Transcripts For WRC Today 20110208

baby. her mother said the weeks that followed have been anything but smooth. she'll tell us why "today" tuesday, february 8, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning. i'm meredith vieira. >> i'm matt lauer. despite the calls for new protests in tahrir square there are signs that the people of cairo are trying to return to some sense of normalcy after two weeks of protest. we'll have the latest straight ahead. >> and new details surrounding the mystery of a woman who died at the home of beer magnate august bush. >> and we have video this morning. this is frightening stuff. you are about to see car surfing and it is being tried unfortunately by a growing number of teenagers. just ahead, a mother who lost her son because he was car surfing shares a heart-breaking story. >> plus, what does simon cowell think about the new simonless "american idol"le? first we'll go to ann curry at the news desk. >> good morning, everybody. as you just heard today protesters are still refusing to leave tahrir square and the president has not answered their demands with his resignation. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel is in cairo again. the obama administration is using dialogue -- urging dialogue on reforms. is there a sense u.s. pressure is diminishing on the mubarak administration? >> reporter: good morning. there is. the obama administration backing calling for more reform but is not calling for immediate regime change and is refusing to endorse the protesters' demands that president mubarak step down. life is returning to cairo as egypt is now looking for a way out of this crisis. the new vice president omar suleiman today announced the government has a schedule and a road map for a peaceful transition from mubarak's regime to more democratic elections next fall. but the protesters say promises aren't enough. they don't trust that mubarak will carry out any democratic reform. they are still camped out in cairo's tahrir square. for weeks the movement has been without a leader, but the demonstrators are trying to form a committee to represent them. and they have been inspired by the release yesterday of a blogger and google executive after 12 days of detention. [ speaking in a foreign language ] please don't turn me into a hero, he said. i'm an ordinary person. heroes are on the streets. but the government is calling people back to work. the main bazaar in cairo has re-opened but most say it's to dust off souvenirs. there are no tourists, no business. egyptians are divided, with many wanting democracy but not unrest. both the egyptian and u.s. governments now appear to agree that egypt's transition to more democracy will take months, not weeks. it seems increasingly unlikely that president mubarak will be forced into exile. ann? >> thanks, richard engel this morning. meantime, according to new cables released by wikileaks omar suleiman has been a longtime favorite of israeli officials to take over for mubarak. by this summer there will be a new nation in africa, southern sudan. they will secede after decades of civil war. president obama said the u.s. will recognize the secession in july and will begin to take sudan off the list of countries sponsoring terrorism. a rebel from chechnya is claiming responsibility for a moscow bombing. the rebel leader released the video online and vowed there will be more attacks to come. the government is set to release today the results of the ten-month investigation into toyota, the world's biggest automaker has been saddled with millions of safety recalls. meantime toyota announced the net profit plummeted 39% in the third quarter compared to the year before. and a man has been arrest fwin the so-called polite robber case. >> i really am sorry to have to do this, but i've got kids. >> the suspect gained national attention because of good manners as he robbed a store, even apologizing with his gun drawn. the 65-year-old suspect was arrested at home, not far from where the robbery took place. it is now 7:05. let's go to meredith, matt and al. >> thank you very much. mr. roker, we have a change in the weather today. >> do you know what he'll say to the judge? >> i'm sorry? >> pardon me. [ laughter ] >> good morning. overnight rain left some pavement wet, but now it's getting blow-dried, and we're clearing out. temperatures above freezing, though, in the 30s across most of the region. and the winds will begin to gust to around 40 to 50 miles an hour later this afternoon. that may cause some scattered power outages. we'll drop out of the 30s this morning into the 20s by late this afternoon and overnight tonight. by dawn tomorrow, the teens. wednesday, partly sunny, highs mid-30s. below freezing temperatures on and that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you. president obama is holding a series of closed door meetings at the white house today after spending monday trying to mend fences with big business and his critics. nbc's white house correspondent savannah guthrie has details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, meredith. with the president set to send his budget to congress next week there are big battles looming over the nation's debt, an issue he took on on fox news last night. >> we've got to make some tough decisions. >> reporter: in the second part of his interview with bill o'reilly the president fended off a suggestion he brought no urgency to the debt crisis in his state of the union address. >> we are proposing to cut $400 billion of spending over five years. by doing that we will get domestic spending to the lowest level as a share of gdp since eisenhower. >> reporter: mr. obama acknowledged the biggest part of the debt is entitlement spending and said neither party is going to be able to fix it alone. >> the long-term problem is entitlements, social security, medicare, medicaid. i have said to republicans i want to work with you to figure out how we cut spending. >> reporter: the president's comments came on a day when he extended an olive branch to the business leaders at the chamber of commerce. taking steps by walking to the chamber building just a block from the white house to try to repair what's often been a rocky relationship on issues such as health care and financial regulation. >> if we have brought over a fruit cake when i first moved in, we would have gotten off to a better start. >> reporter: fighting a perception he's anti-business -- >> i understand the challenges you face. i know you share my enthusiasm. if there is a reason you don't share my confidence, i want to fix it. >> reporter: the president promised to eliminate burden from regulation while defending the need for some government intervention. >> not every regulation is bad. not every regulation is burdensome on business. >> reporter: a somewhat different tone from comments he made to ceos a year ago. >> if they wish to fight common sense consumer protections, that's a fight i'm more than willing to have. >> reporter: on monday mr. obama called for a cut in corporate taxes and urged executives to get in the game with a kennedy-like call to action to invest in america. >> winning the future is not just about what the government can do for you to succeed. it's also about what you can do to help america. >> reporter: well, the president will be behind closed doors for most of the day. but the vice president will be at the amtrak station in philadelphia talking about the need to improve the nation's infrastructure. one of the issues that the chamber of commerce and the administration agree on. matt, back to you. >> thank you very much. savannah guthrie at the white house this morning. will president obama's outreach to the business community mean good things for the economy? jim cramer is the host of "mad money." the president was bashing wall street, talking about the fat cats and bonuses a year ago. and people across the country agreed with him. now we are hearing a different tone. is this about the fact that jobs haven't come back as quickly as people want? >> 100%. this is about creating employment. it's a big olive branch. he now has the onus on business. he made the first step here. >> is it a verbal olive branch only or is he backing it up? >> if they can change the cor corporate tax, money comes back to hire people. with this trade initiative, if we can break barriers for foreign countries that will produce a huge amount of jobs. >> he said they must shoulder responsibility for lifting the shaky economy and vowed to knock down government barriers that hamper business growth. is this the way the logical explanation works? in other words, can business lead this economy to recovery or does the economy need to recover to get businesses to hire? >> the rest of the world is doing terrifically. it's been difficult for our businesses to crack in to india, china, latin america. the president said, i'll help, but you have to make the stuff here. i think the business leaders heard it and will change. >> you're a cynical guy. >> oh, yeah. >> look beyond the economy here and look to politics. we are less than two years away from the 2012 elections. by taking this softer stance with business, what does president obama gain politically? >> first of all, your 401-k will go up. this is a new experience in ten years. he's making people feel comfortable spending, making companies feel more comfortable spending. that is going to produce jobs, lower the unemployment rate. >> when? when is this going to -- >> i'll tell you when. it's going to be done by election. >> two years from now? not sooner? >> it's very difficult to change everything. i think you will see a tone which says, listen, we can't keep working people as long as we have. we have to bring people in. some of the fuel, aluminum companies, it's happening. >> the dow closed above 12,000. six straight days of gains. how do you feel about the market right now? >> right now i think it's fabulous. we had a chinese rate hike last night, so today won't be good but we could be up another 12%. this is a new market. the market is up since the president changed his ways. business feels he has. >> jim, thank you very much as always. watch "mad money" on cnbc weeknights at 6:00 and 11:00. tomorrow on "today," first lady michelle obama joins us for a live interview in studio 1a. it's 7:13. here's meredith. >> thank you. mark zuckerberg has been granted a restraining order against a man who's stalked him online and at home. miguel almaguer has the story. >> reporter: he's the face of facebook but mark zuckerberg has one friend he never wanted. facebook confirms the creator of the social networking site has been granted a restraining order against the man pending a court hearing this month. as first reported by tmz.com, he's a facebook subscriber who allegedly stalked zuckerberg on and off line. according to tmz, court papers say he tried to follow, surveil and contact mr. zuckerberg using language threatening his personal safety. >> the judge issued a restraining order telling him to stay at least 300 yards away. >> reporter: tmz reports the man sought out zuckerberg, the world's youngest billionaire, at facebook offices in palo alto looking for, quote, money for his financially strapped family. tmz said he wrote to zuckerberg, time is running out for me. i owe entire my life at your service. please help me. then i am ready to die for you. these are not just the words. these are coming from my heart. zuckerberg's sister received incoherent messages. dear randi, please respond before it gets too late. i really need your help, my dear sister. police got involved after the man went to zuckerberg's home. officers told him to leave the property and he was given a verbal warning. four days later the man wrote a bizarre letter to zuckerberg saying if i get a chance to work with you in the near future, it would be my honor. lighthouse is more powerful than churches. it suits you. the handwritten letter was reportedly sent with flowers. >> that's what gets scary. first he's going to the internet. then he goes to his place of business. then he tries to get into his house. you get a sense of an increase in frustration. >> reporter: nbc news contacted manukonda who confirmed the restraining order but declined comment. meanwhile, zuckerberg said, trying to make the world a more open place by helping people connect and share, but apparently not like this. miguel alma gur, nbc news, los angeles. >> it is 7:16. here's matt. >> we are learning more about what may have caused the death of a woman inside the mansion of august bush, iv. kevin tibbles has details. >> reporter: while the coroner's report has not been released there is a report that's been confirmed by our nbc affiliate here in st. louis, ksdk, that contains toxicology results into the death of bush's girlfriend adrian martin. nearly two months after her death, clues about what may have happened to 27-year-old adrian martin. the aspiring model was found dead in december at the mansion of her boyfriend august bush, iv, former ceo and heir to the anheiser-busch fortune. toxicology reports say she had cocaine and oxycodone in her system at the time of death. the toxicology results were reported to martin's family. the st. louis post dispatch spoke with dr. kevin martin. >> he was surprised to hear the results. adrian was always anti-drug. >> reporter: martin's ex-husband said adrian had a heart condition but never suspected she was using drugs. medical experts say the two should not mix. >> it can be a deadly combination, especially in people who have underlying heart problems. >> reporter: martin and bush had been dating for two years when he found her unresponsive in his home. >> emergency, 9-1-1. >> we need an ambulance. >> what's the problem? >> this girl is not waking up. >> reporter: when bush was a college freshman, he was involved in a crash that killed his female passenger. in 18985 he was accused of tryig to run down two police officers during a chase. he was acquitted. he seemed to overcome his troubles and playboy past. >> no one pointed to problems at least within the last 20 years but he had been in rehab for depression and, quote, other issues. he never said what those issues are. we can only hope that we'll find out more answers as this process goes on. >> reporter: matt, the coroner's report is expected to be released later in the week. back to you. >> kevin tibbles in st. louis. thank you very much. it's 18 after the hour. here's meredith. >> the countdown to the royal wedding between prince william and kate is now 80 days. now there is a way for you to interact with the prince, sort of. stephanie gosk is at buckingham palace to explain. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. since the engagement, william and kate have been keeping low profile. very few public appearances. our royal insiders say sometimes kate leaves her house in disguise. the palace is trying to keep them out of the press, but that makes the public want to know what they are up to even more. the day of the engagement announcement there were probably more than a few women who thought, i wonder what that must be like, to be kate middleton in that moment. ♪ >> reporter: that's what american artist jennifer ruble was thinking. >> it is the embodiment of a fairytale. and prince william is prince charming. it is a happy moment where the world is coinciding with our fantasy of the world. >> reporter: which she's hoping to recapture in a london gallery, this time with william made of wax. 6'3", replica of the hand tailored suit, watch and of course the ring. his arm ready for someone to slip through. ready to experience the magic of the moment. what's that, will? who should design my wedding dress? what a great idea. some artists are grappling with kate's celebrity. >> questioning the lon gevity o the celebrities of the past and of the future. >> reporter: sure. most people like looking at william and kate anywhere they can find them. plates, mugs, magazine covers. nothing new for the prince but icon status for kate is new territory. ♪ >> it's perplexing. one day you're a normal girl and suddenly you have been offered the world in terms of magazine covers, paintings, statues, things named after you. >> reporter: magazines especially tapped into her fame. a cover with the future princess flies off the shelves. kate, like her prince charming, is now undeniably and unavoidably a celebrity. there is a rumor that kate would be on the covers of vogue, an attempt to boost flagging sales, but reportedly kate said no to that. another example of her trying to keep a low profile. you may remember diana was on the cover of vogue before the wedding in 1981. >> thank you very much. stephanie gosk in london. has it gone too far now? >> people slipping their finger in the ring? >> you get to feel the experience. >> that's a little too far. >> you're not going to do it hopefully, but a lady might. >> okay. stephanie did. that's important. >> exactly. coming up, new details on the reunion between a woman abducted as a baby and her birth family. her biological mom speaks out in a live interview about the twist the story has taken since then. first, this is "today" on nbc. still to come on a tuesday morning, one mother's warning to other parents about a dangerous thrill ride that is becoming popular among teenagers. this is it right here. it's known as car surfing. >> and then on a lighter note we'll meet the adorable new addition to the zoo. baby choo tas. ry purchase. so we earned a trip to vegas twice as fast! 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"i love you." - that's not on there. - no, it's in here. - savings on select diamond fashion: one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. so that's why we have sensodyne iso-active whitening for those that are looking for it. it comes in a canister. it starts out as a gel. now this is where the fun begins. once you start to brush with it, it micro-foams. having those small micro-bubbles really allows it to get to those hard to reach areas. it's providing a cleaner experience. the benefits for sensodyne iso-active whitening, it's going to provide protection against sensitivity. and it's going to help restore teeth to their natural whiteness. and it's going to help restore teeth the best device for everything you love to read editors' choice. best dedicated ereader. magazines look spectacular. fantastic device. touch the future of reading at barnes and noble. nookcolor. good morning. i'm joe krebs at 7:26 on this tuesday, the 8th of february. and in the news for today, an early-morning hazmat scare in prince george's county. this happened in the 5800 block of columbia park road in cheverly at the packing company. they received a call for an ammonia leak just after midnight. they evacuated the business. about 100 people were inside. they're all fine this morning and it took about four hours to fix the problem. we'll take a break now and come back and look at our weather and traffic right after this. hey, what are you drinkin'? i'm drinkin' dunkin'. coffee -- black, straight up. extra cream, three sugars. iced coffee french vanilla. for me. iced coffee with a turbo shot. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. drinkin' dunkin'. america runs on dunkin' coffee. good morning. sun's up in a clearing sky. we're in the 30s now. we'll drop off from the 30s into the 20s later today. winds gusting to 50 miles an hour this afternoon. that may cause some scattered power outages. teens tomorrow morning. highs tomorrow mid-30s and partly sunny. a small chance of a few flurries on thursday with highs near 30. how's traffic, jerry? >> tom, along the 270 corridor, you can see the camera getting wind-whipped here just a bit. it's all volume headed toward the capital beltway. no accidents. northeast, we did have some trouble on new york avenue inbound at bladensburg road. earlier accident gone, but jammed off the bw parkway. traffic light delays to the third street tunnel. a trail-blazing coach sits down with a lunch for lindsay tonight. washington's first ever female ♪ [ male announcer ] not all steel is created equal. not all manufacturing processes are created equal. not all engineering standards are created equal. which is why not all luxury vehicles are created equal. the hard way means never taking short cuts. the hard way is how lexus inspires absolute confidence. this is the pursuit of perfection. see what it takes at lexus.com/thehardway. it's 7:30 now on a tuesday morning, the 8th of february, 2011. you are looking down at the plaza in new york city, our corner of the world, 49th street and rockefeller plaza. it's been raining overnight. supposed to get much colder this afternoon. inside studio 1a, it's fine in here. i'm matt lauer alongside meredith vieira. coming up, a disturbing activity known as car surfing that can lead to serious injury and even death. when you see the video, you understand why. police are seeing more cases of it, especially among teenagers. we'll have details on that. you can just see it's lunacy. >> crazy. also ahead, a remarkable story from the national zoo where two baby cheetahs were born. when one mother couldn't care for her cub, the other was forced to take up the slack. we'll go there live. >> and how does simon cowell feel about "american idol" without him? he'll tell us when he joins us for a live interview coming up. >> let us begin with the latest on what's a rocky reunion between carlina white and her biological family. she was snatched from a new york hospital 23 years ago as a baby. we'll talk to her birth mother but first the latest. >> reporter: ann pettway is being held without jail at a federal detention center in new york. on monday prosecutors were to announce whether a grand jury had returned an indictment against her. now prosecutors and the defense have asked for two weeks to find out what the grand jury decides and how to move forward. >> i want my baby back. they didn't have to do that to me. i had her. i was carrying her for nine months. they didn't have to take her from me. >> reporter: in 1987 an unthinkable crime took place. 3-week-old carlina white was snatched from the hospital leaving her young parents without a clue. 23 years later, the unthinkable turned into the unbelievable when carlina was reunited with her biological parents. >> i always believed she would find me. >> this is what i wanted ever since i found out that lady wasn't my biological mother. >> reporter: that lady is ann pettway who confessed to an agent she snatched carlina from the hospital, raised her as her own daughter giving her the name nejdra nance. when nejdra grew up she asked pettway for a birth certificate and pettway had nothing. nejdra started to search and unlocked the mystery of her identity. >> looking at the picture it looked like my daughter. i swear i stayed on that article for a good two hours. >> reporter: police say dna confirmed nejdra dance was carlina white, but the case is far from happily ever after. the first indication of trouble came from carlina's biological father who spoke with matt on "today." >> i'm happy my daughter came back. it's hard for her to cope with us right now because she hasn't been with us for 23 years. >> reporter: family members say carlina has become distant from her biological mother joy white, even questioning her birth family about financial issues. experts say carlina may be going through an identity crisis. >> she may be experiencing loyalty conflicts between the family that raised her and the family she's just discovered. that's a difficult place to be put in. >> reporter: carlina remains in georgia where she's lived for the last several years and has reportedly started using the name nejdra again. >> there is a possibility these biological parents could have experienced lost for the second time. the child may have been lost as an infant and lost as an adult. that may be their harsh reality. >> reporter: nbc news reached out to carlina. she has no comment. it turns out law enforcement and the connecticut department of children and families could have solved the case six years when pettway told someone at dcf she was not nejdra's biological mother. police were contacted at the time but the investigation went nowhere. >> thank you very much. joy white, carlina's biological mother is with us exclusively for her first live interview. good morning. i know you have been through a lot over the past few weeks. how are you doing? >> it's been pretty tough. i wanted to have a relationship with my daughter. >> it started positively when she first reconnected with you. >> yes. everything was great. i was on such a high when i first reunited with my daughter. you couldn't tell me nothing else, you know. i was floating on air. i was so happy. that moment was so great. >> she seemed happy, too. >> yes. with the family, we all got together and we enjoyed that moment. we didn't even talk about what went on in her life, you know, with the pettway family. >> of the possible allegations of abuse as a child. >> no. we didn't talk about that. we just enjoyed the moment and it was so great. >> and then she went back to atlanta, four days after. she came january 15, back on the 18th, came back the next day. >> exactly. >> she was flown up by the post. she'd changed in just that day. >> yeah. >> how so? >> i think it had a lot to do with the pettway family. >> what do you mean? >> the family is -- she'd been with them for 23 years. that's her family. i think maybe it's a lot of pressure on her now. being that she found her mom and itle really hurts, you know. it's emotional, overwhelming situation. >> do you think she's going through an identity crisis. >> yes. >> you do? >> yes. >> where does that leave you? >> heart-broken. but i do have to understand that it is her family. she was brought up by them. i'm her mom and she is, you know, is just so -- this is so hard to explain. she's with that family. and that's all she knows. and i'm her mother. and it's hard not to have a relationship with her. it really hurts. i want my daughter back. i want her here. i want her to spend time with me and the family. and i want her to get to know me. it's like we are two strangers, you know? we don't know each other. >> she went back and has not returned since but she's asked a lot of questions about money. in particular, what happened to the settlement that you received in 1992 from the lawsuit filed against the hospital as a result of the kidnapping. the new york post says that you and carlina's father both received about $163,000 and put the rest in a trust fund for carlina. >> right. >> if she was found before she turned 21, by the age of 21. she's now 23. >> right. >> what happened to that money? >> it's gone. we don't have the money. you know, we both had to live. you know, we put that money up for her, me and carl. we decided to put that up for her ourselves. at the time, things was like really rocky with me as far as a living situation and stuff like that. and i have two other kids -- a son and a daughter. i had to take care of myself and live. >> once she turned 21 and you hadn't found her, you used up the money? >> exactly. >> she asked about the reward money offered for her return. >> yes. >> a lot of questions about money that she's told you she won't do interviews unless she's paid. are you angry with her about this? >> yeah. i'm disappointed. this was a miracle that happened. it's breathtaking. it's mind-blowing. i just wanted to get that out there, you know, that we found our daughter and we're happy, e reunited. you know, i wanted to share that with the world. it really hurts me that it's about money. you know, that's what kids -- you know, it's about, you know. it's u ee's understandable, you. >> quickly, do you know anything about the connecticut officials may have found her six years ago? >> yes. >> you knew about that? >> she told me about that. >> does it upset you that they drom dropped the ball on that? >> it hurts me very bad. it's a difficult situation. >> i'm sure it's hard. it started so positively. we wish you the best. hopefully the families will come back together again. thank you. now a check on the weather from al. those cold temperatures, too, in store for us. right now we're above freezing throughout the region. we had a little light rain overnight, but now the roadways are getting blow-dried. winds are gusting to 30 miles an hour and temperatures are in the mid-30s throughout most of the region to upper 30s, near 40 near the bay. we'll drop out of the 30s into the 20s later this afternoon. those winds will be gusting to around 30, 40, maybe even gusts as high as 50 miles an hour this afternoon. that may cause some scattered power outages. cold tomorrow and thursday. that's your latest weather. check your latest forecast on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. meredith? >> al, thank you very much. just want to make sure despite what's happening with her daughter now, she wants anyone whose children have been kidnapped to never give up hope. coming up, women's obsession with footwear, but first car surfing and the dangerous stunt more people are taking part in right after this. - that's a peerless diamond, the ideal ideal-cut diamond. female announcer: jared has thousands of loose diamonds and hundreds of settings to create your own one-of-a-kind ring. - you crying? - no. that lets you eat six times a day? yeah, baby! try the slim-fast 3-2-1 plan. 3 snacks, 2 shakes or meal bars, and 1 balanced meal. slim fast. who has time to slim slowly? hey tough guy, that cold needs alka-seltzer plus! it has the cold-fighting power of an effervescent packed in a liquid-gel for all over relief! hiyah! dude! the monster was furious! rarrr! it's for laughing... 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[ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. ♪ make your voice their valentine. back now at 7:44 with a warning about a dangerous and sometimes deadly stunt becoming popular with some teenagers. it's called car surfing and police in florida are now arresting anyone caught doing it. nbc's kerry sanders is in wellington, florida with more on this. good morning. >> reporter: well, good morning, matt. car surfing is dangerous, illegal and obscure except among some teenagers and 20-somethings. this is how it works. you get behind the wheel of the car. they're driving 20, 30, 40 miles per hour. then a friend gets out of the car, climbs on the roof and stands up as if he's surfing the car. it's a fearless gamble. car surfing. and the videos of those climbing on the roof of a moving car are all over the internet. in some cases drivers even surf their own cars which is called ghost riding. and as the videos reveal, it is not uncommon to see the surfing end in an accident. >> oh! >> reporter: sometimes car surfers grab the bumper or door handle and surf the imaginary wake on a surfboard or in a shopping cart. 18le-year-old cameron bieberly jumped in the back of a cart. as they went faster and faster the car approached a speed bump. cameron flew 27 feet through the air, landed on his head and died. >> feels like hell on earth. >> reporter: wendy and darda say they had no idea what their son was doing until it was too late. >> cameron made a poor decision, no doubt. he got in that cart. once he did that he no longer had control of the situation. >> reporter: at the time of the accident the driver michael smith was 23 years old. this month, two and a half years after cameron's death, an orlando jury convicted him of vehicular homicide. smith was sentenced to four years in prison. >> so if they are driving the car figuring, well, something bad goes on it won't be me, it will be my buddy. >> right. >> the truth of the story is -- >> both parties are going to pay a dear price. ♪ >> reporter: where did the idea for this come from? cameron's parents think he saw it in the movie "jack ass." police agencies are investigating more and more car surfing accidents. just last week two teens died in florida. >> do you know what car surfing is? >> yes. >> reporter: which is why cameron's parents are on a mission to warn other families. >> we're just trying to get the word out. >> reporter: cameron's death ruined what both say was a perfect american family. two children, two dogs, a turtle and a rabbit. >> we are separated and getting divorced. >> reporter: would you blame it on this incident? >> absolutely. >> i don't think it would have happened if cameron hadn't died. >> reporter: it's so sad. they say they are speaking out because they hope parents will talk to their teenagers and their 20-somethings to make sure they understand how dangerous and stupid this car surfing activity is. matt? >> kerry sanders in wellington, florida, for us. thank you very much. on a much different note, coming up the special story behind the newest cheetahs at the national zoo. but first these messages. 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>> like a bird chirp. it's good camouflage for them in the wild. >> reporter: two new babies sharing one loving mom. so you're saying, i can't see the babies. i'm not near the national zoo. i'm in detroit, duluth, denver, whatever the case may be. wrong you are. the zoo put up a web cam. it's on todayshow.com. we'll take a look. you have to look hard to see the baby cubs, but right now they are just a little bit ahead or up on the top part of the screen near their mom. they have been nursing this morning. they got up. they were really frolicking this morning and now they are hanging out with mom. meredith, back to you. >> they are so sweet. thank you very much, tom. >> they are cute. >> they are. >> a year from now, they'll bite your head off. coming up, simon cowell, life without "american idol." and his new show. after your local news. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 what if every atm was free ? tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 if you could use any atm, at any bank, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 anywhere in the world... tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 without having to pay to access your own money. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 it'd be like every atm in the world was your atm. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 the schwab bank high yield investor checking® account. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 zero atm fees. a great interest rate. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 no minimums. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and it's fdic-insured. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 the schwab bank high yield investor checking® account. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 the biggest thing in checking since checks. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 open an account at 1-800-4schwab or schwab.com. how can expedia now save me even more on my hotel? 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>> off we go making the trip into downtown. jammed all the southeast corridors. accident inbound on the 11th street bridge, sending a lot of folks to alternate routes, including south capitol street as well as pennsylvania avenue. inner loop of the beltway, sunshine delays, rockville pike down toward new hampshire avenue. joe? thank you, jerry. a trail-blazing coach sits down with a lunch 8:00 now on this tuesday morning, february 8th, 2011. people from far and wide have assembled in rockefeller plaza. it is always nice to have them stop by and say hello. i'm meredith vieira alongside matt lauer and al roker. coming up, simon cowell. >> that's right. the former "american idol" judge. i wonder if he still watches his old program and what does he have in store judgewise and competitionwise for his american version of "the x factor" which will debut here in the not-too-distant future. there's simon joining us from outside london. we'll talk to him in a little while. >> then we asked about women and their obsession with shoes. we want to -- a survey says 1 in 5 would put up with painful blisters for a great pair of shoes like meredith's. >> my feet are killing me. but aren't the shoes great? >> why do women put so much stock in footwear? are women genetically wired to love shoes? >> these are comfortable. i take it back. >> really? they don't look it. >> i don't want to get the designer angry. >> also ahead, can we wish our very best to a former guest on the show. remember 28-year-old ali smith babineau. she developed heart disease and had a revolutionary heart pump. we told you her health had taken a turn for the worse. even as we are speaking now, ali is being taken into an operating room. she's getting a heart transplant this morning. so we just want ali to know we are thinking of her and her family. we wish her the very, very best. we'll try to update you on the situation. >> we sure do. let's head to the news desk where ann curry is standing by. >> we begin with a stand-off in cairo where protesters are demanding democracy and the resignation of their president. and the president, president mubarak, has set up a committee to discuss changes to egypt's constitution. at the same time anti-government protesters are calling for 1 million people in tahrir square today. there has been a startling jump in the death toll. nearly 300 people have been killed in egypt since the uprising began two weeks ago. police in mexico say they have no leads in the shooting deaths of three people, including two american high school students who were killed on saturday across the border from el paso, texas. they were shot at a car dealership in ciudad juarez. six former officials in california have rejected a plea deal in their corruption case. they were offered a chance to pay back millions they allegedly looted from the l.a. suburb and serve two-year sentences. they refused that deal. officials say president obama will propose debt relief for states struggling to pay jobless benefits when he unveils the budget next week. 30 states borrowed $32 billion to cover unemployment checks. amtrak plans to spend $50 million to study what it calls its gateway project, a new huds river tunnel connecting new york and new jersey. building the tunnel would cost $13.5 billion, making it the most expensive transportation project in u.s. history. americans boosted their credit card borrowing in december for the first time in more than two years and according to the experts the signals increase confidence in the economy and an easing of tight lending restrictions by banks. federal regulators proposed that top bank executives delay half their annual bonuses for at least three years. lawmakers blame the bonus system for encouraging high risk deals that led to the recent financial collapse. and a shy baby panda is playing peekaboo. take a look. with visitors at the zoo in vietn vienna. fuhu was born last august. he's avoided meeting the fans, but there he is. it is now four minutes past hour. let's go outside now to al who is also our little fuzzy panda with the weather. >> yeah. i don't think i'm that fuzzy, but i'm glad you think so. let's check your weather. pick city today just happens to be wilmington, delaware. wind advisory. gusts to 45 miles per hour. as you look at the southeast we have rain moving through. a system works its way through the coast. snow for the southeast. clouds in the pacific northwest. santa ana winds in los angeles today. a messy day in northern new england with snow. we have lake effect snow in parts of the eastern great lakes. may cause some scattered power outages. right now, we're in the 30s, and it will drop out of the 30s into the 20s late this afternoon, overnight tonight. the winds will diminish tonight, and temperatures bottoming out in the teens tomorrow morning. afternoon highs on wednesday just mid-30s. probably won't get above freezing on thursday. chance of a few flurries. sun back friday and the weekend. and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thank you very much. when we come back, we are going to talk to one of the driving forces behind one of the shows you watch most often and a new show coming to this country. that's simon cowell. we'll chat with him, but first, these messages. ♪ always in my face ♪ i think i need some space ♪ loving you's just too much work ♪ ♪ so i found a new love a zero-calorie true love ♪ ♪ that comes from a leaf sweet surprise ♪ ♪ it's natural, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ it won't land on my hips or my thighs ♪ ♪ its name is truvia ♪ i had no idea ♪ it's better than flirting or french fries ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet. - did dad go to jared for the pandora bracelet like we told him? - i can't tell. - oh, honey! - he totally went to jared. female announcer: celebrate life's unforgettable moments with pandora, now at jared. girls: awww... - they are so cute at that age. the moisturizer in other body washes sits on top of skin. only dove has nutriummoisture, which can nourish deep down. dove body wash with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. so, you got a chevy malibu. nice. a consumers digest best buy three years in a row. and an epa - estimated 33 miles per gallon highway. and what does your neighbor have? 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[ squawking ] ♪ any family-sized tuscani pasta is just ten bucks! with over three pounds of your favorite pasta, like meaty marinara or chicken alfredo, plus an order of breadsticks, you get enough for the whole family. only on tuesdays, and only at your pizza hut. back now at 8:10 with more of our special series, why are we so obsessed? it's all about the shoes today. if you get pumped for pumps or smile at sneakers you may be one of the millions of american women addicted to shoes. for many women it started with cinderella and the darn glass slipper. ♪ >> reporter: then glass turned to ruby red. >> follow the yellow brick road. >> reporter: which eventually turned into -- well, a shoe obsession. ♪ >> reporter: even during the economic storm when other goods were getting the boot, shoe stores were trending as high as a stiletto. >> shoes always fit. >> the color, variety, styles, different shoes for every season. i love everything about shoes. i love the way they make me feel, how i look in them. >> shoes make me happy. >> reporter: it should be no surprise we are wired for shoe love. >> you put on high heels and you feel sexy and glamorous. when wearing high heels you stand and walk on your tiptoes. your posture changes, your chest go out, your behind goes out. your legs seem longer. >> reporter: sachs 5th avenue has its own floor. >> i'm a 9. >> some women go overboard. part of the reason is the neverending search for the perfect shoes that will make them look sexy and beautiful and alluring. >> reporter: dominique grovener's shoe search took her places she didn't expect. >> my husband and i had to find a two-bedroom apartment to accommodate my shoes. >> reporter: now she blogs about them for a living. >> i love these. >> these yellow ones. >> perfect for vacation. everybody who loves shoes has voyeurs voyeuristic tendencies. you can transform yourself from a schoolteacher to a naughty vixen. shoes do that for women. >> here to talk about our obsession with shoes, stacy london, co-host of "what not to wear," mimi leeks from bravo's "real housewives of atlanta." all of them shoe addicts. welcome to you. what is your motto when it comes to shoes? >> thick, nasty and crazy. >> thick, nasty and crazy? >> all in a good way. let me say it to you, meredith. those are some sick shoes you're wearing. >> i'm glad they are sick then. >> you're working it. >> thank you, baby. >> you find when you put a story about shoes in your magazine people gobble it up. >> we call it shoe porn. we just like looking at it. >> why are we bananas about shoes? >> first of all, in a tough economy you can wear the same thing and just change the shoes and it's new. it's the ruby slipper effect. you can be the schoolteacher or the vixen. also there is no such thing as a fat today with shoes. there is no fitting room drama. you have never heard a woman say, do my feet look fat in these shoes? a great shoe makes you feel fantastic. >> you mentioned the red slipper. when you were a little girl that got you hooked. >> i confess. i was dorothy for seven halloweens in a row because i wanted to wear shiny shoes. that's where it started for me. i believe the higher the heel, the closer to god. >> do you think we are genetically wired to love shoes? >> i think we are actually. i think it's sociobiological. women want to be attractive. it's ingrained in us. if heels make our legs look longer, our girls come out, the shoulders go back and the hips sway, that's sending a genetic signal. we are looking to mate. >> what's interesting is when you poll readers 20% said they would suffer bleeding feet to have shoes that look good. >> i have to admit that surprised and dismayed me. a little bit of discomfort we are all willing to put up with, but bleeding? i draw the line there. >> me, too. i think wearing high heels makes you strut. i strut, feel strong, independent. i love it. >> it changes what's going on in here. >> it does. i feel like the boss. >> i agree with that. i think it's empowering to wear heels. >> i agree with that. >> you're coming out with a line of shoes that cater to women between 9 and -- >> 9 to 13. >> why did you want to do that? >> i have so many women saying what size shoe do you need? i don't have large feet for a tall woman. i know women in 12 or 13s and i'm a 10. i want all women to feel empowered. because you're tall doesn't mean you can't wear heels. >> amen. >> i'm tall and i rule. >> you don't care if you tower over the guys. >> i don't care. >> amen to that. if you're tall, be proud. >> how do you think the economy affected our obsession with shoes? >> it's easier to update your wardrobe with shoes than to buy a new look. even the wealthy women aren't doing that. if i were your height i would walk in flats all day. >> really? >> i need these. >> it's the way your body is. >> if i was 6'5" i would still wear six-inch heels. i met men that are this short and say, oh, wow! >> big mistake women make with shoes? >> if it's not comfortable in the store it will never be comfortable. leather and suede can be stretched as long as a shoemaker stretches it. patent does not stretch. >> i don't like seeing women in kitten heels. i'm like, girl, are you serious? you have on a kitten heel? stop. >> they fly off the foot and mules, too. try to walk fast in it. >> i am sick! that's all i know. crazy and nasty. >> thank you all so much. >> pleasure. >> tomorrow, we'll look at our obsession with looking younger. up next, simon cowell and his new show and the simonless "american idol" right after this. to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, the lack of energy. 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[ male announcer ] learn more at acuvue.com. nothing starts your day like honey roasted, honey bunches of oats. the perfect balance of crunchy flakes and clusters, with a kiss of golden honey. delicious. and the same calories per serving as special k original. so, try honey roasted, honey bunches of oats! heck try 'em all. we are back with the man america liked to hate on "american idol." now simon cowell is ready to bring tough love back to the states with a u.s. version of the hit british competition show "the x factor." simon, good morning. good to see you. >> matt, how are you? >> i'm doing okay. we miss you here. >> i miss you, too. >> that's good. it's a nice moment we're sharing. tell me about this show. there are a lot of other talent shows on television. you know obviously "american idol" and "america's got talent," and some dance shows. why is this different? >> well, you're right. there are a lot of shows. we started this show -- i mean, "idol" started in the uk, as you know. this show took over from "idol" in the uk five or six years ago. it became a big, big hit over here. i think essentially because whereas "idol" is about singers aged 16 to 29, on this show we decided to broaden it out. so on this show you could be 12 years old. you could be 20 years old. and there is literally no upper age limit. and we have invited -- this is what we have done for years. we have vocal groups competing in the same competition. so in the final you could have a 14-year-old versus a 40-year-old. >> the age thing was in the paper this morning actually. i was reading about it. i know you were opposed to the idea of much younger contestants a couple years ago. you have changed your mind. are you worried that a 12-year-old or 13-year-old might not be able to handle the intense stress that comes along with a competition like this? >> yeah. historically, matt, i have seen a lot of these kid singers who looked like they were being pushed into the audition room by those awful stage moms. i just hated it. they all sang "good ship lollipop" and it was excruciating or that awful song from "annie," "tomorrow." nobody wants to sit through that. what's changed over the years is you look at somebody like willow smith now and the girl who did well on "america's got talent," she was 11. >> jackie, yeah. >> you take it case-by-case. i work for sony. we are seeing a new wave of 12-year-olds, 13, 14-year-olds who didn't watch "i dodol" and y have come about it in a different way. they want to be contemporary pop stars. i thought long and hard and i want to give the kids a chance. i will take it case by case. >> who will be the judges with you on "the x factor" in the states? i hear rumors about paula abdul, katy perry, mick jagger. give me something other than your name, simon? >> really? definitely not mick jagger. honestly, i don't know. i was talking to somebody on friday who i really, really want to be on this show. >> who? >> i'm waiting on a decision. i'm not going to say. i really, really at this point can't say. i'm sworn to secrecy. they'll be cute. and the guy won't be as good-looking as me. >> why would he be? hey, listen, i was reading that you're really not watching "american idol" this year. why? >> well, because it's on a different time here in the uk. i watched, like, some clips last week to kind of, you know, get up to speed. it looked good. >> how do you think the judges are doing, simon? >> i think they're doing fine. you know, they have a different approach to, you know, what i used to do before. i think the show had to reinvent itself. i think it's right that it's a different show to what we made before. >> yeah. >> and, you know, i left the show on fantastic terms. i still talk to randy and ryan. i still talk to kenny, one of the executive producers. so we're still good friends. but we're going to be competitors, make no mistake. >> you gave me zero on your judges. are you going to the royal wedding? >> i haven't been invited. >> do you think you will be? >> no. >> really? okay. who's designing the dress? i need to know. >> i will be allowed to wave in the streets. >> who's designing the dress? >> who's designing the dress? um, um, i haven't got a clue. >> you're giving me nothing, simon! nothing! >> i don't know anything about royal weddings. >> okay. come see 8:26 is your time now. good morning, i'm eun yang. we are following some breaking news right now. a suspicious package has been found in southeast washington and traffic has been shut down on the 11th street bridge. let's get right to jerry edwards with the latest. jerry, good morning. >> eun, good morning. we're showing you on the map 295 northbound right at the 11th street bridge, completely closed off right now while authorities investigate this suspicious package. 295 jammed from the capital beltway. take a live look and look at some of the alternate routes for you. as we've been reporting, suitland parkway, south capitol street, pennsylvania avenue to the inbound sousa bridge are jammed as alternate routes. consider 395 to the 14th street bridge. might work better for you. eun? >> jerry, thank you so much. a wind advisory is set to take effect in a f with fios, when you're watching the picture, it just jumps out at you. it was like, "wow!" 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[ male announcer ] hurry, this offer ends soon. get fios tv, internet and phone for this great price plus a multi-room dvr free for 12 months. call 1.888.818.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.888.818.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. good morning. turning colder today. right now in the 30s, dropping into the 20s late this afternoon and tonight along with winds gusting to 50 miles an hour. that may cause some scattered power outages. eun? >> thanks so much, tom. tonight on "news 4 at 5:00," lunch with lindsay. washington's first ever female football coach talks about her drink in the rich, bold taste... of premium roast coffee -- 100% arabica beans. it's so rich, but so just a dollar. on the dollar menu at breakfast. and that's what we'rma of. ♪ ba da ba ba ba my sistersundays are just tofor watching football. believe that? 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[ thinking ] the simple joy of being smart. ♪ we're back now. 8:30 on a tuesday morning. it's the 8th day of february, 2011. nice group of people gathered on the corner of 49th street and rockefeller plaza. not bad out today. temperature of about 39 degrees. these people can handle it. out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer along with meredith vieira and al roker. speaking of temperature and cold, a young lady who is literally allergic to it. >> she's 9 years old and can't eat, drink or be exposed to anything below 70 degrees. no ice cream, snowball fights or anything. she even has to warm her clothes. we'll talk to her ahead. what a beautiful smile she has. >> that warms you up. also, celebrating and preserving the tradition of african-american cooking. chef jeff henderson is here hey, here we've got the winds that are increasing and our temperatures around the region are still in the 30s, but windchills are now down into the 20s. winds peaking around 30 miles an hour, and these temperatures will hold steady in the 30s through midday and then they'll begin to drop back down into the 20s late this afternoon, overnight tonight. winds may gust to nearly 50 miles an hour this afternoon. that may cause scattered power outages. teens tomorrow morning. lighter winds tomorrow, highs mid-30s and mostly cloudy. and partly sunny thursday, cold. meredith, don't forget. you can check your weather any time. >> where? >> go to weather channel on cable or weather.com online. >> i will do that. >> good. >> okay. up next, the 9-year-old girl allergic to cold. first this is "today" on nbc. we are back now at 8:37 with "today's health." imagine not being able to play in the snow, eat ice cream or jump into a cool swimming pool. 9-year-old priscilla is literally allergic to cold. we'll talk to her but first here's nbc's mara schiavocampo. >> reporter: for 9-year-old priscilla, winter's chill is downright dangerous. >> i check the weather a lot. i have to always bundle up. >> reporter: the 4th grader from upstate new york must stay warm to stay healthy. she suffers from a rare condition called cold ertacharya. simply put, she's allergic to cold. >> she has swelling of the ankles, joint pain. she gets nauseous with it and she's fatigued and lethargic. >> reporter: almost two years ago she started breaking out in hives after swimming. her mother thought she might be allergic to sunscreen. weeks later using an ice cube, doctors determined cold was the culprit. >> i was disappointed. inside i felt horrible. >> reporter: too much exposure to low temperatures and priscilla can break out in hives or go into anaphylactic shock, shutting down her airways. >> i do worry about it. every day. >> reporter: now she has to make sure she doesn't go anywhere with temperatures below 70 degrees. >> usually we keep it higher for winter. >> reporter: it's not just room temperature. priscilla has to keep everything around her warm, from what she eats and drinks, to bath water, to the clothes she puts on after showering. she has to give up some of the things kids love most -- like ice cream and swimming. she takes anti-histamines twice a day and carries an epi-pen everywhere. >> this is your emergency kit? >> yes. >> reporter: for now she's getting used to living with the condition and manages to see a silver lining. >> in the winter time, it's good because i don't have to walk the dog, shovel snow. >> reporter: a little girl warmed by a positive outlook in the face of a cold world. for "today," mara schiavocampo, nbc news, new york. >> priscilla is here with her paren parents colleen and craig and her sister paige along with dr. nancy snyderman. you figured it out. no walking the dog, no shoveling snow. way to go. how are you? >> good. >> yeah? the serious side is this is a little tough, isn't it? >> mm-hmm. >> you have had to adapt to a lot. how's it going? >> okay. >> yeah? still a lot to get used to? >> right. >> i want people to know what it's like for you to go out on a day like this, for example. it's about 38, 39 degrees here in new york. before i ask you to tell me what it feels like, can we make sure people know we did not endanger her in any way bringing her here, correct? >> no, not at all. >> she can go out if she's bundled up and she's okay even though it's chilly in the studio. you feel okay? >> i think she got a little hot. you overcompensated. >> we put the heat up too much in here. what does it feel like if you go out without a sweater or don't have the proper coat. what does it feel like? >> it usually doesn't happen. but it feels cold on a day like this. but if it was a day like this it doesn't feel as cold as a day like in the 20s. >> you get itchy immediately and you would start to see hives quickly? >> mm-hmm. >> within a few minutes. that's a hard question because we are so aware of it, we never put her in that situation. she's never unprepared in cold weather. >> that brings up the next question. how hard has it been as a family to adapt to this condition? >> i think we are doing great. >> we are. >> we have lots of layers and we're always prepared. i think actually the question should go back to priscilla of the adjustments she's had to make. i think some things that are difficult for her, an extreme situation could be potentially very dangerous. we choose avoidance. >> i know if my kids were watching now they would say, you don't get to eat ice cream? that's a disaster for my kids. >> it is. >> a lot of times people look at parents annud think these paren are cuckoo, they have made it up. or it's winter and your skin is dry. there is medical validity to this. >> in priscilla's case it's triggered by cold. the hives can be triggered in other people having an allergic reaction to a lot of things. >> ertocharya means hives and itching. whether it's nylon, a seafood allergy or cold. it's variations on a theme. >> i prefer this to a nut allergy. i feel that cold urticaria is more manageable. >> you have to figure out everywhere there is nuts in the diet and everything. you live in upstate new york. >> yes. >> my first reaction is, is this something where you are going to relocate the family to florida or arizona or something like that? >> well, we have discussed that. it's almost worse because everything in florida is air conditioned. so she'd be more limited there than here. you know, winters are hard, but it would be worse all year round in florida. >> yeah. >> everything is air conditioned so publically she would be limited. >> paige, have you become more protective of your little sister? >> yeah, sometimes. >> you would have to be. >> do you walk around in a t-shirt all the time she's in a sweater? >> yeah. >> she is the hottest child. i don't think i can tolerate the cold anymore. i'm so used to such a hot environment. so paige is in shorts and a tank top and i have her bundled up. we try to find a balance. >> do patients often outgrow this? >> they can. there are some numbers of 15 to 25% of people suffer from some variation of this. some more severe. there is a possibility because this struck young that she may outgrow this as a young adult. no guarantees. the question is are there other ale jis berto tomlergies in the? time will tell. >> thanks for coming in. family, thank you very much. nancy, thank you so much. up next in "today's kitchen" chef jeff shares recipes with soul. first this is "today" on nbc. the experts tell us the economy's moving again, and it is for some. the stock market's nearly double, and wall street's handing out big bonuses. but millions of americans face a much colder reality. woman: the big drug store chain where i worked cut my hours, then laid me off. i had to sell my car to pay rent and buy heating oil. man: i got laid off. luckily i found a part-time job in a lumber yard. i had to take in boarders to make my mortgage. kennedy: millions are living in fear, afraid that they'll fall through the cracks -- unable to even stay warm. this recovery so far has left a lot of people behind. that's why citizens energy delivers heating oil to thousands of struggling families, thanks to the generosity of the venezuelan people and citgo, the only country and the only oil company to answer our call to help the needy. i'm joe kennedy. if you need help staying warm, give me a call at 1-877-joe-4-oil, because no one should be left out in the cold. back at 8:46. this morning on "today's kitchen," we are going back to basics with jeff henderson from the food network. he's co-author of the "america i am pass it down cookbook." good morning to you. soul food isn't just good. it's part of american history. >> yes, it is. we have a great book called the "america i am" cookbook where we collected soul food recipes from around the country. >> this is from a writer, imani wilson. it's her brown stew chicken. >> with a special green sauce. this is a local queens recipe that's african, caribbean. we have herbs to turn it into a green sauce. >> we took the skin off? >> we'll use it like a crackling like in pork. we have a green sauce. >> what's in it? >> green sauce, you have chives, shallots, cilantro, fresh thyme. put a little bit here. >> on the skin and the chicken. >> marinates it very well. this is a caribbean-inspired -- this recipe came from imani wilson's grandmother. >> speaking of grandmothers and grandfathers your grandparents were influential. not just cooking school where you got your influence. >> my grandfather is from new orleans. my grandmother always set the table and helped with the sweets a little bit. i have a lifelong experience being inspired by great southern cooking. >> this is not bad. what's in there? >> these are the skins. we cooked them down with the marinade, with the green sauce, nice and crispy. over here we have where we kicked off the aromatics, leeks. we add a little bit -- >> so we took the chicken out? was it totally cooked? >> just seared. we add the sugar to caramelize it. this is a little bit of a sweet dish. here we have the finished product. the caramelized sugar right here. >> do you add things in? >> we'll add allspice, fresh garlic. >> wish people had smell-o-vision. >> peppers. >> just leave it whole? >> leave it whole. we're going to infuse it. add soy sauce and let it cook down. add the chicken to it. >> put it back in. >> add a little bit of water as well. >> how high is the flame in the pot? >> medium for a good 45 minutes or so. take the chicken, grab a pair of tongs and the chicken goes in here like that. we let it stew and cook with the top on. we have a finished product as well. >> let's see the finished product which is very, very nice. >> yeah. we serve this here with white rice and we have a stew. you can smell the aroma and everything in there. we'll bring out a nice breast, set it on top like this. put that nice broth, natural juices coming out of there. >> that smells so good, jeff. you also in the book encourage people to jot down their own family recipes. >> yes. >> why is that important? >> this is a community cookbook. we want to collect the recipes that have been passed down. we decided to put notebooks in the back where you can jot down family recipes and restore the history. >> all right. >> we have a little bit of garnish here. >> i'm going to say thank you. the book is "america i am." jeff, thank you. >> my pleasure. >> up next, a firsthand lesson on love and promiscuity in the animal kingdom. let's eat. back now with "today's call of the wild." valentine's day in the animal kingdom. we are here to talk about the mating habits of different creatures. good morning, julie. >> we have so much love going on at sea world and busch gardens we had to share some. these are spoon-bills, gorgeous birds. >> this one's trying to mate with meredith. >> he does like you. i'll pass him off here. this is padre and matt has panini. they have a beautiful courtship ritual. the male brings sticks to the female and the female kind of decides whether the sticks are good enough. >> that's how it is at home. >> she decides the sticks are good enough then she'll build the nest and allow mating. >> and they are monogamous. >> serially. >> meaning? >> every year padre has to go through the procedure again. >> oh! >> i got it. >> that sounds familiar. >> sounds like human families a little bit. >> so we have our hands full. ann and al, grab our next participants. >> oh, lovely. >> this is a bull frog. >> african-american bull frog. one of the largest species of bull frogs -- >> wow, that's great. too bad we don't have another one. >> we do, al. right here for you. >> oh. >> he doesn't feel bad. just squirmy. >> how do the males attract the females? >> with their voices. >> hello. >> the bigger they are -- and they reach the size of dinner plates. the bigger they are the deeper their voice. >> i love to love you. >> and the females respond to that. >> feeling rejected. >> watch out. don't let it jump. >> oh! what's he doing? >> they do pea sometimes. be careful. >> thank you so much. those guys don't actually -- >> oh! they really don't mate. >> matt -- >> the female will actually depot sit the eggs and the male will fertilize them externally. >> oh, all right. >> okay. >> next we have some primates which are monogamous animals. >> oh! >> but only 90% of birds are monogamous but only 3% -- [ laughter ] >> what are these? >> these are called owl monkeys. >> hi! >> well, we know how they mate. there we go. >> these two are a pair. can i just say, they don't smell good. they're pungent. >> in the wild, always worse. >> what do we need to know about their mating habits? >> you're about to find out. >> exactly. >> they do stay together -- >> aww! >> matt lauer, the love monkey. >> they love you. >> oh, wow. >> she kissed me on the lips. >> no tongue. >> we have some cheating going on. >> you know, there is cheating in the animal world, the same as with humans. >> really? >> believe it or not -- and i'd hate to say this before valentine's day, but it increases the fitness. >> it's good? >> more genetic diversity and all that. it's been found that it's not always -- >> go to town, matt. >> you want to real quickly talk about the sharks there? i have both of those. >> these are sharks? they don't look like sharks. >> these are bamboo sharks and they are promiscuous. >> ten seconds, julie. >> these guys will lay eggs. i want to show you this. >> we have only nine seconds left. >> watch this. this is what they lay and this is the little 8:55 is your time now. good morning. i'm eun yang. we are following some breaking news right now. investigators have been called to look at a suspicious package in southeast washington and have shut down part of the 11th street bridge. let's get right to jerry edwards for the latest. hi, jerry. >> hey, eun, good morning. 395 northbound at the 11th street bridge had been shut down for a while this morning. the good news is a short time ago the lanes were reopened, but we are still jammed 295 leaving the beltway to the 11th street bridge. let's show you what it looks like. a lot of overflow traffic, folks scrambling for alternate routes. suitland parkway, south capitol street, pennsylvania avenue all heavy and slow. and in virginia, had an accident 95 northbound, fairfax park. >> very busy very quickly. thank you, curtis: welcome back to geico radio, it's savings, on the radio. gecko: caller steve, go right ahead. steve: yeah, um, i just got a free rate quote on geico.com, saved a ton, and it only took me 5 minutes and 12 seconds! steve: i was wondering, is that some sort of record? gecko: that's a good question. let's have aoo curtis: mmmm, not quite. someone's got you beat by 8 seconds. gecko: still, i mean, that's... that's quite fast! steve: well, what if i told you i only used one hand? anncr: geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] you either have it...or you don't. experience the graceful control, exceptional grip and superior handling of a mercedes-benz 4matic, one of the most advanced all-wheel-drive systems ever made. available on nine different model lines. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional offers through mercedes-benz financial services. good morning. i'm meteorologist tom kierein. gusty and warm, ushering in colder weather for today. you can see the flags are flapping in the stiff northwesterly wind. temperatures right now around the region into the 30s, but we'll drop into the 20s late this afternoon and overnight tonight. winds may be gusting to nearly 50 miles an hour this afternoon. that may cause some scattered power outages. then the winds die down tonight, temperatures down as well, teens tomorrow morning. and partly sunny wednesday with highs mid-30s. only near 30 thursday. eun? >> thanks so much, tom. tonight on "news 4 at 5:00," lunch with lindsay. washington's first-ever female ♪ i thought it was over here... ♪ [car horn honks] our outback always gets us there... ... sometimes it just takes us a little longer to get back. ♪ back now with more of "today" on a tuesday morning. 8th day of february, 2011. nice people gathered on a day that's improving dramatically before it deteriorates with cold air rushing into the new york area. temperatures in the 20s. >> tonight getting down to 14 degrees. >> that's without the wind. >> i'm standing downwind of you now. >> i was thinking the same thing. >> funky monkey. >> everyone at home says, handout cute. let me tell you, they reeked. this suit, it's the last time you will ever see it. >> going to the dry cleaners. >> and the one -- i don't know if it was the male or the female -- kissed me square on the lips. >> you're not sure, but you're going to find out. >> it is close to valentine's day. >> what bothers me is he doesn't write, no calls, nothing. i'm matt lauer along with natalie morales andle al roker. coming up, mark zuckerberg, the facebook founder, has taken out a restraining order against a guy who was tormenting him at work and home, sending e-mails and contacting him and his sister. we'll have more on that unusual story coming up. >> then in our diet s.o.s., not all breads are created equal. joy bauer will be along to tell us what to look for on the label when trying to be healthy and kid-approved healthy eating options. >> all right. jill martin is back with special steals and deals saving you on everything from dresses to shoes to electronics. great discounts for the "today" show audience. also ahead, it's called niche dating whether you are looking for a sugar daddy -- >> a monkey. >> a younger man. there is something for everyone out there. find your match. >> it did just get a sweet text message from the monkey. >> missing you already. >> ann curry has the headlines at the news desk. >> good morning, everybody. we begin with a serious story. a stunning rise in the death toll from the protests in egypt. the u.s. is reporting 300 people have been killed since the uprising began. protesters are renewing demands for president hosni mubarak to leave office and many are ralying around a google executive who said he started the facebook page to help organize the protesters. he's expected to appear at the protests. meantime mark zuckerberg has a restraining order against a 31-year-old man who he claims is stalking and threatening him. miguel almaguer has the story. >> reporter: he's the face of facebook but mark zuckerberg has one friend he never wanted. facebook confirms the creator of the social networking site has been granted a restraining order against perdeep manukanda pending a court hearing this month. as first reported by tmz.com, he's a facebook subscriber who allegedly stalked zuckerberg on and off line. according to tmz, court papers say manukanda tried to follow, surveil and contact mr. zugerberg using language threatening his personal safety. >> reporter: tmz reports the man sought out zuckerberg, the world's youngest billionaire, at facebook offices in palo alto looking for, quote, money for his financially strapped family. tmz said he wrote to zuckerberg, time is running out for me. i owe entire my life at your service. please help me. then i am ready to die for you. two weeks ago police got involved. officers told him to leave the property and he was given a verbal warning. four days later, tmz said manukanda wrote a letter to zuckerberg saying if i get a chance to work with you in the near future it would be my honor. lighthouse is more powerful than churches. it perfectly suits you. the letter was sent with flowers. >> reporter: nbc news contacted manukonda who confirmed the restraining order but declined comment. meanwhile, zuckerberg said, trying to make the world a more open place by helping people parently not like this. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. in other new it is white house is making a major push for wind power announcing 50.5 million dollars in spending for offshore wind farms. nearly 80% of the nation's electricity demand comes from 28 coastal states. and they say revenge is a dish best served coldle. that certainly appears to have been the case for one chicago man after he caught a woman on surveillance camera stealing his shovel to dig out her car from a mound of snow. so he decided to teach her a lesson by using a snow blower to bury her car once again. that is cold. he may not get the shovel back for a while. it's five minutes past the hour. now back to al for a check of toda good morning. temperatures now in the 30s. we've got the sunshine, but the winds are whipping up. as a result, our windchills are down into the 20s. right now, temperature 38 at reagan national, but the windchill 28, and the winds are gusting to around 30 to 35 miles an hour. and they may actually increase as we get into the afternoon. so, unfortunately, we may have some scattered power outages. we'll drop out of the 30s into the 20s late this afternoon and overnight tonight. then the teens tomorrow morning. partly sunny tomorrow, highs mid-30s. high only near 30 on thursday, a slight chance of some flurries. time for joy's diet s.o.s. where we answer your diet questions. this morning what to look for when buying whole wheat and kid-friendly options when eating out. joy bauer is a registered dietitian. >> hi, al. >> we'll go to skype. we have brian in louisville, kentucky. what's your question for joy? >> hi, joy. i'm wondering, are rye and pumper nickel breads consideredle whole grain? >> unfortunately 99% of the time, no. they are white bread in disguise. there are some smaller companies that make high quality 100% whole grain versions of rye and pumpernickel. there are other brands you can get in supermarkets that offer a blend of partly white and partly whole grain like pep ridperidge farm, but stuff at the deli and restaurant is refined white bread. if you look at the ingredient label the first word is enriched wheat flour. later in the list you will see rye flour. neither of the flours have the word "whole" before it. don't think pumpernickel is automatically whole grain because of the dark color. it get it is dark color from a prolonged baking time frame. that then caramelizes the sugars and gives it the authentic dark tone. in fact, some companies take a shortcut and add in caramel coloring and molasses to give it the authentic look. >> read the label. >> read the label. get high quality whole grain companies if you can find them or make it an occasional splurge every once in a while. >> all right. we have casey on the phone from oklahoma. good morning. what's your question? >> caller: good morning. joy, i have two boys. connor is 13 and tyler is 11. due to our hectic schedules we often need to eat out at local, family-style restaurants like applebee's or chili's. we always end up ordering nachos or buffalo wings. my question is what are some healthier choices? >> that's a great question. the absolute easiest thing to do is look at the section on these menus that are the healthier diet sections. order anything from there. for example, chili's has a section called guiltless grill. i know applebee's has a section they just instituted called "under 550 calories." anything goes in those sections. but there are universal delicious kid-friendly options you can get at any restaurant. grilled chicken sandwich or wrap. chicken or shrimp skewers, plain hamburger, hold the cheese and swap the cheese for vegetables or fruit. chicken or shrimp fajitas, grilled sirloin stake with vegetables and a potato. any pasta. add chicken and broccoli and marinara sauce so you have protein and fiber. when it comes to dessert, one dessert split amongst the table. rotate who gets to order. tyler one night, connor next time. mom the third time you're out. this way you get a few bites of something delicious but it's healthy. >> all right. good luck. now to boston, massachusetts and sari. she writes, i'm on a mission to lose 20 pounds. my family loves chinese food. we eat it all the time. what can i order that won't wreck my diet? >> the key word when it comes to chinese is "steamed." order a steamed entree -- chicken or shrimp or tofu with mixed vegetables and get the sauce you prefer on the side. it can be black bean, garlic. add a teaspoon, swirl it around. add low sodium soy sauce. you will have a delicious meal for half the calories and salt. when it comes to the starch, one large scoop of steamed brown rice or have two to three steamed vegetable dumpinlings a a fortune cookie is only 30 calories. >> thanks, joy. coming up next, saving money on everything from electronics. and later coming up more on prince william. [ female announcer ] bedtime is not for sleeping. the monster was furious! rarrr! it's for laughing... [ laughs ] [ female announcer ] ...pretending... and the mouse went, "wha-wha-wha, why?" [ giggles ] [ female announcer ] ...seeing things differently... and then the boy bit the dragon! [ female announcer ] ...and for being with your favorite storyteller... [ grandpa ] i love you when you are quiet. [ female announcer ] ...even after he goes home to nevada. [ grandpa ] and i love you when you are loud! [ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. ♪ make your voice their valentine. i needed to lose weight right in my hands. sophomore year, started weight watchers online, the weight started coming off. ahh! oh my gosh! [ laughs ] we're college kids, we go out all the time. having my food tracker on my phone, i can figure out what i'm having at the restaurant. i lost 73 pounds with weight watchers online. i don't think i've ever smiled this much in my whole life. it kind of hurts my cheeks. [ female announcer ] join for free today. weight watchers online. finally, losing weight clicks. weight watchers online. everybody's talking about honey bunches of oats. whoa...with cinnamon! it's got warm, freshly baked cinnamon in one delicious heart healthy cereal. mmmm. can't you just taste it? try honey bunches of oats with cinnamon. heck, try 'em all. so we took her to our olive garden. just us girls. we kept the fun going all through dinner. introducing olive garden's new artisanal raviolis. try our creamy asiago cheese ravioli topped with pan-seared chicken. or try our pear and gorgonzola ravioli topped with sauteed shrimp. starting at just $10.95. with unlimited salad and breadsticks. it was really cool just hanging out -- the three of us. olive garden. when you're here, you're family. this morning on our popular series "jill's steals and deals" deep discounts for "today" viewers. jill martin is back with deals on everything from shoes to scarfs and electronics. good morning. >> good morning. >> let ee's tell people what to expect. >> get ready. for 24 hours retailers give us deals. go to todayshow.com, get a code and that will link you to the website. >> right. >> be patient. move fast because the deals go quickly. neither i nor "today" benefit from these great steals and deals. >> starting with the great dresses by michelle jonas. >> look at the dresses. >> all these colors. >> it's in this bag. you see how it's in the bag? originally $200. steals & deals priced $49. comes in black, white, red or gray. it's a stretch jersey. celeb fans include angelina jo lie, heather graham. we have a picture here. great for going day to night. >> it's perfect for even over the swim suit or whatever down by the beach. >> wonderful. very comfortable. >> that's 75% off the retail price. a really good bargain. over here to the fantastic leather clutches. they are adorable. they come in dark brown and black. >> you see the heart, butterfly, rose. premium leather. 14 carat gold-plated hardware. celebrity fans include halle berry, mila kunis, drew barrymore. $40, that's 78% off. it holds a lot in the clutch. it's gorgeous and chic. great to throw in your work bag during the day and take out at night. >> clutches are the trend. you can get whatever hardware you love. now, for the guys or ladies who like to make sure they have their gadgets powered up. this is a great way to do it. >> this is good for al. >> tons of gadgets. >> this is the starter kit. the portable mat with universal power. i want to make it clear what it is. it comes with the mat and one device with seven adapters. this plugs into the wall. le forget your chargers. then buy additional devices to charge all of these. so if you want to charge three things at once you need to buy more of these. >> and there is a usb port for a fourth. you get rid of all the chargers and it packs into this. >> you can take it when you travel. >> and they are going to incorporate these in cars so you can put the phone down and it charges. >> $99 and the deal price is $16. >> this is your starter kit. if you are a device person this is so great. you can forget about the wires and plug it into the wall. >> it comes with different hook-ups here. >> one device and the mat. >> okay. over here, scarf by donny charm. you have two different styles, multiple colors here. >> our stage manager grabbing it already on the computer. these are fun. they are cotton and a cotton blend. this has a pocket. it's johnny angel. one has keepsake pockets with good luck charms. rihanna, jessica biel and they say it's a charming way to remember the people you love. $ $95 retail. our price is $26, 73% off. these go all year round. >> wonderful. great. we were talking about being obsessed with shoes. >> this is timely. >> for the first time ever we have shoes as the steals & deals. >> these are by carlos. >> by santana. >> they say they are inspired by his music. round, open toe, three and a half inch heel. retail $89. our price is $26.70. that's 70% off. this is a dressy shoe. if you have a simple black dress you can dress it up. something for everyone. comes in six colors. >> 70% off the retail price. all real bargains here. thank you so much. we'll remind you the products are the dresses by michelle jonas, the leather clutches, portable mat charger, the scarf by johnny charm and carlos santana shoes. head to todayshow.com for promotion codes and websites. coming up, finding the love of your life with help from niche dating sites. first these messages. i feel like i have to wind myself up to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, the lack of energy. 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( crashing ) velveeta and ro tel. we want to say hello to the latest two contestants voted off "the biggest loser couples." >> good morning. >> good morning. >> don, you gained nine pounds when your brother dan after a few weeks before he was voted off. how did that make you feel? >> well, obviously it was -- it makes you feel bad. it's a weight loss competition, not a weight gain competition. >> i'd like to sign up for that. >> you gained on purpose so you would be voted off? >> no. that time was strictly inadvertent. i had no explanation. the second time when i was voted off, that was intentional. >> now that you're home with your brother, are you working out, losing more? >> very successful at home. doing well. i lost about 87 pounds so far. >> terrific. >> that's good. >> it's going really well. >> the ranch was tough for you to adjust. >> it was tough if you're a control freak like i am. but it was effective. i learned what i needed to know to do this at home. >> and laramie, your husband is on the ranch. you sacrificed yourself so he could stay there. >> yes, i did. >> that's true love. >> yes, it is. >> how is he doing? >> he's doing very well, from what i know. they keep even the spouses away. >> that's got to be tough. >> it is. we haven't been apart for longer than a day. it was a lot harder than i thought it would be. >> how much have you lost since you have been home? >> since i have been home i have lost an additional 39 pounds. >> wow. >> all together i have lost 81 pounds. >> do you think the at-home prize is in your future? >> oh, yeah. i totally have that. >> she's on it. >> don and laramii, thank you so much. it airs tonight at 8:00/7:00 central on nbc. >> and miranda cosgrove will be stopping by after your local news. my son josh loves her. >> i'm glad my daughter didn't know about this. ♪ you know how i feel i feel like jennifer hudson but with new arms, new legs, and this smile. ♪ freedom is mine ♪ and i know how i feel i'm loving weight watchers new pointsplus program and the edge it's giving me. ♪ it's a new dawn, a new day i've got even more control now. ♪ and i'm feeling good go on, join for free. weight watchers new pointsplus. because it works. [ light breathing ] [ sigh ] [ male announcer ] for a better-looking tomorrow. vicks nyquil cold & flu. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got with a cold...medicine. ♪ heaven comes to earth. rich, creamy, thick dannon greek, the most delicious yogurt imaginable. heaven on earth! discover dannon greek 9:26 is your time now, 36 degrees. beautiful blue skies there through the clouds, but it's getting cold and windy. tom will have your forecast right after the news. good morning. i'm eun yang. pepco representatives and other utility companies will be on the hot seat today. maryland lawmakers are holding a hearing in annapolis to figure out why thousands of people were left in the dark during the last month's snowstorm. pepco took five days to restore power to all of its customers. the hearing in prince george's county will also take place today. we'll take a quick break and have weather and traffic w good morning. we've got the sunshine, but the winds are increasing. we had gotten to around 35 miles an hour. temperatures now in the 30s but windchills in the 20s. we'll drop out of the 30s into the 20s later today. windchills even colder. we could have winds gusting to 50 miles an hour this afternoon. that may cause some scattered power outages. cold tomorrow and again on thursday, a bit warmer friday into the weekend. how's traffic, jerry? >> it's been a tough 45 minutes to an hour along i-95 northbound. an accident has been cleared at the fairfax county parkway. still looking at substantial delays through southeast, even though the police activity at the inbound 11th street bridge is gone. extra travel time needed. eun? >> jerry, thank you. tonight at 5:00, lunch with lindsay. washington's first-ever female football coach talks about h just a few short years ago i was living a normal life, really. [ laughter ] >> facing the daily challenges of a working mom. dashing from meetings to the school pick-up line, struggling to keep it all together for my family, trying to act like i knew what i was doing. >> things have changed a bit for first lady michelle obama in the last few years. tomorrow on "today," mrs. obama will be here live in studio 1a for an exclusive sit-down, her first ever live morning show interview. if you have any questions for the first lady, let us know. go to our website at todayshow.com. we are really looking forward to having her. >> it's nice that we are letting the viewers participate by asking questions. take advantage and do that. meantime we'll show you how to stand arm in arm with anotherle well known figure, prince figure. you can even don his fiancee's ring on your finger, sort of. and kate middleton may have found her own prince charming, but finding lo can be hard for a lot of women. we'll check out niche dating sites whether you are looking for your intellectual equal, someone younger, m sugay daddy. there is a website for you. we'll tell you about them coming up. yes, where romance meets finance. i checked out the sugar daddy site. i couldn't believe it. >> oh! i got concerned. something we need to call joe about? >> i thought it was hilarious. like really? >> if you like a man who can cook look no further than "today's kitchen." our chef is making glazed short ribs with sweet potato chips that are easy to make any night of the week. >> i love the sizzle. >> love that sound. >> do you have a lot of sizzle in the forecast? >> we have snow in the forecast, unfortunately, as we look at the next couple of good morning. it's in the 30s now, but it won't be later. we have it already dropping down to near freezing about 30 miles north and west of washington. still above freezing around washington points south and east, but these northwest winds that are gusting to around 25, 35 miles an hour now have our windchills down to the low to mid-20s throughout most of the region. temperatures will drop into the 20s later this afternoon and overnight tonight, the teens tomorrow morning. today, winds could gust to near 50 miles an hour. and that's your latest weather. >> up next, a fairytail f tale fantasy. how some are getting up close and personal with prince william after this. nothing starts your day like honey roasted, honey bunches of oats. the perfect balance of crunchy flakes and clusters, with a kiss of golden honey. delicious. and the same calories per serving as special k original. so, try honey roasted, honey bunches of oats! heck try 'em all. i can't breathe... so i can't sleep... and the next day i pay for it. i tried decongestants... i tossed & turned... i even vaporized! and then i fought back: with new drug-free breathe right advanced. these nasal strips instantly opened my nose, like a breath of fresh air. i was breathing and sleeping better! 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[ female announcer ] there's a place called hidden valley where kids not only eat their vegetables, they can't get enough. ♪ hidden valley ranch, makes vegetables delectable. and now make lettuce a real salad with hidden valley salad kits! everything you need all in one bag, like garlic croutons, lemon pita bites, parmesan cheese, and caesar dressing. turn plain lettuce into a hidden valley salad. you can do this... get the ball, girl. hmmm, you can't do that. but you can do this. bengay pain relief + massage with penetrating nubs plus the powerful pain relief of bengay. love the nubs! there are 80 days until kate middleton and prince william say "i do" but who's counting. some women wish they were in kate middleton's shoes. now they can be. stephanie gosk is at buckingham palace with more on this. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, al. you know since the engagement william and kate have been keeping a low profile. few public appearances. our royal insiders say when kate leaves the house in wales is often in disguise. the palace is trying to keep them out of the public eye, but all it does is make people want to know what they are up to even more. the day of the engagement announcement there were probably more than a few women who thought, i wonder what that must be like, to be kate middleton in that moment. ♪ >> reporter: that's what american artist jennifer ruble was thinking. >> for americans there is just the embodiment of a fairytale. and prince william is prince charming. it is a happy moment where the world is coinciding with our fantasy of the world. >> reporter: which she's hoping to recapture in a london gallery, this time with william made of wax. 6'3", replica of the hand tailored suit, watch and of course the ring, waiting for kate's hand to slip through. the idea is to experience the magic of the moment. what's that, will? who should design my wedding dress? what a great idea. it isn't just william gracing the galleries of london. some artists are grappling with kate's celebrity. >> questioning the longevity of the celebrities of the past and the celebrities of the future. >> reporter: sure. most people like looking at william and kate anywhere they can find them. plates, mugs, magazine covers. nothing new for the prince but icon status for kate is new territory. ♪ >> is perplexing. one day you're a normal girl and suddenly you have been offered the world in terms of magazine covers, paintings, statues, things named after you. >> reporter: magazines especially tapped into her fame. a cover with the future princess flies off the shelves. kate, like her prince charming, is now undeniably and unavoidably a celebrity. there is a rumor that kate would be on the cover of vogue. the fashion magazine was trying to increase flagging sales. reports say she said no to the offer, trying to keep a low profile. diana was on the cover of vogue in 1981, just before her wedding. al? >> stephanie, ask prince william what he thinks about that. >> now that we have such a close relationship, maybe i should. >> stephanie, thanks. >> she's talking to wax figures. clearly, this has gone too far. >> reporter: oh, no. >> thanks, stephanie. >> take care. we want to remind you we'll be sending one lucky viewer and a guest to london during the week of the royal wedding. if you think you should get the royal treatment, send us a video. all the rules are at todayshow.com. make it creative and you will win it that way. coming up next, finding mr. right with the help of niche websites. maybe some royalty on the websites right after this. girl: grandma had come up for a visit. so we took her to our olive garden. just us girls. we kept the fun going all through dinner. introducing olive garden's new artisanal raviolis. try our creamy asiago cheese ravioli topped with pan-seared chicken. or try our pear and gorgonzola ravioli topped with sauteed shrimp. starting at just $10.95. with unlimited salad and breadsticks. it was really cool just hanging out -- the three of us. olive garden. when you're here, you're family. 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because of niche dating sites. kelly wallace is here. good morning. >> good morning. >> used to be a little bit of a stigma. i think people felt embarrassed to put themselves out there online. >> the stigma is gone. we see it in the ivillage community. women of all ages talking about online dating, asking advice. they are out in the open. we did a poll 43% of women say online dating is a good way to meet people. the stigma is gone. >> it weeds through the selection process. it helps you find a match potentially. now there are a lot of places to find a match because of all the niche dating sites out there. >> exactly. they appear to be growing more popular and there are more of them. people are looking for people who meet their passions, have the same interests so they can go to niche sites as opposed to more main stream sites that have been around for years. >> first is for women seeking someone who understands if they have health issues. this can be obviously if you have been through a lot with a disability or a disease. this is somebody who understands that. >> we have all heard it from cancer survivors in particular. as soon as they mention the c word, the guy runs for cover. there is a site called cancermatch.com for disabled people who think other disabled people may be the best match, there is datedisabled.com. >> there is someone for everyone. >> exactly. >> if you are a single mom, looking for someone who won't be scared off by someone saying, oh, my kids there are a couple of site ifser you. >> we hear it a lot. single moms want to be out on the dating scene and say, the minute i mention i have kids the phone calls aren't returned. there is a site called loc localsinglemoms.com. guys know kids are part of the deal. >> if you want to get intellectual stimulation from your man, there is a great site. >> brainiacsunite. brainy brainiacdating.com. if guys can't keep up, this site might be for you. >> if you are looking for a younger man, cougars, admit it. >> this is popular in hollywood and elsewhere. you're not in your 20s anymore. why not date a guy in their 20s. there are all kinds of sites like cougarlife.com. this is my favorite. milf-date.com. made famous by "the daily show." i can't say it. >> i was going to say -- >> i can't say what it stands for. i love it. >> if you are passionate about politics and aren't afraid to go there with politics then you've got a site there, too. >> i was thinking about this one. not everyone can be like james carville and mary matalin, opposites politically falling in love. go to republicanpassions.com. for the left leaners there is actf actforlove.org and for the environmentalists, greensingles.com. >> for a man not afraid of a woman with curves, a great site for them as well. bbwpersonalsplus.com. >> not everyone is looking for a six-foot-tall supermodel. they are looking for women with curves. bigger is better. exactly. >> the one i have been talking about is hilarious. for those seeking a sugar daddy. >> exactly. >> you can find it online, too. >> sugarsugar.com. these are women who want to be wined and dined. >> how do you know you're getting the real deal? a lot of women are saying, okay, let me see what this is about. >> these are wealthy men. >> they have been screened? >> to some degree. they are wealthy men who want to spend money on women. women are saying, okay. >> that site just crashed right now. for someone who shares your culture, language or religion. a lot of sites to go to. >> this gets to the core. people want someone who understands their cultural background and religion. shaadi.com for people of indian heritage. arablounge.com. the others, jdate for people of the jewish religion and twodoves.net for people who follow the bajai religion. there is something for everyone. >> ale whole world left to be explored if you're single. >> ivillage.com for more. seeking biker dudes, men in uniform. we have it all. >> go figure. a fun place that ivillage. kelly wallace, thank you. i love the research you had to do for that segment. >> we enjoyed it. >> coming up next, all the flavor without all the work. we are making glazed short ribs. that's why it smells so good in here. first this is "today" on nbc. this morning in "today's kitchen" glazed short ribs step by step. we have the chef and owner of restaurant north just outside of new york city. his philosophy to good cooking, keep it simple. good to see you. >> how are you? >> i tried the recipe over the we weekend. it's fantastic. generally you think short ribs take forever. not so much. >> it's a patient process. >> yeah. >> it does take time, but the recipe is so simple that it lends to easy kind of relaxed cooking. >> first of all, most people used to seeing short ribs cut across. so in a way you have to go to the butcher. >> whole heartedly. the butcher is absolutely important in this process. you are never going to see short ribs with the bones in this manner. you have to get the whole piece, start from the basics. >> so you brown it fat side down first. >> fat side down for three, four minutes until you have a nice golden brown. >> crust. >> caramelize the sugars in the meat. take it out. add mirepoix, black peppercorns. >> and the mirepoix -- >> carrots, onion, celery. add the short ribs back in, bone side up. then cover it half with red wine, half with chicken stock. >> oh. what kind of wine do you like for this? >> any red wine. my philosophy on cooking wine is if you're not going to drink it -- >> don't cook with it. >> the flavors come through. if it's too old, nasty, why bother? >> who wants nasty? then you put it in the oven. >> right. >> how long? >> 300 degrees for six hours or so until it's fork tender. you can pretty much poke through it and if the fork slides back out you're done. >> take the bones off? >> i like to get under it a little bit. bring it to a new pan that we can press it in and slide the bones right out. >> look at that. >> doesn't get much more tender than that. >> wow. >> i do this different from most people. i press the short ribs. >> why do you do it? >> overnight. how many times have you gone to a restaurant and had short ribs on the bloated side. there is excess fat that's not necessary. there is too much liquid. so we press it, chill it overnight to compact the meat. it gets the unnecessary fat out and you can cut beautiful portions the size or shape you like. >> how do you reheat that? >> very simply in the reduction of the braising liquid. you separate the meat from the liquid, reduce it down until you get this beautiful -- >> meat syrup. >> exactly. 100%. >> oh, yes. hello. where have you been all my life? >> it's actually a healthy way to do short ribs because you can see the fat come to the top of the meat. you can scrape all the excess fat away. >> right. then you've got sweet potato chips. >> right. a little bit of sweet potato puree, roasted local brussels sprouts and sweet potato chips. >> hold on. i want to get the full effect here. >> that's winter food at its finest. >> this is the best. you don't even need a knife. look at that. oh, natalie! >> i was waiting for you to call me. >> oh, my. >> i'm standing out there, salivating. this looks amazing. oh oh, my gosh. that is unbelievable. >> thank you. >> that reduction, mm, wow. >> meat syrup. i have never heard it before. >> i bet you have your own dating website. men who can cook! >> i think he's married. eric, thanks so much. >> thank you. i appreciate it. >> if you want the recipe, it is on our website. what's coming up? >> coming up, one of the members of black-eyed peas is stopping by "icarly"'s miranda cosgrove. our kids are upset they are not here. >> on nick there are only two shows, "spongebob" and "icarly". >> first your local news and weather. clouds out there and a lot of winds and more to come, we hear. we'll talk about that with tom in a moment. 9:56 is the time. i'm barbara harrison. all is clear in southeast washington after someone reported a suspicious package. investigators were called to the scene and shut down the inbound lanes of the 11th street bridge. it's since reopened, but traffic is still backed up in that area. today, maryland's general assembly will hold a hearing on whether to legalize same-sex marriage. this debate is one of the most hotly contested issues that will be discussed during this legislative session. now to tom about that wind out there, tom. good morning. >> it is increasing. we've had gusts around 30 to 35 miles an hour and just increased in the last hour. in fact, we could have gusted as high as 50 miles an hour later this afternoon, and that may cause some scattered power outages, just isolated ones, but enough, perhaps, for some major inconveniences in addition. temperatures turning much colder, dropping out of the 30s where we are now down into the 20s late this afternoon and through the evening. and then the teens tomorrow morning. partly sunny tomorrow but highs only mid-30s, and it may not even get above freezing on thursday. jerry, how's traffic? >> tom, take a live look this hour. 395 northbound remains heavy off and on from just above the pentagon to and across the 14th street bridge. we'll be watching for midday road work, but pretty stacked up at this hour. one more stop. we'll head over and update 270. travel lanes are open southbound with no lingering delays all the way on down to the split. share the good news when we can. barbara? >> true about that. thank you, jerry. tonight on "news 4 at 5:00," lunch with lindsay. you madet all the way to booze-day tuesday, february 8. we're so glad you're with us today. we thought there would be a lot of snow today and it didn't happen, thank you, lord. >> we were expecting another inch or two, weren't we? >> which is like nothing to us now. >> it is a big old yawn. this show is so exciting on so many levels, but on one level there is something women are always battling with, varicose veins? >> yes. >> we're doing things this week called life changers. remember, we saw sofma yesterday. she did a tummy tuck, she did a -- and she also did some sucking. today we're doing varicose veins. >> a lot of women battle that, varicose veins and spider veins. >> one woman had them since birth, she was born with them, and another one got them after pregnan pregnancy. somehow you inject them and they disappear into nowhere land. >> just like my fat. >> tell me about that. >> it's a laser and it spots areas that no matter how much you exercise or diet -- i could do more of both, let's be honest -- but i have what i call my snooki poof, and it basically melts the fat in a certain spot. it's painful, but now it's not because you have this understanding with your technician, and emma is my technician, and she finally realized the right way to do it with me to keep the cooldown at the amount that i needed so it didn't feel like you were being swor scorched. >> and the fat just exits your body. >> we like to say that. >> i looked at the cover of seven teen magazine and said, that girl, that girl, that girl! she's modelling three little outfits in there. >> this kid is adorable. >> they said she's 16 in there, but she's not, she's 17 and a half, but what the heck. >> do she's got to come all the way into connecticut, it's after school. she would rather style herself, if you know what i mean. >> you know wharks she's one of those kids that all she has to do is shake her hair. we have some video we like to show because we like to entertain people with bits of video. there was a guy in the snow, he had cameras all over the house. he was helping his daughter make an igloo. he left his shovel outside. the neighbor steals the shovel, took it and went and shoveled her parking place and never returned it. so the next time he took a snow blower and blew it all over her parking place. it took her forever to dig her way out of that spot. why didn't she return it? >> we all understand what he did, but he should have said, may i show you a piece of video, please? why did you take my -- it's one thing to borrow it. why didn't you return it? >> he should have said, why don't you have -- return my shovel? >> we all feel frustration, but that's not good. >> i wonder if he felt good blowing the snow into her spot. you know he did. there is a little bit of a good feeling when you do that. what happened to the golden rule? there is another cool piece of video and there was a robbery gog on going on at a jewelry store, and what you need in that situation is a 70-year-old woman with a purse. she came in while these men were breaking in -- how obvious, with sledgehammers. >> in the middle of the day. >> is this real? giddy up, granny. ♪ da da da da, da da da, da da da da, da da da da da ♪ >> she starts clubbing them with purses. is this real? >> i guess one of them tries to get away. >> it looks phoney. i'm going on record saying it looks phoney. people were standing there watching with sledgehammers? come on. is that real? >> i don't know, i don't know, but it made our show. >> it did. so valentine's day is the day -- we found out, according to a new study, that women necessarily don't want presents, we just want time and romance. we don't necessarily want gifts. >> and you know what i got in my mail today? you know how much we love our j.j. starbucks. apparently they will give them a beautiful breakfast and then j.j. will help them learn to pair skate. isn't that lovely? we'll try to put it on hoda.com. a lot of people would be like, how romantic would that be to be in rockefeller center and pair skating with j.j. starbuck? she's the sweetest woman in the world. >> we think women want presents like diamonds and stuff like that, and most women just want a romantic dinner and a little something, a gift that doesn't have to be pricey. i think it's fun and nice to get flowers, like, i love that, and i love that on valentine's day. what i don't love, and this has happened to me before when i was married, but whenever there was an argument or a fight, flowers would show up. now, here's the thing. i can dial 1-800-flowers and go, hey, send some flowers over there, and when they arrived, he felt like everything was washed away because the flowers came. don't you think that's one of those things that a gift doesn't shake it? >> flowers should never be used for personal communication. nothing says i love you more than i'm sorry. >> and meaning it. >> i'm sorry i hurt you. >> exactly. that's what we're saying. >> here's another thing. so many of these things i don't agree with, these studies that come out. i don't know if it's just that i've lived so long now that i've outlived some of the studies that now they're saying something different than they've said ten years before, but now they're saying couples have the stronger relationship when fathers are the playmate with the children and the mother is the nurturer. when the parents have a specific role that father plays, mother nurtures, does all the diaper changing, all the feeding, and dad does the fun stuff. >> i think that's ridiculous. i do think you have to blend it. probably women are better at both things, don't you think? >> i don't know. i know some women that i wish had never had children because they're not in yonurturing or pg with their children. i have gray friends who are parents and fantastic at both of them. >> they're saying marriages are stronger when they're in defined roles. that's what they're saying. >> i'd like to think the kids cherish the times they played with their dad, played with me, the times their dad gave them a bath if i wasn't there and vice versa, you know? any time we think we have to do one thing one way so we have success, no. >> i agree with that. i agree. >> i think our kids want the same thing we want from our spouse. we want you. >> time. >> we want time with you. >> yeah, time. i'm still upset about yesterday and my book that i put out here. >> so sorry, hoda. >> i had a book and it meant a lot to me. it's called "the book of awakening." >> we still going through this? >> i'm having aftershocks because i just saw the book again -- you haven't even read the book so you can't say it's terrible. >> i didn't say it's terrible. that one thing you explained to me yesterday, i thought about it more and i thought, well, that's just dumb. are you going to tell them again? >> no. the guy tries to save the spider. he gets it out of the water. the spider bites him. the next day he goes to the water, tries to save the spider. the spider bites him. the next day he goes to save the spider. the spider says, are you really going to do this again? and he said, i'm being true to me. >> you blew the story. it's nothing like that. i should never bring it up. forget it. >> pick another story out of that book. >> i love that book. and so does oprah. so there. >> okay. >> it shows that women are more attracted to guys who don't tell them exactly how they feel. when it's unclear what the relationship is about, women are more attracted to those guys than the guys who say, i love you and blurt it right out. >> isn't that why marriages fall apart, because basically the deal is done and nobody works at it anymore? >> remember what rabbi shmuli used to say? he said you still have to make your marriage exciting and some things forbidden and a little bit of intrigue. >> what was that book called, koshi sutra? >> still to come, our newest fan of the week. it could be you, and let me tell you, if it is you, uyou have a surprise in store. >> get rid of unsightly spider veins once and for all, right after this. [ female announcer ] a quick weight-loss plan that lets you eat six times a day? yeah, baby! try the slim-fast 3-2-1 plan. 3 snacks, 2 shakes or meal bars, and 1 balanced meal. slim fast. who has time to slim slowly? and 1 balanced meal. missing something? now you get a cleanser with scope freshness. new fixodent plus scope ingredients. cleans and kills germs that cause odors to your dentures. new fixodent cleanser plus scope ingredients. with all the equipment you use to stay fit, you might want to try lifting one of these. in recent years we've added a unique natural sea salt to over 40 campbell's condensed soups. it helps us reduce sodium, but not flavor. so if you're ready to eat a little better, grab your spoon and do a few lifts. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ smoky eyes look amazing, but creating them? that's a whole different story. introducing new almay intense i-color smoky-i kit. first, sweep the smoky eye color across your lid. then add the crease- accentuating shade, and a highlight under your brow. only from almay. only for me. i hope we're not lost. so i always make sure i've got the right guidance. - turn left, ahead... - woman: we're here! man: i'm like that with taxes too. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me to every deduction and credit i deserve. for home, charitable donations and more. with calculations guaranteed 100% accurate, and i get my maximum refund, guaranteed. announcer: try turbotax online now. you don't pay unless you're satisfied with the results. we're back with our special series we're calling life changers, showing you how to make the most minor to the most major changes to get the look you really, really want. >> today we are talking veins, whether you've got varicose or spider. they show up in women of all ages. we found two women ready to change their lives by changing the appearance of their legs. >> i'm katie. i'm 34 years old and i'm here today to get treatment for my varicose veins. i think i have these veins because both my parents had varicose veins. >> katie as one varicose vein and several spider veins. >> they're big and ugly. they've bothered me my entire life. >> i am the mother of twins. right after i had my kids, i started noticing all these spider veins and i was very self-conscious about it. >> julie has spider veins and little varicose veins that treat the spider veins. >> i didn't want to wear short skirts, i didn't want to wear a bathing suit. i always go to the beach. >> i only wear long dresses. when i buy clothes, i have to think, is this going to cover my veins? >> even though i put on makeup, it looks so awful. >> acupuncture, i tried tanning. >> i tried exercise and nothing worked. >> i've always been embarrassed by them. >> it's completely unbearable. i think about them all the time. >> the injection of a chemical compound into the vein closes the vein and makes it disappear. >> i'm planning to go this summer to brazil and i want to wear a bathing suit without covering all these veins with makeup. i'm not going to feel self-conscious about it anymore. >> the outcome of the treatment will be a much better appearance of the spider veins and varicose veins. >> i can hardly wait to wear a skirt. the next time you see me, i'll be in a shorter dress. >> i have a feeling they'll both be in shorter dresses. let's bring out katie freeman and julie tremendovino. >> before you sit, let's see. turn around, if you wouldn't mind. >> there is a huge difference, isn't there? you're not wearing nylons, right? >> no. it's amazing. >> that looks great! >> way to go, dr. navaro. this is dr. louis navaro at the vein treatment center in new york. you said they got this done last week. >> they need a few weeks to get rid of the bruising. >> you inject something into the vein and then where does it go? >> we inject the vein with a compound, the vein closes. it disappears and the blood goes to healthy veins. >> wow. katie, tell us how you feel. how long have you had these? >> since i was about 18 years old. i was overweight, too, so the weight and the veins, i wasn't feeling so great about myself. then i lost the weight and the veins were still there. >> you tried everything, you tried tanning and panty hose and all those things. was there anything that came close to working at all? >> no. not at all. >> this was your only alternative? >> it was. >> how painful was it when you got the shot? >> i didn't find it painful at all. they used air and blew cold air on it, and i generally -- >> did you find it painful, julie? >> no. not at all. >> so you go three times and how much time between intervals? >> it depends. usually a week, but two days if necessary. >> julie, when you got the first injections, could you see right away that something was happening? >> yes. i started noticing they were disappearing. >> right away. >> yes, right away. >> what's the recovery time for you guys? you got the shots, and you have to wrap it, too. >> we have to wrap it and overnight we have to wear support panty hose. >> okay. what was the recovery time for you? could you walk around and do your own thing? >> i could go back to my regular schedule the next day. >> you just wore clothes over it. >> yeah. >> the big thing people want to know is how much does it cost? >> usually it's about 4 to $500 per session and you get 40 to 50 injections. >> so how much would it be? >> it would be $500 times three. >> can you imagine? this would be a lifetime problem for a person and $1500 is a lot of money but it could change their life. >> absolutely. >> you think you're getting blood, so what's the issue here? >> the veins are not working. their blood carrying capacity is minor. >> they're not useful. >> absolutely. you're diverting the flow of the venous blood to healthy veins. >> there is nothing that can go wrong with this? >> superficial. you could develop a little bit of pig mmentation, but it usual goes away in the next few months. >> julie, i hear your going to brazil. what all are you putting in that bag? >> shorts, skirts, bathing suits. i feel like a new woman. >> show those legs! >> crossing our legs, is that bad for us? >> not really. it is believed but has never really been proven. >> we're happy for you. so it was money well spent. >> i feel wonderful. tomorrow our life changers series moves up the body a bit when we show you how to change your bra size for less or for more. >> another surprise for our newest fan of the week. and later, the woman who puts the i in carly. ♪ [ female announcer ] there's a place called hidden valley where kids not only eat their vegetables, they can't get enough. ♪ hidden valley ranch, makes vegetables delectable. i am a banker with quicken loans. this is kathy, who i helped do her first home loan, and this is her sister tina, who i also helped do her first home loan. it was unbelievable how well it all fell together. kathy said, "well, let me give you rachel's number." easy. easy. easy. the whole loan process was simple and convenient! that's why i love quicken loans! [ male announcer ] and you'll be glad to know j.d. power and associates ranks quicken loans "highest in customer satisfaction." to learn more call 800-quicken or visit us online at quickenloans.com. or visit us online how can expedia now save me even more on my hotel? well, hotels know they can't fill every room every day. like this one. and this one. and oops, my bad. so, they give expedia ginormous discounts with these: unpublished rates. which means i get an even more rockin' hotel, for less. my brain didn't even break a sweat. where you book matters. expedia. ♪ work, work all week long ♪ punching that clock from dusk till dawn ♪ ♪ countin' the days till friday night ♪ ♪ that's when all the conditions are right for a good time ♪ [ male announcer ] advanced technology that helps provide cleaner air, cleaner water, and helps make all of us more energy efficient is something the whole world can get in step with. [ static ] ♪ i need a good time [ male announcer ] ecomagination from ge. it's technology that makes the world work. ♪ it is time to give a shout out to one of our biggest fans that we call fan of the week. >> and here we have the lovely sara. >> i don't want to keep you guys waiting. the winner this week, our fan of the week is kerry bergo. she lives in california. she watches on wacu. she's been a fan of the show since she was a little girl. she now watches with her son and, quote, holds down the fort. she's been quoted on facebook many times. her favorite part is the scoop. she loves your personal views on everything. she watches kathie lee and hoda because it's good for her health. you guys make her laugh a lot. >> how wesweet is she. >> for a huge thank you, though, we're sending her to arizona. three-night stay in ysiba suite, a jeep tour and the hotel and air accommodations were furnished by sedona. >> i'm by biggest fan. i want to go. >> you're not going. [ male announcer ] on pizza hut's tuscani tuesdays, any family-sized tuscani pasta is just ten bucks! with over three pounds of your favorite pasta, like meaty marinara or chicken alfredo, plus an order of breadsticks, you get enough for the whole family. only on tuesdays, and only at your pizza hut. i was just gonna say that! about this flat haircolor! let's dimensionalize! [ gigi ] try nice 'n easy, with colorblend technology. anti-flat, always dimensional. in one simple step, get a beautiful blend of tones and highlights, built into every shade. see ya, flat! hello, dimension! [ gigi ] another nice 'n easy success. my work here is done. [ gigi ] it's always dimensional. it's nice 'n easy. your right color. a wind advisory is in effect from 11:00 this morning until 8:00 tonight for gusts up to 50 miles per hour. with the wind comes the frigid air, too. coming up on "news 4 midday," tom kierein will tell us just how cold it's going to feel. good morning. i'm barbara harrison. also coming up, making your feet look and fooeld feel great. you can hide those dry and cracked feet in boots right now, but it will soon be it should be green. okay. hi, i'm joe kennedy, and i want you to meet a friend of mine, courtney. courtney's mom, elaine, had to quit work to care for her sick daughter, who's been fighting leukemia for half of her short life. there are millions of families like courtney's, who are having a tough time making it these days. folks can't pay their bills, and staying warm just isn't possible. let us remember, at this particular time, that kindness counts and that there's still room for a gentle response to those in need. so i want to thank the people of venezuela and citgo petroleum for their generosity. we'll have our differences, but they were the only country, and the only oil company, to answer our call to provide heating assistance to the poor. if you need help staying warm, give me a call at citizens energy, at 1-877-joe-4-oil. because no one should be left out in the cold. this week, make pasta night more exciting for your family with a little help from the italian sausage experts: try... since 1945, this delicious italian sausage has been made with only the most premium cuts of pork and unique blends of quality herbs and spices you can actually see. and the taste? why not let the empty plates speak for themselves. make pasta night a weekly dinner your family looks forward to. choose johnsonville, america's favorite italian sausage. brand power. helping you buy better. and we're back on this booze-day tuesday with more of "today" and we've got one of the most sparkling talents on all of television today. she's the star of "i, carly" on nick nickelodeon. she has a brand new cd coming out called "high maintenance," touring the country, and she has her show on again. "i, carly." let's watch a clip. >> she would be the perfect candidate. wait. there's still one guy waiting outside. >> and on the day before i started seventh grade, my dad said to me, he goes, you've got to learn how to tie your own shoes. >> he's in, he got the job. you know, i had seen this show quite a bit because my daughter is about your age, and kids love this show. it's absolutely adorable. it's funny. the little girl that plays your cohort, she is a naughty girl. love her. >> in addition to doing this show, you are touring. you just recently played at the beacon. what was that like? >> it was so exciting to play in new york, and i had a lot of friends come out, and it was pretty surreal. i had a great time. >> this is your first tour, though, right? >> yeah, it's my first tour. >> how are you doing? >> i'm doing pretty well. i'm on a bus going all over the united states. it's mostly guys on the bus with me. i've never been to camp, but it was like camp. >> is mom in on this? >> she's on tour with me. we have bunks on the bus together. >> kind of like a sleepover. >> yeah, it is. >> your show is taped and not in front of a live audience. what's the difference? >> i get a lot more stage fright on stage than doing the show. the show is like home. >> this is a big deal because your record "high maintenance" is out. your new single is called "dancing crazy." we happen to have the video. >> this is the premier. ♪ >> okay, it's going to be good. picture kids and me singing along to the songs. i love that kind of music. >> my daughter says she has the musical taste of a 17-year-old girl. she's going to love your album. >> thank you. >> why is your album called "high maintenance" because you seem the opposite of that. >> i'm a little high maintenance. >> really. >> i like it when a guy comes and picks me up, a lot of little things. >> that's called manners. >> i got to do a song on the album called "high maintenance" it's kind of tongue in cheek about a girl who is really high maintenance and the guy has to put up with it. >> is there someone about to woo you on valentine's day? >> i don't have a boyfriend right now. >> you'll have to give your love to your co-star. >> we have an "i, carly" movie coming out pretty soon. >> thanks for being here, sweetheart. >> thanks for having me. taboo talks about their super performance and quite the life this man has had already. he'll be with us in just a moment. let's get chinese. should we order panda blossom, panda moon... how about chinese at home with wanchai ferry? you can make it in just 14 minutes. mmmh, orange chicken. great. i didn't feel like going out anyway. 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[ female announcer ] there's a place called hidden valley where kids not only eat their vegetables, they can't get enough. ♪ hidden valley ranch, makes vegetables delectable. hidden valley ranch, twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. rolling stones and prince are just a few of the music legends who have had the privilege of playing the music at the super bowl half time. >> now add to that the black-eyed peas. here we have taboo who wrote a book. >> let's talk about the super bowl before we get into the book. i was a huge fan of this. i love how you guys just rocked it. what did you think? >> when we first started rehearsing, it was nerve-wraking, going up 30 feet into the jumbotron. i remember telling fergie, don't talk to me, i'm nervous. >> but she's always talking, isn't she? >> that's my sister. fergie is an amazing partner, but just being up there so long and doing that time and time again -- >> you guys got it down, though. >> we got it down. when the performance came, everything was perfect. as far as the technical side, we can't control that. >> that's not your people, anyway. that's the network's people. you can control your own people when you're on your own tour, and it's a huge job these people have to do. it didn't spoil it. >> it was great. people were just loving it, having a good time and rocking out. it was amazing. >> let's talk about your book. i love the title, by the way. tell us about the title because you have been in low, low places. >> "falling up" is paying homage to our first album before any hits. our first album came out in 1988 and our first song was called "falling up." i'm paying homage to knowing where you come from. if you don't come back to where you come from, you lose yourself. >> because you were raised in a loving home. there was your nana ask yond yo mom. >> uh-huh. >> you had a tough upbringing, in a sense, in the area where you grew up in, but you had real love in your life, unconditional love. what went wrong? >> i think i got lost into the whole, you know, lifestyle of being -- people telling you, oh, you're great, your music is amazing. you guys are great! so you get caught up in that. you think to yourself, yeah, maybe i am great. let's do this, let's do that. you start believing your own hype. >> you decided at one point you had just had enough. what made you stop with the drinking and drugs and everything? >> my wife and kids. i owe my life to my wife and my kids. >> she is a beautiful lady. >> my wife jamie was there for me before any success. she was there. she was the one. >> look how pretty she is. we're so glad you're here to write this terrific book. we were just talking about it. your music inspired our entire "today" show staff. >> everybody was rocking out. that was great. >> we did it with one camera and we had brian williams. you saw that? hold on, let's see. let's see it, let's see it. will i am did a similar version. >> brian is proving that it's harder than it looks. >> if brian had done one of these, it would have been a little better. >> you're going to teach us something? what's going on? >> so i brought you guys a gift. >> what is it? >> the taboo bling. this was made by kaseros.com. she made it especially for you. >> put that baby on. >> show us a move as we go out. ♪ >> oh, wow. kathie lee, get it, girl! get it! >> thank you, honey. taboo. >> the book is sensational. >> it's like christmas all over again. we've got the best toys for you kids. after that, who knows what's happening. >> love you guys. till morning to eat it. ♪ [ beep ] ♪ ♪ the perfect blend of sweet and nutty in every crunchy bite. ♪ go ahead... it's morning somewhere. go ahead... smoky eyes look amazing, but creating them? that's a whole different story. introducing new almay intense i-color smoky-i kit. first, sweep the smoky eye color across your lid. then add the crease- accentuating shade, and a highlight under your brow. only from almay. only for me. you have a really nice neck. thank you, it's just genetics... whoa! huh? mr. clean magic eraser kitchen scrubber with the grease-fighting power of dawn. right in the eraser. oh-h, look at the bubbles. bottle 1: that's the race car of erasers. bottle 2: it is, it's the "erase car". is there a pit stop in this guy's future? this is unbelievable. he helps remove three times more greasy kitchen mess per swipe. well, i think he wins this race. oh man, look at him go. if i had hands, i'd throw in the towel. yeah, things aren't what they used to be. mr. clean magic eraser kitchen scrubber... [ female announcer ] important events can sneak up on you. oh, i am not ready. can i have a couple weeks? [ female announcer ] but with yoplait light's two week tune up, you could be ready. you could lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks when you replace breakfast and lunch with a fruit, grain, and yoplait light. betsy bets. you haven't changed a bit. oh...neither have you... sean. well, yeah. [ female announcer ] go to yoplait.com to start your two week tune up. imagine more than 1,000 companies from all over the world coming together with their toys. >> that is just what is happening right here in new york starting this sunday when the american international toy association kicks off, and here is the founder of thetoyinsider.com. this is kind of a big day on the show. >> it is, because almost nobody has seen these toys and these are not all the toys yet. we're going to get a sneak peek of what the best toys will be, and we'll start with light brights. these are light brights and the world of light utopia. it begins with our magic wand. it's all about the game of colors -- >> what? do that again. i like it. >> this is on the top of every little girl's list. and the brights can share color, so we can make her a different color. she can share with her friends. >> how did you do that? >> we have our tree of lights. >> i love it. >> it's beautiful. >> it needs to be singing. ♪ it's a small world after all >> one of the most popular video games in the entire world is tetris. now we're going to see tetris link. we have these and we put them in. you want to make links with your colors, you need to block your opponent. you do not want to leave spaces like this because you will lose points and you don't want to do that. this is so much fun. oh, my gosh, it's addicting. this is fabulous. everyone is going to love tetris links. >> there is a little slit there i didn't see. >> look at these girls and what they're doing. this is a whole new twist on beads. i love this. girls are going to be crazy. this is the style center and they can get their beads out -- >> we have isabel here and morgan. >> not only are they making bracelets, but after they make their bracelets and accessories, they can just twist, twist, and they have all these little -- >> genius. >> these are going to be absolutely savvy. >> is it fun? >> can we see that again? >> all right. movies. green lantern is coming. it's a big action movie, this is an action game. they're knocking them out, and as you notice, the marble is staying right underneath the game board. >> they're not flying all over. >> instead of flying all over. look at this. >> violent little stickers, aren't they? >> speaking of movies, what t tween girl doesn't like the heartthrob. this is his tour bus rocking stage. they can plug in their mp3 player. when he's done singing, ex lounge. this turns so he can either play video games or he can do his hair. >> is this the old haircut? >> this is the hairstyle doll. this is the justin hair doll. >> he is breaking raking it in . >> smurfs 3-d. we have our smurf carnival, papa smurf house, play sets, everybody is going to love them. and of course, transformers are coming up in 3-d. these are the 3-d masks built in. kids with wear them to the theater and role-play and transform. play sets. this is the spy headquarters. they always made great sets and they're having a great time with all the spy gear. this was a living room. it transformed into the secret headquarters and escaped to the jets. >> those are for older kids. >> dhs fthis is for 7 and up. >> what is this? >> this is paper jam. >> i'm going to love this. >> this is a perfect pitch mic. what it means is that if you could sing -- do you want to sing with us? ♪ everyone has a story different as night and day ♪ >> i put the beetles on. ♪ can't buy me love >> thanks a lot, kids. have fun. >> we're going to separate st. croix. with fios, when you're watching the picture, it just jumps out at you. it was like, "wow!" [ male announcer ] decisions don't get any easier than this. now you can move up to fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year with no term contract required. [ mr. donovan ] we have more choices. so many more hi-def channels. with fios, i really feel like we're getting a great deal. [ male announcer ] call now and we'll include a multi-room dvr free for 12 months. record a show in one room. watch it in up to six other rooms. [ mrs. baltin ] fios dvr is very easy. even i can do it. even he can do it. [ male announcer ] fios is a 100% fiber-optic network, with hd picture quality rated #1 by changewave research, plus the fastest internet in the u.s. switching to fios was the best thing we've done in a long time. and my wife reminds me of that often. [ male announcer ] hurry, this offer ends soon. get fios tv, internet and phone for this great price plus a multi-room dvr free for 12 months. call 1.888.818.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.888.818.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. . it's time to have a st. croix food and wine experience. we thought we'd get a head start. >> why not, this weather is so bad. performer dennis brown and lydia tyson will perform in just a moment. but first executive chef leslie, one of the caribbean's most accomplished chefs is here with a traditional dish. >> we're cooking up a little kingfish. >> first of all, these are some of our staple cuisines from the virgin islands. i'm from st. thomas. you can get this year round, even for the carnival coming up in april. >> i love the carnival. >> we feature our fresh catch of the day, a local kingfish, served with funji. >> what is funji. >> known here as palenta. >> we're hungry. >> get right into the bowl, all right? we'll finish this off with one of our signature spirits that i do. it's a sugarcane spritzer. >> we've got to get to the performance because we only have a minute left, right? thank you so much, chef. all right, you guys, take it away. >> come on, let's watch your thing. do it. ♪ ♪ >> tomorrow funny man kevin nealon will be with us. >> and how to get a better body! see you tomorrow! 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