Transcripts For WRC Today 20100807

good morning. welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lesser hoter holt. >> and i'm amy robach. >> six american civilians are reportedly among the dead, apparently part of a medical i'm that had been working in northern afghanistan. >> the charity they work fork the international assistance mission, announced their deaths this morning. and there's been reaction from the taliban, as well. we'll get the latest details from kabul in just a minute. and then the country continues to suffer through an economic hangover. the job hs rate remained unchanged. and behind that number, some troubling facts. more than 14 million people who want to work can't find jobs. we'll look behind the numbers coming up. plus the first lady and her daughter are spending five days in spain and it was supposed to be a quiet holiday retreat, but instead it's turned in to a headache. many are criticizing her overseas trip. and then we'll take a look at the new driving force in television, how reality and unscripted tv shows from "the real housewives" to "jersey shore" and well beyond are pushing cable to the tv forefront. remember those old fashioned vending machines where all it took was spare change to buy candy, snack, sodases? they've gone way upscale and they're taking the place of stores in some cases. we'll show you what you can now buy and how much it all costs coming up. wine is one of the big ones. >> you can get a candy bar, an ipod, electronics, drinks. you name it. we'll get to it all that coming up. but first breaking news in afghanistan. the killings of six american aid workers. what's the latest there in kabul? >> reporter: good morning. well, we still don't have exact confirmation. this happened in a very remote area in a northern afghanistan province. but the director of ima, of that aid organization, says the descriptions so far matches the i'm that they had out there. in addition to the six americans, they say there were one german, two afghan and one british aid worker. the director of iam is here in kabul. here's what he had to say. >> they finished their work there and were on their way back to kabul. we had daily contact with them through satellite phones. and the last time that we had contact with the team leader, mr. tom, that was on wednesday evening. and we think it might have happened -- if it is our team, it might have happened on thursday. >> reporter: now, there are differs accounts according to local police in the area who interviewed one of the survivoring drivers. he said when they encountered a group of taliban fighter, they lined up all people, searched them and shot and killed ten of them. the taliban spokesmen are saying the people an away and then they opened fire. the taliban are also saying that they searched the people and found documents and bibles that prove that they were buying and trying to spread christianity. it happened in a remote region, so they're trying to do whatever they can to bring the bodies back to kabul so that the identification and notification process can begin. >> has anyone from the u.s. embassy there responded to this attack? >> reporter: we've spoken to the u.s. embassy. so far they say that they have reason to believe that a number of americans were killed in this attack. they can't confirm it until the bodies actually arrive in kabul, so they're on top of the situation assisting and trying to get the bodies back and they'll be able to officially confirm it once the bodies are brought back to kabul. >> thanks very much. now here's amy. >> and here at home, the economy continues to suffer and it's not being helped by the latest jobs report. unemployment rate was stuck at 9.5% last month. horn 130,000 jobs were lost, far more than expected. nbc's lee cowen has more. >> reporter: for the unemployed, it's an economic broken record. 14 million americans were still hunting for work in july. for the last year and a half, stephanie has been sending out a resume almost every single day. the light at the end of the economic tunnel just seems further and further away. >> it will come. it has to come. we're all due for a break on some level, i really believe that. >> reporter: the private sector did add jobs in july, but only 71,000 of them. compare that to april when it was adding more than three times that much. >> this tells us that it's going to be a long hard slow climb back when it comes to adding jobs in this country. >> reporter: most telling, the loss of government jobs. not just the temporary census workers at the federal level, but cut backs at the local level. cash strapped cities and counties shed more than 38,000 jobs last month alone. most of them in education. >> that's something that was unexpected. we didn't think it was in last month's data. it showed up big time in in month's data. >> reporter: government cut backs that cast a long shadow. take arizona, for example. it's lost more jobs than almost any other state in the country. so whether it's big cities or small towns, businesses just aren't hiring. this ice cream shop is flooded with resumes. many from skilled workers willing to settle for even a part-time job. >> some have some pretty good backgrounds. >> reporter: but until he sees more confidence from consumers, he's putting even the best job pick h canapplicants on ice. >> i think we're on the edge of a cliff and toward go into the abyss. >> reporter: not exactly a scoop of optimism. but in this climate, he says, dreams of a quick end to the recession are melting away. for today i go on, lee cowen, nbc news. and for more on the latest numbers and the jobs outlook, we're joined by melissa francis, host of the call on cnbc. 131,000 jobs lost in july. 14 million people looking for jobs. what's the deal? we're told we're in a recovery. why are these folks not feeling us? >> this proves we're in a recovery, but it's slowed down a bit. it hasn't stalled all together, but it's slow going trying to get people back to work. businesses are not sure they want to hire. they don't know what the future looks like. >> this was not anticipated, though. >> no. it was worse than expected. it wasn't terrible. we were looking for 90,000 new jobs. came in at about 71. so it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't what we were looking for. >> and when you peel book and look it at the other numbers, you get the real story. 16.5% under employment. what does that mean? >> these are people that would like to be working more. maybe they're working part-time. maybe they've been discouraged and they're not actively out there looking for a job. the hidden up employment is much bigger. remember, we added 131,000 jobs this month. it take s 125,000 just to keep p with population growth. >> we're getting in to back to school shopping season, holidays not much longer beyond that. what does that tell us about the rest of this year in terms of the recovery? >> this is really a catch 22. they say if customers don't go out there and buy, the businesses won't hire. if you don't have a job, you're not going to go out and buy. so it's sort of hard to see where the cycle ends. at the same time, all of our kids are bigger than they were last fall. you have to go out and buy something for back to school. so it just means that it will probably be even a slower offerry than we thought. sgh a lot of us have been thinking we'll get back to the good old days. maybe we won't. i'm starting to wonder, is there going to be a new normal where we're never going to get down to 4% or 5%? >> some people are starting to think that. 4% seems a long, long way away. >> were there any bright spots in terms of where are the jobs? >> average hourly earnings picked up just higher, so people are making just a tiny bit morning, those people still employed. we saw some additions in services in manufacturing. a lot of jobs were added in manufacturing. that was a surprise. there's some wonder if that hases to do with auto factories. there were a few bright spots, but not that many. >> we'll see you at the news desk. thanks very much. for more now on the political implications of the new jobs report, we turn to cnbc's washington correspondent amon javers. first i want to talk about the unemployment rate. it remained unchanged. 9.5%. we know that the july jobs was disappointing overall. what's the political fallout for the president? >> theis was a rotten jobs repot and the president tried to put the best face he could on this number. but the only reason that the number stayed at 9.5% of unemployment was because so many people were so discouraged, they actually left the workforce and they're not counted anymore. when you've got a situation hike that and you're the president of the united states, it's really tough to spin that. >> you mentioned that the president did it try to put a positive spin on all of that. let's take a listen to what he had to say. >> climbing out of any recession, much less a hole as deep as this one, takes some time. the fact is we've now added private sector jobs every month this year instead of losing them as we did for the first seven months of last year. and that's a good sign. >> we all know midterm elections are coming up. is the president trying to provide political cover for congressional democrats? >> sure. if you're a congressional democrat, you're a lot more worried this morning than you were yesterday morning before this number came out. the democrats know that their hopes in november really rest on the question of whether the democrats in power in washington are seen as being able to do anything to solve the jobs crisis in this country. with a number like that, it's not a whole lot of ammunition to go into the fall campaign. therd is trying to give them something to hang their hat on, talking about manufacturing number, other silver linings inside of here. but overall, this is a bad trend and it raises the question of whether we're entering in to a double dip recession which is exactly what the democrats in washington don't want to see. >> let's turn now to elena kagan. this afternoon she'll be sworn in as the 112th justice of of the supreme court. but she barely made it there. in fact, the vote 63-37. barely enough to stave off a republican filibuster. why so much votes against her? >> well, this is becoming a much more partisan town. and you're seeing that split in ways that you didn't see it in the past. just take a look at what a difference a year makes. remember, all the sound and fury last summer over the sotomayor appointment. that was a huge battle in the media and everywhere else. this battle was less of a media spectacle, but elena kagan only got 63 votes. that's five fewer votes than sotomayor got last year. so clearly the split between democrats and republicans in this election year is growing even wider. >> and kagan isn't expected to change the ideological makeup or balance of the court, but what type of impact can we expect from her? >> well, she's somebody who is familiar with the court. she's argued a case before the court. and one of the things people will be looking at with her is her relationship with justice scolia. they have an international sparring partner relationship and that will bring a personal dynamic to the court, but i'd longicly, she's replacing one of the more liberal members of the court. so we're not looking at a major shift here in the kofrp position. >> probably history making, the first time three women sitting on the supreme court. thanks so much for your time this morning. we appreciate it. sg thank elissa has the rest of the morning headlines. >> i'm making coffee today, too. good morning. we begin in california where the governor and attorney general are calling for gay marriages to resume. governor schwarzenegger is among those who filed legal motions urging a federal judge as to lift the ban during the appeals process. a surprise to many since schwarzenegger twice vetoed legislation that would have legalized same-sex marriage. gay marriage opponents are appealing wednesday's decision by a federal judge striking down the gay marriage ban known as proposition 8 calling it unconstitutional. 20 people have been hospitalized in central california after an amtrak train hit a big rig at a crossing. the truck driver walked away unhurt. the train was carrying more than 200 passengers and was going about 80 miles per hour when it hit the truck. police say the crossing signals were working. witnesses say the big rig appeared to be stuck on the tracks. police in flint, michigan think they may have a serial killer on the loose. investigators say a knife-wielding man has stabbed 13 men since may. five have died. all but one of the victims were black. survivors describe the assailant as a muscular young white man who asked for directions or help with a disabled car. a woman is under arrest for allegedly accepting stolen beer from the truck drive who are killed eight co-wok rkers. christy quail was seen on a videotape accepting beer. thornton killed himself and eight others after he was confronted with evidence he stole beer and was being forced to resign. about a pill i don't know pounds of ground beef and patties are being recalled. the beef comes from the valley meat company in modesto, california. it was processed from october last year to january this year and carries the establishment number 8268. it was sold in california, texas, oregon and arizona. and officials say if you have some of the beef, throw it out or return it for a refund. and finally, surfing after sunset? it's the dream of one california surf board maker. he's making aboard with headlights for night surfing. after making more than 30,000 surfboards in his 40 year career, he says this is his biggest challenge. he's really doing it for a contest, but wonders if this could change the sport for night owls. lester and amy, his next big idea, surfboards with ipods because apparently surfing is not interesting enough. >> this will give the sharks better aim at night. >> music for them, too, the "jaws" theme. >> that would be a good thing to be a very pleasant saturday morning to you. i'm news 4 meteorologist chuck bell. beautiful clear sky overhead and full sunshine on the way for your saturday, everybody. a weekend vacation from the humidity for sure. right now it's 69 degrees in capital heights. 61 in manassas. 100% sunshine. temperature in the i had to mid-80s today and tomorrow. have a good weekend. that's your saturday forecast. lester? more than 3 1/2 months after the bp oil rig blew up in the gulf, the oil leak has finally been contained, but the investigation into what went wrong and why is just beginning. at the same time bp is hinting it may one day drill again in the same undersea reservoir of oil. for more, we're joined by ron mott in new orleans. >> reporter: good morning. for about three of those three and a half month, we got used to seeing that sickening image of oil spewing in to the gulf. the scene has been replaced by one far more boring and that is this well cap that had seems to show no signs of leakage. bp completed its static kill procedure. in the words of one executive, it was almost textbook. they pumped a the who of drilling mud and cement into that wellbore. it is holding up to pressure testing so far, but it is not considered a permanent kill. thad allen says the government will not consider this well permanently plugged until bp completes the drilling and tapping of those relief wells. we're told that could happen sometime later next week. that is ahead of schedule. that is indeed good news. so a lot of people are asking now what happened to all the oil that was out there in the gulf of mexico? bp claims that about three-quarters of that has been cleaned up and skimmed off the oil. so now they're going to start this drawdown of that huge fleet of vessels participating in the cleanup effort. friday bp's coo, doug suttles, had this to say about where the cleanup effort stands. >> there's essentially no oil left on the surface, things have improved quite dramatically and that's a combination of work we've done as part of the response and also mother nature's help, as well. >> reporter: doug suttles was asked yesterday as well about bp's plan for the oil in that well, oil that is valued in the billions of dollars. he says that is not their focus right now, they want to continue to focus on getting the well permanently plugged and then staying down here to help people get their lives back to normal. a lot of concerns from the residents down here. >> thanks for the update. and now that the leak is contained, is there still an environmental threat to the gulf? professor of environmental sciences at louisiana state university joins us. professor overton, good morning. the so-called static kill operation to plug the leak temporarily, just about complete and it's been about 2 1/2 weeks since there's been any oil leaked into the gulf. put things in to perspective for us. with all that we've been through over the past several months, can we take a big sigh of relief? >> we sure can. we won't take a complete sigh of relief until the well is totally sealed and everybody's satisfieded and the government writeses off on it, but it's basically sealed. the spill is over. we're in the recovery stage. and what we're seeing is just a dramatic recovery of our environment. the oil, residual oil, that's out there seems to be going away almost as we see it. incredibly fast. much faster than any of us expected. and that is just very good news. plants are starting to regrow. new sprouts are coming out on oil coastline. it's amazing to see how resilient our environment is. >> and we do know that the oil that was spilled was light and biodegradable. does this help lessen the overall toll that it takes on the environment and speed up the recovery process, specifically the type of oil that was leaked out? >> well, absolutely. it was the type of oil, our environment. remember the oil had been seeping into the environment for millions of years, so we had an acclimated environment. this was a very light extremely bio degradable oil. a lot of it was lost to evaporation. and warm temperatures and some pretty decent weather that would break the oil slicks up and disperse it. so we had a combination of natural forces that got rid of this oil and, frankly, a lot of the work that bp did and admiral allen and the scientific team, charlie henry and his scientific support team and the bp folks really helped facilitate this quick recovery. i think we have to look back and take our hats off and say thank you. they've done a masterful job and the proof is in the pudding. the oil is going away. will be some long term impacts. we don't know what they are yet. >> i want to talk a little bit about that just in terms of projections what that long term impact could be and what species specifically might be most impacted. >> this is going to be the result of studies over the next five to ten years, not entirely sure. you remember most of the damage, the long terp damages to the animals that we can't see, eggs of these animals, we didn't know what -- how much damage was done or what damage is done until several years out when the impact of that damage starts showing up in the fish population. so it take akes a while to cale the total damage. but so far looks good. there will be long term damage, but it will take years to find out. but i don't think that impact is going to be dramatic. it's certainly nothing like the gulf is dying. no evidence of dead zones, no evidence of widespread apoxia zones other than the normal areas out there in the summer. so the barrier eye lands are recovering. we didn't lose a lot of land to theerosion, so things look pretty good. >> if you had to give a grade to the response, what would you give it in. >> looking back and seeing where we are now, i'm going to have to give it a b plus or an a. i'm really happy with the results and i think a lot of it has to do with the dispersing of the oil and making that oil biodegradable and stoking this big massive react or we have in the offshore areas so that the other is degrading and going away very rapidly. >> certainly good news. thanks so much. still to come, three american children found dead and their mother charged with murder. the story coming up. but first this is "today" on nbc. navigating today's real estate market is complicated. you've seen the signs. that's why having the right real estate agent is more important than ever. at remax.com, you can find experts in short sales or bank-owned properties or commercial real estate, agents who can help speed up the process, no matter how intricate. and that's good news, whether you're trying to sell or hoping to buy. because the only sign you really want to see is "sold." nobody sells more real estate than re/max. visit remax.com today. still to come on "today," the success of cable tv. how hot new cable stars are changing what we watch on television. plus saying i do in places where most of us might say, no, that's all right. but first, these messages. need a better way to save for the things you want? meet pnc virtual wallet. it comes with a wish list, that helps you set aside money for the stuff that really matters... just put the things you want on your wish list... and contribute money when you feel like it... then, watch as you get closer to getting what you want. wish list is built to make saving a whole lot more fun. experience all the ways virtual wallet can help you save at pncvirtualwallet.com. pnc. for the achiever in us all. good morning. 7:26. we're continuing to follow breaking news out of prince george's county. the police chief holding a press conference. this is a live picture. he's announcing new details in that murder in the county yesterday morning. we learned two people have been arrested in the murders of two women and two children. we're told this was the result a drug deal, a drug relationship gone bad, apparently and the police chief used the word executed in describing how those four people were killed, found in that house in riverdale yesterday morning. you see the pictures here. the bodies were found in a building on this property. we're told that the two women had some sort of a drug relationship with two individuals from texas and as a result of that having gone bad they were all, the two women and the two children executed yesterday at some point. police when they arrived on the scene early yesterday morning were able to detain those to be with suspects and this morning they are now charged with first degree murder. derrick ward remains on the scene there listening in on this press conference, gathering the latest information and he'll have the latest for us this morning coming up in just a bit. right now, those we'll take a quick break and come back with a look at your weather forecast. stay with us welcome back. chuck, some leave in today's forecast >> absolutely right. we've waited long and hard through a steamy and stormy week around the washington area. now we get a little vacation. outside on a beautiful saturday morning 100% sunshine on tap for today. temperatures have dropped delightfully low this morning, especially across our western and northern suburbs. 61 degrees now in da mass kurks maryland. 60 degrees in martinsburg wirjs. your forecast for your saturday, sunshine, low humidity. temperatures in the mid to high 80s today and tomorrow. back in the 90s just in time to go back to work. we'll have another update on today's breaking news. two arrests of the murt of two women and two children in riverdale, we are back on this saturday morning, august 7th, 2010, with an exciting group on the plaza. we want to thank them for coming out. >> moderately excited. >> it is early. we'll head out in just a bit to say hi. i'm amy robach along with lester holt. we're excited, right? >> we are, absolutely. coming up today, a little bit of controversy. >> first lady michelle obama and her daughter are on vacation as a lot of folks are right now. they happen to have taken their trip to spain and she's taking a lot of criticism. some are saying she should have stayed here in the u.s., maybe take a trip that could help the american economy. others say the first lady could should have the freedom to travel wherever she'd like. we'll get both sides of the story coming up. and it from the success of the real housewives oig franchise to the "jersey shore," more and more people are tuning in each week to cable television shows. look at that. all right. we'll take a closer look at how some unlikely new celebrities are changing what americans watch on tv. i'm proud to say i've never seen that show ever. >> you've never seen "desperate housewives"? >> no, i've seen "desperate housewives." >> i'm sorry, the other shore. >> i've never seen the jersey shore. >> have you watched that? >> no. but i know names like snookie and things hike that, so the real issue is these are becoming part of culture even beyond those who watch the shows. >> but they're being known for all of the things that they've done wrong, getting arrested, et he et. >> you and i came out of cable, remember that? >> yeah, you should see us brawl. and then move there's a new vending machine in town. you'll need more than spare change to make a purchase. products can range from a buck to hundreds of dollars and wait until you see what they sell. are the products worth the money? why many companies are opting for a machine instead of a store. one dispenses wine. i hope it doesn't get hung up like the candy bars. >> and you can't really return those. once you buy it, it's yours. but first let's begin with the tragic story out of scotland. police are investigating the deaths of three children from the same american family. the father of those children has now come forward with a statement and now police have charged the mother with their murder. >> reporter: today one friend describes theresa riggi as a loving mom. she apparently wrote last year that her children always came first. a treasure every moment with them, she reportedly said. now they're saying friends are asking how did it come to this. thousands of miles from home, how did this doting mother find herself so far from hope and so desperate? for this morning theresa riggi is charged with murdering her own children, two 8-year-old twin, austin and luke, and their five-year-old sister, cecilia. the mother originally from california leapt from the balcony of her home in scotland. neighbors had thought there had been a gas explosion in the apartment. >> i heard all the sirens, police cashes. >> i noticed the ambulance. >> reporter: last night detectives arrested theresa riggi and she lay in her hospital bed. a scottish newspaper claims the children had been stabbed. three young children who had lived here with their parents but were at the center of a bitter divorce. she failed to appear at a court hearing on july 4th. police visited her and the children just a day before thursday's shocking discovery. >> we spoke to the mother of the children and indeed the children. at that time they were safe and well. >> reporter: the children's grandparents still live in colorado. pasquale riggi grew up here. neighbors had no idea of the tragedy unfolding overseas. >> total shock. total shock. you know, can't believe it happened. >> reporter: back in scotland, one friend said cecilia had been excitedly handling out invitations for her sixth birthday party. it was just a few weeks away. today the children's father has issued a statement in which he says our family is struggling to come to terms with the immense and tragic loss of these beau thanks to all who have offered such great comfort and support. the police say they do not know when theresa riggi will appear in court because of her medical condition. the hospital says this morning she is stable. just a terribly tragic story. >> it really is. thank you. we want to make a turn outside now, get another check of the weather. bill karins is on the plaza. good morning, everyone. we have friendly ohio people here this morning. lima, ohio. what's the ohio cheer? >> good saturday morning. i'm news 4 meteorologist chuck bell. we're off to a wonderful sunny start this morning. temperatures are delightfully cool for august standards and much cooler than we've been all week long. starting off in the low to mid-60s in the west and northern suburbs. mid-60s around down. upper 60s and low 70s the closer you get to the chesapeake bay. today's high and tomorrow's high as well up to near 89 degrees. 90s return on mond their way. and if you want your hour by hour forecast, you can always get that at weather.com. amy, lester, back to you. still to come, wild weddings. from strange locations to wild dances, does anything go at weddings these days? seems like it. we'll take a hook. but up next, the phenomenon of cable tv, how some housewives and the jersey shore are changing the landscape of television. first these messages. 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[ animals calling ] ♪ [ pop ] [ man ] ♪ well, we get along ♪ yeah, we really do - ♪ and there's nothing wrong - [ bird squawks ] ♪ with what i feel for you ♪ i could hang around till the leaves are brown and the summer's gone ♪ [ announcer ] when you're not worried about potential dangers, the world can be a far less threatening place. take the scary out of life with travelers insurance... and see the world in a different light. danielle and theresa's hair pulling cat fights, snookie's arrest at the beach, even the d.c. housewives and "the view," what am i talking about? it's reality tv on cable. and viewers are eating it up. >> reporter: you may love them or hate them. or love to hate them. but this summer, bravo tv which is owned by nbc universal launched the newest installation in their successful housewives franchise. the real housewives of washington, d.c., part of the current cable tv craze. the reality show. >> reality shows thrive on conflict. conflict has always been good tv. and reality shows will find the conflict in anything. and will create a conflict if there isn't one. >> reporter: the shows with their colorful language and conflict-based dramas have expanded cable audiences. and are now seemingly such a part of our culture that even the president was asked during an appearance on "the view" to comment on snookie. >> i've got to admit, i don't know who snookie is. >> reporter: but snookie is known to many. 5 million people tune into watch her and the rest of the cast of of the premiere of mtv's hit reality show "jersey shore." reality shows are typically inexpensive to produce and the networks have also embraced them. but cable channels are now airing their own original series. >> a lot of cable networks have the advantage of not having to produce that many original shows. most of their content can be syndicated and they can go to br on the three or five that they produce. >> reporter: scripted dramas like entourage and usa's white collar, many of them shot on location and highly produced, can end up rivaling network shows as the line between cable and network television is blurred. >> diane is executive vice president of programming and marketing for tv guide. good morning. great to see you here. can we it first dispense with the term reality and call it unscripted 1234 sn there's no reality here. >> i think that's probably a better truism, yes. sometimes they're scripted. >> sometimes they are scripted. what is it that's drawing so much viewers? >> i think it's a bunch of things. if women, women like reality shows better and i actually think reality shows are replacing the soap operas for young women. these are their characters and it almost makes the soap opera seem old fashioned. young women are watching it and i think with the unpredict aspect of it, that maybe something fantastic will p happen, and third i think most of these characters are pretty much larger than life. and so there's that train wreck. >> i've heard other people say they make it seem like the dysfunctionality in my own life is pretty minor. because you go, wow, i thought i had problems. >> the same reason why people would watch a soap opera, they would watch erica kan event and all her problems. >> is the buzz disproportionate with the audience? and by that i mean i know who snookie is. i know who kate gosselin is. i've never watched their shows. >> you're probably not the target audience for the "jersey shore," but, no, the "jersey shore" was the number one show when it launched the other night, over 5 million people watched it. the situation rang the bell at the new york stock exchange. >> mtv airs the jersey shore saw their profits rise by 52% compared to the same time last year. advertisers are clearly scrambling to buy ads for the show. what's the game changer here? has cable now offered a niche that really can target certain demographics? >> i think the advantage that cable has to broadcaster, broadcasters are going after a broad audience, so they're trying to reach a 2 to 54-year-old. where cable network like an mtv, they're targeting that 18 to 24, so they're going after that sweet spot of that audience. so i think they have an advantage to go after that very targeted audience. >> talk about the how wives phenome phenomena. what's the formula working this? >> i think the most interesting thing about the housewives that actually came out because of december pratt housewives. there was a scripted show and bravo said what if we tweak it just a little bit and turn it a bit and make it a reality show. in the same way mtv did with laguna beach based on the o.c. so they've gotten a great formula, they've gone to different city and each city is very unique. jersey, they actually know each other. while they're bigger than life, i grew up in new jersey and the women do exist in franklin lakes. >> the networks have certainly done their own unscripted shows, the "dancing with the stars" and that sort of show. but cable seems to have found a home for these shows. can they go places the networks can't? >> i think sometimes cable can because i think that the ftc rules are a little bit looser on cable and, again, because i think they're going after a niche audience, so bravo is a very specific theme. so it frees them a bit more than the networks can. >> diane, nice to have you on. thanks very much. up next, i do at t.j. maxx after these messages. good morning! ♪ [ female announcer ] nutri-grain -- one good decision... ♪ ...can lead to another. ♪ ♪ ...made with real fruit and now with more of the whole grains your body needs. nutri-grain can help you eat better l day. we get double miles on every purchase. so we earned an l.a. getaway twice as fast. we get double miles every time we use our card. no matter what we're buying. and since double miles add up quick... romans! get em! 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[ male announcer ] no you don't, man. pepcid® complete works now and works later. we remember this if he toe from last weekend. chelsea clinton and marc mezvinsky tying the knot in an outdoor ceremony. but not every bride and groom goes for a traditional setting. some take getting married to a whole new level. >> reporter: a wedding is a milestone in a couple's life. but saying "i do" the traditional way is starting to seem old fashioned. conventional ceremonies are being tossed aside as couples look for innovative ways to personalize their big day. >> people are desperate for ways to make their wedding more unique and more personal than the wedding you went to last week. >> reporter: from picking a theme to dancing down the aisle, wedding fever keeps spreading. a portland oregon based donut shop has an entire menu dedicated to wedding services. since opening, they've held over 300 weddings. home depot has seen their fair share of matrimonial glee. several in the last couple years. >> the out of the box thinking, it's fun, memorable. >> it shows the true chores of t colors of the individual. >> reporter: for this couple, t.j. maxx is their dream spot. >> i learned the value of a dollar. at any given day, i could walk into a t.j. maxx and i would see my aunt, my grandma, my sister. he know what is the store means to me. you only get a hotel if there is a t.j. maxx within five miles. >> we feel like we're being true to ourselves and getting married at a place that we do have a bond at. >> reporter: as drew and lisa prepared for the big day -- >> i'm really looking forward to walking down the shoe aisle. >> i'm nervous for her. >> when i walk down the aisle, i might skim the shoes, but i'll try my hadest not to stop. he's a lot better than a pair of shoes. >> we have to make this happen no matter what. we have to make someone's dream wedding come true. >> she's in here at least once, twice, there's times a week. >> i feel like i'm already married to her, so we're just making it official. >> i'll still pick out his clothes and stuff. >> and i'll head you shop. >> reporter: one of the big perks of that wedding, it was absolutely free and t.j. maxx did not charge them anything to have the wedding this. but she might pick up a pair of shoes along the way, so maybe she would have to pay a little bit. >> if you were getting married in a store, what store would you choose? i would do gucci. i don't know. >> this is "today" on nbc. still to come, missing for one week, a 23-year-old pregnant woman missing on nantucket island. what police think may have happened. plus the first lady vacationing in spain. we'll take a look why many are questioning her overseas trip. but first these messages. as a mom i believe books brighten a child's future. so join the sunnyd book spree. when your child's class collects 20 labels... they get 20 free books. go to sunnyd.com and help us make classrooms sunnier. mmmmmm. mmmmmm. wow! you have got to be kidding me. 80 calories? light & fit has 80 calories versus 100 in the other leading brand. light & fit. irresistible taste. fewer calories. i love light & fit. practicing. practicing what? writing my name. why are you writing your name so much? because grandpa said that our name goes on everything we make. (announcer) tim and richard smucker grew up knowing that putting your name on every jar was a guarantee of quality. what are you doing, richard? i'm practicing too! that's a good idea. (announcer) for five generations, with a name like smucker's it has to be good. . time now is 7:56. i'm aaron gilchrist. welcome back. new details at this hour on yesterday's murder in prince george's county. police say is this all tied to drugs and they've made two arrests. derrick ward is live outside police headquarters now with the latest on this developing story. what's the latest? >> reporter: police called this a horrendous execution, stems from a drug deal gone bad. they have of identified the victims. police also have released the names of the suspects. 43-year-old darrell dillard and lakisha dillard. we'll have details coming up later. >> your weather forecast coming up next. stay with us. [ male announcer ] need a better way to save for the things you want? meet pnc virtual wallet. it comes with a wish list, that helps you set aside money for the stuff that really matters... just put the things you want on your wish list... and contribute money when you feel like it... then, watch as you get closer to getting what you want. wish list is built to make saving a whole lot more fun. experience all the ways virtual wallet can help you save at pncvirtualwallet.com. pnc. for the achiever in us all. welcome back. chuck bell has a look at today's forecast. >> beautiful weather outside on your saturday morning. we get to keep the nice weather all weekend long which is even better. temperatures right now mid-to-upper 60s right around town. 70s next to the chesapeake bay. a lot of spots, fairfax county, loudoun county, upper marlboro, in the low 60s this morning. going to be a nice day to be outside today. plenty of sunshine, low humidity. this kind of weather sticks around only through the weekend. as soon as you go back to work the heat returns. in our next half hour much more on that murder investigation in prince george's county. for now we send you back to new york and more of "the today show". good morning. breaking news. six american aid workers shot and killed in afghanistan. the taliban says they were spies who were preaching christianity. nantucket mystery. a young woman four months pregnant disappears from her home on the resort island. why her family now fears the worst. and lady of spain. the first family feeling the heat over michelle obama's vacation in spain. we'll have reaction. today, saturday, august 7th, we'll have reaction. today, saturday, august 7th, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television we're glad you're with us. welcome back to "today." >> a lot of people talking about the first lady's overseas trip and that's part of the controversy that she went and took her money raps to spain instead of here in the united states where we have a suffering economy. others say she can do what they wants. >> i guess it goes with the territory. you live in that fish bowl. we'll talk more about that later. also history will be made at elena kagan is sworn in as the new he is justice and for the first time three women will be serving on the court. we'll tell you why today's swearing in will be a break from tradition. >> and then the mystery on nantucket where a 23-year-old pregnant woman has been missing for more than a week.island resort is hardly known for crime story, but this case has people talking. and then we'll take a look at a hot new trend in business, high end vending machines that go way beyond the traditional machines and sell things like candy and snacks. you might be surprised at what you can buy these days and how much some of these things cost. and a bit later, everything you need to though about retirement from finances to some unusual places to spend your retirement years. even how to make sure your relationship survives the trance silgs. all of that is coming up. but we begin with the news out of afghanistan, the killing of six american civilians who were part of a medical mission. what's the latest in kabul? >> reporter: good morning. well, we're still waiting for official confirmation. the incident happened in a remote northern region which makes it difficult to get actual confirmation, but all indications are pointing that these six americans were part of this medical team from international assistance mission, iam. the director of iam has confirmed that they had a team in the area traveling to troy medical care, mainly eye care, to people in very remote areas. he said in addition to the six american, there was one german, two afghan and one british aid worker. he made some comments ear in kabul, here's what he had to say. >> they had finished their work and were on their way back to kabul. we had daily satellite through satellite phones and the last time we had contact was on wednesday evening and we think it might have happened on -- if it is our team, it might have happened on thursday. >> reporter: there are differing accounts to what actually happened. the local police chief has spoken to a driver who was a survivor of the attack. he said they encountered a group of taliban fighters who then lined them up, searched them and shot all ten of the aid workers and killing them. the taliban spokesmen have said that they have claimed responsibility for the attack. they say they met up encountered the group, the workers tried to run away and then they opened fire. the taliban is also saying that they found documents and bibles in the possession of these aid workers which proves that they were spying and trying to spread christianity. as i mentioned, this happened in a very tough remote northern region. all efforts are being made to try to bring the bodies back to kabul as soon as today. we're not sure if that's going to happen, with you as soon as they get here, then they'll be able to actually identify and confirm the identities and be able to notify the families. lester? >> thank you very much. and now here's amy. history will be made today at the u.s. supreme court as elena kagan is sworn in as the newest justice. pete williams joinses e us wit preview. >> reporter: she becomes the third woman on the supreme court. that's a historic first. and second her swearing this will be at the court, not the white house. this is how it was done for the first time last year to swear in sonia sotomayor. and administration officials say president obama wanted to emphasize the point that judges are meant to be independent from the president who appoints them. on friday, mr. obama celebrated with elena kagan at the white house and he referred to something she said during her confirmation hearing when it seemed like she was getting a question from senator lindsey graham about national security. >> where are you at on christmas day? >> i'm assuming that the question you mean is whether a person who was apprehended in the united states is -- >> i just asked you where you were at on christmas. >> you know like all jews, i was probably at a chinese restaurant. >> after more than 80 one-on-one meetings and 17 hours of testimony, i'd say that the senate got a pretty good look at elena kagan. they got a good sense of her judicial philosophy, her commitment to the rule of law, her rich understanding of our constitution, and, of course, where she can be found on christmass day. >> i also very much enjoyed meeting with 83 senators. but, really, who's counting? and enjoyed learning more about their concerns, their interests, and their deep commitments to public service. >> reporter: the president said he relishes having three women on the supreme court as a father who wants limitless possibilities for his daughters and is proud that the court will be more inclusive. so starting today, justice kagan can begin formally preparing for the supreme court term that starts the first monday in october. >> pete williams in washington. thank you. we want to head over to the news desk now. melissa francis has our headlines. good morning. we begin in the gulf with bp prepare to go make a final push to plug the blownout well for good. ron mott is live in new orleans with the latest. good morning, ron. >> reporter: good morning it to you. you mentioned that final push. it could come as early as the end of next week. bp expected to perhaps tack those relief wells. that will be the time they consider this well sealed for good. so far this static kill is holding up very nicely to the pressure test, cement and drilling mud into that wellbore, showing no signs of leakage. a lot of people asking where did the oil go. bp says three-quarters has been cleaned up or otherwise skimmed off the surface, so they'll start drawing down the size of the fleet that has been helping in that effort. bp ceo doug sulgtss was asked about tapping the oil. he said that's not their focus at this point. >> ron mott, thank you so much. unemployment remained unchanged in july. the labor department reports it is still at 9.5%. more than 130,000 jobs were lost, mostly temporary census workers. the private sector added 71,000 jobs. but economists say that's too few to make a significant difference. and hewlett-packard ceo is out of the a job. mark hurd has been fired for allegedly falsifying documents to conceal a relationship with a former contractor. the woman had accused hurd of sexual harassment. her high profile attorney, gloria allred, says there was no favor or sexual relationship. hurd will get about $28 million in severance and stock. and finally, some recent flooding thises about ton leave as tur kell high and dry and in the middle of the the highway. the turtle makes a bad choice. but despite a bad landing, he recovered and start order the precarious trip. one on looker yelling stop as he kept crossing across the highway and got too close for comfort to some cars. after surveying the under belly of two suvs, a trooper came out and try to move him. the experts showed up and prodded him back into the river. i guess he was depressed about the economy. i don't know. >> he was moving just as slows as the economy, that's for sure. >> in the meantime the hare is still napping at the finish fra much. bill karins -- . good saturday morning. outside of our windows today, bright sunshine and a blue sky overhead. a wonderful weekend here in the washington area. make your plans to get outside and enjoy it. our little humidity vacion will only last for today and tomorrow. temperatures right now in the lowe 60s in the western suburbs to upper 60s around town. high temperatures this afternoon in the mid to high 80s. a few locations will touch 90 today or tomorrow. by and large we'll get break and we have a happy 83rd birthday to wish you today. looking fantastic. thanks for coming down to visit us. where are you from? >> westchester. >> just up the road. back to you, lester. good deal of discussion and controversy this week over michelle obama's trip to spain. and it all leads to the question how private can a private vacation involving members of the first family really be? nora o'donnell joins us in the white house. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. advisers to mrs. obama did not anticipate all the attention and the criticism that the first lady's trip is getting. they insist that she will pay for her own personal experiences, but the cost of the rest of her traveling staff and security detail will be borne by the american taxpayer. spanish police cleared off a 100 yard stretch of beach for michelle and sasha, just part of the massive security surrounding their vacation. this was supposed to it be a fun get away with sight seeing, shopping and sampling the local chocolate gilatto, but instead some are raising questions about who is footing the bill. >> mrs. obama picks up all her personal costs, but it doesn't cover the whole tab. >> reporter: a tab that includes the air force version of a 757. the air force says it cost $11,551 an hour for a 6 1/2 hour trip, thes cost to taxpayers, $150,163. also on the bill, the estimated 70 secret service agents who get a $273 a day per diem. at five day, cost to taxpayers, $95,550. the first lady and her guests will pay their own way at the ritz-carlton retreat. sweets go up to $6500 a night, so they're looking at a pretty hefty bill. >> reporter: it is an expensive international trip just a month after mrs. obama urged americans to visit the beaches of the gulf coast. >> everybody should come here. >> reporter: the white house said this was a mother-daughter trip with family and friends planned a long time ago. >> she's a private citizen and is the mother of a daughter on a private t and i think you have to leave it at that. >> i pind find it ridiculous to about her as a private citizen. she's the first lady of the united states. >> reporter: the first lady's advisers point out that she does s. obama did have a choice in where she chose to vacation. lester? >> nora o'donnell at the white house for us this morning. thank you very much. up next, put your coins away. pull out the credit card. we'll tell you about the new vending machine. products and i think from a buck to hundreds of dollars. and wait until you see what they're selling. that's coming up after these messages. ease. excuse me...? this belongs to you... o...um...thank you. excuse me... this is yours... thank you! you're welcome. with chase freedom you can get a total of 5% cash back in your pocket. fun money from freedom. this is yours! thank you! what? that's 5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories all year long. does your card do this? sign up for this quarter's bonus today. chase what matters. go to chase.com/freedom. and i wondered what it was. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can do more with the ones i love. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior or any swelling or affected breathing, or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. then i found lyrica. activia is better than ever! hey, you guys. want to try activia's great new taste? today is your tasty lucky day! sure, why not? isn't this the yogurt that, you know... helps regulate your digestive system. ooh, i think i'll pass. no, no, no! trust me. it is beyond tasty. okay! mmm! wow! i can't believe it, i love it! mmm, this is really good! new best tasting activia ever! taste it, love it, or it's free! ♪ activia this morning on today's consumer, vending machine h, how far they've come. er januai gather you'll need mo than spare change to make these kind of purchases. >> its he in the candy bars anymore.in the candy bars anymore.the candy bars anymore. products range from a buck to hundreds. many companies are opting for a machine instead of a store because it saves on space and workers. >> customers drop coins in a slot and in return obtain food quickly. >> reporter: from the old automat of the 1940s to today's soda machines, dropping in a dollar or two meant a snack. but move over cheetos, there's a new vending machine in town. prices more like 100 bucks or who are. >> some people will drop 150 bucks on their way to the next state. >> reporter: proactive and the body shop have signed on, too. i was shown how to shop out of the box. >> what would you like me to buy for you here? >> reporter: one of everything? a simple touch of the screen and credit card swipe later, and a little robot delivers my digital camera. but what about this problem? sensors ensure your card isn't charged until your purchase drops. it's replaced their electronics department in 400 stores. but will folks really use them? >> if there was something i needed and i knew exactly what i wanted, sure. >> i'm a customer service guy. >> reporter: what about customer service? 1-00 numbers for questions and returns. >> a lot of this is still a test, but the success of it means that it isn't going to go away. expect to see more vending machines in places where foot traffic is here. >> reporter: like grocery stores where pennsylvania is trying out wine kiosks. and hotels like in south beach with no room for a gift shop, the semi-automatic stocks the practical like a raz chor and $ slippers to the widely impractical. a $400 feather bed. >> everyone needs one. don't you think? >> reporter: you can even rent a vintage car. cars come in such small packages these days. like this 1957 thunderbird. 2300 bucks f 2 300 bucks for the day. before you buy from a machine, make sure you read the return policy. some companies like best buy will let you return it to the store, but for most you have to call an 800 number and wait for them to get back to you and you have to pay for the shipping. so it's like online shopping. >> the devil is in the details. you have one more machine for us that you might see popping up in strange and unexpected places. what is this? >> clubs and health clubs, you want your hair straightened, just stick two dollars in for two minutes. this guy heats up really fast in two minutes and straighten it out. >> i can can see the line forming now right outside the gym. and you get two minutes and $5 for five minutes. >> depends how much straightening you need. >> i love it. i think it will be a huge success. >> in japan, you can get chickens and potatoes out of a vending machine. so we're like so far behind. >> we can still have plenty for to you come talk about. janice lieberman, thanks. we'll be right back. but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ male announcer ] need a better way to save for the things you want? meet pnc virtual wallet. it comes with a wish list, that helps you set aside money for the stuff that really matters... just put the things you want on your wish list... and contribute money when you feel like it... then, watch as you get closer to getting what you want. wish list is built to make saving a whole lot more fun. experience all the ways virtual wallet can help you save at pncvirtualwallet.com. pnc. for the achiever in us all. still to come, the keys on rye tirement. how to save, where to live, and how to get along. plus product advertisers to the test. but first these messages. what if it snowed chocolate? what if sweet mocha fell from the sky? or imagine catching icy caramel flakes as they drift down -- melting just as they touch your tongue or sliding down mounds of whipped cream right into a pile of rich chocolaty goodness. 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[ male announcer ] if you cannot afford your medication, mmmmmm. mmmmmm. wow! you have got to be kidding me. 80 calories? light & fit has 80 calories versus 100 in the other leading brand. light & fit. irresistible taste. fewer calories. i love light & fit. the time is 8:26. good morning everyone i'm kimberly suiters. we're learning more this morning about the murder of two women and two children at a home in riverdale, maryland. prince george's county police tell us two women were involve in a drug trade. police say dawn brooks and her sister were married execution-style after a deal gone bad. brooks' two daughters ages 3 and 4 were also killed. investigators have made two arrests in these murders very quickly. darrell dillard and la kisha gilmore both from texas have been detained in those murders. the bodies of the two women and two girls were found early yesterday morning. the home was filled with trash and feces. police were originally called to the residence for at that report about an assault. the prince george's county police chief says it was italy a horrific crime. >> the police chief, if there's a case that cries out for justice, it's this case. i'm very, even standing talking to you at this moment, very disgusted about the senseless, cowardly act in which all four victims, especially these two young kids were executed. >> it was unusual for police told a press conference so early on a saturday morning. those two arrests happened very quickly. we'll have more on the quadruple later this morning. your weather forecast is coming up next. stay with us. not that long ago, many families were priced out of an overheated housing market. but the times have changed. get the facts at remax.com. it's a great place to see all the listings in thousands of cities and towns. with lots of houses to chose from and down-to-earth prices the dream of owning a home seems more attainable than ever. find out what an experienced re/max agent can do for you. nobody sells more real este than re/max. visit remax.com today. let's check in with chuck bell. beautiful saturday morning under way already. bright sunshine is expected not loin for today but all the way through tomorrow as well. as you look live over the stiff washington, national cathedral on the left with the washington monument wandering off to the distance. beautiful weather today. temperature 20i67bs in most of the suburbs. two low 70s along the bay. 72 in chesapeake beach. 70 in california, maryland. temperatures in thor 80s to near 90 today and tomorrow. i think we'll stay out of the 90s this weekend. the 90s will be back next week. >> wasn't worried but now i am. we'll see you again at 9:00 for 90 minutes we're back on this saturday morning, the 7th day of august, 2010. it's a beautiful summer morning here in new york city. and our thanks to everyone who has come out on the plaza to share it with us outside. i'm amy robach along with lester holt. still to come this half hour, where is trudy hall? >> the 23-year-old pregnant woman has been missing for over a week. police have searched her home and the home of a man who knows her. we'll talk about what they have found coming up. and then are you ready for retirement? many older americans are putting off their retirement because of financial reasons, but this morning we've gathered a panel of experts to tell us everything from how to prepare for the unexpected, places to retire, and how your relationships change during this time in your life. >> one of the things we'll talk about is the option of retiring abroad. great cities you might want to check out. and then do you know what 1500 milligrams looks like? it's how much salt the american heart association recommends that we have in our diets every day. many companies are now making low salt, salt free, reduced salt products. how is it it tasdoes taste? we'll find out. a lot of the packaged foods we buy have a lot of salt. first before we get to all of that, let's turn our attention to bill karins to talk a little bit about the weather. >> it is fantastic out here. we like to start fashion trends out here, so first things first. i notice what looks like band aids and i was wondering if you were okay. what are y . i'm news 4 meteorologist chuck bell. beautiful saturday here in the nation's capital. we get to keep the great weather all the way through today, even tonight another very pleasant evening to be outside. overnight low temperatures tonight into tomorrow morning will once again drop into the 50s and 60s. 69 degrees down. highs today mid-to-upper 80s. beautiful weather today. sunshine, low humidity. that sticks around for tomorrow. the 90s and humidity return early next week. you guys like football? yeah? all right. let's talk sunday night football. can you believe it? that time of year already. starting off with a pretty good game, too. hall of fame classic. dallas cowboys, cincinnati bengals. tony romo. do you like tony romo? no, they don't. hall of fame game, mostly clear and mild. temperatures right around 75 to 79 degrees. ochocinco,er ochocinco, ochocinco, entertaining. now a nn tuck ket mystery, a 23-year-old woman who has vanished on an island not known for crime. her family fears the worst. mike taibbi reports. >> reporter: 23-year-old trudy hall, four month pregnant, has been missing for more than a week if her home on nantucket island, massachusetts. the district attorney call it is a missing person's case. adding only we're working round the clock and when we hahave something further to report, we will do so. but on friday it looked like police were treating one of the homes of an acquaintance as a crime scene. he met hall and pleaded last guilty to theft and firearms chargeses. police spent hours at his home before removing an suv, a motorcycle, and several bags of evidence. wilson himself spent hours at police headquarters leaving without comment. police are not calling wilson a suspect, just a person of interest. but he's clearly been a focus of the investigation to this point. hall's mother, vivian walker, struggled with her we could motions saying that police told her they're now treating the case as a possible homicide and that she, too, suspects the worse. >> somebody did something to trudy. i called her phone and her phone was cut off. somebody shut off the phone. >> reporter: she said she last heard from her daughter on tuesday, july 27th. that's when hall left nantucket for the mainland and her rental car was later recovered with blood stains in it not far from wilson's home. neighbors have seen the crime scene teams working without pause and they're anxious. >> i figured it had something to do with the disappearance of that woman. it's really a scary thought. >> reporter: a graduate of nantucket high school where speak played soccer, hall has been active in her community church on the island, the sam nantucket church will wilson had also been a member. for "today," mike taibbi, nbc news, new york. >> we'll be back in a moment, but first these messages. so, get this -- kraft mac & cheese... but it's in a bag. and you bake it... in the oven. whatever happened to cheesasaurus rex? i love that guy. well, kraft corporation, i'm on to you -- going after the grown-ups and trying to muscle me out. but i'm not going anywhere. 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[ female announcer ] new clinical skincare. neutrogena. #1 dermatologist recommended brand. this morning on "today," retirement tools. retirement today is both new financial challenges and exciting opportunities for life after the working world about that. >> now more than ever it's important to be prepared for makings transition. we've gathered a group of experts to discuss everything from your finances to where to repir tire. >> you know you have to save, but how much and huh ow do you it? far noosh, good morning. the big question is how much should you save? it's a big question mark for a lot of people. >> there are certain questions you want to ask yourself, such as what age do i want to retire at. will i have any earnings during a retirement like a pension or savings. what's my lifestyle going to be like. really some soul searching, planning ahead. a lot of online tools that can help you. the one i like is choose to save.org. not only will it tell you what you ultimately may need, but thousand get h. >> and speaking of how to get there, how do you start saving, what are some of the best tips to make sure you've got that pot? >> the basic tips are the best tips. the 401(k) is a must. if your employer offers this, bank on it. and invest at least as much as your employer will match. secondly, the individual retirement account, i.r.a., the cap is $5,000. of,000 $6,000 if you're above the age of 50. if you have a home and you're concerned about owning that home in retirement and do you have equity, start putting a little bit more into your mortgage. maybe an extra payment a year, to not only get that mortgage relieved quicker, but you pay less interest over time. >> and i think a lot of people go, well, okay, i've got that number, but what if i run out of money, what if inflation takes over. how do you prepare for that? h. >> you may work a few extra years in retirement. it is easier said than done, but some solutions for people who may have to do this. think about working part-time at your existing job or working a part-time shift in retail. baby boomers are the fastest group of entrepreneurs, so think about what can you do with a small business other than or opening up a franchise. and finally think about how you can monetize your skills. you're 60, 65, you've got decades of work experience. maybe you can an career coach, you can be a mentor, you can be a consultant. so a lot of ways to boost your revenue stream. >> and you should discuss these plans with your family? >> absolutely. so many older adults are taking care of their aging parents unexpectedly. so have conversations, what are your plans, what are your expectations. >> thanks so much. now here's lester. now where to retire? more are looking to spend their golden year in an exotic locale. ken bud is here from aarp the magazine. good to see you. retiring abroad is an interesting concept. why are more people looking at that? >> it's two things. the first is economics. nest eggs are slinging. social security may not cover basic living expenses. to afford the life you want, you may have to to it overseas. a beach house will be a lot cheaper in central america than southern california, but its eels t's also the adventure factor. >> what are things you need to consider if you're thinking about retiring abroad? definitely do your research. not just reading the book, but going that you two to three time, spending two to three weeks there. before you buy any real estate, talk to a local attorney p. the laws can be different. on the health care front, it's a lot better in latin america than you might think. people are going to panama city for inexpensive medical care. medicare is the key, though. you won't be covered overseas. a lot of people come back to the u.s. on medicare loans. >> let's talk with some of the places you might want to consider. puerto vallata. >> spectacular beaches. warm weather. affordability is key, though. about 50% about of the people who live there say they can live for under $1,000 a month. but the continuing we kept hearing, it's like a mexican mayor behey berry. they rave about the friendly necessary of the people. >> panama.they rave about the f necessary of the people. >> panama. >> going hard after retirees. concerts, movies, air travel. there's >> a lot of americans there? >> about 7,000. >> another attractive italy. most think about it as a vacation spot. >> you think expensive, but the more publicity it gets, the who are expensive it will be. a lot of people are living there for $20,000 to $25,000 to year. you have beach, vineyards, great cultural life and some of the best seafood in italy. >> thanks very much. finally retirement and relationships. the road to retirement can sometimes be rocky. here with the best strategies to get through it as a couple is dale atkins. this is a big transition and for couples who are getting ready to retire, what can they expect in terms of relationship changes? >> there will be a lot before number one, people's moods change. and you'll spend an enormous amount of time together. you have to think about what mood are you going through? are you going to be more depressed because you've lost your job or are you going to be elated because you left the job you hated? are you going to be spending time and understanding that what am i going to do for 24/7? we haven't spent that much time together. and also what about your identity, because people's sense of themselves changes after they work and when they start retiring and how do they have a purpose. what is their meaning in the world. >> and oftentimes couples have can different expectations of what retirement will be like. how do you try to reconcile those different expectations? >> first you have to talk about them. you have to share your vision of what the retirement is. and are you thinking that you're going to go spend life on a beach and is your partner thinking that you're going to take classes? are you going to be lounging around or getting out and going? are you going to do a lot of things together? you have to be mindful of the changes that are going on in your partner, so you want to be responsive to his or her mood swings and also their goals. because they have to be somewhat like yours in some areas because you're going to be spending time together and you also want to have a sense of what your talents are and if you can encourage your spoth spouse to do what he or she has always wanted to do, it's a really good thing to do. >> and i think it's interesting because there are a lot of changes and sometimes geographical changes. a lot of people want to move to warmer climates or maybe a lower cost of living, but that may mean moving away from family and friends. >> they think of the glamour, but you want to know what the culture of is that place and whether it reflects both of your interests. and what kind of community will you have there. if you're going to another country, how fluent are you in the language. that may be something you want to do together is learn the language. and you have to be computer literate because if you're going to be so far away, are you going for skype your friends, are you going to go on i-chat. what about the grandchildren, will they be able to visit you. is it a motivator to be away from your family or have them come. and how involved will you be in the community. because one of the things we know about retirees is their lives have to be interesting, they have to be involved in a community. you're retiring from work, not life. so how do you really want to life wherever you are, far away or close by. >> so if you plan ahead, it can be very exciting. thanks so much. dock up next, the truth about salt. but first this is "today" on nbc. this morning on today's taste test, excess salt has been linked to high blood pressure and companies have developed foods with less salt, but can they be healthy and delicious? today phil is here with some of those hoe elower sodium foods f to try. >> it's thought about the salt that you sprinkle at a restaurant or at home. it's about the salt that's hidden in the products. the average american is consuming over 3400 milligrams of sodium a day. the recommendation, about 1500. >> what is that in terms of teaspoons is this that's not a lot. >> no, it's not. if you look at a teaspoon of it, about 2,000 milligrams will be about a full teaspoon. the density of sodium is different versus msg or some of the other hidden woods. >> what are some of the biggest culprits? >> centers for disease just came out with a list of the top five and you'll be shocked what the number one source of hidden sodium in our diet is. and that's yeast breads. as a matter of fact, the one last on our list on our graphic here that's the number one source. certainly it's in soups, cold cuts. we need to read the labels very carefully and it's getting more confusing. because, for example, if you take a hook at the words no sodium, it could have five milligrams or less. if it's very slow sodium, 35 milligrams or less. low sodium is 140 milligrams or less. or reduced sodium. about the line is take the package, look at the nutritional panel. >> the good news is food producers are catching on to this trend now trying to offer more products with less sodium. you've brought a few you want me to try. >> yes. let's start with some chips. both the frito lay products that we have here have reduced sodium by 50%. just 08 hill gra just 80 milligrams. try one of these. we were talking before that they it actually taste before. >> i can't tell the difference. >> healthy choice, what's interesting about healthy choice, this is slightly different because to be able to use the word healthy in their name, it's tightly regulated with the amount of fat and sodium by the government. so really even though this might not say low sodium, this has a lot less sodium than other dinners that are out there. 290 pill grams. in fact, conagra foods who i'm working with to help spread the word about sodium was the first company that announced a sodium reduction of 20% across all of its brands. >> i got to tell you once again, i never had this product, but it seems seasoned perfectly fine. >> we just have been taking in way too much salt. not only for flavor, but also it's a preservative. >> you mentioned tomato products are big culprits. this is hunts? >> this is hunts. not only is it zero sodium, i'll put a little on amy's burger for to you try, but also they were the first ones to take out high fructose corn sire ryrup. this is their california veggie burger, 50% less sodium again. >> i'm not missing it. >> also centers for disease control estimates that 90% of all americans consume too much sodium. so this is really a very, very serious issue. >> it's great the companies are catching on and offering alternatives. >> it's because of you and i. i don't mean from a tv standpoint, but from a consumer standpoint. because we're saying we want products with less sodium and if we don't have it, we're buying something else. >> you brought some v 8 here. what's special about this? >> again, this is it the low sodium v 8, 140 milligrams. normally their sodium level is almost 500 milligrams. >> i don't drink the regular stuff, so i can't compare, but -- it tastes fine. >> tastes fine. now, again, read all the ingredients because sodium can be mirrored. msg, monday sodium, that's salt. >> i'm still hungry. >> these are new deli meats. 30% less sodium. >> it's good. thanks very much. we'll be back, but first these messages. anything else to eat? 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[ sighs ] [ male announcer ] listerine®. clean deeper. get healthier.™ and for a deeper clean and brighter teeth, try advanced listerine with tartar protection. and for a deeper clean and brighter teeth, hey, you guys. want to try activia's great new taste? isn't this the yogurt that, you know... helps regulate your digestive system. trust me. it is beyond tasty. mmm. this is really good! new best tasting activia ever! taste it, love it, or it's free! ♪ three decadent flavors. 60 caloes. me clock. time for jelo. this is derek whitaker, he's a first time home buyer. he came to quicken loans, asking for a little bit of help on how to go about buying a home. david gave me all kinds of support. what i need to look for in a house, setting me up with a realtor, ways to get the house inspected. everything you could want to know and more. i just kind of walked him through the process... at 23, i was just trying to find somebody who would have confidence in me. everyone at quicken loans made things amazingly simple for me. that's why i love quicken loans! ♪ that does it for us on this saturday morning. our thanks to melissa and bill. coming up tomorrow, you goat meet the zedonk. >> that's a whole 'nother story. plus who are the power celebrities behind oprah winfrey's o network? we'll find out. with. good morning. i'm kimberly suiters. . i'm aaron gilchrist. straight ahead, breaking news. a quick double trachbt murders of two adults and two children. live reports from prince george's county police headquarters coming up in minutes. plus if you take metro this weekend you will encounter more delays. we'll tell you where to expect them. cleaning up from thursday's storms. what you need to know today if you want to get help getting your downed trees hauled away. chuck? plenty ever sunshine for now. we'll talk to chuck in a couple of minutes along with the rest of the day's news when you join [ male announcer ] looking for a complete picture of your money? meet pnc virtual wallet. it comes with a money bar that shows what's scheduled to go out, what you've put aside... and how much you really have available, right now to spend on the things you want. and you can free up money with a simple slide. it's built to help make your financial life a whole lot easier. experience everything virtual wallet has to offer at pncvirtualwallet.com. pnc. for the achiever in us all. new today breaking news. we just learn police made two arrests after a gruesome discovery in prince george's county. police found the bodies of two women and two children inside this house. find out why police say the suspects committed the crimes. good morning, everyone, welcome to "news4 today." i'm kimberly suiters. >> i'm aaron gilchrist. it's saturday, august 7, 2010. the news stories for you in just a second. first a quick check on the forecast, and chuck bell is here. it will be better today than it has been. >> you noticed yesterday sometime right after lunch time things started to improve around here. the winds switched around to the northwest yesterday afternoon started to bring in the lower humidity, cooler temperatures. we're all appreciating the changes that mother nature has thrown our way just in time for our weekend. here's a live picture outside. plenty of sunshine today. skies not maybe as blue as we would like them to be but nonetheless they look pretty good. temperatures in the 60s in a loss of suburbs to around 70 degrees in town. satellite review shows clear skies through don't hours. the weather front that brought the change is way down to our south so high pressure is in charge. nice weather all weekend long. there's a look at the radar. the radar can be turned off for today and tomorrow if we needed to justbe