tonight michael finney is here to let us know where you should not buy a seat. >> there is time up. if your child is between six and eight it's time to put them back in a booster seat. it's going to take getting used to and it's going to take cash. >> i sold them in a yard saechl now it's time to go buy some. >> this is a hardship on many california families but please do not buy brenda's old seats or other secondhand seats. those seats and boosters could have been in a wreck and they no longer offer proper protections. so only buy new or get one from a trusted family member or friend and remember, all of the seats have an expieration date on a tag. look for it. associated press is starting by selling baby boomers medicare is heading for changes no matter whoins in 2012 point ought there are surprising similarities from completing a purchase by the president. both would limit growth, both making retirees and some pay more. obama indicated a willingness to increase eligibility age, too. and 76 million will be enrolling and there is a warning here is that things are changing meaning y

emily chang will be joining us with detail autos and michael finney is taking your questions through his facebook and twitter pages now and will be answering them here live a little later, you can contact michael on twitter or facebook.com. >> and on a get away friday afternoon, warm, sunny skies outside. our first check of traffic looking at skyway, really slow going whether you're going left or right or heading towards the bay bridge or trying to get down south towards peninsula. it's going to take a long time getting home. stay with us. the news at 4:00 continues. >>> checking healthy living news, lap band surgery centers affiliated with 1-800-get fit campaign are under investigation for possible fraud. the "los angeles times" reports state and federal investigators are looking into allegations of misleading advertising asosited with the surgery. officials say they've broken no laws. according to lawsuits and reports, at least five patients have died after lap band procedures at affiliated clinics. aetna says it's cooperating with the investigation. >> and doctors point out tests

research going on now. >> and i'm michael finney.'ll answer your consumer questions coming up next. ar.. >> and later at 5:00 aftermath of a local environmental clean up site that has more contaminants then when the project first started. 8t8t8t8t8p >> just a gorgeous sunset now. you're looking across the bay here from east bay to the bay bridge that is gorgeous sunset that is underway just head of you. golden gate bridge to the right of the screen. >> this is michael finney here now to answer qeez and view yirs concerned about photos and privacy issue autos this is a great issue. and there is paul v asked are there laws on companies that specialize in transfering old photos and real movies to dvd? no. they do not have rules and rules are that if if you're worried about ownership, as soon as you create something, it's copy write rited to you. in order to sue, you have to get paper work done. it's yours. you own it f you're worried about it ending up all over the internet and everyone seeing you fall and hit your head or whatever is h

. >> and there is finney's friday free stuff, up next. tonight, snack autos and an east bay team with a skplif death mission. discovering volunteers isn't always free. >> just in case you forgot, it's friday. you're hatchy now, right? >> michael is here with finney's friday free stuff today. >> this look goods. >> hungry? >> you are now. >> these are from safeway. it's a now brand of snack foods. and they're good food. what i like about it is that show how this opens up. >> this is resealable. >> yes. like resealable, almost like zip bags. >> there is strong shield, too. and there is specials, too. you're going to get both chip and pretzels so you can try them out for yourself. >> so this is coolest and most unique tote i've seen. there are tote bags out there. do you see how flat this is? there is a zipper up front. what it's made for is with these straps. so that your hauling around your skateboard, scooter and stroller. and so this is this way. it's actually all made homemade. >> that is fun. >> and i would have loved to have had one o

michael finney offers advice on where not to buy the car seats. i remember the days before copd.y son and i never missed opening day. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better, and that means... game on! symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. [ whistle ] with copd, i thought i might miss out on my favorite tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today i'm back with my favorite team. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male anno

michael finney sorts it all out. >> reporter: can coupons expire? how about gift cards or daily deal sites? can you get cash back? what's up with all that fine print? for instance this tgif buy one, get one free deal but read through the fine print. discount applies to items of equal or lesser value. >> you purchase three meals and they took off the least expensive meal. i just thought that didn't quite jive with the coupon. >> reporter: sue says that interpretation cost her family $10. >> equal or lesser but they chose the lesser. that didn't seem real fair. >> reporter: fair? it appears to be legal. couponing is a national obsession but what do you really know about that coupon? take the fine print. it's there because if a rule is listed, it can generally be legally enforced. for instance, coupons can list expiration dates, areas served and additional conditions such as no reproductions allowed. daily deal sites offer consumer protection few are aware of. expiration dates aren't what you may think. groupon says the amount paid doesn't expire. they

. >> and michael finney taking your questions on his facebook and twitter pages. you can contact michael on twitter at m finney. >> it's slow going on san francisco skyway right now if you're trying to head across the bay bridge goitsing to take you a while. things aren't that much better on the right for folks heading south. stay with us. news continue at 4:00 right after this. >>> checking healthy living news two studies suggest the controversial drug evasten shows effectiveness in treating those with breast cancer but only those with early stages of the debate. they lost its fda approval after researchers found the drug caused side affects and did not significantly extend lives of patients. >> a few laps in the pool might be what the doctor ordered for older acult dults. the new, small study found older men and women went for a swim a few times a week lowered their blood pressure readings. swimming is often kbromted as a good way for older people to exercise. it's easy on the joints. >> and eating fried foods may not be as bad for our heart if they're cooked in

. >> michael finney with a new high-tech threat to your privacy. plus.... >> the hardest transitions that can take place. >> the challenge facing veterans as they go from being soldiers to zbluindz we begin with a report on jamaica lottery scam. some got phone calls promising a fortune that soon turned into harassment. here is an i-team investigation. >> one time two times three times. >> the phone calls is seemed to never stop for carol. >> now i am sick and tired of them calling. >> since september she has been getting calls from strangers telling her she won the lottery. all she had to do was claim the prize go to the store and load money on green pack money cards. she did. putting a total of $300 on the cards. >> i scratched the numbers off of it and later on that night i'm going to call and see if the money is still there. they told me there is no money there. >> no money left on the green dot money packs and no lottery winnings. >> i'm practically in tears. they took the last bit of money i had. i told them it was the last money i had. my hus

. >> michael finney taking your consumer questions. he'll answer them here live later on. you can contact mike yifl on twitter. and on facebook. >> first look at traffic now this, is light. this seems like holiday traffic. what a pleasure on the skyway. there is stay with us. the news at 4:00 continues right after this. ♪ okay, so who ordered the cereal that can help lower cholesterol and who ordered the yummy cereal? yummy. that's yours. lower cholesterol. lower cholesterol. i'm yummy. lower cholesterol. i got that wrong didn't i? [ male announcer ] want great taste? honey nut cheerios. want whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol? honey nut cheerios. it's a win win. good? [ crunching, sipping ] be happy. be healthy. can i try yours? >>> checking healthy hiving news, scientists injected two legally blind patients with embryonic stem cells and both did better on tests after four months time. and the research is published in british medical journal. >> many people struggle to quit smoking and now, a study veals many people find it difficult to kick the habit. resea

. >> 7 on your side michael finney explains how you can get all of the extra protection of finney explainsw you can get all of the extra protection of an extended warranty without eople chatting] finney explains how you can get all of the extra protection of an extended warranty without everyone, it's $37 a piece. paying with your smart phone instead of cash. that's a step forward. with chase person-to-person quickpay, you can send money directly to your friend's checking account. all you need is their email address or mobile number. don't worry honey, i'll show you. thanks everyone. so take a step forward... and chase what matters. on the 4g lte devices you love. like the droid bionic by motorola for $199.99. or the pantech breakout for $49.99. our lowest price ever. get the technology you love, on the network you deserve. now get twice the data for the same low price. hurry in, this offer ends january 15th. verizon. >> as economy gets better men grab the most new jobs. according to usa today men claim more than two-thirds of the private sector jobs being created. now this reverse a trend

i'm michael finney. 7 on your side is coming up. >> looking out. a live picture.eautiful morning, a cold morning if you are going out there. temperatures dropping for the next hour or so. if you are going out now check it. you might have to change your wardrobe before you step out the door. an east bay contractor is under investigation for failing to deliver on a promise. the company was supposed to install some new windows but never even got the job started. abc7s michael finney is here with your 7 on your side investigation. >>. >> her house still has the same drafty windows. a problem for her husband, tom, who is battling cancer. >> he's a little more sensitive to cold than he used to be. >> so the couple hired this company in oakland to put in knew double pane windows. contract calls for installing ten of them for $8,900. the only concern they demanded a big deposit, 50% up front. >> i thought if they come in a reasonable amount of time i can turn lose that kind of money. >> she did. she put now $4,495 back in june. when it came time to install the windows in

"new york magazine" john heilemann and from washington, former dnc communications director karen finney. thank you both for joining me tonight. john, i want to start with you as the nonpartisan judge of this priebus moment. the guy's job is to get independents to go republican, to get reagan democrat, as they used to be called, to vote republican. he's going to need them for republicans to win the white house. and he says something hateful and stupid and not funny and disrespectful to both the president and to the victims of this oceanliner disaster. and he thinks that that is the way to appeal to the middle. in your study of the american electorate, john, call it fairly now, is that the way to appeal to the middle? >> lawrence, i'd go further than that -- further than just saying no. i'd say it's just plainly dopey. and it's dopey and ineffective and foolish. and it's foolish on a bunch of different levels. not only does it not appeal to the middle. think about the argument he was making in the follow-up today on fox news where he says, it's an apt analogy in terms of leadership, the p

i'm michael finney. 7 on your side is coming up. >> to become a traffic spotter, download waze on thes or android market. android marki'm not crazy about these light fixtures. kitchen's too small. what's next? 607 franklin st. ♪ sea bass... ♪ ooohhh! ♪ i like it. yeah, i love the kitchen. [ male announcer ] the epa-estimated 42 mpg highway chevy cruze eco. from looking for your perfect home to finding it. chevy runs deep. guys... [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls with cinnabon cinnamon are an irresistible sunday morning idea. nothing calls them to the table faster. sunday morning ideas made easy. here's a better idea... pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits. in just 15 minutes, the light delicate layers add a layer of warmth to your next dinner. pillsbury grands! dinner ideas made easy. ;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;@ >> we have another lesson about extended warranties. what if you already bought one and it won't help with repairs. here's michael finney with one couple's frustrating story. >> notice the cracking. >> less than a year of a ed and adalena bought the chair

that's what happened to a viewer who called michael finney for help. >> good morning, everyone. you are looking live at our emeryville camera. the headlights heading toward us are heading into the east bay. a steady stream, if you will. hard to know where folks are going this morning or where they are coming from. it was certainly a big night in san francisco, a lot of beautiful fireworks shot over the embarcadero. now it's over. 2011 is over. we are into 2012 and we will see how the day goes traffic and weather-wise. it's definitely warmer today. get this, for the rose bowl tomorrow in l.a., lisa says it's going to be 81 degrees. she will have more on that coming up in weather. >>> well, airlines charge travelers a premium to get a refundable ticket. so when you buy one you should be able to cancel your flight and get a refund as promised, right? that was not the case for one international traveler until 7 on your side's michael finney got involved. >> okay, here we are. >> she shows us a treasured memento of her courtship with her now husband kent. the indian born woman was in

it wouldn't have happened without abc7s help. >> i'm michael finney, on your side. >> now that 2011 isd us, which movies will win the awards. up next, don sanchez gives us his picks among the best films of the year. h@h@h@h@h@h@h@h@h@h@ >> here are the winning numbers from last night's super one plus draw. no big winner so the jackpot for wednesday will be $10 million. >>> the 2011 movie season produced some remarkable films. average bc7s arts and entertainment reporter don sanchez presents his top ten list. >> it's been a great year for film production and these are what i think are the ten best, starting with number ten. >> today marks the beginning after fight between two sets of ideas. >> "ides of march" with political intrigue and back room deals. george clooney directs a primer for the election. "the way" is personal personal film directing. and the story of a search for a new beginning. hannah is a fast-based grim fairy tale, a story filled with twists. she is a killer kid. in "the descendents" george clooney tries to reconnect with his daughters. add the hawaii north shore for

i'm michael finney. coming up, 7 on your side helps them get $29,000 hey guys, breakfast!male announcer ] if whole grain isn't the first ingredient in your breakfast cereal, what is? now, in every box of general mills big g cereal, there's more whole grain than any other ingredient. that's why it's listed first on the side. from honey nut cheerios to cinnamon toast crunch to lucky charms, get more whole grain than any other ingredient... without question. just look for the white check. "and what do you do?" "oh, i sell insurance like no one else." "oh, that's nice." "thank you." now, that's progressive. call or click today. >> welcome back. >> this picture shows you this city is up for the big game tomorrow against the new york giants. we have red and gold everywhere. the ferry building on your left, the market center, one, two, and part of three. also embarcadero 4. it's everywhere. red and gold, leading up to thing about niner game tomorrow. speaking of niner, a north bay realtor is hoping 49 fever will help her sell joe montana's house. it's a 500 acre estate in calisto

i'm michael finney. coming up, 7 on your side helps them get $29,000 bac the word is swapportunity.an i have the definition? swapportunity: the opportunity to swap a higher calorie snack for a yoplait light. can you use it in a sentence? mmm. swapping a 300 calorie donut for this 110 calorie strawberry shortcake is a good swapportunity. that's not a real word. oh haha it's real. [ female announcer ] delicious, creamy, yoplait light. over 30 flavors each around 100 calories. do the swap today. those five food groups sound a whole lot better when you put them in a taco shell instead of a pyramid. old el paso. when you gotta have mexican. fantastic! pro-gresso ] they fit! okay-y... okay??? i've been eating progresso and now my favorite old jeans...fit. okay is there a woman i can talk to? [ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less. >> welcome back. in case you just arrived back from a far away land or another planet, a big game tomorrow. niners-giants. see who goes to the super bowl. and down at the embarcadero you can see the embarcadero center, one, two, three, four,

. >> what michael finney found was illegal. and classic cars that or display that are insnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsnsns

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >> coming up next, the man behind san mateo native tom brady andaming up on a fight for survival. ♪ beth! hi! looking good. you've lost some weight. thanks. you noticed. these clothes are too big, so i'm donating them. how'd you do it? eating right -- whole grain. [ female announcer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't. multi-grain cheerios -- 5 whole grains, 110 calories. creamy, dreamy peanut butter taste in a tempting new cereal. mmm! [ female announcer ] new multi-grain cheerios peanut butter. guys... [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls with cinnabon cinnamon are an irresistible sunday morning idea. nothing calls them to the table faster. sunday morning ideas made easy. here's a better idea... pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits. in just 15 minutes, the light delicate layers add a layer of warmth to your next dinner. pillsbury grands! dinner ideas made easy. from last night's $12 million mega-millions drawing. the meganumber is 23. earlier we said 12, but it's 23. nobody picked all six numbe

and michael finney has results of the surprising study. >> how we watch tv is changing.w we view tv is changing, too we're not brand name shoppers anymore. >> andrew is with the high tech gadget web site. >> tvs are similar and a lot have a similar feature. there is all flat screen autos for many, gone are the days of bragging about the brachbd our tv. now, many can't remember the brand. >> do you know the brand name? >> i don't. >> and so do you know the brand name and then, many times, they don't care. >> this does the same thing. >> for now, they see changes down the road. >> smart tvs will get smarter with ren recommendation engines and may be watching you. and so... tvs will get smarter. that may be something to watch. >> shopping for price is a good thing. looking at picture and sound quality, plus special features i'm michael finney. 7 on your side. >> and don't stare at the tv and hope for a rain broadcast. >> that may not help. >> and that might help. >> and let's start and hope for it. and let's enjoy nice weather. there is a great picture. and sunset beautiful

. >> and michael finney stepped in to help out. >> goitsing through just making a place of our own. > excited to move into their first home together in this complex. >> something building together that was special and we're painting walls and getting furniture. >> they bought this new washer drier from sears. the store sent a crew and the yim was ready to move into the place. until... disaster struck. >> a quarter until midnight there is a phone call saying that we're flooding the unit below us. i thought, we're not there. >> they rushed over and found a puddle under their new washing machine. tiger says water leaked through this wall under the floors, and into the unit below. >> it wasn't -- we hadn't done a load of laundry and it's already flood oogt couple contacted sears and the store replaced the hose on the washer. that stopped the leak. however, their new home was already damaged. they had to pull out a wall, the stove behind it, and the bamboo floor covering the first floor. repairs costing nearly $30,000. >> you've got a new place. and you can start moving in except wait, wai

and you know. >> michael finney has findings of a survey showing 59% of the machines are still beingsed regularly one year after they were purchased. >> authorities just finished testing one of the biggest seller autos the machines are popular at gym autos easy on the knees and easy to work out with. >> they imitate motions of running with out hard impact. they cost from 800ses today $3,000. testers designed this to measure how much force you need to move pedals. >> that is important because if there is a wide range of levels you can modify your workout. >> they assessed the integrity of each machine. and trained panelists evaluated the machine. the $2200 endurance was the lowest rated. >> it just doesn't give a smooth ride. >> top rated is a p $100 octane fitness. >> it is built well. it has a nice display, easy to read. >> for less, vision x 30 premier came in second, costing $1800. >> it's easy to access and program your session. >> and no matter which you buy, it's important to try it first. consumer reports cautions the machines are dangerous for children. it's important to keep

. >> and tonight michael finney has a credit card for people with bad credit. how it works.th us. -dad, why e you getting that? -that's my cereal. is there a prize in there? oh, there's prize, all right. is it a robot? no. is it a jet plane? nope. is it a dinosaur? [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] inside every box of heart healthy cheerios are the great tasting little o's made from carefully selected oats that can help lower cholesterol. stickers? uh-uh. a perhero? ♪ kinda. [ male announcer ] and we think that's the best prize of all. ♪ >>> is this one of your new year's resolutions? if you're buried in debt there is a little known way to rebuild your credit. >> michael finney here has answer autos this works so it's important. this is the way to go about it. some people might think their credit once down so low they'll never qaul by for a credit card. i'm here to tell you it's not true. there are cards out there available to you and at very good interest rates. >> my credit has been in a dumper for a long time. >> robert fowler looks over his report. the resident says once he

you can contact michael now at m finney and facebook.com. >> it's 4:10 on a get with a way friday z nobody is getting away quickly. downtown san francisco skyway traffic moving from left side of the screen to right heading towards the bay bridge the usual slow pace. right side heading down the peninsula, there is a better clip. stay with us. the news at 4:00 continues. >>> checking healthy living news memory loss from aging. research suggests it can start as early as 45 yikz. the tudy researchers tracked more than 7,000 men and women. all between 45-70 who lived in the united kingdom tested for memory hearing and visual comprehension researchers found mental abilities decline add cross all areas except vocabulary beginning at 45. >> and 200 million people use elicit drugs every year highest use in developed countries. marijuana methamphetamine and hair yichblt a study finds one in 20 people between 15-64 take the drugs. researchers say cocaine use is highest in north america. marijuana and methamphetamine highest in australia and new zeal yanld. researchers point out because it's illegal f

. >> dan: michael finney reveals how you can use your new [ female announcer ] one what would you callry breakfast pastry that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. mom, we're dying. no you're not, you're just hungry. make some totino's pizza rolls. we don't have any! front... left, totino's. [ male announcer ] well done mom! less drama, more fun! totino's pizza rolls. >> cheryl: the nation's fiscal crys is leading to a leaner military. the military budget grew an extraordinary pace after the september 11th terrorist attacks and now things are different. >> our military will be leaner but the world must mos know that we will maintain our military forces and ready for the full range of contingents and threats. >> cheryl: the specifics as to how much will come out in the budget in the next coming weeks but it will be small earned a refocused on certain regions, namely the asia-pacific. >> we will invest in new capabilities to maintain a dec

i'm michael finney. 7 on your side is coming up. >> to become a traffic spotter download waze on the more go to abc7news.com/waze. dinner? candles? i wanted it to be special. oh, what's this? it's progresso's new loaded potato with bacon. mmm, it's good. honey, i love you and... oh my gosh oh my gosh.. look at these big pieces of potato. yeah but honey i love you and... is that what i think it is...it is... it's bacon. honey look. [ male announcer ] progresso rich and hearty... 4 new flavors, you can lose yourself in. what's that? big piece of potato. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. >> welcome back, it's 6:49 on this sunday january 8th. we appreciate you spending part of your sunday with us. this is a live look from our mount tam cam. that's a beautiful shot. certainly a nice way to get the morning going. >> we have another lesson about how and when to pie extended warranties. what if you already bought one and it won't help with repairs? here's michael finney with one couple's frustrating story. >> notice the cracking. >> less than a year after ed and adalen

michael finney has tips for helping you stay on target. >> checking traffic in the golden gate bridgeoks like we need to clean that a little bit there. but smudged but otherwise traffic is moving smoothly. and if you're traveling here is spencer with the outlook. >> and there is major airports and one exception there is delays on widening flights up to 45 minutes. well take a look at continuing search for rain in the bay area forecast coming up in just a moment. i remember the days before copd. my son and i never missed opening day. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better, and that means... game on! symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart

. >> michael finney is taking your consumer questions and will answer them live here later, you can contact michael on twitter and on facebook.com. >> and coming up this monday afternoon. wow. this looks like a holiday. traffic is really good in both directions. see fit stays this way throughout the hour, news at 4:00 continues. -dad, why e you getting that? -that's my cereal. is there a prize in there? oh, there's prize, all right. is it a robot? no. is it a jet plane? nope. is it a dinosaur? [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] inside every box of heart healthy cheerios are the great tasting little o's made from carefully selected oats that can help lower cholesterol. stickers? uh-uh. a perhero? ♪ kinda. [ male announcer ] and we think that's the best prize of all. ♪ >>> checking healthy living news it doesn't matter where calories come from as long as dieters reduce them. a team including one from stanford assigned several hundred obese people to one of four diets. each was designed to cut 750 calories per day. researchers nound difference in weight loss or the reduction of fat between the four

. >> straight ahead, michael finney puts pedomoters to the death.e'll show you what works best. t >> terry: welcome back. will you look at that. a picture from mount tam looking out to the city. low lying clouds, actually picture perfect shot. wow, that is nice. get a picture with your cellphone camera and now we can move on. >> four miles a day, walking about ten thousand steps is ideal fitness plan. michael finney has a results of a consumer test. >> pedometer has counted every step for the last 25 years. >> it keeps me going. look at me, my age, i'm 86 and i just love it. i love to walk. >> he is on the track and stanford study show they walk about mile a day every day than those that don't use one. which pedometer should you get? they tested ten pedometers and three watches. logging hundred miles and counting 120,000 steps on a treadmill and climbing nearly 3,000 stairs, testers found several to recommend. most elaborate or gps watches. >> gps watches use satellite stow they are highly accurate. for $200 or $300 they may be more than typical wal

clarence page, karen finney and jonathan capehart. john, you reprehensible journalist, defend yourself. >> talk about pious bologna. he attacks the immediamedia, bu where he is because of the media. this is a guy who knows how to work it. he knows how to work the press, the anger towards the press and the grievance politics festers there within the conservative ranks of the republican party. >> let's not forget he was highly paid by fox news. he was very much part of the organization, the business that he attacks. karen, watching mitt romney going negative and nasty on newt is like trying to imagine the dahli lama starting a bar fight. it seems out of personality. it's kind of difficult, isn't it? >> with that example, i know you're trying to get me to not be american, and i'm not going to let you do it. >> exactly. >> it's clearly not in mitt romney's comfort zone to be on the attack. you have the feeling when he was in business and bain did go in and re-organize, somebody else handled the dirty work. he might have been the guy in th

i'm michael finney. the secret that can help consumers help get out from bad credit. if that lady in the viva commercial is really my mother. they keep asking me if the dirty guy is really my son. huh -- what do you tell 'um? holy smokes, these viva towels really are tough, even when wet! [ mike ] for the record, that's my real father, cleaning up a real mess on a real grill. see? very impressive! you're a natural. oh that's much better... dad's got his tough mess, i've got mine. [ female announcer ] grab a roll and try it on your toughest mess. i think you got it. >> terry: you are looking at a live picture of lake tahoe. camera atop heavenly there. it's a gorgeous shot. just as spectacular as we look out on lake tahoe. the lifted chairs on the lower right-hand side of the screen should be filled with skiers. should be a lot of white in that picture but it is not happening. beauty is there but i know a lot of people up there are hoping for some rain and some snow and get back to wintertime. >> many people find the new year is good time to get finances in order. if yo

. >> and coming up next, finney's friday free stuff that may help with you a new year's resolution. >> then at 6:00 ford claims there is a better idea of cars of the future and ready to get it started at 6:00. i'm not crazy about these light fixtures. kitchen's too small. what's next? 607 franklin st. ♪ sea bass... ♪ ooohhh! ♪ i like it. yeah, i love the kitchen. [ male announcer ] the epa-estimated 42 mpg highway chevy cruze eco. from looking for your perfect home to finding it. chevy runs deep. >>> it's a new year, we want to get you started off right. >> fin ease friday free stuf any resolutions? lots of them. >> and i can take care that have. >> and we can help with you weight, working out and those things. so let's start with carl junior's new santa fe turkey burger. this is pretty phenomenal. less than 500 calories. it's 40 calories. and they say it's the feistiest yet. >> and that is $4 value. you're going to get it free. they say we have you covered for that, too. crunch fitness giving i a free week there. they're offering phenomenal courses there. they have really ripped whic

karen finney, dana millbank. karen, let me start with you. i have this sink feeling that newt gingrich could be sink beneath his own weight here. what happened to the newt-tron bomb. did it self-imploed in florida? >> i think it did. we're seeing what's been newt's problem all along. he does worse when he's better. when he's doing well, he can't stand it and he lets his guard down and starts talking about colonizing the moon. one of the most notable things is gingrich did not seem like he came as well prepared and fired up and ready to go as romney did. i think he expected romney to have done his homework. you can tell romney was not only prepared with answers, but he was prepared with answers that would flip the things back on newt and make newt look ridiculous. he did it well. >> mitt romney is a guy who has always done his homework. he did ever bit of homework he ever was assigned. why would he make that assumpti assumpti assumption? >> he's the smartest guy in the race and of course he's going to be president. >> there is that. julian, gi

david corn and karen finney thanks so much for coming out on saturday like this and helping us understandthis. we do appreciate it. >> sure thing. much more from south carolina when we come back. >> i thought he was going to stay and maybe we would have a debate here in ♪[music plays] ♪[music plays] ♪[music plays] purina one beyond. food for your cat or dog. ♪ imagine zero pollutants in our environment. or zero dependency on foreign oil. ♪ this is why we at nissan built a car inspired by zero. because zero is worth everything. the zero gas, 100% electric nissan leaf. innovation for the planet. innovation for all. c'mon, michael! get in the game! [ male announcer ] don't have the hops for hoops with your buddies? lost your appetite for romance? and your mood is on its way down. you might not just be getting older. you might have a treatable condition called low testosterone or low t. millions of men, forty-five or older, may have low t. so talk to your doctor about low t. hey, michael! [ male announcer ] and step out of the shadows. hi! how are you? [ male announcer ] learn more at isitlow

. >> if you're the president now, it's the state of the union, karen finney, a campaign speech. >> ituse democrats are coming into january in a pretty strong position. one of the things about this conversation about bain is within the republican party, they've actually been undermining argument that congressional republicans have been using, so the contrast is there. he just has to keep knocking it out of the park. >> it doesn't have to be, but it will be. >> sure. >> i mean, the nature of what he will talk about, the economy. spending. the deaf it. it's an even numbered year. these are things in which the two parties disagree and the issues on which romney and he or someone else will disagree from now until november. so he's setting the stakes. >> it's going to be more about income. >> and they have to view it as this is probably their, they're only going to get one more uninterrupted shot until the acceptance speech. in many ways, you would assume there is going to be some campaign input. >> and you've seen that with the move he made friday. it's a campaign move, yes, it's following

karen finney is former dnc communications director. rich, let's start with you.atching the first four minutes, were you thinking, this is it? game over? >> no, but i was thinking this is great tv. i was thinking that. i have no idea how that will play down here in south carolina. newt started this process by attacking the media or at least the moderator in every debate getting an applause line raising a couple thousand bucks, and that kept him going. that was a technique he has used. this was a little more over the top. in john king's defense, that was a question that was on everybody's mind here. he had to ask it. >> he had to ask it because they had been covering it all day on the programming, so certainly gingrich knew this was probably the first question prepared as such. >> i'm sure he -- he was ready for it, but gingrich is a great debater, a great speech maker, a great sense of timing. i don't think he was as good monday night, but he was so good monday night, i don't think he could have cleared that bar a second time. >> no one really touched him on the i

michael finney shows us how. >> my credit has been in the dump per for a long time. >> robert fowlert report. the fran resident said once he got behind in his payments he just couldn't catch up. >> it no balls on you and you can get there unless you can come one a lump sum. >> he hasn't had a credit card for about five years. one possible solution is a secured credit card. >> but for those trying to rebuild damaged credit it's the single best way to get back on your feet if you can't get a secured card. >> secured card works this way. you to deposit $300 into an account and it's held as collateral in exchange for $300 in consumer credit. and the consumer group likes the one from golden one credit union. >> they actually have a secured card that has no annual fee. what's more, you actually earn 1% interest on the amount you deposit in the dedicated bank account. try finding 1% interest in an ordinary bank nowadays. >> he also like the capital one secured card. he said you can put down as little at $49 and get a credit limit of $200. robert knows not all secured credit cards are create

up next, michael finney, reports on the new rules that helps ensureñññññññññ?er strikes is your home fully insured? new rules in effect to make sure. >> when a disaster hits homeowners are happy they paid for insurance, most homeowners. some find all those payments have bought less than what they need. >> people so often, after they have a large loss, find out that they have less insurance than they thought they had, or they come up against an exclusion that they had no idea was in their policy. >> to help homeowners from being underinsured, the california department of insurance has put in place new rules. amy heads up united policyholders. she said insurance brokers and agents don't have to help you come up with an insurance figure, but if they do, those numbers must be based on reality. >> if your agent or broker gives you a number and says this is how much dwelling protection you need, how much insurance you need on your home, they can't just pull that number out of thin air. they actually have to do a calculation. >> the new rules say brokers and agents mu

i'm michael finney. ahead, i'll show you how to sell your gold for top dollar. >> also the drive to discover a new camera that will change the way you take photographs. plus.... >> i think it's good to encourage older people to get out and do stuff. >> they introduce us to a 76-year-old skateboarder with a can do attitude. >>> with the price of gold skyrocketing it's tempting to sell pieces in your you'll ri box but how do you get the best price? >> the gold business is booming. byers and sellers and coins and jewelers. how do you get the most money. we asked three gold dealers to check our jewelry and to give us a price. specific precious metals was our standard. they check for quantity and quality and offered $371. >> then our intern went undercover. >> i first went to collectibles and coins in mill valley. >> the gave them the story and e spent a lot of time. he priced it about $371. then we took to a store in san mateo. she said it was 171. >> so there is no standard that anyone follows as far as wha

string that's michael finney pulled to get her her money. we'll be right back. irir >>> a mass dentist who used paper clips to do root canals was sentenced today, got two and a half years in county jail. he used them for steel posts in root canals and was convicked of medicaid fraud for filing false claims, he's going serve one year in jail and his dental license has been suspended. >> and current and former foster children rallied today in sacramento. they're asking for help navigating a maze of higher education. california youth connection is asking lawmakers to fund college counseling for foster youth attending uc system. they say they need it because they lack a support system many peers relie on. >> we're pretty much on our own that. is it. you know? we're teenagers for crying out loud. we're not equipped to make life changing decisions ourselves. we need someone to guide us. >> only about half of the foster teens finish high school and only 5% that have group goes on to complete a college degree comparing to 27% rate among the general public. >> and coming

. >> then from michael finney there is a bank taking on group onin the like in the battle over the best daily deals. >>> officials conducted a natural gas drill today because of the tragic explosion in san bruno. this involved a car hitting a gas line leaving two people injured. this is a simulation you're looking at here. goal was to see how quickly pg&e and emergency agencies can mobilize to cap the gas leak and help victims. >> we have new leadership in place and a mandate for change. this is a step we're talking -- taking and pg&e has three transmission kleins lrb lrb lines and the drill was part of a larger response plan laid out by officials in case of a major natural gas emergency. >> and booking photo of a man accused of sexual assaulting a young tourist was made public today. he is facing rape and imprisonment charges. police officers say they found him into n.these bushes as he was assaulting a 15-year-old girl. the victim is a foreign tourist visiting with a group. >> and for the first time in california history state justice department cleared an extensive backlog of dna evi