have a good day. [ captions by: caption colorado, llc 800-775-7838 email: comments@captioncolorado.com ] good morning. striking back. moammar gadhafi's air force bombs a key rebel position, as u.s. officials warn of the potential danger of a no-fly zone over libya. we'll go live to libya for the latest on the conflict. targeting troops. new details emerge in the shooting deaths of two u.s. airmen in germany, as officials investigate the suspect's possible ties to terrorism. we'll take you to frankfurt where the suspect will appear in court today. and helpless. in an emotional appearance on capitol hill, actor mickey rooney admits he's a victim of elder abuse. we're going to hear more from the 90-year-old hollywood legend about the issue that affects millions of americans, "early" this thursday morning, march millions of americans, "early" this thursday morning, march 3rd, 2011. captioning funded by cbs

and hi, everyone, welcome to "the early show" here on a thursday morning. i'm chris wragge. >> and i'm erica hill. good to have you with us today. we begin with the very latest from libya. this morning, leader moammar gadhafi's air force is bombing rebel forces there in the east once again. cbs news correspondent mandy clark joins us from libya this morning. mandy, hello. >> hello. well, we're on the road towards the front line, and we're hearing that this town of adjibaya and brega were bombed this morning. this morning, the rebels were digging in. and getting ready to defend the territory they won back. the assault by government troops began before dawn yesterday, and included bombing runs by gadhafi's warplanes. >> they are bombing us by very big bombs. >> reporter: this bomb narrowly

missed an al jazeera crew. by late afternoon, the rebels were on the offensive. down the road survivors arrived at a chaotic emergency room. they are mercenaries from africa, attacking us with rocks and missiles, this man says. we were behind a truck loaded with ammunition and headed for the front line. smoke was rising from an area hit by bombs. but when we arrived in el brega itself, the town was back in rebel hands. we're at the center of el brega and people are out in force, celebrating the fact that they've managed to push out pro-gadhafi troops. those troops are just down the road, and the rebels are chasing them further out of town. this is the prize gadhafi's men were after. a massive oil shipment terminal. when we saw it on monday, it was intact but idle.

well, this was a major victory for the rebels. but it came at a cost around a dozen people were killed in the battle yesterday, and today, some of them will be buried. erica? >> mandy, thanks. chris? >> erica, thank you. the white house is keeping pressure on gadhafi, while walking a fine diplomatic line, and holding down expectations on a possible military option. cbs news senior white house correspondent bill plante has the very latest on that angle for us this morning. bill, good morning. >> good morning to you, chris. there's been a lot of talk about a possible no-fly zone. some members of congress are urging it. but, i have to tell you, over publicly and privately, senior administration officials are saying that that should be an option of last resort. >> i think that we are a long way from making that decision. and there is a great deal of caution that is being exercised with respect to any actions that we might take, other than in support of humanitarian missions. >> reporter: and the white house public line is deliberately

ambiguous. >> we are actively considering a variety of options. we have not ruled any options out. >> reporter: but the secretary of defense was blunt, telling congress, a no-fly zone would mean attacking libya. >> let's just call a spade a spade. a no-fly zone begins with an attack on libya. to destroy the air defenses. >> reporter: the bottom line, the obama administration doesn't want the u.s. to be the principle player in another regional conflict. >> one of our biggest concerns is libya descending into chaos, and becoming a giant somalia. >> reporter: now, the president hasn't had much to say about libya, especially since the battle heated up. but you can expect to hear from him today. he's going to take some questions in a news conference with the mexican president. chris? >> cbs' bill plante at the white house for us this morning. bill, thank you. now here's erica. >> joining us now to explain the no-fly zone option is retired general wesley clark. he's also former nato supreme

allied commander. sir, good to have you with us this morning. >> thank you, erica. >> as we look at this, secretary gates was very clear yesterday, in saying that any sort of a no-fly zone is, in fact, an attack on libya. this is a military option. the white house, though, said nothing is off the table. the arab league has now come out and said, look, if there's going to be a no-fly zone, we want to be in charge of it. is the best option here, then, just to step back and let the arab league perhaps take the lead on something like this? >> i think the best option is to go ahead and work through the diplomatic channels, put the diplomatic resolutions in place, the international law procedures in place, to authorize a further set of military or humanitarian actions. we would need a u.n. security council resolution under chapter 7 for humanitarian actions, and possibly for the no-fly zone. >> it's much more complicated, and you start to paint that picture than just saying, simply, look, planes aren't going to fly for us in this area. paint for us if you could a

little more dedescriptive picture of what the actions are here, especially if u.s. troops are involved? >> well, you would deny the libyans the ability to fly. now you could do that cooperative cooperatively. you don't have to take out the air defense if gadhafi agrees to the no-fly zone. you could simply overfly it, if the radars come up, you could bomb them. or you could do the strike as secretary gates said and try to take everything out. you can get the fast movers. you can't always get the helicopters. it's a big country. you could center the no-fly zone along the line of contact, and so you're working a smaller area. any time a libyan plane flies, and we don't get it, and it's possible it would be accused of failure. and the real risks are not to our fliers, they're what's down the road. where does it lead? if the no fly zone is effective and no aircraft are flying but gadhafi's forces succeed on the ground, then what's the next step? because once you go to the

no-fly zone you're more or less committed toe the outcome. so then you've got to put troops in or assistance. >> general clark, can you hear me? do we still have you? we had a trouble with our satellite there. our apologies on that. that was general wesley clark joining us. chris? >> all right, erica, thank you. in germany, this morning a 21-year-old man accused of killing two u.s. airmen goes to court. and officials say they're investigating his possible ties to terrorists. cbs news correspondent charlie d'agata is in frankfurt, germany, with the latest for us this morning. charlie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, chris. federal prosecutors in germany have now taken over this investigation from local police, because, in their words, there's suspicion this attack was an islamist motivated act. investigators have reason to believe that the suspect, arid uka, 21-year-old ethnic albanian from kosovo, has links to islamic extremist groups in germany. in trying to determine whether

yesterday's deadly shooting was a result of an argument that broke out as some witnesses described, or a targeted attack on u.s. military personnel in germany. one witness said he thoughted, allah akbar, god is great, in arabic, before opening fire on u.s. forces on the bus. investigators are trying to figure out if the shooter had any help, and if more attacks are on the way. u.s. federal prosecutors have joined in the investigation. the suspect is a worker at the airport and his family describes him as a devout muslim. he's due to appear in court later today. now, we have seen armed guards roaming around this airport late last night and early this morning. but not more than you would normally see. it is a very busy airport, where we see u.s. troops move in and out all the time. chris? >> cbs' charlie d'agata in frankfurt, germany, for us this morning. charlie, thank you. >> jeff glor is at the news desk with a look at the other headlines we're following on

this thursday morning. good morning. >> good morning to you. five years ago today, marine lance corporal matthew synder was killed while serving in iraq. yesterday, the supreme court said protesters who showed up at his funeral were protected by the first amendment, and now the westboro baptist church says they want to quadruple the number of protests they hold. cbs news chief legal correspondent jan crawford is in washington with more on this story. jan, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jeff. you know, this is a heart-wrenching case. these protests come at these families when they're at their most vulnerable. when they're grieving the loss of their loved ones. ♪ god hates america >> reporter: the message from the westboro baptist church is hateful, and offensive. church members believe god is killing all american soldiers because the country tolerates homosexuals. >> we are trying to warn you to flee the wrath of god. flee the destruction. >> reporter: the church has

protested at more than 600 funerals of u.s. soldiers, like matthew synder, who was killed in iraq. matthew's father said the protests stole his last moments with his son. he sued the church for emotional distress, and got a $5 million judgment. but the supreme court said in an 8-1 decision that the church doesn't owe synder a dime. the church protests, on a public sidewalk and on a matter of public concern, were protected by the first amendment. in an interview with "cbs evening news" anchor katie cour couric, synder said if courts won't intervene, others will. >> believe me, someone's going to get hurt. and when the blood starts flowing, let it be on the supreme court justices' hands. >> reporter: now only one justice dissented. justice samuel alito said these protests were just verbal assault, they didn't add anything to the public debate, and so therefore they could be banned. you know, all they do, he said, is hurt these families who are simply trying to bury their

loved ones. jeff? >> they certainly do that. jan crawford in washington, thank you. in colorado, police believe a 12-year-old boy killed his parents and seriously injured his two siblings. when police responded to a 911 call from the family home tuesday night, they found charles and marilyn long shot dead, and two children ages 5 and 9 seriously wounded. the family's shaken minister spoke to reporters about the young suspect. >> he's a great kid. i mean, i can't believe this. i don't -- i'm having a hard time believing that it's true. i want to see what the evidence is. >> neighbors say the 12-year-old was homeschooled and active in church. a former money manager to some of hollywood's biggest stars is headed to prison this morning for a bernie madoff-style ponzi scheme. kenneth starr advised actors like natalie portman, uma thurman and sylvester stallone. he admitted taking more than $30 million of his clients' money to fund his lavish lifestyle. he was sentenced yesterday to

7 1/2 years in prison. coming up on 12 minutes past the hour now. back to chris. >> all right, jeff, thank you. turning now to politics, later today, former house speaker newt gingrich will announce his intention to form an exploratory committee for a 2012 presidential race. he would be the first of many big-name republicans expected to challenge president obama. joining us in washington now is cbs news political analyst john dickerson. john, good morning. >> good morning, chris. >> so, former speaker gingrich is the first big name to really kind of dip his toe into the pool here. does he excite the gop as a candidate? and let me ask you, who does he really appeal to? >> well, here we go. he does excite the republican base. not like somebody like sarah palin. but what gingrich has that palin doesn't have is a long record of fighting in the arena. he fought for a balanced budget. he worked in the vineyards when republicans were out of control for a long time building the majority. you will run on that idea of competence. and in the republican party right now, sticking to your

principles in the middle of a fight is a big deal, and gingrich can say i did that for a long time in washington. >> okay, so he'll excite some. but let's talk about the baggage that he brings with him, as well, from the government shutdowns back in the '90s, to being forced out as speaker, to the fact that he's on his third marriage which is probably going to alienate some social conservatives. what are some of his big negatives? >> some of that baggage, they're trophies. he can say i fought author these principles harder than anyone else. but the personal baggage is considerable. he's not only had multiple marriages but he's an admitted adulterer. that matters in republican primaries where religious voters care about that kind of thing. and also in a general election, married women are a key swing voting bloc. he has said public, i have sinned, and he has sought redemption and his hope is that the american people are so serious this time around that the problems the country faces are so big, that people will judge him on his ideas and not his indiscretions. >> all right, let's discuss some of the other candidates that the gop potentially have out there. we've got a graphic i want to show you right here.

we've got some percentages, as well. mike huckabee is out there. romney is there. sarah palin, the aforementioned newt gingrich. the iowa caucuses less than a year out. no one has really stepped up and fully committed. all we're getting from former speaker gingrich is really just kind of an exploratory committee. an intention. so why is everybody sitting back? >> in 2008, pretty much all the candidates were on the field. john mccain was the only who had not announced and it was obvious he was going to run. the reason they've waited in this case is that, in some cases they're very well known, the candidates don't have to get out and get their name out. so they don't need to campaign to introduce themselves to people. in other cases, people like mike huckabee have television contracts, they would give up money and a platform if they decided to run. but also, in politics now, it's not like it used to be. candidates used to think if you got out there, you raised money, you put your name out there and you built a big sort of sense of inevitability. that didn't work for hillary clinton, it didn't work for john

mccain. imalmost didn't work for george bush in 2000. the field is strewn with candidates like lamar alexander and phil gramm who tried to create this sense of inevidentability and basically showing up first meant you failed first. there is a theory now that you wait and that's what all of these candidates have done so far. >> final question for you, facing an incumbent is tough enough. can any of these candidates, should they emerge, do you think that they can financially compete with president obama, whose war chest is expengted to be anywhere from $750 million to potentially $1 billion as he moves forward? >> it will be very, very difficult. obama has the incumbency, he also, as you point out, had a very -- he has a very strong fund-raising operation from the last time around. there has been some worry in the democratic base about his policies. but what's happening now is a lot of those liberals are newly excited by the republicans in washington, what they're planning to do, and also some of these efforts in the states. to the extent that the democratic base was depressed at all about obama's performance,

they are now newly energized by the republicans, and so it's not so much about barack obama anymore. it will be very hard to match him on the fund-raising front. >> all right, john dickerson in washington for us this morning. john, good to talk with you. >> thanks, chris. >> now, here's marysol castro with our first check of the weather. >> good morning, chris. good morning, everyone at home. 17 days until spring. still, we have a few snow showers in our forecast. take a look at the national picture along the coast in the pacific northwest. rain further inland. we're dealing with snow. the northeast is sunny but boy is it cold. 32 in philly. 32 in new york. by tomorrow temperatures start to rebound just a little bit. new york hits 42. portland hits 28. southern plains, very mild but a lot of moisture in the air. for the folks this morning, a lot of dense fog. by the afternoon, that fog should dissipate, and sunny skie

thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now over to chris and erica. 17 days until spring. >> is that all? >> that's all. >> boy it seems like a long way away with the temps this morning. >> i'm going to write that down. >> thanks. still ahead this morning, an emotional mickey rooney tells congress about the one role he never wanted to play. the victim. we'll hear from the hollywood legend in just a moment. and how could serena williams, a world class athlete, suffer a pulmonary embolism? we're going to have the facts about her condition and how to avoid it, all when we come back. this is the "early" show here on cbs. [ female announcer ] all you need for sensitive skin.

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coming up here on "the early show," hollywood legend mickey rooney goes to capitol hill and gives emotional testimony about being abused as a senior citizen. we're going to hear his message to america when we come back. also, serena williams' serious illness. you look at her. she's this world-ranked tennis star, we watched her for years, appears to be the picture of health. and then we learn she had a blood clot in her lung. the risk for that increases as you get over 50. but she's not even 30 years old. dr. jennifer ashton is going to be here with the facts for us on pulmonary embolism hoond needs to be concerned. >> we'll be right back. this is "the early show" on cbs. stay with us. >> this portion of "the early show" sponsored by dodge. dodge, never neutral. for the l? well, it toured around europe, getting handling and steering lessons on those sporty european roads. it went back to school,

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half past the hour. welcome back to "the early show." good to have you with us this morning. i'm erica hill along with chris wragge. a new government report says that every year, up to 3.5 million elderly americans are victims of abuse. >> on wednesday, 90-year-old mickey rooney, one of the last living links to hollywood's golden age, told a senate committee that an abusive relative left him helpless. now he's accused his stepson of taking his money. stepson denies it. but in just a moment we're going to hear more of rooney's emotional testimony. it's really sad to hear all this. >> oh, it's heartbreaking. to think of how many people this potentially is happening to, is definitely a wake-up call. jeff glor is standing by at the news desk, first, with a look at some of the other headlines we're following this morning. >> good morning to you.

a german official says the suspect in yesterday's deadly attack on u.s. servicemen admits targeting the americans and he says he acted alone. the suspect, a kosovo citizen, opened fire at a bus carrying air force personnel to frankfurt airport. prosecutors say they're investigating it as an act of islamic extremism. two were killed and two more wounded. libyan warplanes are again striking rebel positions in eastern libya this morning. one target was the strategic oil part of brega. rebel troops returned fire. rebel leaders are asking for u.n. backed air strikes against the libyan military. sirhan sirhan, the assassin of robert kennedy, is staying behind bars. at a hearing yesterday, the california parole board denied him parole. sirhan expressed his regret for the 1968 shooting, but sirhan claims he doesn't remember it. and in florida, a woman is in jail this morning, facing charges for slapping a child on a school bus. surveillance video showed the 27-year-old woman hitting a boy she said hit her child.

she is charged with battery and child abuse. coming up on 32 minutes pas in 2009, one in seven older americans was abused, according to a government study. on wednesday a senate committee heard from a hollywood legend who says he is one of those victims. cbs news congressional correspondent nancy cordes is on capitol hill this morning with the story. nancy, good morning. >> erica, good morning to you. mickey rooney was one of the biggest names in movies for

decades. and his message to congress was, if abuse could happen to him, it could happen to saern. >> i felt trapped, scared. >> reporter: the 90-year-old veteran of the silver screen told lawmakers he was the victim of elder abuse for years before coming forward last month. >> even when i tried to speak up, i was told to shut up. ♪ ♪ good morning to you ♪ >> reporter: dancing and singing and effervescent characters delighted viewers for decades. he made more than 200 movies. but in february, the frail californian obtained a temporary restraining order against his 52-year-old stepson. complaining that the son of his eighth and current wife had, quote, taken control of mickey's personal and financial affairs. and was verbally abusive, depriving him of medicine and food, even confiscating his

identification to prevent him from traveling. >> i was completely stripped of the ability to make even the most basic decision. >> reporter: his stepson denies the allegation. but rooney's story is far from unique. >> i am here today because it's -- it's so important that i share my story with others. >> reporter: it's estimated that between 700,000, and 3.5 million older americans are abused, neglected, or exploited each year. and that only one in six cases are reported. were you glad that you had the chance to share your story? >> everything you heard me say today was real. >> reporter: and he hopes others will not wait as long as he did to get help. rooney says his abusers even took away his oscar and his emmy. he said he eventually became practically a prisoner in his own home, erica. >> it's just awful to think

about. what are lawmakers hoping to achieve? >> they're looking at possibly reintroducing legislation that would beef up penalties for elder abuse. but what they said their immediate goal is, is just to shine a light on this problem so that victims or people who see it happening will step forward. >> the picture that mickey rooney paints when he says basically everything was taken away from him, did he confide in someone at some point before this? >> he didn't, erica. he said first of all he was embarrassed that this had happened to him. he also said he was afraid that he might be hurt. that his wife might be hurt. and that kept him from coming forward long after he realized that something serious was going on. >> certainly makes you think twice. nancy cordes on capitol hill this morning. thanks. just ahead, serena williams survived a blood clot in her lung. what we could all learn from her health scare. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. [ female announcer ] women move the world.

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blood clot in her lung, and needed emergency treatment on monday due to complications. medical correspondent dr. jennifer ashton is here with more on this condition which affects at least 100,000 americans each and every year. >> good morning, chris. >> before we start i want to quickly read a statement that we got from serena williams yesterday, released to cbs. this is an extremely hard, scary and disappointing. so that's her statement. let's talk about exactly what she has been dealing with. >> we're talking about a pulmonary embolism. this is normally a blood clot that starts usually in the leg or lower extremity and then travels up the body, into the heart, and lodges in the lungs, can give you symptoms of increased respiratory rate, increased heartrate, some shortness of breath. >> could this have killed her? >> it could. when this clot is small it can cause a little bit of lung damage. when it's large, absolutely it can be fatal. >> a lot of people sitting at home saying she is a world class athlete, one of the best tennis players in all the world. how did something like this happen to her? >> we do know that serena williams has had two operations on her foot recently and surgery

can be a risk factor. usually the high risk surgeries are surgeries of the help or knee but also pelvic surgery. really any type of surgery can increase your risk. this is an example. even young, elite athletes can have this happen. >> do they think that's kind of directly related to these foot surgeries. these were minor surgeries. she stepped on glass at a bar. it's still surgery. >> it's hard to tell when you talk about the risk factors for a pulmonary embolism the list is long. we know as you get older the risk increases with age. things like smoking, obesity increase the risk. then there are some big ones, cancer increases the risk 6 a clot. women who take birth control pills or hormones. all hormones increase the clotting risk. and prolonged immobilization. so anyone on a long plane or car trip, or surgery. >> so the risk doubles every ten years after age 60. so even as you get older you have to be much more aware. >> absolutely. >> how do you prevent something like this from happening? >> well, first of all, if you modify the factors that you can control. if you know you're going in to surgery a lot of surgeons will

give a medication to prevent blood clots. even before we take a patient in to the operating room. and then if you know you're going on long travel you want to get up when you're not sleeping, move your legs, stretch your legs, do a little bit of exercise. keep yourself well hydrated. and there are certain compression stockings that you can get, either knee high or full length stockings that i suggest all my patients who take a long flight wear. they can be helpful. if you have a family history of a clotting disorder, obviously you get tested for that. and you know. >> when do you think with something like this can people expect to see serena williams get back on the court playing tennis again at the level where she was? >> she said she hopes to be back in the summer. she will be on medication to treat this for months. and she be able to participate in athletics while she's on the medication. so we'll have to wait and see. >> is that coumadin? >> yes, blood thinner. >> dr. ashton, thank you very much. >> you bet. >> for more on the risk factors and treatment for pulmonary embolisms go to our partner in health, webmd.com and search

"embolism." coming up next here on the "early" show, an apple surprise. steve jobs unveils the new ipad and we're going to tell you what his appearance and the ipad 2 mean for the company and for consumers. mean for the company and for consumers. this is the "early" show on cbs. ] confidence available in color. depend® colors for women. looks and fits like underwear. protects like nothing else. depend®. good morning. great day.

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serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you or anyone in your house needs or has recently received a vaccine. with 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses, it's stelara®. there's so much excitement surrounding apple's announcement of the ipad 2. but it was the man who delivered the news who is actually generating some of the biggest buzz. ceo steve jobs, who, of course, went on medical leave earlier this year, was on hand for the honors. what do wednesday's events mean for the future of the tech giant, apple? we'll get you more on that in a moment. but first, here's cbs news correspondent john blackstone with the details on those announcements. >> reporter: steve jobs likes surprises. and he delivered a big one just by showing up to unveil apple's second generation ipad. >> we've been working on this product for awhile and i just didn't want to miss today. >> reporter: jobs has been on

medical leave since january, with a tabloid recently reporting he was near death, his unexpected return to the apple stage almost overshadowed the latest gadget. >> and that is ipad 2. >> reporter: jobs, who has battled cancer and had a liver transplant, is obviously thin. but he's lost none of his eagerness to boast of apple's superiority. >> everybody's got a tablet. is 2011 going to be the year of the copycat? well, probably not so much, because most of these tablets aren't even catching up with the first ipad. >> reporter: the 15 million people who bought the first ipad will now be looking with envy at the thinner, faster, ipad 2. john blackstone, cbs news, san francisco. >> and cbs news business and economics correspondent rebecca jarvis is with us. we saw he looked a little bit thinner. as john pointed out, though, he

has lost none of his eagerness. how did he sound to everybody? >> he came across, erica, like the same old steve jobs. this guy who took swipes at the competition. he said that last year was the year of the ipad. and this year is the year of the copycats. so he is back to being his old self in terms of his presence, his presentation. he did not, however, address the fact that he's been sick. he didn't say the reason. he didn't even bring it up. >> and he's been pretty private about that all along. so that may not have been a huge surprise. there was a little bit of a surprise, though, that he was actually there. there was some speculation that he would be there, and what it could do to the stock. so what was the effect? >> the effect was very direct, erica. when you take a look at what happened to apple's shares yesterday, you see that the stock immediately shot up when steve jobs walked out onstage. it shot up about 2%. what's interesting to note is that after steve jobs walked out onstage, the stock initially shot up, he starts unveiling the ipad and it loses some of its luster. the stock started trading down.

i think the big takeaway is the company now is more about a man versus a machine. and that man is steve jobs. and the future of the company is steve jobs. >> which is good and bad. >> it's absolutely good and bad. of course, they have to continue putting out machines that people want to buy. but so much of the vision has been set, the tone of this company has been set, by steve jobs. wall street wants to know, what's going to happen next, if he ends up passing? >> so people may look at this and say, well that's all well and good. there's an effect on wall street when he comes out. but i don't have apple stock, it doesn't really matter to me. we're all a little bit more involved than we realize. >> yes. apple is one of the most widely held stocks out there, erica. and most people, even if they don't own apple stock directly, you and i may not even realize or anyone out there may not even realize they do own apple stock because it's one of the most widely held stocks. it's held by janus, it's held by fidelity, held by all of these mutual funds. so the chances are it's in your retirement account. you may not even know it. >> so now we're paying even more attention. >> exactly.

>> rebecca, thanks. we'll be right back with more. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. in my life, i don't have time for allergies so i live claritin clear. only claritin is proven to keep me as alert and focused as someone without allergies. i get relief from my worst symptoms without drowsiness. live claritin clear. 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.

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just ahead this morning, more people are going back to having plastic surgery. >> not me. >> he hasn't had a thing done. it's interesting, for so long we would talk about the economy, people cutting back on things. obviously plastic surgery probably one of the first things to go. now as people are feeling more comfortable financially, they're saying i want to feel better about myself. and this is how i'd like to spend my money. it's amazing. >> for a lot of people this is a great way for a little pick me up. also want to talk about charlie sheen. now this case has gotten from bizarre, to now the kids are involved. there is a huge custody fight being waged between his estra e estranged wife brooke mueller and charlie sheen. we're going to talk with raoul felder, a celebrity divorce attorney who is with us and we're going to lay it all out.

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welcome back to "the early show." top of the hour here on a beautiful thursday morning here in new york. empire state building in the background. always looking good. >> gorgeous shot. doesn't betray how old it is outside. >> a little chilly today. a chance to come into the area in the summertime you want to go on the observation deck. i'm chris wragge along with erica hill. coming up on "the early show," charlie sheen's custody battle now. the embattled actor's young sons were taken from his home tuesday night after his estranged wife brooke mueller got a court order against him. does he have a chance of getting his kids back, especially given his recent public outburst? this morning we'll speak with famed attorney raoul felder about the custody fight that is suddenly now made for television. >> and just so tragic when the

kids get caught up in all that. also ahead, turns out, one, perhaps rather unknown or maybe under the radar predictor of the economy, the number of people having plastic surgery. >> oh, yeah? >> with the rise in consumer confidence over the past year, more americans are making the decision to go under the knife. if you are thinking of having a little work done, some important advice this morning that could actually help save you a lot of money. because these procedures are not necessarily inexpensive. they make people feel a lot better about themselves. but we're going to try to help you get a deal. >> discount plastic surgery. kidding. first, jeff glor is at the news desk with another check of the headlines for us. hi, jeff in >> chris, good morning to you. the suspect in yesterday's shooting deaths of two american airmen in germany says he deliberately targeted the americans, and that he acted alone. according to a german official. a gunman opened fire on a bus filled with u.s. service members at the frankfurt airport yesterday. along with the dead, two americans were also seriously

wounded. the alleged gunman is an airport employee. prosecutors are investigating it as a possibleability of islamic extremism. for the second day in a row, libyan air force jets attacked rebel positions in eastern libya. one strike targeted the oil port of brega. libyan ground troops failed to retake the city yesterday. this morning anti-government rebels held their ground. rebel leaders want the u.n. to launch air strikes against those government troops. bp announced this morning there will be no bonuses for executives who had responsibility for operations in the gulf of mexico during last year's big oil spill. that includes former chief executive tony hayward. law enforcement officials in texas say college students thinking of hitting the beach in mexico this spring break, they want to think again. cbs news correspondent don teague has more from dallas this morning. don, good morning. >> good morning, jeff. for the second year in a row, authorities here in texas have warned college students to stay away from mexico for spring break, saying they can't protect tourists who are caught in the

cross fire of mexico's drug war. for thousands of college students, spring break is an annual week-long party, featuring beaches, bikinis, and beer. and for many, that means mexico. but the ongoing drug war is making the country more dangerous today than ever. prompting texas officials to warn college students. stay out of mexico for spring break. >> i think it's naive to think that just because you're an american tourist, you're not going to be the victim of violence in mexico. >> reporter: since drug violence exploded in 2006, there have been some 30,000 murders. and americans are among those caught in the cross fire. so far this year, four u.s. citizens have been murdered in mexico. in 2010, the death toll reached 65. the case that drew national headlines, the murder of david hartley, who was shot to death while jet skiing with his wife on a lake that straddles the border. his death shed light on the dangers to americans in mexico.

>> we just keep telling them they need to stay on the u.s. side of the border. >> reporter: but the danger is no longer confined to mexico's border region. reports of cartel violence spreading to tourist hot spots. just last month, eight people were killed in a shooting spree in acapulco. turning the storied getaway into mexico's most violent resort city. the violence is prompting students to take the warnings from state officials, and the danger, seriously. >> i think it's almost unnecessary. there's other places you can go. that's what a lot of people are doing. >> reporter: well, mexico's northern border cities have been the most dangerous in recent years. but this warning for texas college students applies to all of mexico. jeff? >> don teague. thank you, don. finally here, thousands of people want to adopt an aban doned dog that seemingly came back from the dead twice. the 3-month-old puppy named wally was found alive in a dumpster last friday after he was euthanized inside an

oklahoma animal shelter with two separate injections. both meant to put the dog down. somehow, wally survived. it is 5 minutes past the hour. katie couric has a preview of tonight's "cbs evening news." >> good morning. did the agency that is supposed to stop american weapons from reaching mexican drug gangs actually do the opposite? one agent speaks out for the first time in part two of our special investigation. tonight only on the "cbs evening news." now back to "the early show." >> and now here is marysol castro with another check of our weather. good morning, mary. >> good morning, jeff. good morning, everyone at home. we still have a few snow showers to tell you about as you look at the national picture. rain along the coast of the pacific northwest. the southeast is actually a little bit cooler than normal. and in and around the great lakes we're going to have a bit of a coating. in the southeast we're talking about very breezy conditions. believe it or not, these winds come all the way down from the great lakes. so although the temperatures are in the 60s and 70s, it's going to feel a lot cooler than that because we have these onshore winds. going to the great lakes here

you can see you're going to get a bit of a dusting. des moines gets less than a quarter inch. one inch in around madison, green bay and marquette. today's high temperature, 21 in >> this weather report sponsored by expedia. the best travel tools are all in one place. where you book matters. expedia. >> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now here's chris. >> marysol, thank you. coming up next, will charlie

sheen's kids ever live with him again? we're going to go inside sheen's very public custody battle. this is "the early show" here on cbs. ooh, a brainteaser. how can expedia now save me even more on my hotel? well, hotels know they can't fill every room every day. like this one. and this one. and oops, my bad. so, they give expedia ginormous discounts with these: unpublished rates. which means i get an even more rockin' hotel, for less. my brain didn't even break a sweat. where you book matters. expedia. those of us who know grass doesn't turn green just because the calendar says to. and that a big difference can grow from a small budget. for those of us with grass on our sneakers... dirt on our jeans... and a lawn that's as healthy as our savings... the days are about to get a whole lot greener. ♪

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but it's done more in two years than most cars do in a lifetime. well, charlie sheen has lost his job on "two and a half men," at least for this season. and now his real-life role as a dad is also in jeopardy. as cbs news correspondent bill whitaker reports, sheen's divorce battle has now turned into a major custody fight. >> it's your dada and i've never lied to you and you're in my heart and i love you. >> reporter: a contrite sounding charlie sheen used the media to send a message to his toddler sons. just hours earlier police removed the twins from his home. they were acting on a court order issued after his estranged wife brooke mueller said she feared for her life. mueller filed legal papers saying sheen threatened her with physical violence and stated, i am in great fear for the children's safety while in his

care. >> i am concerned for those kids. i think that they are in a deep degree of distress. >> reporter: over the past few days, sheen has invited cameras in to see 23-month-old twins max and bob, playing with sheen, and the two girlfriends he calls his goddesses. a model and a porn star. >> taking a camera into your house, and bringing all of this excitement, agitation, attention, craziness, goes against everything that would be healthy for your kids. >> reporter: and when the police showed up, cameras were once again rolling. sheen playing the calming dad. >> don't say good-bye. just say see you later. >> reporter: as the twins were buckled in and driven off to their mom, sheen's hardly missed a beat, returning to the rants of recent days. >> blood now drips from my veins. >> reporter: sheen and his estranged wife have been in and out of rehab. now as their divorce and custody battles heat up, they're in and out of court. >> how dare you? you're a better parent than me?

shame on you. your day is coming. and it's coming fast. >> reporter: a temporary restraining order now prevents him from getting within 100 yards of his twin boys for the next 19 days. still, wednesday, he did manage to fire off at least one tweet. my sons are fine. my path is now clear. defeat is not an option. sheen vowed to regain custody of his sons. bill whitaker, cbs news, los angeles. >> joining us now is raoul felder. he knows a few things about high profile divorce and custody cases. mr. felder, good to see you. >> good morning, chris. >> have you seen more bizarre than this? >> well it's the gift that keeps giving. i don't even think it's a question of custody. i think the question is will he ever be able to be alone with his kids. that's what i guess now. >> that's what i want to ask

you, sheen has gotten this restraining order against charlie sheen. she's claimed he's made threats namely, quote, i'll cut your head off, stuff it in a box and send it to your parents. charlie sheen denies pit can this order be vacated? is there a chance he may get the children back. >> in america we believe in second acts. nixon, clinton, but this guy's going to have to go a country mile before his second act takes place. not to mention the household situation. he's living with two women. they alternate beds with him. every other night. actually i have an idea for him. he should have two at once so he could take a night off by himself. >> if this is all presented to a judge, how are they going to look at these tapes, all of these quotes, the home situation, how does that all factor in? >> well, i mean, he lost his case on tv. it's one of the few times that ever happens. if i were representing him, i'd put him on the stand and just keep showing these things. he doesn't deny the drugs.

doesn't deny the alcohol. and he himself is exhibit "a" when you look to him. >> so her attorneys, are they sitting back and saying, just let this play out, let him keep doing this? >> they're celebrating. they have nothing to do but sit and wait. >> as far as his legal, what can he do? >> well, he could take a trip and come back and say, gee i'm a different person. more seriously, if you go to rehab, has to be serious and let time go by. but for the foreseeable future, he's not going to get the kids. the question is, he will have supervised visitation or no visitation at all? >> let's talk about brooke mueller's legal options right now. what is her next step? what can she do? i'm sure there's a financial gain to all of this. >> no question for her. but she's not without problems. there were alcohol situations. but compared to the two of them, one has a hand grenade, the other has an atom bomb. if i were lawyers identify tell

her to sit back and wait and everything is going to come to you. >> that is the flip side of the coin. she's no mother teresa. she's had rehab problems, drug problems. so what happens to these kids? i mean does the judge sit back and say, like you mentioned i've got a problem here but i've got a bigger problem over here. >> the judge doesn't want to take the kids away from both parents. so they'll give her every break. but -- and she looks like she's got her act together right now. time can only tell with this case. it's going to go on and on and on. >> all right, raoul fedder, thank you so much for coming in. great to talk with you. coming up next, the economy is looking better, and so are many americans. we've got the story behind the recent boom in plastic surgery. this is "the early show" here on cbs. i couldn't conceive this as a heart attack. the doctor leaned over and said to me, "you just beat the widow-maker."

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a new study finds the number of americans seeking cosmetic surgery is growing as the economy rebounds. in particular, more women are investing in their appearance these days. as cbs news correspondent michelle miller reports.

>> reporter: it could be a sure sign the recession is over. many spent the last two years pinching pennies at the pump, clipping coupons and even eating out less are now spending more in an unexpected way. on pampering and plastic surgery. until recently fixing her nose seemed financially risky for 38-year-old shadia crandall. >> you know, the economy was really dicey, and with two kids, a mortgage, you know, tuition, food, i had priorities, and it was scary. >> reporter: as the economy hit the skids in 2008, cosmetic procedures took a nosedive. >> when the economy first took a downward turn, this plastic surgery industry as a whole basically shut down. people were down 50%. and were just struggling to get by. >> reporter: but with the economy continuing to rebound, people across the country are again splurging on beauty. from wrinkle reducing injections to plastic surgery. >> it was really hard putting off my surgery.

i wanted to do it for a really long time. >> we want to reduce that bump. >> reporter: 35-year-old jewelry designer cassie porter saved and struggled through the recession. now she can finally afford to get the nose she wished she'd been born with. and she's not alone. according to the american society of plastic surgeons, 13.1 million cosmetic procedures were performed last year. that's a 5% increase from 2009. more than 5 million people opted for botox injections in 2010. and another 2 million requested facial filler. >> brows, the eyelids. >> reporter: 51-year-old vickie benko waited until her company layoffs were behind her before going ahead with a brow lift and tightening her upper and lower eyelids. >> i waited to have plastic surgery for about three years due to the economy. that was a scary time. >> reporter: to some, cosmetic surgery may be a luxury item. not so for these women, who in the end, aren't willing to put a price on looking their best. >> i look more rested.

i look more energetic. it was a good investment. >> i see a confident woman who miles every time i have an opportunity. so i am absolutely love it. >> reporter: michelle miller, cbs news. >> and joining us here in the studio this morning is plastic surgeon dr. yan trokel. good to have you back with us this morning. >> good morning, erica. >> talk to us a little bit. have you noticed a change in people coming in to your office and the procedures they're requesting? >> you know, with the economy now rebounding we're actually seeing more people scheduling for consultations. but more importantly, not only are they scheduling, they're going ahead with the procedures. >> and what are some of the most requested procedures at this point? >> people are coming in now, they're asking for liposuction, they're asking for face-lifts, they're asking for full makeovers. i would see patients like nine months ago, and they would just come in for the consultation. now they're coming back in, they're actually going ahead with the procedures. >> and they're going further than just coming in and saying well, maybe i'll have a little

botox, an injection of this. they actually want to go under the knife. >> they actually do. >> do they tell you that they want to do this because they're feeling more financially secure? >> yes. you know, nine months ago they would come in, they would say, doctor is there anything i can do just to get by? give me that little band-aid. a little botox, a little filler. it went a long way. today they're coming in and saying i'm ready for the full surgery. i want to look great. i feel great. i'm back in the game. i feel better economically, financially, and please, what can i do to make me look better? >> so for someone at home who may be feeling that way, whether it is something as seemingly simple as an injection, or something much bigger like a full body makeover, what are some of the important questions to ask when you go in and meet with a surgeon? >> you know, credentials are very important. but that's not the only thing. look at the doctor. plastic surgery is an art. you need somebody that has good eyes and good hands. a good artistry. make sure they have the same vision as you, and that they can

actually perform the procedure you want. look at the before and after pictures. speak to the people that they worked on. look at their work. that tells you more than anything else. >> and, of course, if anyone doesn't want to show you their work that should be a red flag? >> huge red flag. especially if they only have one case to show. let them show you a lot. if they don't want to show you the work and they say oh, just believe me, head for the door. >> get out of there as quickly as you can. is this something that you can, you know, try to negotiate a deal on? we've talked about, in the past on this show, being able to negotiate a price on your knee surgery. can you do that with, say, a face-lift? >> you know, everything has a price. you can actually, when you go and do multiple procedures, you're actually saving money. think about it, you pay the surgeon's fee. but when you're doing your face, your nose, and maybe a little body work, you're only paying one anesthesia fee and one surgical center fee. there you go, you come out ahead. >> if you can try to group it together, it's a good way.

dr. yan trokel, good to have you back with us. >> i thank you so much. have a nice [ woman ] bathing suits.

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welcome back to "the early show." just ahead, dinner, perhaps, in a vending machine? have you guys been there? >> love it. >> vending machine dinners? >> it actually comes out of a vending machine? >> yes, you're not eating a vending machine. >> i had to assault the vending machine downstairs. >> our vending machine often needs to be assaulted. so many people can relate to

this, you're at work, you're hungry, you don't have time to run out, you go to the vending machine and you're not exactly faced with the healthiest of choices. we're going to play a little game this morning. we're going to take a look at some of the options you currently find in a vending machine, do a test to see if i can pick the healthiest ones. since i got chosen this morning. and then take a look at tfuture vending machines. >> the safest option is always the twizzlers. >> no, no, no, the peanut m and m. it has protein. >> also coming up this morning, vanessa hudgens has grad outed from "high school musical" and guess what, now she's a movie star in a whole new different direction. her new movie "beastly" is an up-to-date version of "beauty and the beast." guess which one she plays, right? >> yeah. >> not too tough right there. there she is. she looks great. got a whole lot to talk about. we're going to chat with her in just a few moments.

>> first we want to get you a final check of your weather on this thursday. >> thank you very much, you guys. good morning, everyone at home. your final check the national picture. a few trouble spots right along the coast of the northwest. a few showers along the western great lakes. take a look at the northwest. we've told you they just can't seem to get a break. well, today, they do for a spell. the winds, the showers start to die down. half an inch of rain in the seattle and portland areas. further inland we're dealing with some snow. the rain ends today but comes back by the weekend. future cast for the midwest, flood areas around major rivers will see more rain starting tomorrow. rain will be heavy at times. also some thunderstorms across the region. half an inch to two inches of rain possible. saturday morning, with more on the way for the rest of the weekend. i'm sorry, i don't make the weather. i just deliver.

>> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now over to chris. >> marysol, thank you very much. vanessa hudgens skyrocketed to fame in the has has series and now she's going back to high school in a very different kind of movie. "beastly" is based on the classic tale of beauty and the beast. only this time, it has a modern twist. >> just some guys at my old school. kind of a jerk, actually. >> really? >> yeah, we were on this committee together, so that's why i have his picture. it's the same old/same old, jerks are exciting.

>> you fall for it? >> every once in awhile, kind of remind you of -- not that you're a jerk. anyways, he disappeared. >> and look who we've got. beauty. vanessa hudgens, good morning. good to see you. >> good morning. you, too. >> did you ever think with all those years in the disney family, i know you were familiar with the story, that you would get the opportunity to star as belle? >> i had no idea. it's awesome, you know. i think every girl's dream to kind of fall in love and have that magical kiss and he turns into a prince. >> how about that, huh? sounds great in theory. the message behind the movie is don't judge a book by its cover. is that something that you've kind of had to do? >> totally. i think especially in hollywood. you know, a lot of people perceive hollywood as being fake, i think. what they don't realize is it takes people to make celebrities look the way that they do. and it's really about being passionate, and staying true to yourself. and i think this movie shows that. >> you're saying you're really

not that beautiful? >> i mean it takes two people. >> okay. two people. your love interest, we saw, the beast. >> yes. >> which is hunter. >> yes. >> i think for most people that are familiar with beauty and the beast, thinking this big kind of hairy, furry creature. this is really a different take. what were your thoughts when you first saw what beast was going to look like? >> i was freaked out. i was really, really terrified, obviously. like i saw him and i did not know what to say. it had the words sucked right out of me. but i was like really fascinated by it. it was intriguing. >> neil patrick harris, who we would never call a piste, has a role in this. what's his role in the movie? and what was it like to work with him? because, as we've seen with all the different platforms that he stars in, the guy is just brilliant. >> yeah. he has no limits. he plays a blind tutor in this one. and he just cracks me up. he actually really committed and wore the contacts in his eyes so he couldn't actually see you. he could see out of his peripheral vision. playing the blind guy.

>> you've not only got this movie but you've also got another movie "sucker punch." is it tough to kind of keep this all, all kind of try to keep track of all this? it's flattering but it's a lot of work. >> it is. there's a lot of traveling involved. but it's very exciting. you know. i mean these two movies are completely different from what anyone's seen from me before. and they're both fantastic. and really exciting. >> this is really kind of a departure from the whole high school anything, whether it's beauty and the beast or "high school musical." you get a chance to shoot a weapon in this. >> yes. >> trained by some ex-navy s.e.a.l.s. >> oh, yeah, it was really tough. >> what did that training entail? crawling on beaches? >> luckily i didn't have to do that. didn't have to run through gas fogs and all that craziness. i trained were navy s.e.a.l.s, and we lifted some heavy weights, man. i mean my very first day had me in tears because they just push you to the next level. but it's amazing. it's literally the mentality is this is what you have to do, and do it.

i think it was a really great lesson physically and mentally. >> we can't let you leave without talking about this. your detailed magazine shoot which is out. little risque. >> oh, gosh. >> what did you think? >> i think in that exact picture, oh, goodness, here we go. >> we've got video, as well. >> it was freezing cold. it was like a rainy day in l.a. and they stuck me under a gutter basically and it was downpour from the rain. so i was freezing my butt off. it was fun. i'm growing up into a young woman and i thought those pictures turned out great. i still haven't, like, showed it to my dad, though. >> you think they did that on purpose by not having the heat on? let me ask you this, you're afraid, you've got this core group of fans, you ever afraid we always hear of the mothers out there and different other family groups out there that they like their stars wholesome because that's what they're used to seeing and when they see something like this, it's a shock to the system. do you ever worry about maybe kind of putting off some of your core base by doing things like that? >> i mean my fans are fantastic.

and i'm surely thankful for them. but at the end of the day i'm doing this for myself. so whatever i do, and whatever feels right, is from my gut, and i'm just going to stick to that. and hopefully they'll enjoy the ride. >> seems to have worked so far. between the acting and the music, because you're a singer as well, and everything that you do, do you have a favorite? what would you rather be known as, an actress, singer? >> i would probably be rather known as an actress. that's kind of what i'm focusing more on. but i'm just a musical person in general. i literally wake up singing. i sleep with music on. like it's just such a big part of my life. and dancing, as well. i grew up doing musical theater so it goes hand in hand. >> and you're going to perform a song for us. vanessa, best of luck to you. >> thank you. >> good to talk to you this morning. wish you success. >> all right. >> "beastly" which is a cbs films release opens in theaters nationwide tomorrow. so go check it out. now here's erica. >> chris, thanks. we all know the healthiest snack is a piece of fruit, maybe some fresh vegetables, what, though,

if you're starving and that vending machine is the only option when it's time to eat. we're going to help you with those choices this morning. lisa lee freeman is editor in chief of sh"shopsmart" magazine. here to play a little game, what's the healthiest item in the vending machine. you're going to give us a little quiz. >> good morning, erica. >> a lot of times this happens, not just at work. i've been in airports where your only option is a vending machine and you've got hungry kids. you're going to help us make the best choices. >> absolutely. you know, let's face it, you don't always go to the vending machine to eat healthy. >> sometimes you just need a snack. >> you got a craving. you're desperate. >> you've got a sweet tooth. if we're desperate for something sweet, this is going to be our first choice. we're choosing between three items we have here, skittles, thin mints -- not a thin mint. that's a cookie. i'm sorry. >> york pepper mint patty. >> and twix. >> i have to pick the one that's the healthiest? >> that's right. >> i'm going peppermint patty. >> well, you're right, erica,

actually. now none of these are great choices. if you've got a sweet tooth you've got to get something sweet, the york peppermint pattie only has 140 calories. >> it's low in fat, too. >> and it's low in fat. >> i've read the nutritional information on those. >> oh, really? you're a smart girl. the other two are very high in sugar and calories. 250 calories each. >> plus a little dark chocolate is good for you. >> why not? >> that's a way of justifying the peppermint pattie. >> sure. >> up next we are looking at -- >> you have ritz bits and cheese crackers. >> are these peanut butter ritz bits or the cheese? >> i'm going to say the peanut butter cracker. >> actually the fig newtons are the best. >> really? aren't they high in sugar? >> well, the thing is that although they're 200 calories, they've got figs in them. >> right. >> and so they're a good choice for that. these other two really are very low in cheese. you think that they would be good for you because they've got some cheese in them but they're high in sodium. and this has no fat. these two are pretty high in

fat. >> it would be kind of a fake cheese anymore. with the strange color. >> no fat, higher fat. >> go with the fig newton. in this case, in this grouping is my go-to vending machine food. if i need a sweet snack, a little something, peanut m and ms because there's protein in the pea nuts. >> good girl. that's the best choice. you've got 250 cal rirs in there. but you've got peanuts which means you've got five grams of protein. you're not going to be back in an hour looking for more snacks. >> perfect. maybe i should make sure these are fresh, by the way. >> the other two items are just not good choices. the milky way is loaded with sugar which is bad for your heart, your waistline, your teeth. >> and no nuts or anything in that candy bar. >> exactly. >> and low in protein. only two grams in protein. >> these are high in fat and in sodium. >> exactly. >> moving on, you need a little bit of crunch. wheat thins, granola bars, potato chips. >> which one do you think? >> i'll go granola bar. >> you're right again!

a lot of people might choose the wheat thins because they have whole grains. >> yeah. >> but the problem is they're high in salt. they're actually more than twice as high in sodium as the granola bar. so the granola bar -- and it's 160 and the granola bar is only 160 calories. or 190 calories and 160 milligrams of sodium. versus the wheat thins, which is 220 calories. >> i think it has some whole grains, too. >> absolutely. >> you've got the whole oats. >> and then another thing that's good is they have protein. which, again, will keep you going. >> hum. this is a go-to snack in our house for my kids. finally, this is a tough one here. you've got pop tarts. i'm saying not a good option. mini oreos, taste great. and cheese popcorn. i'm going with the popcorn. >> well, you're absolutely right. this is a no brainer. the popcorn's only 130 calories. which is great. the pop tarts have as many calories, almost as a double cheeseburger. >> what? >> not a great choice.

>> and all that sugar. >> and they've got loads of sugar. >> i didn't know pop tarts were that high in calories. >> yeah. >> and the other thing, this has got actually some fiber in it. so the popcorn gives you some fiber. >> those are the options of today. >> yes. >> the options of tomorrow or in some places today, are coming in, we have these new vending machines. we have one here in the studio with this. this fresh vending machine. tell us what's different about it. >> first i want to say that all vending machines going forward at some point in the future are going to have ingredients, rather nutritional facts in the front. that's part of the new health care reform act. >> so you're not going to play this guessing game. >> that's right. you don't have to play the guessing game. the other trend is this, you're going to see more healthy vending machines. and this is a great example. there are over 2,000 of these around the country. and you have good choices. you have yogurt and baby carrots, and -- >> i love it. and there's milk if you want to give your kids some milk. it's really all kinds of stuff in here. >> yeah. >> we don't see traditional m&ms. we see soda but more of a

natural flavor. and real sugar as opposed to corn syrup. >> this offers you better choices. the only catch is it's going to be a little bit more expensive. the average price is about $1.25 versus a regular vending machine which might be 50 cents or a dollar. because this has to be refilled very regularly. maybe once or twice a week. a candy bar might last for a whole year. >> maybe that's another sign, though, that perhaps we shouldn't be eating the candy bar if it lasts for a year. >> i would say. >> a little bit more expensive but your health may thank you in the long run. good to have you with us lisa lee freeman. for more on healthy choices at the vending machine logon to our website, earlyshow.cbsnews.com. now here's chris. >> erica, thank you. when it comes to sneakers, one size definitely does not fit all. jessica cassity is here to walk us through it step by step at a brisk pace. how are you? >> great. >> talk about prices first before we get into all of these. because sneakers turn out to be very, very expensive. >> the average cost of a sneaker

right now is probably just around $100. but we have a full gamut represented here today. from $60 all the way up to $175. so no matter what your price range, we've got something for you. >> $175 for a pair of sneakers. i mean you talk about sticker shock. it really is. parents go to the stores and kids want the high tops and basketball sneakers and the prices are outrageous. let's start here. this very first one we have, these are specialty sneakers, so this is the top ten. these are best. >> we had our besters try out different shoes. a lot of people suffer from bunions. that means the front of your shoe might be constrictive. these shoes from asics have what they're calling a bunion window. the stretchy material on the forefront actually expands so that your foot really fits into the shoe. my mother has bunions and tried these. she loved them. she was able to walk twice as far as usual. >> these sneakers will let you get your walk on. when we said specialty we meant

it. these sneakers are for people who suffer from weight issues. >> exactly if you're overweight you're going to break down the padding in your shoe a little bit more quickly than somebody else. our testers really loved this reebok shoe. it's got the most cushioning of anything. it has air pockets underneath so it's super padded. that means it's going to keep your feet supported for longer. it's also going to take some of the strain off your joints. surer comfortable for anyone. also only $70. >> do you recommend our first pair and second pair have the little gel in the soul. do you find of recommend that? it does provide a little bit of a cushion. >> it definitely does. try every shoe on. we always recommend trying the shoes on, not just ordering them online, so you really make sure that you've got the best fit, and most comfortable shoe for you. >> these are to mimic the barefoot effect? >> exactly. this is the other end of the spectrum. whereas the shoes before had the most padding. these have the least padding. they're following that minimal shoe trend of barefoot running. so they have very little padding which means your feet are going

to have to work a little bit harder when you're wearing them. you're going to build up foot strength which may prevent conditions such as fallen arches and you're also going to learn to walk a little bit softer. take pressure off the joints. >> are there any limitations? i know a lot of runners have these shoes. there have some people that actually jog barefoot now, but there are any limitations? do you have to be a little bit leery? >> what we would say with these, you probably want to start out just with maybe 20 minutes instead of going your full-length walk. start adding time gradually. because your feet do have to get stronger. just don't overdo it first. >> now we've got the hidden weapon sneakers. these people can actually wear all day long. >> absolutely. it doesn't look like this but this is a real work boot of a shoe by scarpa. scarpa is known for making hiking boots, really rugged shoes. even though it looks like a sneaker it's got a slip resistant outer sole and the insole is really padded. and it's actually a lot tougher than you would think on the outside. wear it for packing, walking, anything you'd like. >> and these, if you've got foot

aches or arch issues. this is the one you would recommend. >> i love these. they're a double duty shoe. merrell made these. it's a ballet flat. you can wear it for anything. but the insoles are the secret weapon here. you've got rubber nubs on the inside that are going to massage your feet as you're walking. you can flip it over and got the flat insole. for $95 it's cheaper than a massage. >> best for walking, the new balance? >> these are for fast walking. with walking you really want a flexible toe so you can push off. these are also super plush on the inside. our tester one of them wore them with her commute. they wore them with tights and also with athletic socks. >> these are best for running errands. >> right. >> if you need sneakers for running errands this is the one you need to look at. >> we love that they did the really technical athletic shoes but also more casual shoes. they wanted to wear these with anything from jeans, even skirts. they're also really lightweight. so it feels like they're putting

on a slip-on or something like that. still got all the things you would want from an athletic shoe. >> so great for drugstores. not so great in supermarkets. these are more for dress up? >> yes. we've all been to those events where you put on the heels, maybe not you, but you've got the uncomfortable shoe and you look great but you can't walk around. this is going to be something you can replace say a ballet flat with. so it still looks really nice but the bottom is constructed just like an athletic shoe. a nice rubber bottom, padded insole. you can walk a lot more steps in these. >> final two of our top ten here. these are best for hiking. >> what we love about the new trend in hiking lightweight shows. they're all low tops. they're not the really constrictive high ones. they're also super light. they're not going to weigh you down. even though they're lightweight they still have rugged soles. >> kind of fashionable, too. don't look too bulky. >> absolutely. >> and finally we've got your top cross training sneaker. >> a lot of people are adding running into their walks. you want to be careful not to

use a walking shoe. a running shoe you can both run and walk in it. this is the brook trance and they found it padded enough for the heel strike but flesible enough at the toe for walking. >> $140 so it's a little bit more expensive. you've got to watch out. this is great. thank you very much, jessica. we appreciate it very much. okay we're coming right back. this is the "early" show here on cbs. stay with us.

look at that. beautiful day here. hopefully it's a beautiful day wherever you are. we just showed you, from a walking standpoint, if you want to go out and get a good pair of walkers. >> there you go. >> even if it's chilly, stay inside, once you get out you're moving at a brisk pace. >> they make a huge difference. >> you'll feel better, you'll warm up. >> there you have it. go out, go shopping. >> we're all going to go for a walk.

please come by and join us. >> we'll see you tomorrow. have [ male announcer ] from maryland to the mall and beyond,

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