80's, looker. hair and mascara, a lethal combo. i'm jon haber of alto music. my business is all about getting music into people's hands. and the plum card from american express open helps me do that. you name it, i can buy it. and the savings that we get from the early pay discount has given us money to reinvest back into our business and help quadruple our floor space.

how can the plum card's trade terms get your business booming? booming is putting more music in more people's hands.

never in my lifetime did i think i could walk 60 miles in 3 days. 60 miles compared to what a cancer patient goes through is a walk in the park. from the moment i registered, people started immediately supporting me and asking me how they could help. you meet the most wonderful, inspiring people. when you accomplish those 60 miles, it's truly life-changing. (man) register today for the... and receive $25 off your registration fee. because everyone deserves a lifetime.