♪ "dancing with the stars" off to a sizzling start. derek and amy wowing the judges with a blockbuster cha-cha. olympians ruling the night from charlie's big lift to meryl's twists with maks as salsa and sparks fly. >> and good morning, america. lara off today. great to have amy here and, boy, the size of that massive search area looked even more daunting overnight. the area off the australian coast they're looking through is the size of france. and this is all up against a ticking clock, those batteries on the plane's black boxes running down, less than 20 days left right now. >> time is of the essence and there's a bit of an amazing piece of information we want to share with you this morning. 3 million people have actually joined the search from their own homes to find the plane. one satellite company posting new images online every day. now being called the largest ground sourcing project of its kind. >> they need every bit of it. >> mm-hmm. we're going to get right to the latest on the search. the longest in modern aviation history. abc's david kerley is here with that. good morning, david. >> reporter: good morning, robin. what a mystery. let's talk about the search. the potential area. those two so-called corridors, which had been the last location of the 777, anywhere along there. we're talking about 2.25 million square nautical miles. and we've been told for several days that that's not where we should focus. but we should focus here, off the coast of australia. they've now provided us this map of the search area off australia. but even this is about the size of texas. the search covering a massive area is a bit of a race. already a third of the battery life of those black box pingers is gone. this morning, that highly sophisticated sub hunter from the united states, the p-8 has joined in the search efforts along the southern arc off the western coast of australia. >> the search area in a little detail. >> reporter: this is where sources tell abc news is the focus. the australians have flown over parts of the ocean already. >> this search will be difficult. the sheer size of the search area poses a huge challenge. the search area is more than 600,000 square kilometers. >> reporter: u.s. and other countries are still looking in the waters to the north, as well. we flew along as a p-3 sub hunter scoured the waters of the bay of bengal looking for any sign of the aircraft. investigators say they cannot rule out decompression of the aircraft, but still believe this was a deliberate act. as abc news reported, at least 12 minutes before the last radio call, someone programmed that hard left turn off the route to beijing. it was two minutes after who was thought to be the co-pilot says "all right, good night" to air traffic controllers that the location transponder is shut off and then that dramatic turn. from beijing where families are waiting for news, the chinese reported this morning that they have found no links to terrorism among their citizens on the jet. two-thirds of the 239 people on board were chinese. the most crucial part of the investigation remains finding any of the jetliner's debris hoping one piece could lead investigators to the plane's main components and those all-important black boxes. so to the two main points as we've been reporting at abc news for the past couple of days, somebody programmed that computer, we're told by a single source, a long time before that last radio call. and even the malaysians are saying this is the special focus of the search for this missing plane, george. >> but still such a wide zone. thanks very much. we turn to the startling eyewitness accounts from a tiny malaysian village. abc's bob woodruff traveled to kota bharu where fishermen reported a jumbo jet roaring extremely low and loud overhead. he joins us from there right now. good morning, bob. >> reporter: good morning, george. this is kota bharu in the northeast tip of malaysia. this is close to where the plane passed over in the middle of the night ten days ago. no witnesses reported so far on this story. but i got here, and i met two. on the night when flight 370 took off from kuala lumpur, assid ibraham and seven others set out on this boat to go tuna fishing, ten miles out to sea. when suddenly, he looked up, watching a jet flying low, louder and bigger than any plane he had ever seen if the sky. 5,000 feet. the fishermen's location off the coast of kota bharu falls in the path the plane could have taken after the infamous left turn, as it headed back over malaysia. did it dive lower to purposely avoid detection? known as terrain masking? was it 1:30 in the morning? we met one other fisherman on that boat. he says they were just east of thailand between malaysia and vietnam where they witnessed it, came home, heard the news about the disappearance, then reported it that morning here to the local police. this town will always be connected to this mysterious flight. the fishermen say they saw it and the grandmother of co-pilot fariq abdul hamid lives here where fariq grew up. he even happened to walk by this kindergarten school where the kids were drawing these pictures praying for the people on malaysian flight 370 and hoping they will come back. back in the u.s., the brother of philip wood, the american passenger on board, is hoping the same. >> we're hoping for the best. we're hoping for a good outcome. we're hoping for a wonderful reunion. >> reporter: as for the local people here today not only the kids and, of course, the americans at home, they too said this is not, not a crash of the plane. this was actlly a hijacking. maybe it's just something coming out of their heart but they truly believe that is the case. george? >> okay, bob woodruff. thanks very much. let's go to our aviation consultant steve ganyard. steve, first off, what do you make of these eyewitness reports from this small village? and the idea that the pilots might have been doing these kinds of evasive maneuvers known as terrain masking. >> george, it's highly unlikely for two reasons. these fishermen were listening to them saying they're between malaysia and vietnam so would have been on the original part of that path. terrain masking in a 777 is unheard of. you don't want to be flying low to the ground at night. you don't have night vision goggles or radar but most importantly eyewitnesses' remarks from a mishap are rarely helpful. people are not trained to know what they see. they want to see things, so we usually discount what we hear from eyewitnesses. >> what we are seeing is the focus on that search zone off the coast of australia, even extending all the way down close to antarctica. and the australians now taking charge of this search. >> yeah, this is extraordinary because the australians are telling us look 1500 miles southwest of perth. on your way to antarctica at that point. the good news here is that we have the australians with the ntsb now in charge of this investigation. we've seen a lot of inconsistency out of the malaysian authorities all week. their statements haven't matched up. but now we have the real pros on the scene. and really, we go back, we are now at day one in this investigation because we have people who know how to do this but, george, 1500 miles south on the way to antarctica, i don't know how we're going to get an oceanographic ship out there even if we find wreckage. >> lots of criticism as you pointed out and the suggestion they deliberately engaged in disinformation? >> well, you know, that's a serious charge but at this point i wouldn't doubt it. they have been so inconsistent they have told us things we have known not to be true. something -- somebody needs to be held to account here. because either they're terribly incapable of running an investigation, or they're hiding something. but it's one of the two. >> okay, stephen ganyard, thanks very much. okay, george, now the other big story. the escalating crisis in ukraine. after crimea voted to break away and join russia. a defiant president putin is ignoring sanctions from the united states and europe. jonathan karl is at the white house with the very latest on these tense standoffs. good morning, jon. >> reporter: good morning, robin. russia is openly mocking the sanctions imposed by president obama. and this morning, vladimir putin is charging ahead towards a full-blown russian takeover of crim crimea. this morning, an heroic welcome for president vladimir putin. in defiance of the united states and the u.n., this morning russian president vladimir putin approved a plan to make crimea part of russia. the move comes just after president obama hit russia with a first round of sanctions and threatened more to come. >> we're making it clear that there are consequences for their actions. if russia continues to interfere in ukraine, we stand ready to impose further sanctions. >> reporter: the sanctions freeze the assets of 11 individuals and bans them from doing business with americans. the sanctioned officials include two of president putin's top advisers and russia's deputy prime minister, who responded by mocking president obama on twitter. "i think the decree of the president of the united states was written by some joker," he tweeted. the u.s. sanctions don't hit putin himself, at least not yet. are sanctions on vladimir putin freezing vladimir putin's assets, is that something on the table that is actively under consideration? >> we have thoughts under way, we have an active effort under way to assess what further steps and what further sanctions we can and could impose. >> reporter: this morning president putin is addressing the russian parliament making clear that he is not going to let anything the united states or europe does stop him from getting his way in ukraine. robin. >> tense times. all right, jonathan, thanks. the other top stories with josh. we begin with some surprising health news this morning. it turns out that all that evil saturated fat in burgers and butter and cheese that we have all been warned about may not be so bad for your heart after all. in fact, scientists at cambridge now say there's no evidence linking saturated fats to heart disease though they do admit more research is needed. they also say the takeaway here is to focus on moderation and eat a well-rounded diet. hear, hear. general motors has announced a new round of recalls as the company shifts into damage control mode. its new ceo is admitting something went, and i do quote, very wrong, end quote. rebecca jarvis is here to explain how this affects millions of drivers. rebecca, good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, josh. good morning, this new recall as you say affects 1.5 million suvs, luxury cars, and full-sized vans for model years 2008 to 2014 because of problems associated with air bags and brakes. those problems are not linked to any deaths at this point but the company is trying to prove its commitment to safety following its recall last month for faulty ignition switches blamed for 12 deaths. a recall that's the subject of a federal investigation now. in a new video message ceo mary barra says she's conducting an intense review of gm's internal practices. and the company is spending $300 million on repairs. but josh, despite all of this, despite all of it, money analysts on wall street think the company's reputation and its stock price will hold up over the longer term, josh. >> certainly something to keep an eye on. rebecca, thank you for that. meanwhile, a new prediction this morning about prices at the grocery store. they are expected to rise by an average of 3.5% this year because of the extreme drought in the west. that is the biggest price increase in three years. also, gas prices, they keep going up. they rose another 4 cents in the last week, actually topped $4 per gallon in parts of california. and a violent scene to show you on the philadelphia subway. you're going to watch as a police officer says a man, claiming to have a gun, attacked him. you see this attack. threw the officer to the ground. riders getting off the train ran to help the officer subdue the suspect. police say the man was strung out on drugs. and a very close call here near san francisco. a man ran across the tracks as you see there barely escaping with his life. >> oh, my gosh. >> obviously, ignoring warnings. just, please, everybody watching this, do not ever attempt something like this in your neck of the woods. and finally, we've all done it once. ever been to a restaurant with that big fish tank and if you ever wondered what would happen if that big fish tank exploded? well, now you know. >> oh! >> this is orlando's downtown disney. t-rex cafe, the scene. workers now rushing to evacuate people while they also tried to scoop up the fish. >> oh. >> oh, no. >> a lot of diners, though, refused to leave. whipping out their cell phones, shooting video. one witness says understandably so, it was chaos. but actually praised the staff for their quick response. how quick, you ask? in fact, no fish were harmed in the making of this video. >> oh, that's incredible. >> they saved them all. >> she looked calmer than i expected. >> really calm. i mean -- >> at least it wasn't a shark tank. >> could have been worse. >> thanks, josh. we turn now to a sad story. the shocking suicide of l'wren scott, the fashion designer for so many stars and longtime girlfriend of mick jagger found dead in her manhattan apartment yesterday morning. and abc's mara schiavocampo is on the scene right now. good morning, mara. >> reporter: george, good morning. that tragic discovery made here at scott's apartment on monday. this morning, so many trying to figure out why this happened. recent financial documents show scott's company was $6 million in debt last year. and now rumors of a split with her longtime love, jagger. l'wren scott seemed to have it all. mick jagger's longtime girlfriend, a successful fashion designer, split her time between london, new york, and paris, ran a brand loved by celebrities from nicole kidman to the first lady, and recently launched a partnership with banana republic. >> i'm always looking at what's around me. i like to travel. i love art. >> reporter: monday morning scott's seeminy glamorous life came to a sudden end. police say the 49-year-old was found dead in her multimillion dollar new york city apartment by her assistant just after 10:00 a.m. scott reportedly texted her assistant an hour and a half earlier asking her to come by. officials say the 6'3" former model used a scarf to hang herself from a doorknob while kneeling. though she didn't leave a note officials say they do not suspect foul play. >> l'wren was somebody who was really respected in the business because she was somebody living the dream. not trying to be something she wasn't. she was somebody. >> reporter: jagger and scott were together for 13 years, longer than either of jagger's previous two marriages. but "the new york post" reports scott told a longtime friend jagger had dumped her, something his reps deny. the rolling stones' front man got the news in australia where the stones are on tour just hours after tweeting this happy picture on a beach, which he later took down. a spokesperson said jagger is completely shocked and devastated by the news. so many others devastated, as well, an outpouring of sadness from celebrities like bianca jagger, anna wintour, and madonna. marc jacobs tweeting, "you'll forever be missed." the stones canceled an upcoming show in australia. the results of scott's autopsy will be released later today. george? >> okay, mara, thanks. it hit a lot of people hard. >> it surely did. we'll switch to amy. you have a remarkable rescue story. >> it is. a lot of people are talking about it. the pictures are so dramatic. the story is actually hard to believe. a toddler who was going after a toy accidentally went out of the window of the family apartment. he was about to fall three stories. but take a look at what happened. a thankful twist of fate. the images are striking. a 3-year-old boy who had just fallen out of a third story window cradled by his emotional father on what would be the child's salvation -- a mattress. and what some are calling a very fortunate twist of fate. >> it feels like i watched a tv show like just happened to me. >> reporter: konrad lightner and his wife, jennifer, just happened to be moving their mattress out of their burbank, california, apartment building when they noticed a toddler apparently tangled in wires and dangling precariously out of the window. that's when the box sprang into action. >> so we called 911 and conrad threw the box spring down to try to break his fall and stood there to catch him. >> reporter: incredibly, the wires gave way moments later, sending the boy plummeting on to that just placed mattress, which cradled his fall and left him completely unharmed. >> very surreal afterwards. just moving the rest of the day and every once in a while we'd look at each other and be, like, that happened. that was real. it was incredible. >> reporter: even more surreal, the lightners say they got stuck in an elevator earlier that day for 30 minutes. had that not happened, they say they wouldn't have been there to help save that little boy. we want to thank our station kabc for this remarkable story. i mean right place right time doesn't even begin to address how unbelievable that situation was. >> the chances that they would have a mattress. >> yeah. >> on the move. >> it's like a movie. >> i can't wait to see what happens with that boy. >> i know. he's meant to do something big in the world. >> i agree with you there, amy. let's get a check of the weather. some high winds out west. >> from that story to stunning video. look at this. it's the kind that makes you kind of go -- [ gasps ] the winds are blowing up to 66 miles per hour across that bridge. this is twin falls, idaho. they had wind speeds up to almost 80. that's in the magic valley. now, the wind moving to the east and so is the snow. and that's where we'll see minneapolis pick up some snow. the milder air on the front end, indianapolis and chicago in the 50s, st. louis at 65. i'll leave you the look at the snow totals to expect. but for now, we've got to get to that local forecast coming up in just 30 seconds. first the tuesday trivia brought to you by royal caribbean. good morning. i'm abc 7 news meteorologist mike nicco. the bay area forecast, grab a coat this morning. it's much cooler. but this afternoon will be sunny, calmer and warmer than yesterday. spring starts thursday morning. and the cooling trend follows. for today, temperatures in the low to mid-60s along the coast. a little bit of fog this morning but that will dissipate. upper 60s around san francisco and richmond. mid-70s elsewhere. expect a lot of temperatures in the 40s tonight. it should be warmest thursday. >> anyone spring breaking in florida, we'll check on your forecast coming up in the next half hour. coming up on "gma," intense new testimony in the trial of oscar pistorius. documents reveal new details about his weapons training. another dramatic rescue. a man and his dog stranded at sea. the coast guard comes to the rescue all caught on camera. >> wow. and the former child star of "two and a half men" speaking out, calling himself a hypocrite after years as the highest paid child actor in television. and olympians ruled and dueled on the dance floor. charlie white going head to head with a gold medal partner meryl on "dancing with the stars." let's green it up... and trim it up. let's figure out this... check out this, and wipe out that... pocket all this. and then let's throw down. ♪ yard of the month? 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[prof. burke] at farmers,we make you smarter [bell rings] about your insurance,because what you don't know can hurt you. what if you didn't know that home insurance can keep your stuff covered,even when it's not at home? or that collisions with wildlife on the road may not be covered. and what if you didn't know that you could be liable for any accidents on your property? the more you know,the better you can plan for what's ahead. talk to farmers and get smarter about your insurance. ♪ we are farmers bum - pa - dum, bum - bum - bum - bum♪ officers say the victim is a man in his 20s. they found several marijuana plants inside the home. a husband wanted in the death of his wife has turned himself in. he surrendered late last night. the body of his wife was found in their castro valley home on friday. a check on the traffic. here's sue. >> this wreck continues to be bad. traffic backed all the way from before sfo. you may want to use 280. if you plan on coming down the peninsula. there's this accident now clear. up to napa, a serious situation with a sigalert in effect. it's a fatal accident. >> thank you. when we come back, meteorologist mike nicco has the bay area forecast. good morning. i'm mike nicco. significantly cooler this morning from 39 in santa rosa to 50 in san francisco. most of us in the 40s. look at the sunrise from the exploratorium. 2 to 5 degrees warmer today than yesterday. a little over 12 hours and three minutes of sunshine. hey. oorbell rin] hey. 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[doorbell rings] hey. hey. so you won't miss a minute of march madness. call now to get a u-verse bundle for the same great price for 2 years. guaranteed. ♪ i've been around the world don't speak the language but your booty don't need explaining ♪ what a super hot start to "dancing with the stars" last night. jason derulo getting everything started live and that was just the beginning last night. so many olympians rocking the dance floor, as well. there she is, gold medalist meryl davis with her partner maks. her olympic partner charlie white did really well as well, he's topping the leaderboard right now. and we have a lot to talk about. lara off. great to have amy robach. >> this isn't your grandma's "dancing with the stars." they came out hot last night. also dramatic rescue by the coast guard all caught on camera saving a man and a golden retriever in the nick of time all caught on tape. >> lots of great rescues today. also ahead, angus t. jones. perhaps you remember him as the former child star on "two and a half men." he's speaking about why he says he was a paid hypocrite after years of making millions of dollars. and are you ready for the "pretty little liars," one of the hottest shows on tv. so many superfans and more every day. they were waiting outside actually early this morning and they're all waiting for one answer and it will be revealed this morning. >> ooh. will allie reveal all? right to the latest in the oscar pistorius trial right now. abc's matt gutman is at the courthouse in south africa. good morning, matt. >> reporter: good morning, robin. over the past couple of hours we've obtained new documents that reveal so much more about oscar pistorius' weapon training. we know he was a proficient marksman. this is his target sheet. we know that he received assault and tactical training. we also know he answered up to 150 examination questions about using his firearm. but this morning in court, the focus all on the police. this morning, the defense and prosecution battling in court. >> i can take you back on the line. >> reporter: once again it's oscar pistorius' defense team questioning the police work. in this case, the hundreds of police forensic photos. the judge rapping his team for badgering the officer who took these photos the night pistorius shot his model girlfriend reeva steenkamp in his bathroom. >> it cannot be put -- >> to start with, you cannot argue with this witness. >> reporter: just this morning, abc news obtained a trove of documents from a justice source including this target sheet showing pistorius' shooting prowess. all those shots so close to the bull's eye. the man who taught him to shoot on the stand, patrick rens. >> that's a smith & wesson 500 model. >> reporter: this is the receipt showing the small arsenal of guns rens sold him, including assault rifles, shotguns, and a 50-cal handgun. abc news obtained several of the actual copies of pistorius' firearms license exams. he aced them getting 96% of the answers right on one of them. and overnight we've learned that his assault rifle license was obtained in early 2013. this test he took in 2013, which could have only been weeks before the shooting. >> correct. >> reporter: andre pretorius largely designed this set of exams posing hypothetical questions that the blade runner got right. that's oscar pistorius' own handwriting delineating the guidelines for the use of lethal force. he writes -- "it's permissible if the attack is against you. it must be unlawful, must be against the person." you're saying that he basically broke every rule in this book. >> pretty much by his own answers given in court today, i think that that came as a big surprise to the general public because everything he put in there he got the answers correct. >> reporter: it may be one reason tensions remain high here broken briefly with what seemed a moment of reconciliation. pistorius' sister, aimee, stopping to talk to reeva steenkamp's mother. the witness list is long. over 100 names long through 12 days of trial only gone through 14 of them. and that's just the prosecution's case. it gives you a sense of the scale of the complexity of the mystery in what really happened to reeva steenkamp that night and, robin, we're told this trial could go on for weeks, maybe even months. >> i know you're going to be there for us, matt. thank you. here more on this chief legal affairs anchor dan abrams. the impact of the firearms expert, what was it? >> absolutely crucial. it shows that pistorius knew better. he knew he's not allowed to shoot behind that door. even if -- even if he feared there was an intruder. that is really important because if the judge has questions, let's say the judge is saying, you know what, i do have doubt as to whether he thought that maybe there was an intruder, maybe i will buy that as a possibility here. this sort of testimony seems to ensure that he gets a conviction on a lesser charge of culpable homicide. what does that mean? it means that at the very least it was reckless or negligent action on his part. it wasn't a reasonable action on his part and that's why this witness, i think, is so important in the context of the case. >> you bring up pree zuming that it was an intruder, it seems from the testimony he had thought that -- pistorius had thought that in the past. >> he even tweeted about it at one point saying i went into code red. turned out it was my dryer. now, you could argue that that's helpful to his defense and shows this is the way he thinks. he worries about this stuff all the time and the defense is going to say and in this case he was worried that it was someone in the bathroom. that doesn't change the reality and, again, coming back to the firearms expert that it still has to be reasonable. but that could be the difference between murder and a lesser charge of culpable homicide. >> the defense keeps bringing up inconsistencies they say about photographs. >> about where items of evidence were. so reminiscent of the o.j. si simpson case. exactly the same sort of defense we saw which is police bungling, they didn't keep control of the evidence, et cetera. i don't think that's going to be quite as important as some of the other things we've been talking about. >> you think it's going to be a lengthy trial. >> absolutely. this is already taking far longer than expected and it's going to be amazing to see how long it takes oscar pistorius to take the stand if he takes the stand. >> thanks, dan. we turn to that dramatic rescue off the coast of texas. a man and his golden retriever with just three legs were clinging to a capsized boat in rough seas near the gulf of mexico when the coast guard raced in to help. abc's john muller has the story. >> reporter: wet, cold and stranded. you're watching the intense moments that the u.s. coast guard came to the aid of a man and his golden retriever, sitting on the hull of this small and violently bobbing boat. all after it capsized in bad weather in matagorda bay in the texas gulf coast. jerrold wynn is one of the members who responded. >> it was windy, choppy. just tried to get there as fast as we could. >> reporter: the stranded boater, 23-year-old andy richard, an his dog, were on their way to help another disabled boat when the weather got worse. his boat flipped over while on the phone with a coworker. that buddy then called the coast guard. he clutched to his door amid four-foot wave and nearly 25-mile-an-hour winds while waiting for help to arrive. >> we get on scene and the dog was in pretty bad shape clinging to him and the boat as well. >> reporter: the coast guard threw him a life vest and pulled the boat in with a rope. and then the moment not caught on camera when the rescue boat got close enough, richard helped his dog to safety before jumping over himself. >> the dog only had three legs and it would have been pretty tough i think to stay above water. >> reporter: this morning we're told he and his dog are doing just find, a water weary duo glad to be back on dry land. and that other boat? waves pushed it and itssen passengers to shore. john muller, abc news, new york. >> so harrowing to see him clinging on to each other like that. >> that wind. you've been talking about it. i know. it's out there. >> the wind and now talking about wind in miami during the entire morning commute. this is going to be a stormy start for many folks from ft. lauderdale to coral springs. you can see it's starting to get stormier but we're looking the wrong way but either way it is a muggy and messy one in south florida. 82. as soon as that clears out our headline and our attention this morning turns to north carolina and virginia where some freezing rain possible. a winter weather advisory for the next couple of hours there. and the great news i have to bring you, some warming and some drying from new orleans to jackson to nashville and those numbers, the warm numbers, starting to chug up from the west up to the east. look at new york city getting into the 50s. washington, d.c., whoo. >> showing off. showing off. >> 61 by thursday for you. there's a look at chicago too. even the 50s just feel tropical at this good morning. i'm mike nicco. check out the sunshine, warmer and calmer conditions today. low to mid-70s inland. low to mid-60s at the coast. seven-day forecast, warming trend through thursday. slightly cooler this weekend. >> all that weather brought to you by quaker. i have to say i love the interaction that people give me when i say 50s. whoo-hoo! yeah! >> we're done. >> it's the little things. and coming up on "gma," what a difference between then and now for the former star of "two and a half men." why he says he was a hypocrite getting paid so much for so many years on tv. and ladies, listen up. can eating and exercising like men help women get healthier? 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[ male announcer ] 15 minutes for a quote isn't how it works anymore. with esurance, 7 1/2 minutes could save you on car insurance. welcome to the modern world. esurance. backed by allstate. click or call. try our delicious new fresh mex bowls with chipotle or margarita chicken. all served with a bowl of soup, like our new southwest chicken. chili's lunch combo starting at 6 bucks. more life happens here. and then there's juicy chicken. the difference is best foods. best foods is the secret to making parmesan crusted chicken so juicy and so delicious. you can make dinner disappear. best foods. bring out the best. we are back now at 7:43 with that dramatic transformation for angus t. jones, the former child star of "two and a half men" is opening up now about why he left the hit sitcom, saying his faith trumped stardom and a huge paycheck. abc's linzie janis has the story. ♪ men men men ♪ men manly men >> reporter: a hit show, millions of dollars and the hollywood status of highest paid child actor on tv. >> missy? what are you doing here? >> reporter: this morning, former "two and a half men" star angus t. jones is sporting a very new look and says he has no regrets about walking away. >> i was a paid hypocrite because i wasn't okay with it, but i was still doing it. >> reporter: speaking out with a houston tv station, the now bearded 20-year-old says his life as a student at the university of colorado and as a devout christian is more enriching than his sitcom days when he was reportedly earning up to $300,000 an episode playing jake harper. >> it was making light of topics in our world that are really problems for a lot of people. >> reporter: jones left the show after famously slamming his job in this 2012 youtube video. >> i'm on "two and a half men." i don't want to be on it. >> reporter: he played the irreverent nephew of charlie sheen's character. but after becoming a seventh day adventist his work was at odds with his faith. >> a show running this many years and never do you have people speaking out against the show while it's still on the air. >> reporter: but the actor is also revealing that he feels badly for the way he left the wildly popular show and its creator, chuck lorre, saying, i just totally insulted his baby. and to that degree, i'm apologetic. but otherwise, i don't regret what i said. >> welcome home, jake. >> that's not jake. >> reporter: and though the former "half" duo says he feels whole he says he may not be done with acting for good. for "good morning america," linzie janis, abc news, new york. >> a twist there at the end. >> probably will take different roles as he gets back to acting. coming up, the "dancing with the stars" couple everyone wants to know about, derek and amy. he says she's his most inspiring partner ever. and a "play of the day." look, we never thought we could top this fella. >> oh, thank you, josh. look at that. >> come on. count with me, america. oh. >> four. five, six! >> go nowhere. i also like strawberry, boysenberry, six. >> go nowhere. sweet orange marmalade, apple, pineapple, concord grape, apricot, peach, blueberry... 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[doorbell rings] hey. hey. so you won't miss a minute of march madness. call now to get a u-verse bundle for the same great price for 2 years. guaranteed. right then, here's "the play of the day." >> you know, winter dragging us down, just fighting through a tuesday. after all. a tough tuesday. and then, you just go to the well. can we see him? let's just see him. it's just so good. >> remember, oh. >> right? voted by you, in fact, favorite "play of the day" ever. >> what's not to love? >> this is a throwback tuesday. >> what's not to love in throwback tuesday. we're going to advance it now. there is an update to the story. >> hard to top this. >> hard to top but we may just have. take a look. that's jim harbaugh, the coach of the 49ers on the left. >> oh. thanks for that distinction. >> doing pushups. >> counting him out. oh, oh, oh. >> i don't know that i'm doing push-ups that close to a big, huge animal. but it's awesome. admittedly great but really just an excuse to show that. because that, it gets no better. >> you made me so happy on this tuesday, josh. >> it's like are you in love? winter is almost over. dude's doing situps after all. bess who is here guess who ? the cast of "pretty little liars," one of the most social shows thought there that will break twitter. they have a big announcement to tell you about. by wa walgreen walgreen's. deliver medications acy staff right to your hospital bedside. and whenever, wherever you have questions, walgreens experts are there for you 24/7 with online pharmacy chat. we even bring immunizations to seniors right where they need us. because life doesn't stand still, and neither do we. at the corner of happy and healthy. until you're sure you do. bartender: thanks, captain obvious. co: which is what makes using the hotels.com mobile app so useful. i can book a nearby hotel room from wherever i am. or, i could not book a hotel room and put my cellphone back into my pocket as if nothing happened. hotels.com. i don't need it right now. the girls and i need... a new activity. [ giggles ] [ snaps finger ] [ wisest kid ] campbell's tomato soup with grilled cheese. perfect together. what should we do next? i'm liking braids. [ gong ] m'm! m'm! good! in this season's most important fashion trend, the long shirt. designed to flatter, with playful hemlines and length for everybody. the new long shirt. visit the shirt boutique, only at chico's and chicos.com. ♪ led to the one jobhing you always wanted. at university of phoenix, we believe every education- not just ours- should be built around the career that you want. imagine that. good morning. the california highway patrol has closed silverado trail in napa due to a fatal accident this morning. it happened within the past hour. let's get the latest with sue. >> it is a sigalert. they have asked people to stay out of the area. silverado trail, a head-on collision. traffic is being diverted off. there is a detour in place. we hope to get you live pictures in the next update. here's mike with a look at the forecast. >> a lot of sunshine, calmer and warmer. low to mid-60s and fog at the coast. but that will quickly dissipate. upper 60s around san francisco and richmond. low to mid-70s elsewhere. 30s in the deepest valleys. mostf us in the 40s tonight. forecast, warming trend through thursday. spring starts and it gets cooler. >> thank you so much. 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[ male announcer ] it's chaos out there. but the m-class sees in your blind spot... ♪ pulls you back into your lane... ♪ even brakes all by itself. it's almost like it couldn't crash... even if it tried. the 2014 m-class. see your authorized dealer for exceptional offers through mercedes-benz financial services. at kaiser permanente we'ver reduced serious heart attacks by 62%, which makes days with grandpa jack 100% more possible. join us at kp.org and thrive. good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m., and we've got a secret to share. the "pretty little liars" are taking over "gma." the social superstars burning up our social square live all hour. and is the key to getting your summer beach body eating like a man? the diet that girls can borrow from us boys starting this morning. ♪ and big drama on the dance floor. maks and meryl, mark and candace. and wait till you hear this, derek and julianne hough with a blockbuster announcement this morning as we say -- >> all: good morning, america. there they are now, the stars of the smash hit show "pretty little liars" snapping a group selfie in social square. the show is such a social hit. we want everyone at home to helps out with a little experiment here. >> that's right. we want you to get engaged right now. right now go to our "gma" twitter and facebook pages. we want you to retweet and like that shot right there. that's the one we see right there. and then, while you're there, we also want you to pose a question or two for the stars of "pretty little liars," that they can answer live all morning long. we'll put a hashtag up on your screen right now. be sure to use that right there. there it is. it's up there, the hashtag already trending on twitter right now. so we want you guys to keep it going. #pllongma. we're having fun here this morning as we say good morning, america. >> every time this show is on, it blows up twitter. always is trending. so very popular. >> and in times square. i got to tell you, boy, they are out there in force. >> good thing this is spring break. >> right, right. also, big night as robin said, not your mom and dad's "dancing with the stars" anymore. here we were, derek and amy, i mean, they blew out of the gate and let's face it, there were a lot of great dancers last night. sherri shepherd and chelsie hightower are both standing by they'll be weighing in. we also want to hear from you. tell us which couple you think -- >> they're photo-bm iombing. >> photo-bombing. >> now, that's a photo. on the website, goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! we want to hear who did you like? >> and we're bringing you a love story in midair inspired by "notting hill." remember that famous line, "i'm just a girl standing in front of a boy asking had him to love her"? >> uh-huh. >> how social media helped her track down the guy she wanted to find after a chance encounter. >> come on, you could do that with more feeling. >> why don't you do it, george? >> i was just telling amy before she came on, had ali was home monday afternoon watching it on tv and just e-mailed and said, i'm sitting here crying watch julia roberts in "notting hill." everybody loves that scene. >> i'm inspired to watch the movie again. >> yeah. >> and there's like a real-life -- >> yeah, a few thousand feet up in the air. >> all right. i'm in. first you got to bring some news. we begin with the search for missing malaysian airlines flight 370. right now more resources are heading to a search area. they are now looking at that southern corridor along that southern arc southwest of australia looking for wreckage. it is, however, a search area roughly the size of texas. while overnight chinese authorities say they've completed background checks on all of the chinese citizens aboard that flight, roughly two-thirds of the passengers, and they found no links to terrorism with any of them. meantime, fishermen from a small malays laslaysian villager bob woodruff they saw a plane flying low. russian president vladimir putin is lashing out. he's signed a treaty allowing kree mia to join russia and he's accused the u.s. of holding a double standard when it comes to the a affairs of other countries. joe biden is in poland trying to reassure nato allies. here at home, fast food workers across the country are threatening to protest low wages today. demonstrations are planned in some 30 cities, part of an ongoing campaign to raise their pay to $15 an hour and allow them to unionize. and the man known as the king of infomercials, kevin trudeau, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for misleading consumers about his weight loss books. the judge called trudeau an unrepentant huckster and deceitful to the core. and a computer science student convicted of a so-called sextortion plot involving miss teen usa and other women has now been sentenced to 18 months in prison. james jared abrahams said he hacked into their computers, took control of their webcams and then snapped photos of them undressing and then threatened to post those photos online. and finally, what do you think? is this art or a neighborhood nuisance? perhaps, "c," both. people in colorado furious after their neighbor did this, they hung two toilets and a sink on a tree. >> why? >> well, she said, robin, she wanted to express her creativity. she did not elaborate. >> what's that statement? >> she hopes the so-called art can be used as bird feeders. see -- >> oh, no. >> there may be more to this than meets the eye. turns out a recent prankster dumped a toilet in the yard. so it could be cold hard revenge. i've actually managed to confuse myself in this story. maybe it was "e," none of the above. i don't, i don't -- maybe we go with "e." "e." >> all the time. >> it may never be solved. "pop news" coming up. let's get the weather from ginger. >> look at this crowd. i've got to say, you know, a lot of the young ladies are real close up to the windows. we have a good crowd right here. somebody from pennsylvania. a couple of folks -- what's your name again? >> susie. >> susie watches every day from gainesville, florida. >> i do. >> we wanted to say good morning to everybody. but we really wanted to start with the mild weather, and that would be in dallas. a good start to the day. wfaa, looking for a high today of 82. this new map, cut it out and show you the states that it will see that mild weather. so from albuquerque at 55 to 73, oklahoma city, st. louis at 65. nice day out there in the south and the midwest. then we get a look at what's happening in the pacific northwest, and that rain, well, it's coming back after midnight for seattle. some showers before then. 63 for a high in medford. that's a look at the big picture. good morning. i'm abc 7 news meteorologist mike nicco. the bay area forecast, grab a coat this morning. it's much cooler. but this afternoon will be sunny, calmer and warmer than yesterday. spring starts thursday morning. and the cooling trend follows. for today, temperatures in the low to mid-60s along the coast. a little bit of fog this morning but that will dissipate. upper 60s around san francisco and richmond. mid-70s elsewhere. expect a lot of temperatures in the 40s tonight. it should be warmest thursday. >> so this one is a first for me. this is teresa. it's her birthday, so happy birthday, but she's also gluten free. >> thank you. >> i don't know, amy. back in to you. >> all right. well, happy birthday to her. thanks, ginger. now, here's a look at what's head on the "gma morning menu." inside the high-pressure world of celebrity fashion following the shocking death of designer to the stars, l'wren scott. and you'll never think of her as d.j. tanner again. "full house" star candace cameron bure busts out moves on the ballroom like we've never seen before. and the stars of the hit show "pretty little liars" are here live, and they are taking your questions right now. that's all coming up live on "gma" right here in times square. ♪ oh oh take that money watch it burn ♪ ♪ the rhythm and the lessons i learned ♪ if th...they' ll wanna eat gonnit right away. and country crock stirs in easily, to give mashed potatoes that rich buttery flavor your family loves, every time. welcome to crock country. i have a cold with this annoying runny nose. [ sniffles ] i better take something. [ male announcer ] dayquil cold and flu doesn't treat all that. it doesn't? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast-acting antihistamine. oh, what a relief it is! plus has a fast-acting antihistamine. especially when it comes to digestive health. staying perfectly balanced isn't easy. introducing great grains digestive blend. active cultures plus high fiber and whole grains help keep your system in balance. new great grains digestive blend. it's an extremely simple tool. but also extremely pointy. it's been used to make tentative appointments and to cheat at golf. students have used it to play ceiling darts. it's...wait a second. what's hiding behind this pencil? ahh, an ipad air. almost didn't see you back there. and what's this? hiding behind the ipad? ahh, the even thinner galaxy tab pro 10.1. interesting. not only are you thinner, your hd screen is killer for more robo beat down action. and would you look at that. the galaxy tab even does multitasking. two things on screen at once versus up to one thing on screen at once. ♪ you know what. i'm going to take this samsung galaxy tab. ♪ and i'm going to take this pencil. the thinner, higher resolution samsung galaxy tab pro 10.1. roses are red. i'm glad i'm with you. this weekend away, was long overdue. be a weekender at hotels like conrad and hilton. book now at hiltonweekends.com. and irresistible aroma of nescafe clasico stir what's inside of you. ♪ [ engine revving ] [ tires screech ] ♪ [ male announcer ] that was bold. real bold. ♪ ♪ and i won't be denied by you ♪ the animal inside of you ♪ oh this is a little dachshund >> oh. >> that's the dog. and that's a big inflatable shark. not real. >> thanks for that. >> the dachshund doesn't know that. >> the dachshund is making sure that's never real. actually i'm told this is retrending. i think this may -- this is the first time. retrending. the internet has found something it likes so much in the re-release -- >> torturing the shark. >> really. >> retrending. >> trying to get that shark in. >> how about that? they are. they have to idea. >> amy? how about some "pop news"? we all know angelina jolie is a strong woman. yes, but she admits there's apparently one force she does not like to reckon with and that's a yoga mat. to play the villain in disney's upcoming "maleficent" jolie had to undergo special core training to hoist up a giant pair of wings. she said her workout instructor made her do yoga and, quote, i have no patience for yoga." neither do i. i have to say i have a hard time with yoga. so i feel like i'm one with her on that one. >> if you don't have patience, it's a little difficult. i will say that. >> that is true. apparently everyone else at the table does. >> namaste. >> jolie say she's flying and that made her feel like the luckiest girl in the world. no more yoga for her. the earthquake that shook l.a. shook up a friend at abc. here's what jimmy kimmel had to say. >> scariest thing about an earthquake is that when it starts you have no idea how intense it's going to get or how long it's going to last. it's like when your mother tells you a story. [ laughter ] >> he says you never know how long it's going to last and how difficult it's going to get. all right, luckily kimmel was all right. he said the most damage he witnessed was a sunscreen bottle fell on the floor. >> the horror. hey, that's big news in l.a. >> i know, i know. all right, this is a story we've all been waiting for. you've got tweets. it's a modern-day love story. a woman developing a crush on her flight seat mate but she forgot to grab his number, so she took to twitter asking american airlines for more info about the mystery man even referencing a line from "notting hill" tweeting, "i'm just a girl -- do i have to say this again? i'm just a girl. wait, wait, are you going to do it? okay. "i'm just a girl standing in front of the world asking an airline to help her." the airline couldn't disclose any private info. not good, all right. but gave her ideas to find her flight mate. her plea actually ended up with a happy ending. she eventually located the mystery man with the help of a friend, and she says she's grateful to flight 1073. >> kudos to her. you know what? she was determined. >> she knew what she wanted and she went for it and apparently it worked out. >> i was going to say -- is he interested? >> i guess apparently it's a love connection. it was made. >> oh. >> there's a follow-up there. >> i'm very happy that american airlines politely declined. >> yeah. >> win-win. >> everyone wins. >> chicken dinner. all right, amy, thanks for that. we're going to change gears here because we're going to take another look inside the high pressure world of celebrity fashion after the tragic death of one of its brightest designers, l'wren scott, who rose from model to in-demand stylist to some of hollywood's hottest stars. and abc's deborah roberts is here with that. good morning, deb. >> reporter: good morning, robin. it is such a shocker because her chic creations are hanging in boutiques all over the world and this morning the big question, what went so terribly wrong for the 49-year-old designer? she was a towering phenom in the fashion world. >> l'wren scott. it fits and it's easy. >> l'wren scott and cartier. >> reporter: a former model turned designer who dressed a-listers like sarah jessica parker, sandra bullock, even michelle obama and was well-known for sophisticated style like the headmistress dress. >> it was a dress for a career woman, a commanding presence and women loved it. >> everybody in fashion knew l'wren. she really was incredible. she was one of the chicest people i ever met. a style icon and i don't use that term loosely. >> reporter: her sudden death sending shock waves throughout hollywood and the fashion world. banana republic, which recently partnered with scott saying, it is "stunned and saddened." and "vogue's" anna wintour calling her "unbelievably again rouse, gracious, kind, and so much fun." >> i think her loss is just so huge, you know, when you have people like madonna and, you know, nicole kidman in mourning, that really says a lot. >> reporter: scott's death also putting a sobering spotlight on the high pressure of high fashion, a world so different from the one in which she grew up, adopted by mormon parents and raised in utah where she was known as luann. >> everyone loved her. they said she had these old world manners and charm. >> reporter: after years of modeling scott began dating mick jagger in 2001 and founded her high-end fashion label in 2006. but just last month, an embarrassing setback. her show at london fashion week was canceled at the last minute reportedly due to production delays. and the fashion queen was reportedly nearly $6 million in debt. >> these pressures i guess mount on people and in this facade of elegance and having it all, there obviously was something behind the mask, something behind the smiling face. >> reporter: scott was obviously in the midst of building an empire having recently launched a makeup line, and, of course, though her name is now associated with tragedy, clearly l'wren scott left a mark on the fashion industry that won't soon be forgotten. >> no, it will not. >> yeah. really sad. >> people are really reaching out and letting them know what they felt. >> you never know, right. you never know. >> thanks, deb. we'll turn now, switching gears. it was a rather attention grabbing headline after all. how to diet like a man and lose more weight. apparently guys have an advantage when it comes to shedding the pounds, but it turns out women could, in fact, george, learn from us. >> easy, easy. easy, tiger. you're outnumbered here. >> and we didn't even know it. abbie boudreau, tell us. >> reporter: it's a frustrating fact of life. when it comes to losing weight, it seems the scales are tipped in men's favor, which is why some health experts are now suggesting women man up when it comes to diet and exercise. registered dietitian lisa drayer says it's all about metabolism and muscle mass. >> basically men have more muscle mass compared to women and the more muscle you have, e faster your metabolism and the more calories you burn. >> reporter: as for diet, a recent health.com article suggests men typically try to lose weight by removing one unhealthy food from their daily regimen. while many women tend to overwhelm themselves by trying to eliminate entire food groups like all carbohydrates or sugars. and when it comes to working out, we asked celebrity trainer harley pasternak to weigh in. >> some of the ways that a woman can work out like a man to lose weight is, first of all, lift challenging weights. don't be scared of using free weights. >> reporter: pasternak says another man move women should adopt is to work out in short bursts instead of endless hours on the elliptical or treadmill. >> to really significantly and aggressively and permanently change the body composition, you have to strength train. >> reporter: and maybe the best advice in this battle of the sexes, experts warn women to avoid emotional eating. >> women tend to have a harder time passing up a piece of cake or even foregoing a sweetened latte especially in response to stress. by eliminating these foods and beverages, women can lose a pound a week. >> reporter: so the next time you're having that bridget jones moment, you may want to put down that spoon and grab a dumbbell instead. for "good morning america," abbie boudreau, abc news, los angeles. >> we just said we're going to binge on emotional eating after seeing that. >> simpling at that. don't eat, work out. >> strength train. strength train. >> i do like that. eliminate pizza instead of eliminating a whole -- >> one thing. >> i agree with that. >> because we're a -- we can barely handle one thing. that's it. try it. are you guys ready for "dancing with the stars"? >> yes. >> season 18 off to a sizzling start last night, and our friends and dancing vets, sherri shepherd and chelsie hightower, here to share their take. first we're going to take a look at the highlights. ♪ it was an electrifying return to the ballroom. ♪ the story of my life the stars bursting right into season 18. "real housewife" nene leakes got the party started with a vivacious cha-cha. ♪ and candace cameron bure wowed the crowd with her modern moves. ♪ burn burn burn ♪ looking for attention >> reporter: fellow child star danica mckellar sealed her fox-trot with a kiss for bruno. ♪ lately i've been -- >> reporter: and paralympian amy purdy, the first contestant with two prosthetic legs was just plain inspiring. >> you're more than like a dancer contestant on our show. you are like a beacon of light in this world. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> reporter: but it was the olympians who ruled the night. gold medal ice dancer charlie white topping the leaderboard. all 9s for his contemporary dance. his partner on the ice, meryl davis, dazzling the judges with her cha-cha. ♪ we can do this all night but the force was not with billy dee williams. his cha-cha put him at the bottom of the pack with a score of 15 out of 30. >> we have to go with that. we have to go -- >> but we want to get to our "gma" flash poll first. we asked you which couple you thought dazzled on the dance floor? guess who the winner was? candace cameron bure and mark ballas. 22% of the vote. sherri shepherd and -- >> there are a lot of votes split. >> wide open. >> you surprised me a little bit, sherri. that's why i want to start with you. you see the olympians out there, charlie and meryl. these guys are dancers. >> yes, but you know what, i loved actually after i watched billy dee williams, who i love, you know, struggle on the floor. to watch the dancers, i was excited. i was excited to watch the olympians. >> and they were something else. i mean, you expect that from them but it is different. >> they were contemporary. that's a big -- i love it. >> hey, chelsie, we're glad you're joining us, as well. >> thank you. >> so we have the top of the leaderboard. and talking a little bit about on the bottom, billy dee, but he is -- >> i don't know if billy dee is missing -- >> you say you weren't going to go there. >> i know. i'm going to go to hell with my billy t ly dee williams jokes. >> he was sweet. >> he's not the best dancer. >> he looks like a very nice man. >> and billy dee just -- he had two hip replacements and i think he was missing a foot when he was dancing and he -- but he was good. >> but he's your friend. >> he's got swag. the malt liquor bull man. i love billy dee. >> oh, yeah. >> colt 45. >> i will say, though, he ran a tight ship up there in cloud city. >> that's lando calrissian. i mean they even had the little doozies dancing. >> you got that right. he was running that ship and he was dancing. >> you love billy dee. >> doesn't sound like you were surprised by billy dee, but who did surprise you? >> nene leakes. i love her. her personality is amazing. she used to be a stripper so she got a leg up on the competition. no, no. that's a good thing. you use everything that you got and if you stripped, you get on that floor. look at nene. that's a dollar bill right there. go, nene leakes. you get down. and that's my girl. i love nene leakes. i was so happy. look at her. i was happy. look, she got bills all over the stairs. i am voting for her. i love nene. personality for days. >> she was my biggest surprise as well. she was -- you know, i didn't know what to expect from her. and she came out and was very rhythmic and technique-wise, she wasn't bad. >> didn't you think she looked flexible? >> before we leave, we've got to get to amy purdy. >> please, please. >> did you cry? i cried her entire tire. >> unbelievable. can we see her while we're talking about her with derek hou fwrks h? ♪ >> chelsie, what did you think? >> you know what, her hip action was so great. you know, and to see somebody in that situation do technique that's that good -- >> and the situation we're talking about, she's a paralympian and her legs, prosthetic legs at the knee. >> don't you think she can take the mirrorball, because she tugs a lot of heart strings and she can dance. >> and she can dance. >> and she can dance. >> one of the highest scores. so she got the scores because she could dance. >> yes. >> and derek hough is the amazing choreographer who can bring out the best in anybody. >> we're running out of time. quickly who goes home first? >> it's either diana nyad or lando calrissian. >> i am going to have to say billy dee. >> billy dee. >> no. >> we loved having you guys here. watch "the view." and watch "dancing with the stars" mondays at 8:00 p.m. and the "pretty little liars" are here. there they are. we'll be talking to them live coming up. >> come on back. good morning. a sigalert has been cleared in napa following a fatal head-on collision that happened over more than an hour ago. let's get the latest. >> yes, that's accident has been cleared in napa. it was at silverado trail. they had a detour in place. let's take a look at what happened. the video from sky 7 hd, cleared out of lanes. this was silverado trail in napa earlier this morning. >> sue, thanks a lot. we'll check out your weather forecast with meteorologist mike nicco in just a moment. right now, more about what's happening in san jose. police investigating that city's ninth homicide of the year. a man was found dead inside a home last night. officers say the victim is in his 20s. no word on how he died police found several marijuana plants inside the home. we'll check in with mike in just a moment. ♪ ♪ i gotta have that bag. italian leather? for an amazing deal, and i love that designer. [ shopper ] you paid how much for that? [ female announcer ] two stores. two amazing ways to score. t.j.maxx and marshalls. grab a coat if you're heading out in santa rosa, 39. milder around sfron, 52. fairfield, 54, antioch, 53. livermore, 52. mountain view, 52. everything else in the mid to upper 40s. look how green the hills are. but 2 to 5 degrees warmer today than yesterday. here's your seven-day forecast, warming trend through thursday. then spring begins and it gets cooler this weekend. have a good day. ♪ we invited real "gma" fans to tell us why they wake up with -- >> all: "good morning america." >> but they never expected we'd thank them in person. >> ooh. >> aaagh. >> oh, my. >> i can't believe it. >> oh, no. >> oh, no. oh, my god. >> wow! ♪ i'm happy ♪ clap along if you feel like that's what you want to do ♪ >> can you do this to me every morning? >> yes. [ laughter ] >> the short answer is yes. >> what a great day that was to really celebrate you. it's our new promotional campaign set to pharrell's "happy," but, again, it's about your show because the show really is yours, fun, surprising all those people who had no idea that we were lurking. >> exactly. >> it was great and you can see we asked you to start sharing your "happy" dances and we want you to keep them coming. >> we have a lot more coming and send us your favorite "happy" dance and share with instagram using the #gmahappydance. or goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! 15 seconds of your best "happy dance." >> it is a song we can't get enough of. >> no. >> you just cannot not move. and the stars of the hit show "pretty little liars" making themselves right at home. we're in here because that's where they are at our anchor desk. looking forward to talking to them about the show, a huge hit on social media. they took -- first of all, don't you think they look a little too comfortable in our seats? >> wait a minute. wait. >> it's like steve madden's, like who wore it better? >> yeah. >> let's take a look at a selfie they took earlier. wanted to see how many retweets and facebook likes it could get. go to our twitter account and retweet it at our facebook page to share it. hope that you'll do that. >> also joining us this morning, our friend wolfgang puck is in the kitchen. he's going to show us -- there he is. he's in the social square actually. >> yeah, i'll cook for you. what's up [ laughter ] >> there you go. he said it best. >> yeah. >> okay. but right now we'll go back to "dancing with the stars" and it's not only been a showcase for celebrities, it's created some and the hough siblings taking their show on the road and talked to cam mathison about this next event. ♪ >> reporter: they are the sizzling siblings who have mastered the ballroom. with seven mirrorball trophies between them julianne and derek hough have danced their way into the hearts of millions. i met you 6 1/2 years ago, and in that time it's like you guys have grown up in front of america together. you've done so many incredible things. >> we are so blessed and lucky that we had an amazing family. we went to all the lessons with all of our older sisters and so we went into ballroom. >> reporter: now the duo is using their many talents to join fors for one big announce. >> derek and i are going to be going on a live tour around the country and to canada. we start end of may and throughout the entire summer. >> we just love performing in front of a live audience, connecting with them one on one and we work so well together. >> reporter: the tour will have the dancing twosome back together on stage traveling to 40 cities nationwide. so you guys are both like a quadruple threat, dancing, acting, singing, instruments. can we expect all those things on tour? >> yeah, definitely, not just dancing but, you know, music and singing, and we really want it to be a full-on show, not just a dance show. >> we are calling our tour julianne hough and derek hough live on tour -- wait. derek and julianne hough. >> on the same line. >> yeah. >> reporter: here's a sneak peek of a routine julianne and derek will feature in their show. ♪ >> we'll have the whole company of dancers on stage with us. >> if i'm available, i have some time the next couple of months. >> it's done. >> reporter: i won't be joining these two on tour but it's sure to be an event "dancing" fans won't want to miss. for "good morning america," cameron mathison, abc news, los angeles. >> they are one talented couple. now we're going to go back to ginger for a final check of the weather. hey, ginger. >> here we are, i feel like i'm right in the plains because kansas on my left side and then who's over here? where are you from? >> iowa. >> from iowa. they're on spring break enjoying as so many of us are out here. not a bad morning at all in new york city but we want to play a little game i used to play on the weekend. it's called name that cloud and that's where we're going to begin. see the twitter photos here. ed took this in northern alabama. it is called alphacumulus. just to give you a little fun this morning on a tuesday morning and then we check it in palm springs, what a beautiful look. don't the palm trees look special? speaking of warmer weather, a milder east coast and south, look at indianapolis. topping out there, 64 as we kick off the weekend. charlotte will go to 70 by the time we go friday, and bosto good morning. i'm mike nicco. check out the sunshine, warmer and calmer conditions today. low to mid-70s inland. low to mid-60s at the coast. seven-day forecast, warming trend through thursday. slightly cooler this weekend. >> oh, that weather brought to you by nescafe clasico, and what i wanted to do, we all read the "peanuts" in the newspaper. something we've all done, but now you get to see snoopy and the gang in a different light. a sneak peek at the movie, that's right, "peanuts: the movie" coming out soon only for "gma" viewers. watch this. ♪ [ playing theme to "2001: a space odyssey" ] >> huh? hey. snoopy. good grief. [ playing the theme to "peanuts" ] [ cheers and applause ] >> oh, i know i want to see it. 18,000 comic strips overall. what a legendary career. thank you all for being here again. let's get right back inside to george. >> that music brings you right back so fast. and coming up here, the stars of the hit show "pretty little liars." there they are. ♪ ♪ i have been looking forward to this. talk about social superstars. the "pretty little liars" cast has taken over "gma" just like they took over twitter. their show is the most tweeted tv series show for two years running inspiring nearly 17 million tweets in 2013 alone. before we catch up with the cast, here is your 411 on "pll." did you like that? 411 on "pll" >> yeah. >> reporter: they may be pretty but aria, hanna, spencer and marin are wrapped in an ugly web of lies. deceit. >> i'm not the one hiding things. >> reporter: and murder. >> alison was buried alive. >> reporter: and now the twisted tale of "pretty little liars" is the most talked about show on twitter. the season four winter debut generating 30,000 tweets per minute. at one point, 3 million total making it the most tweeted season premiere in tv history. viewers chiming in as these four heroines search for clues to their friend's death and hunt for "a," the alleged culprit tormenting them for years. >> and i know everything. "a." >> reporter: but did ali fake her death? >> did you miss me. >> reporter: and who was she hiding from. >> reporter: the person who went after ali could still be out there. >> reporter: tweeters, get ready for the biggest "pretty little liars" finale ever. that was funny, shay. you're like, da, da, da. we are so excite odd have lucy hale, ashley benson, troian bellisario, shay mitchell and sasha pieterse. they're with us this morning. good morning to you all. >> good morning. >> you're so incredibly talented and you've been good to us in the years coming on the show and sharing your stories with us. how excited are you? you can tell by the people outside, they're excited about the season finale. are you ready to share with folks? >> oh, it's about time. >> i think we definitely are. >> yeah. >> yes. it's a big episode. >> we like a lot of secrets and answers, so i think we're all satisfied. i think the fans are especially going to be extremely happy. >> well, we're extremely happy because you gave us a little sneak peek so we're going to show a little bit of the season finale of "pretty little liars." here it is. >> i think your mom is the one who stole the key. >> you think she is? >> you don't seem surprised. >> it's complicated. >> complicated. that's a word to use here. i knew you weren't dead. i'm just going to come clean there. sasha. >> i'm glad. >> we are too. i heard that in the finale that you really got emotional. it was an emotional time for you. >> i think we all did. >> yeah. >> but, yeah, i had a heck of a time doing that. but i'm excited for everyone to see it because i think everyone needs to see the emotional side of alison too. she's very vulnerable, she's been a victim. not mean all around. >> yeah. >> answers. >> are questions going to be answered really? >> there's going to be a lot of questions that are answered, but, you know, in the nature of our show that, you know -- >> it only raises more questions. >> it only raises more questions, so -- >> that's the beauty of it. >> yes. >> i have to say, your character's love interest, come on. >> i know. >> so is there a chance you're going to reconcile? >> you know what, we actually start filming the fifth season in like less than a week, and they sort of keep us in the dark, so i actually have no idea what's going to happen, which is really cool, exciting. i'm like right there along with the audience but anything is possible. we'll see. >> what has shocked you the most? i mean, we are shocked watching when you get the script and when you're hearing about it, what is really jumping out at you and you dropped your jaw? >> everything in the finale, someone either dies or goes missing. i think -- i'm like really the only one that never reads the script so i only go through my parts really quickly and at the table read i'm like, oh, my gosh. >> ashley, that's a big moment. oh, that's the moment. >> i'm always very surprised. but, yeah, the season finales are always great. they have good cliffhangers and especially this episode we find out a lot about what happened to ali and all that stuff. >> and "a." troian, i heard you want your character to be a little darker. is that the phrase that you use that you want it to go -- >> i don't think i really need to want that anymore. i think the great thing that the writers have given me over the season is with all of the girls is that they don't just stereotype us, and i think especially as the resident type a perfectionist on the show spencer has definitely had her huge series of flaws and breakdowns, and she's always had a fragility and a darkness to her. >> well, all of you have done that, and, shay, your character, just beautiful how it's all been presentedment >> thank you. >> and just helping a lot of kids. really helping a lot of kids dealing with their sexual identity. >> i think it's amazing. also, like i always say, the fact it's on abc family is so great because there are so many girls and boys watching it with their family so it's a bridge to the conversation but it'll be interesting. >> yes. >> interesting, you know, we have so many twitter followers. they sent us a bunch of questions, so we're going to do a little lightning round called pretty little answers so the first thing that comes up. who is the biggest social media butterfly? >> ashley. >> no. >> i think between you two. >> yeah. >> oh, really? >> maybe. i don't know. >> yeah, maybe both. >> oh, my gosh. >> i'm pretty good about it. >> who spends the most time in hair and makeup. >> shay. >> and honesty. honesty. >> no, i don't. >> yeah, whatever. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. >> no, i agree with that. >> who is the biggest prankster on set? >> ashley. >> oh, i like when you're in unison like that. who has secretly kept a souvenir from the set? >> all of us. >> you guys are probably -- >> you took some things. >> you did too. >> her spencer for president -- >> oh. >> okay, and the final question, whose dressing room should be declared a disaster area? >> shay's. >> oh. >> i always -- mine is pretty clean. >> yeah. >> ah. >> mine is half painted. >> i always go in ashley's. that's why. >> you are a sheer delight, all of you, and thank you so much again, and we're very excited about tonight. the season finale of "pretty little liars" airs tonight at 8:00 eastern, 7:00 central on abc family, and just for our "gma" viewers, wait a minute, we have part one of the code word that you're going to need in order to unlock exclusive spoilers about the summer season, part 1. the code is marlene. marlene. that's the first one. part 2 of the code will appear on screen near the end of tonight's episode, so be sure to watch. put the codes together and then head over to pllsneakpeek.com. it will unlock the spoilers. that's always a lot of fun. wolfgang puck is in the kitchen next. come on back. >> thank you. >> thank you. ♪ ooh-la-la we are joined by our good friend, wolfgang puck, who has written his first new cookbook in a decade. >> in a decade. the first one, and i made it so you'll get healthy food and exercise all mixed in one. >> and so it's appropriately titled "wolfgang puck makes it healthy." delicious recipes and easier exercises for a better life and i love that you have pictures of yourself exercising. >> exactly. you know what, since i exercise i feel so much better and i have my trainer chad who comes to my house, we exercise in my living room. i don't have a gym, nothing. and obviously i love to eat so, but for me it's not, you know, food that is like diet food which has a bad reputation. >> it's good food with a healthy twist. >> and healthy, yeah. >> so we're making barbecued chicken. >> to make it healthy, you have to take off the skin because all the fat is right underneath the skin. >> okay, so you take the skin off. >> you take the skin off. you season it with a little salt, just like that, and then you can put it on your grill. a little pepper. >> a little olive oil. >> a little olive oil. exactly. >> healthy. >> so it doesn't stick to your grill and this is an indoor grill. it's easy to use, and then i'm going to start making this sauce right here. so you can use that, put it right on the grill here. >> salt and pepper and some olive oil. >> a little olive oil. >> then what do we have simmering over here? >> okay, and here, i have onion, bell peppers, fruits, pineapples, whatever you love, and -- >> pineapples. i love it. >> and then you have a little bit of soy sauce, a little bit of vinegar, red wine vinegar. >> red wine vinegar. >> and a little bit of tomato paste. have to give it a little flavor. right out of a can is fine and ketchup. >> a lot of ketchup. >> we'll have a lot of sauce. >> i didn't think you could put ketchup in there. wow. >> no, no, you put kemp church and brown sugar, molasses and don't forget we have spices right here. >> okay. >> what do we have? >> cinnamon and coriander. >> cinnamon and coriander and then this is a little salt? >> a little salt. you don't need much salt. just a little bit, okay, then puree it or you cook it and then you puree so it mixes -- >> i can already smell it. and it's sizzling. look how it looks in the end. it's gorgeous. >> when this end of the table is silent, you've done something right. >> okay so now you grill them and then you brush them with the barbecue sauce. >> oh, fantastic. >> so it's really easy. you can turn it over, caramelize it, and even the young girls in the back over there, they can do it. so healthy. >> want to let people know your book is in book stores today and it's available today. and you can get the recipes, we should mention. >> coming out today the first time, and we grill vegetables so when you cook at home, all of this -- >> always vegetables and always on goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! by the way, coming up, nate silver with the key to picking the perfect march madness brackets. i want to eat. >> the wings. ♪ boom, boom, shake the room ♪ the unstoppable offender ♪ boom, boom, shake the room ♪ the unstoppable -- [ male announcer ] an electric city car here... makes about as much sense as a gas guzzling suv here. ♪ the quick charging, zero emission, all-electric all-new smart electric drive. just $139 a month. come on in. it's the singular and brilliant mind of nate silver, who has returned. awesome, back with the abc news and espn family and here to help us with the all-important bracket that you should be filling out right now. but now that nate is back having launched the revamped fivethirtyeight.com website. welcome, welcome, welcome. you do have stories today. how statisticians can help find the missing plane. when living wage is minimum wage so there is literally something for everyone up there and advice for phil jackson. i love that. but let's get right to the brackets, shall we? >> of course. >> i want to show you my final four. i was working this out with robin this morning. i was wavering, but can we see it. i went -- i think everybody -- everybody seems to agree with the michigan state -- >> you were stumped about florida, though. you were very -- >> florida, yeah. wichita state, i know that you -- and wisconsin. >> louisville is a tough team so we have florida, michigan state, louisville and arizona are the four, but it's a competitive year, the kind of year where use our data, look at other data but it's a tough year. >> very quickly, your data and the data of other guys, it seems like they got away from that. what is michigan state doing? as a four seed, i know -- what is louisville doing as a four seed? >> they're a defending national champion. they're very high in the human poll so it's a very weird decision by the committee and does no favor to wichita state, undefeated team now has a gauntlet just to get to the final four. >> nate, you will be joining me. i want you to join us goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! abcnews.com. 9:30 eastern. we are going to sit down and break down some brackets. all right? robin? >> where are we going? >> i think we're walking him back. nate, come here. have some barbecue and meet wolfgang puck. >> oh, wool. >> and wolfgang puck, "pretty little liars" and nate silver, why not. "gma" facebook page, google plus and twitter, meanwhile, wolfgang, thank you so much. "pretty little liars," thanks all of you. >> have a great day. >> have a great day. >> bye. so yso you can happily let the grlife get in the way, while planning for tomorrow. so you can finish the great american novel banking for the life you have investing for the life you want chase. so you can we have breaking news right now from seattle where a tv news chopper crashed and caught on fire while trying to lift off from its rooftop station near the space needle. take a look at that. two people are dead and one has been critically injured. right back here, a check on your traffic. >> the peninsula, earlier accident south 101, clear. but look at the damage all the way back to woodside road, very slow traffic. mike? >> check out this beautiful picture this morning, showing all the sunshine. temperatures about 2 ta 5 degrees warmer than average. here's your forecast. warming trend through thursday. spring starts. then it's cooler. >> mike, thank you. announcer: it's "live! with kelly & michael." today, coach of the hit series, "the voice," usher. and from the new drama, "crisis," gillian anderson. and a performance from john legend. and "live"'s $25,000 tune in to win sweepstakes." all next on "live." now, here are kelly ripa and michael strahan! [cheers and applause] ♪
feyerick in for john berman. >> really nice to have you. >> i'm so glad to be here. >> i'm zoraida sambolin. it's 5:00 a.m. in the east. first, congress back to work, and back to bickering. in just under 35 days, america hits the fiscal cliff. that triggers severe spending cuts and tax hikes. several top republicans are now defying party politics and signaling a willingness to consider increasing tax revenues to get a budget deal done. but when the lame duck senate got back in session yesterday it sure sounded like the same old broken record. >> the senate has spoken. president obama has spoken. he's promising he will not sign any bill that mortgages our future to pay for handouts to the wealthiest 2% of americans. i only hope house republicans have been listening. >> we've been responsible, even as we've remained firm on this point. no tax increases now for promised spending cuts that won't materialize later. >> cnn political director mark preston is live from washington this morning. very nice to see you, mark. so the house is back in session today, and so far there are no talks scheduled between top republicans and the president, we understand. >> no, that's true, zoraida. in fact we haven't seen the congressional leadership and president obama meet since november 16th. now there were staff discussions over the thanksgiving holiday. they don't seem to be as productive as some people had hoped, as you said, we are now 35 days until the fiscal cliff. what we do know, though, is that president obama did reach out to house speaker john boehner. he is the republican, the senate majority leader harry reid the democrat over the weekend, perhaps to try to jump-start the talks. as of now, as the house of representatives comes back today, as the senate came back yesterday, we're still very much in limbo on the fiscal cliff. >> here's something else we know. some major republicans have come out and they say that they don't feel bound by the americans for tax reform pledge. most recently we saw house majority leader eric cantor. do you believe more republicans will stick by this? >> what we're finding out right now zoraida is that there's a little bit of coming to jesus moment about how to fix the fiscal cliff. for republicans perhaps it is going to be higher taxes. for democrats there's going to have to be some changes to entitlement reform. but grover norquist has been really the person pushing this no tax pledge, has been on our airwaves. he's been talking a lot about it. let's hear what he had to say about republicans who might break the pledge. >> no pledge taker has voted for a tax increase. they've had some people discussing impure thoughts on national television. the pledge is not for life. but everybody who signed the pledge, including peter king who tried to weasel out of it, shame on him as the new york sun said today, i hope his wife understands that commitments last a little longer than, than, than two years or something. >> and zoraida, there you have grover norquist -- >> weeks. >> -- of course, from the americans for tax reform throwing out some pretty strong political hyperbole. but the fact of the matter is, as you said, fiscal cliff, 35 days away, and as we've heard from a lot of economists, if congress can't fix this, then we're in a lot of trouble. we can be heading back into recession. >> mark preston live in washington, d.c. thank you for that. so even if democrats and republicans get a spending deal done in time to steer clear of the fiscal cliff, derer thompson says it won't necessarily cure the economy. the senior editor of "the atlantic" joins us live in the next half hour. he has an interesting perspective. ambassador susan rice heads to capitol hill this morning to mend fences with three republican senators. john mccain, lindsey graham and kelly a at with her information comments made on several networks that played down the role of terrorists in the attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi, libya, that killed four americans including ambassador chris stevens. rice maintains she made it clear the intelligence information she had at the time was preliminary. senators have threatened to block her nomination if president obama chooses her to be his next secretary of state. and the obama administration responds to the benghazi attack does not get high marks from americans. the results of a new poll out this morning shows a majority of those questioned, 54%, say they are dissatisfied with the administration's handling of the attack. and the body of yasser arafat was exhumed this morning from a mausoleum in the west bank. a team of international scientists will analyze tissue samples to determine if the former palestinian leader was poisoned to death in 2004, with a radioactive substance. the actual cause of arafat's death has never been determined. the egyptian people taking to the streets to mourn the death of a 16-year-old activist, and to voice their opposition to president mohamed morsi and the muslim brotherhood. this ireport showing protesters as they carried the teenager's casket through tahrir square to a cemetery. morsi declared the court cannot overturn decisions he has made since coming into office in june. one opponent says it can only lead to a dictatorship. morsi insists that he is trying to protect egypt's fragile arab spring, revolution, not accumulate unchecked power. and if you're traveling through the northeast today, well, you might be dealing with a little bit of snow. meteorologist alexandra steele is in for rob marciano today. what are we looking at, alexandra? >> hey, good morning to you guys. yeah, we are seeing snow, even in new york city. all the big cities, boston, new york, philadelphia, a little snow. not much in the way of accumulation, really along the big cities and the 95 corridor, but still you'll see it come down. kind of get new the christmas spirit. we do have winter weather advisories and we will see accumulati accumulations. want to show you where. here's the radar. the white delynn naturing where the snow potentially is falling. some of it called zerba. starts as snow in the atmosphere but the atmosphere is dry but it dissipates so we don't see it at the surface. it does moisten the atmosphere to finally deliver some snow. this is the heart of it. scranton, pennsylvania, southeastern pennsylvania, northwestern new jersey, that's where we're going to get into the snow. morristown, new jersey, for example. but, with this line, a lot of energy with it, could see some severe weather. look at birmingham, down toward montgomery, all heading eastward, atlanta, georgia, will be slow go. no question this afternoon at the airport. things will really slow down. jackson all the way down to the gulf coast, new orleans, waiting, looking, watching the skies darken and those clouds lower as they head toward you. so here's the big picture, the purple is where we are seeing winter weather advisories, one to three inches. and you can see right here northwest new jersey, southeastern pennsylvania, that's where really the snow will be, 1 to 3 inches, potentially a stripe of 2 to 4. as we watch it move across, really just a one-day affair. it will be done by tomorrow morning. so there it goes. snow for today. you guys? >> all right, alexandra steele, thank you. >> yeah. seven minutes past the hour. she was a hero who had actually cheated death before. a brave former mayor in mexico who famously stood up to drug cartels. she was found dead. her story coming up. hey, look! a shooting star! make a wish! i wish we could lie here forever. i wish this test drive was over, so we could head back to the dealership. 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it's embarrassing it's embarrassing! we can see you carl. we can totally see you. come on you're better than this...all that prowling around. yeah, you're the king of the jungle. have you thought about going vegan carl? hahaha!! you know folks who save hundreds of dollars by switching to geico sure are happy. how happy are they jimmy? happier than antelope with night-vision goggles. nice! get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. a story of bravery and fearlessness this morning. the blood-soaked drug trafficking wars of mexico. the former mayor of a small town west of mexico city stood up to violent drug traffickers and paid with her life. 36-year-old maria santos gorrostieta had already survived two assassination attempts and witnessed the murder of her husband. two weeks ago while driving with her daughter she was ambushed and abducted. the daily mail reports she begged her assailants to leave her child alone as she was dragged away. her battered body was found days later along the side of a road. we have more on the story from cnn's senior latin american affairs editor. rafael, good morning. >> good morning, deb. mexico officials say when the mayor was found, her hands were tied behind her back. the body also showed signs of a severe blow to the back of her head. maria santos gorrostieta was the mayor of the small community of tiquicheo from 2008 to 2011. this was the third time she was a victim of attack. a group of armed men started shooting at them and her husband died at the scene. the mother of three would be attacked only three months later in january of 2010, by re-emerged once again as a survivor. after the second attack santos gorrostieta showed mexican media her injuries and told the people of her town she was more determined than ever to work hard to improve conditions there. only two weeks ago she was kidnapped in front of her daughter, as she was driving her to school in the morning. according to a report from a mexican newspaper. she was kidnapped on a busy street as terrified onlookers watched the scene unfold. the newspaper said she asked her captors not to harm he young child, who stayed behind crying hysterically. her body was found four days later. she switched political parties last year, deb, but mexican officials ruled out a political motive. also, at least two drug cartels are active around the state of michoacan but no one has claimed responsibility for her violent death. >> you know what's incredible is you would definitely think that she would have some sort of security around her. the bbc reported two dozen mayors have been killed in mexico since the recent drug war began six years ago. is there any sign the violence is easing up? or is it getting worse? and what are officials doing about it? >> well, the good news is that violence seems to be stabilizing in some of the worst states hit by the violence. i'm talking about the border states. but where she died, the state of michoacan, is in western mexico, and it has been the scene of a turf war by two powerful mexican drug cartels, and that's the reason why you see the violence there. now, again, with violence stabilizing, the fact still remains, as you mentioned, more than two dozen mayors have been killed in the last two years, deb. >> cnn is also reporting that a beauty queen was killed in a shoot-out between mexican military troops and suspected criminals, happened in an area that was well-known for drug violence. what do you know about that? >> that's exactly right. you're talking about the mexican state of sinaloa, many people know that sinaloa is also the name of a powerful drug cartel, and this image here, that is maria susannah flores. she was only 20 years old when she was killed this weekend in a shoot-out between mexican military and hitmen. now we don't really know the circumstances surrounding her death. we only know, according to mexican officials, what they say, is that she was with the men who who attacked the mekt can military and she ended up getting caught in the middle of the cross fire. and really don't know if she was involved with these men, or whether she was there some sort of kidnapping. >> all right. rafael romo thank u so much. just so tragic. people trying to live their lives and getting in so much violence and cross fire. thank you so much. >> horrific story. >> tragic. >> 15 minutes past the hour. time for your top stories now, with 35 days left until we reach that fiscal cliff the house returns for its lame duck session today. even though several top republicans say they're willing to break their no-tax vows to get a spending plan passed in time, there are still no scheduled talks with the white house. and a cleveland mother is now under arrest after her 3-year-old son's body was found wrapped in a plastic bag at a local waste treatment plant. police say 20-year-old camellia kerry reported her son missing sunday. an autopsy is scheduled for today. camellia terry has two other children, and they have both been placed in the care of state child services. saudi arabia is now taking some heat from human rights activists over new electronic monitoring system that tracks the whereabouts of saudi women when they travel abroad. under saudi law, all women, regardless of age, must have a male guardian. saudi women travel, text messages are sent to their guardians, even if those men have not requested such notification. >> big brother watching a little bit, would seem? and rick santorum sounds like he may be thinking about another run for the white house. the former senator and presidential candidate telling cnn's piers morgan all options are on the table. >> i'm open to that possibility, but i -- we're a long way -- i'm focused right now on trying to stay involved in the fray and make sure that we do the right thing up on capitol hill right now. and also, that this debate in the republican party about what the future of the party and where we're going to go, that we're going to be very active and engaged to make sure we stick to america's founding principles. >> former house speaker newt gingrich hasn't ruled out another bid for the presidency, either. he says he would consider running in 2016, such a long time away, if the gop makes big changes. >> right around the corner. and jill kelley is no longer honorary consul to south korea. the florida socialite in the middle of the david petraeus sex scandal has been stripped of that title after just three months. south korea's deputy foreign minister accusing her of trying to accuse the post for personal gain. and it is 5:17 in the morning. time for early read, your local news making national headlines. first a story in the central illinois where a tied dewitt county race was decided, yeah, you saw it, by a coin toss. and the winner, well he's not happy about it. he says he didn't want to win by gambling so he's refusing to take the nominal pay he gets for the job. the defeated incumbent, guess what? he's not happy about it, either. he's looking into a recount. smoke on the water from hawaii's star advertiser. for the first time in about a year, lava from hawaii's kilauea volcano has reached the ocean. look at this really cool pictures for you. a local station reported some sightseers to the area to get a closer look. the guides, they warn against this, folks, saying a lava shelf may collapse. the last time someone died in a collapse and that was reportedly back in 1993. you've got to be really careful there. it's very cool to watch from a distance. >> exactly. head to our blog cnn.com/earlystart. >> and coming up, the biggest hits of cyber monday. the low tech and high tech products that topped them all. look at these teeth! they're made for meat! 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[ male announcer ] the spark business card from capital one. choose unlimited rewards with 2% cash back or double miles on every purchase, every day! what's in your wallet? good morning to you. welcome back. 5:22. christine romans is minding our business this morning. >> good tuesday morning, everybody. u.s. stock futures are up right now. we've got key reports today on durable goods orders, home prices, consumer confidence. there will be a big focus this week on the american economy and how it's healing. european markets are higher this morning after officials agreed on bailout terms for greece late last night. and new this morning a warning on the fiscal cliff, and a downgrade on expectations for u.s. economic growth. the oecd says it expects the u.s. economy to grow at a rate of 2.2% this year. that's lower than previously expected. and on fiscal cliff negotiations, this is what the oecd said, quote, decisive policy action is needed to ensure that stalemate over fiscal policy in the united states and continuing euro area instability do not plunge the world back into recession. and, here in sandyland, many people have been in the dark for days. some for weeks, after superstorm sandy. and some are now getting power bills that show normal usage. the long island power authority is assuring customers, don't worry, the next actual meter reading will reflect how much you've used, and they'll adjust your bill, and i'm telling you, there are some lipa customers right now who are outraged. after all they've been through. >> as well they should be. >> they are getting electricity bills reflecting normal usage, and for many of them it's been days, some of them it's been weeks with no power. and bring you up to speed on cyber monday. what's your best guess on what people were out there buying? >> i would have thought apple products? >> yeah. had to be electronics. >> a lot of question about electronics. monday sales up 28% from last year, according to the bench mark survey and the most searched-for items were amazon's kindle and kindle fire, uggs, ipads, the ipod touch, legos, and the wii. >> well, i like the legos. i mean, it's making a comeback. maybe children will actually do a thing besides touching screens with their hands. putting things together. >> that's a very good point. at the end of the day, is it because of the deals, right? >> it's because of the deals, you're right. i think that shows you america's priority, too. >> yes. >> electronics and some legos. >> i want to know where people are getting those apple products on sale. share that with me. >> i think a lot of them are searching for the products because they're interested in buying them but they're not necessarily getting them on sale. >> that's interesting. sort of advanced recon. doing their recon. >> 24 minutes past the hour. more than five years after her death, anna nicole smith's modeling legacy actually lives on. coming up, see her young daughter in a starring role. and if you are leaving the house right now you can watch us any time on your desk top, on your mobile phone, just go to cnn.com/tv. 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if you make a commitment, you keep it. >> cnn political director mark preston joins us live from washington. boy, mark, i just have so many questions. we were saying it's five weeks until we hit the fiscal cliff, or as i like to call it, the new year. we're looking at various compromises potentially, people now talking about simpson-bowles, a place we were at two years ago. is there a possibility of compromise now that we're this close to crunch time? >> well, the good thing deb is that two thirds of the american public, according to a new cnn poll, said that they are demanding compromise. and that republicans and democrats do come together. although yesterday we did see senate minority leader mitch mcconnell on the senate floor talking about one of the impasses. let's hear what he had to say. >> republicans have stepped out of our comfort zone, and yet we remain at an impasse. leading us to ask why. because a vocal minority on the hard left continues to argue to leaders of their party from the president on down that democrats in washington should do absolutely nothing about short-term or long-term spending problems. >> and there you had mitch mcconnell on the senate floor yesterday. again, what we'll probably hear over the next 35 days, certainly coming out of capitol hill, will be a lot of strong hyperbole. the fact of the matter is they do have to reach some sort of a deal. >> when he says that they're willing to do nothing, i think is it fair to say that if the republicans have stepped out of their comfort zone that maybe each side is taking teeny-weeny baby steps toward the middle or is that an overstatement? >> i thk you're right on that. and the fact of the matter is there's going to have to be compromise on both parts. it's not just one party that can compromise. in fact, yesterday, during the white house briefing jay carney was asked specifically about what's happening with the fiscal cliff, and this is what he had to say. >> math tells us that you can't get the kind of balanced approach that you need without having rates be part of the equation. it's simply -- we haven't seen a proposal that achieves that. a realistic proposal that achieves that. >> and there you had jay carney yesterday talking about tax rates there. that basically what it comes down to right now, republicans are going to be forced into a corner on whether or not they raise rates, tax rates, on the wealthy. let the bush tax cuts expire for those who are making over $250,000. and democrats are going to have to come to the table and perhaps give in on entitlement reform on medicare, medicaid, and some of these other programs that have really been sacrosanct to the democratic party. >> and just very quickly, mark, we're seeing a lot of public rhetoric, but there are talks, negotiations going on between the staffs of all these politicians in washington. is that pretty much how it works? we get the upfront and behind the scenes is where they do the real work? >> we'll show the photo-ops when we see president obama and the congressional leaders get together like we did on november 16th. really the hard work is done by the staff on capitol hill, and from the white house. we saw that happen over the thanksgiving week. it was not as productive as some people had hoped. but, we are getting to the point right now, 35 days until the fiscal cliff, deb, and they have to reach an agreement. there's still plenty of time left for an agreement to be reached. we're not quite there, but we're getting close. >> mark preston for us. thanks so much. 32 minutes past -- 33 minutes past the hour. politicians on both sides saying that a deal to reduce america's debt will improve the economy and it will also create jobs. my next guest says that's not exactly the case, and it's important to know the difference here. derek thompson is senior editor at "the atlantic" and he joins me now. thanks for being with us now. we appreciate it. you compare the deficit to an insurance policy. you say it doesn't make you any richer in the short-term, but in the long-term, it is helpful. i want to actually put your statements up. you say let's agree to keep deficits very high for at least another year. and then let's buy an insurance policy against that debt crisis when we can really afford it. so lots of republicans and democrats out there would disagree greatly with you. say that america's ability to pay its debt is really important. how would you respond to them? >> right. i do think that there's a thing that's taken place in washington deficit reduction will stimulate us to enormous growth in 2013. the fact is what deficit reduction is, is tax increases and spending cuts, both of which take economic activity out of the economy. so this really is extremely similar to insurance. if i buy, say, flood insurance. what i'm doing is i'm paying a short premium in the short-term, to protect my house in the long-term. that's exactly what deficit reduction is. we're paying a little bit while we're healthy to protect against the likelihood, the small or great likelihood, we might have a debt crisis later. but my feeling is that now, that the economy is weak, growing at 1.8% for the last 24 months, we're not creating that many jobs, unemployment is still around 8%, the economy is still wheezing faintly. and when you're wheezing faintly, you need the strong medicine that high deficits offer. >> there's a lot of talk of the fear of the u.s. falling into the same hardships as europe. specifically greece. i want to play what senator lindsey graham had said about this. >> when you're $16 trillion in debt, the only pledge we should be making to each other is to avoid becoming greece. >> okay. here's what you said in your article. deficit reduction takes economic activity out of the economy. if you want to see what austerity does to a weak private sector, just look at europe. which policies do you think would turn us into europe? how would that happen to us? >> well, we're not going to become europe if we run a high deficit in the next year. that we know. the economy is weak, inflation is low, we're one of the best bets in the world. we borrow in our own currency, unlike greece. for all of these reasons we're not going to become greece because of a debt crisis. but we can slip into a recession, the same way that greece and italy and other peripheral european states have slipped into recession, because they had to -- because austerity has been forced on them. they've had to see tax increases, and spending cuts, and we're seeing across europe what happens when you take economic activity out of an already weak economy. it's as if you lost your job, and suddenly had to pay extra in health insurance, pay extra in medicine. what you would see is less income, and more spending coming out of your pocket, and that would weaken your position. that's exactly what's happened to these european countries. and that's the real risk, austerity, not a debt crisis in the short-term. >> there are some analysts that are saying, you know, just let us fall off that fiscal cliff. that the congress is actually overhyping that threat. that the cuts are going to take quite a bit of time to actually settle in. how do you feel about that? >> right. i think the best way to think of the fiscal cliff is not as a cliff or a slope or anything top graph cal. i would think of it like a flash diet. if you've been bingeing on deficits, the same way we have been, i think for good reason for some time because the economy has been weak, if you've been bingeing at some point you need to get on a diet. what the fiscal cliff is essentially is it's a flash diet. all of a sudden taxes go way up and spending goes way down. what happens when you enter a serious diet you don't announce that you're going to stop eating lunch and fall on your face immediately. rather the nourishment you're depriving yourself of slowly weakens you to a point where you grind to a halt. that, i think, is what will likely happen and that's what the cbo has said will happen in the first half of next year, we slowly enter rescission and then come out of it. i don't think we need to enter recession. i think we can make a deal in the short-term that preserves deficit reduction for the medium-term so that we'll be healthy in the next ten years. >> do you think that big compromise is going to come from the republicans? >> i'm not going to make a big prediction. my hope is that the democrats, republicans, will come together. my sense is that congress doesn't do anything until they absolutely have to, and this is a situation where i think both sides do feel like they absolutely do have to come to a deal before january 2nd. >> all right, derek thompson, senior editor of the atlantic. thank you for your time this morning. in the next hour of "early start" we'll get an update on the chances of a fiscal cliff deal when we are joined by california democratic congresswoman max even waters. >> interesting to see what she has to say. and dangerous scene today in downtown sydney, australia. the cabin of a giant crane at a construction site burst into flames and the top part of the crane collapsed onto a nearby roof. incredibly, there were no reports or injuries, according to australian news organization. the empire state building is showing off its new look. new yorkers are used to seeing the empire state building illuminated in various colors for special occasions. but now the building has upgraded its lighting system. gone are the old flood lights. they've been replaced by a state-of-the-art computerized system that can deliver all kinds of colors and effects. look at that. the new lights went on display for the first time last night. for your viewing pleasure there. >> i'm a little bit of a tradition traditionalist. i'm a little overstimulated just now. hollywood is buzzing today about anna nicole smith's 6-year-old daughter's new modeling campaign. like mother like daughter. daughter like mother. and the young star of tv's "two and a half men" who says fans should stop watching his show. both stories coming up. 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[ male announcer ] break from the holiday stress. save on ground shipping at fedex office. anna nicole smith's daughter is following in her late mother's footsteps. modeling in an ad campaign for guess. dannielynn birkhead is all of 6 years old now and is working for the same label that put her mom on the map. michelle turner is following big entertainment headlines from los angeles. is this the beginning of a big modeling career? >> you know, deb, it very well could be. at this stage people seem to be more concerned about 6-year-old dannielynn birkhead more than anything else. guess has put her in some ads which her father larry is saying was an homage to her mother. and larry's been quoted in a few different places say he doesn't see her stepping into her mother's shoes just yet. with this family, you know, at the very least a lot of people are raising their eyebrows over this. the ads themselves, they're very innocent. but what's a little unnerving is just how much she's starting to look like her mother, especially when she poses. now, guess says this is the first for them. they say that they're having a legacy model for them. and it's good traction, good marketing, because we're talking about it this morning, right? >> what's amazing, she really does look like her mom. unbelievable. >> yeah. >> wow, wow. listen, she got good genes there. and you're also following, this is amazing, this "two and a half men" controversy. and this time it doesn't involve charlie sheen. >> imagine that. right? no charlie sheen when we're talking about a controversy with "two and a half men." this one is all about angus t. jones. he grew up playing jake harper on the show. he's now telling people not to watch "two and a half men." now he is apparently discovered religion in a very big way and he appeared in this video where he denounces the show, that actually made him famous. listen to this. >> man, please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on "two and a half men." i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. >> -- surprising for fans of the show to see him talking about his faith, first of all, and that's so different from his character. now jones says in the video that he's actually still under contract with the show. we reached out to cbs for reaction to this. maybe a hint as to what the show's going to do now, and, of course, they're being tight-lipped. they don't have any comment about this. the last time there was a controversy with the show, it led to charlie sheen's departure. but it didn't hurt the ratings because ashton kutcher took over and then everything seemed to go on as fine. but you know this morning, i have to think that jon cryier just has to be wondering what next? am i going to be the last man standing on this show? >> that's right. is he the only one who sees the value in his agent? oh, my goodness. >> probably. >> he's probably actually going to college next season. >> you know and if you watch the show over the years, you see him now, and you remember that little boy that started on the show, and you just say, wow, goodness. >> how they change. how they grow up. all right well nischelle turner, always great to see you. thanks so much. >> you, too. >> how much does he make per episode? >> i don't even want to think about it actually. >> unbelievable. >> that money is going to send his kids to college. >> too early for christmas but just in time to probably pes with your travel plans today. coming up, cold, wet weather moves into the northeast. folks if you're leaving the house right now you can watch us any time on your desk top, mobile phone, go to cnn.com/tv. drum and flute" n look who's back. again? it's embarrassing it's embarrassing! we can see you carl. we can totally see you. come on you're better than this...all that prowling around. yeah, you're the king of the jungle. have you thought about going vegan carl? hahaha!! you know folks who save hundreds of dollars by switching to geico sure are happy. how happy are they jimmy? happier than antelope with night-vision goggles. nice! get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. try running four.ning a restaurant is hard, fortunately we've got ink. it gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at office supply stores. rewards we put right back into our business. this is the only thing we've ever wanted to do and ink helps us do it. make your mark with ink from chase. i'm going to dream about that steak. i'm going to dream about that tiramisu. what a night, h? but, um, can the test drive be over now? head back to the dealership? 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[ male announcer ] polident. cleaner, fresher, brighter every day. welcome back. 49 minutes past the hour. checking top stories, the house returns for its lame duck session today, and with 35 days left until we reach the fiscal cliff, several top republicans say they're willing to break their no-tax pledge to get a spending plan passed in time. but house leaders still have no talks scheduled with the white house. u.n. am was door susan rice facing her critics on capitol hill today. she's meeting with three republican senators and they're going to discuss comments she made about the deadly attack in benghazi in the immediate aftermath of the incident. rice maintaining she made it clear the information she had at that time was only preliminary. and tragedy in northern california. police say three members of a family drowned while trying to save their dog, which got caught in rough surf. a 16-year-old boy was pulled under by all the powerful waves. his parents tried to save him, but did not survive, either. the dog eventually made it back to shore on its own. can you believe that story? >> heartbreaking. just heartbreaking. monday night football action in philadelphia, eagles and panthers, two of the worst teams in the nfl. it was a big night for carolina panthers quarterback cam newton. he threw for two touchdowns, and ran two touchdowns in himself as he led the panthers to a 30-22 win over philly. eagles considerable michael vick, he sat out the game. he is still recovering from a recent concussion. do you live in the northeast? gloves, hats, for you. meteorologist alexandra steele in for rob marciano today. >> we've got a quick storm moving through. kind of a one-two punch. it will be an affair today but not tomorrow. waking up? maybe as the snow begins to come down, seeing some observations right now in the poconos. if you're there cuddling up you're seeing snow begin to fall. here's a look at the radar. of course the white delineating where the snow is. the little pink a mix of rain and snow. and the green is where the rain is. boston, new york, philadelphia, washington, all will see a mix of rain and snow today. but, not much in the way of accumulation in the big cities. it's really north and west. this is where kind of the stripe of the big snow will be. relative, 1 to 3 inches of snow. harrisburg, allentown and then right here through about morristown, new jersey, that's where we'll see the snow throughout the day. accumulating 1 to 3 inches. we do have winter weather advisories. even west of western washington, garrett county, maryland, high elevations there. picking up about 2 to 4 inches. also in the south side of this storm, we do have some severe weather. we do have showers and thunderstorms, birmingham, a loud morning. you don't need your alarm clock. all that moving toward atlanta and new orleans, as well. so, one line of storms is snow to the north, it's rain, and thunder, to the south. it will all move through today. guys? >> all right. thank you, alexandra. 52 minutes past the hour. packed hour ahead on "early start" including 35 days left before we hit that fiscal cliff. and it's already weighing heavy on holiday shoppers' minds. we're going to chat with democratic congresswoman maxine waters from california. she serves on the financial services committee. and a poison pen. details of a new weapon found on a failed north korean assassin. and getting a text that says your wife has just left the country. outrage over reports that saudi arabia is electronically tracking women. but first, after 100 years, have we found the smoking gun? is this a photo of the iceberg that sunk the 'n syncable "titanic"? take a look at that. ♪ [ male announcer ] you build a reputation by not breaking down. consider the silverado 1500 -- still the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickups on the road. and now we've also been recognized for lowest total cost of ownership -- based on important things, like depreciation, fuel, and maintenance costs. and now trade up to get a 2012 chevy silverado all-star edition with a total value of $9,000. from outstanding value to standing the test of time, chevy runs deep. starts with ground beef, unions, and peppers baked in a ketchup glaze with savory gravy and mashed russet potatoes. what makes stouffer's meatloaf best of all? that moment you enjoy it at home. stouffer's. let's fix dinner. wanted to provide better employee benefits while balancing the company's bottom line, their very first word was... 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[ male announcer ] yes, it is, business pro. yes, it is. go national. go like a pro. and welcome back. it is 56 minutes after the hour. deb feyerick here along with zoraida sambolin taking a look at the top cnn trends on the web this morning. >> that facebook privacy thing that's been clogging up your news feed. many facebook users have been facing a notice that their content is copyrighted. in response to the new facebook guidelines i hereby declare that my copy right is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings and videos. the message is a host. facebook still owns you. this was all in reaction to facebook's announcement that it would no longer allow users to vote on changes to its privacy policies. so there you have it, folks. >> that's exactly right. you're going to give it away. >> you are giving it away. >> is this the iceberg that doomed the "titanic"? a rare original photo of the iceberg suspected of sinking the atlantic is going to be auctioned off next month. the auction house in new hampshire says the iceberg is eerily similar to the one that two "titanic" crew members drew in sketches. experts claim the photo was taken on april 12th, 1912, just two days before the unsinkable ship went down, killing 1500 people. late night comedians are back on the air following the long holiday weekend. take a look. >> it's been a rough week for the white house turkey. as you know, president obama pardoned the white house turkey last week. now republicans want to know what it knows about benghazi. a little dicey there. what else? americans spent $59 billion shopping over thanksgiving weekend. $59 billion. yeah. now china's going hey, we thought you were broke. where's our money? what is that all about? and today, of course, is cyber monday. this is the biggest online shopping day of the year, which of course, makes tomorrow identity theft tuesday. big, big holiday. >> can you believe this? a christian college is suing the obama administration over its health care law. yeah. they're citing the part in the bible where jesus refuses to heal a leper because it's a pre-existing condition. remember that part? the movie "lincoln" came in third at the box office this weekend. yeah. however experts agree it's still not lincoln's worst time at the theater. >> that's terrible to laugh at that. >> that's definitely a movie we have to see. el "early start" continues right now. will they break the pledge? some republicans now seem open to the idea of raising taxes in the face of the fiscal cliff. mystery in a west bank mausoleum. scientists taking a new look at yasser arafat's remains to see if he was poisoned. and mightier than the sword, indeed. a poison pen found on a failed north korean assassin. cnn with an exclusive look. good morning, and welcome to "early start" i'm deborah feyerick in for john berman. >> and i'm zoraida sambolin. 6:00 a.m. in the east here. first, congress back in session and already bickering. america heads down the fiscal cliff in exactly five weeks. take a look at the time line, triggering painful spending cuts and tax hikes. several leading republicans signaling that they're willing to break their new tax hike pledge to get a spending deal passed in time. but when the lame duck senate returned yesterday, it sure sounded like politics as usual. >> the senate has spoken. president obama has spoken. he's promised he will not sign any bill that mortgages our future to pay for handouts to the wealthiest 2% of americans. i only hope house republicans have been listening. >> we've been responsible, even as we've remained firm on this point. no tax increases now for promised spending cuts that won't materialize later. >> cnn's political director mark preston is live from washington this morning. good morning to you, mark. so the house gets back in session today. and so far there are no talks scheduled between top republicans and the president. >> that's true, zoraida. we haven't seen the president and congressional leaders actually meet since november 16th when they all went down to the white house and there was a bit of a kumbayah moment where they thought they could reach agreement. since then staff members from the white house and democrats and republicans on capitol hill have been talking all through the thanksgiving weekend. they haven't reached any sort of deal at this point. in fact, they haven't been as productive in talks as some would have hoped. i have to tell you, though, we do know that president obama did reach out to john boehner, the republican house speaker, on saturday, as well as reaching out to senate majority leader harry reid on saturday, perhaps to help jump-start the talks. but in addition to that, zoraida, we do know this now, that president obama is going to start meeting with folks who are going to be affected by the fiscal cliff. he'll be meeting with small business owners today at the white house. tomorrow he'll be meeting with middle-class americans who will be affected by the tax cut. on friday we'll be going to pennsylvania to visit a small company. so, as well we talked about the goodwill that might exist between democrats and republicans to try to get something done. we're also now seeing a pressure campaign put on by the white house. >> and we've seen some major republicans come out and say they don't feel bound by the americans for tax reform pledge. most recently we have house majority leader eric cantor. do you believe that any more republicans will stick with this jump on board? >> well, zoraida, you know, republicans are certainly being clicked into a box at this point. in order to try to solve the fiscal cliff a lot of people are saying we're going to have to see tax cuts get raised. president obama and democrats would like to see that just on democrats alone. republicans, as you said, are starting to peel away from that pledge. however grover norquist is threatening those who do so. let's hear what he had to say. >> no pledge taker has voted for a tax increase. you've had some people discussing impure thoughts on national television. the pledge is not for life but everybody who signed the pledge, including peter king who tried to weasel out of it, shame on him as the new york sun said today, i hope his wife understands that commitments last a little longer than, than, than two years or something. >> there you had grover norquist from the americans for tax reform who has spearheaded this no tax pledge. the fact of the matter is, zoraida, to reach an agreement there's going to have to be compromise, whether that means increasing taxes on some, whether that means changing entitlement reform, both sides are going to have to come to the table to try to reach an agreement. >> mark, can you remind folks how long ago that pledge was signed? >> this goes back years and years and years for many of these lawmakers in congress. they tend to be conservative. it's a very simple pledge. it says that you agree not to raise any taxes when you are in office. and grover norquist, who is a conservative activist here in town, has been very uk successful in getting republicans to sign onto this agreement. >> but it's interesting, the public shaming that he's doing now. very interesting. mark preston live for us in washington, thank you. in the next half hour, we'll get an update on the chances of a fiscal cliff deal when we are joined by california's democratic congresswoman maxine waters. ambassador susan rice heads to capitol hill this morning to mend fences with three republican senators. she angered john mccain, lindsey graham and kelly ayotte for her initial comments made on several tv networks that seemed to play down the role of al qaeda terrorists on the attack in benghazi, libya. that attack killed four americans, including u.s. ambassador chris stevens. rice maintains that she made it very clear, the intelligence information she had at the time was preliminary. senators are threatening to block her nomination if president obama chooses her to be his next secretary of state. president obama and vice president joe biden will meet with mexico's president-elect today. pena kneeate toe has a new message. in an editorial in "the washington post" he said the u.s./mexico relations need to go beyond drugs and security concerns. topping his list, deepening economic ties with the united states. the remains of former palestinian leader yasser arafat were exhumed this morning from a mausoleum in the west bank. many palestinians believe that arafat was poisoned by israel when he died in 2004. now, an international team of scientists will analyze tissue samples to see if they contain any traces of a radioactive substance. the actual cause of arafat's death was never determined. the egyptian people taking to the streets to mourn the death of a 16-year-old activist. and to voice their opposition to president mohamed morsi and the muslim brotherhood. this ireport showing protesters as they carried the teenager's casket through tahrir square to a cemetery. moresy's edict that the supreme court cannot overturn decisions he's made since coming into office in june or over the next six months is meeting a lot of resistance. one opponent saying it can only lead to a dictatorship. morsi insists, however, that he is trying to protect egypt's fragile arab spring revolution, not accumulate unchecked power, and that it is just temporary. >> if you're traveling through the northeast today, you might be dealing with some snow. alexandra steele is in for rob marciano. a little bit chillier? >> yeah, we've got the cold air in place. the moisture that's a recipe for rain or snow. a one-day affair, you can see this right now, all pushing eastward. the white delineating snow, of course, the pink showing you where it's a mix of rain and snow, and then there's the rain, really washington points south. we're going to see it, kind of a stripe of about 1 to 3 inches of snow, and it's west of the big city. so boston, new york, philadelphia, washington, we'll see some rain/snow mix but no real accumulations. although could see about an inch potentially in new york city. but that's it. harrisburg to scranton, allentown, and right here to morristown, new jersey, that's kind of the stripe where we could see about 1 to 3 inches. there are the winter weather add viedries. and even for garrett county, maryland, west of washington and the higher elevations. 2 to 4 inches of snow for you. also on the south side of this snowmaker, it's a rainmaker. look at birmingham, waking up to a loud noise. you've got lightning coming through, and it's all coming toward atlanta. so birmingham, montgomery, atlanta, kind of a slow go. this morning in birmingham, and later this morning into the early afternoon in washington. atlanta, georgia, will be quite slow. and new orleans, look at what's heading towards you. so the gulf coast, but, again, all the way from boston to new orleans, and in florida today will be the wet day. big picture. there's the snow, going to watch it here in the southeast. but other than that, pretty quiet across the balance of the country, guys. but in the pacific northwest, you've got one, two, three storms. so just a major kind of train of storms moving in for the next six, seven days. >> my kids saw some flurries the other day and they were like, snow! >> it was on thanksgiving. >> we don't like it. they love it. thank you, dalexandra, appreciae it. eight minutes after the hour, she was a courageous woman who cheated death before. coming up the brave former mayor of mexico who stood up to drug cartels. she was found dead. we will have her story. if you think running a restaurant is hard, try running four. fortunately we've got ink. it gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at office supply stores. rewards we put right back into our business. this is the only thing we've ever wanted to do and ink helps us do it. make your mark with ink from chase. can your moisturizer do that? 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[ male announcer ] break from the holiday stress. fedex office. with odor free aspercreme. powerful medicine relieves pain fast, with no odor. so all you notice is relief. aspercreme. 11 minutes past the hour. welcome back to "early start." we are learning more today about a fearless mexican woman. the former mayor of a small town. she stood up to violent drug traffickers in her country, even though her body was riddled with bullet wounds from two assassination attempts. sadly 36-year-old maria santos gorrostieta was driving two weeks ago with her young daughter when she was ambushed and abducted. the daily mail reports even as she was being dragged away that she begged her assailants to spare her child. days later her battered body was found. we are joined by rafael romo, cnn's senior latin american affairs editor. good morning to you. what else can you tell us about this tragic story. >> good morning, zoraida. she was kidnapped on a busy street during the morning rush hour as terrified onlookers watched the scene unfold. maria santos gorrostieta was driving her young daughter to school as they were stopped. the 36-year-old former mayor was taken away by force as her daughter cried hysterically. mexican officials say when the body was found her hands were tied behind her back. body also showed signs of a severe blow to the back of her head. maria santos gorrostieta was also a medical doctor, mayor of the small community of from 2008 to 2011. this was the third time she was the victim of an attack. in 2009 her husband was shot and killed. but she survived serious gunshot wounds. after her second attack in january of 2010, she was defiant. i will rise up again as many times as god allows me to so that i can keep on seeking, fighting for, and working out plans, projects and actions for the benefit of the people, especially those most in need. she said, then, she survived by her three children and her second husband. zoraida? >> rafael, this is pretty brazen. you told us that she was kidnapped on a busy street during the morning rush hour, terrified onlookers. the bbc is reporting that two dozen mayors have been killed in mexico since the recent drug war began six years ago. is this getting worse? >> it's a mixed picture for mexico, zoraida. on the one hand you have violence stabilizing in northern mexican states, including chihuahua, where we see a spike of murders in the years 2007 to 2010. but you have situations like the one we're witnessing here in the state of michoacan. that's the scene of a turf war between two very powerful mexican drug cartels and that probably has to do a little bit about what happened to this mayor. >> there's another tragic story. cnn is reporting a beauty queen was killed in a shoot-out between mexican military troops and suspected criminals. it happened in an area well known for drug violence. what can you tell us about that? >> that's right. you're talking about maria susanna flores gamez. she is miss sinaloa 2012. sinaloa is the home state of a very powerful mexican drug cart cartel. when she was found this week, she was dead after a shoot-out between the mexican military, and hitmen who may or may not have been involved with the cartel. authorities don't really know whether she was part of that criminal group or whether she was just caught in the cross fire. zoraida? >> tragedy nonetheless. rafael romo live for us. thank you for that. we appreciate it. it's quarter past the hour. time for your top stories. just under 35 days and counting until we go over the fiscal cliff. and the house returns from the holiday break to begin its lame duck session today. several top republicans say they're willing to break their no tax vows to get a spending plan passed in time. but, there's still no scheduled talks at the white house. in a warning we have some graphic images to show you. an alabama teenager is now facing charges, accused of brutally assaulting his sister's girlfriend at a thanksgiving dinner. the victim's family is calling it a hate crime and they want prosecutors to add that to the assault charges that are already filed against 18-year-old travis hawkings jr. 23-year-old mallory owens' injuries required facial reconstruction surgery. she's dating his sister ali. saudi arabia's electronic monitoring system for women who travel outside the country is attracting the attention of human rights activists. the system was introduced in 2010. under saudi law, all women, regardless of age, must have a male guardian. saudi women travel, text messages are sent to their guardians, even if those men have not requested the notifications. and just released 911 tapes revealing more about the chaos and the carnage during last week's thanksgiving day pileup on i-10. this is in texas, folks. cloudy conditions caused about 140 cars and trucks to collide. you're seeing that there. listen to two of the crash victims crying out for help. >> they have a major accident over here. cars, 18 wheelers and everything. i don't know where we are the fog is thick. >> please get on i-10. >> ma'am, we've got them coming, okay? >> things are still hitting me. >> we've got them coming. >> another collision -- >> ma'am, they're en route, okay? >> okay. >> all right. >> oh, my goodness. two people were killed in that pileup. 90 others had to be rushed to the area hospitals. a dangerous scene today in downtown sydney, australia. the cabin of a giant crane at a construction site burst into flames, and the top part of the crane collapsed on a nearby roof. incredibly, there was no reports of injuries according to australian news organizations. the empire state building is showing off its new look. new yorkers are used to seeing the empire state building illuminated in various colors for special occasions. but now, the building has upgraded its lighting system. take a look at that. gone are the old flood lights. they've been replaced by a state-of-the-art computerized system that can deliver all kinds of colors and effects. the new lights went on display for the first time last night. folks here are upset. they like tradition. they want it to go back to the way it was. i like it. >> it's kind of like a new pair of shoes. i'm not quite sure they fit yet. and jill kelley has been stripped of her title as honorary consul to south korea. the florida socialite in the middle of the david he petraeus sex scandal held the post for just three months. the south korean foreign minister accusing kelley of trying to use the position for personal gain. now a cnn exclusive. weapons that james bond would actually be proud of. south korean officials unveiling the weapons they found on a north korean assassin who was arrested on the streets of seoul last year and it's something straight out of a james bond movie. listen like this poison-filled needle disguised as a parker ball point pen. a few twists, a simple click, can kill. take a look at the flashlight. it's really a handgun. listen to a south korean investigator telling our paula hancocks about them. >> these weapons are not new in north korean spies have had this technology for about ten years. but this flashlight is new. never seen this weapon before. if you look at the front, there are three holes. there was a bullet in each hole and here is the trigger. this is currently loaded and dangerous. >> all right. so south korea says the assassins' intended target was this month, north korean defector and activist park sang-hok. he's now under around the clock police protection. >> >> hear it all the time. book your travel early to save. but that's not always the case. what happens if the price drops after you've booked? there are ways to make sure you get your money back if this happens and that brings us to today's road warriors. >> you might want to consider booking your hotel room through tingo. for flights you might want to dry yapta.com. if the fare goes down they'll send you an e-mail and show you how to claim your refund. >> and if you book directly with the airline you can also request a refund. and while airlines do have different refund policies most will offer a refund in the form of a voucher for future travel. just make sure that you read the fine print before you book. >> and lastly, travel sites like orbitz or expedia will give you a company credit if another traveler books the same flight or hotel at a lower rate. but there are limitations, though. again, check that fine print. it is 20 minutes past the hour. they didn't get power for weeks, but they did get a bill. a utility company doing some explaining. coming up. 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[ male announcer ] it's the power of aspirin plus more in a triple action formula to relieve your tough migraines. new bayer migraine formula. to a currency market for everyone. the potential of fxcm unlocked. nyse euronext. unlocking the world's potential. the potential of yelp unlocked. nyse euronext. unlocking the world's potential. something this delicious could only come from nature. now from the maker of splenda sweeteners, discover nectresse. the only 100% natural, no-calorie sweetener made from the goodness of fruit. the rich, sweet taste of sugar. nothing artificial. ♪ it's all that sweet ever needs to be. new nectresse. sweetness naturally. get selsun blue for itchy dry scalp. strong itch-fighters target scalp itch while 5 moisturizers leave hair healthy. selsun blue. got a clue? get the blue. good morning to you. welcome back, 23 minutes past the hour. christine romans is minding all of our business this morning. >> good morning. stocks are looking probably flat right now. stock futures, a lot of information today to work on. key reports on durable goods, home prices, consumer confidence. i'm expecting the home price number to show another increase year over year in home prices. so that's important for the u.s. economy. european markets, they're higher this morning after officials there agreed on bailout terms for greece late last night. that's where we stand this morning. meantime, many people have been in the dark for days. some for weeks after superstorm sandy. and some, some are now getting power bills that are showing normal usage. the long island power authority is assuring customers that the next actual meter reading will reflect how much power they've used. and of course, then their bills will be adjusted. some lipa customers are outraged. because, after all they've been through, now they're getting an electricity bill that shows usage that is phantom usage. there's no way some of those people -- and it's just kind of an insult. meantime cyber monday sales up 28% from last year. that's according to the benchmark survey so the numbers are in here and experian marketing services are saying the most searched for items were amazon's kindle and kindle fire, ugg shoes, ipads, the ipod touch, legos, and the wii. >> the wii is still in there. >> i know. kind of a snapshot of what's important in america. one thing you need to know about your money. the housing market is healing. we're going to get a batch of new data today. one of those reports expected to show home prices rose another 3% in september. >> and where? >> i always ask that question. are we all recovering? or is it strategic? >> all real estate is local. so it depends on where you live. that's 20 city gauge that we'll get. that will be able to break down for you. how about tomorrow, we break down exactly where that is? >> thank you, appreciate that. >> are those gains just over what the fall was? or is that gains to get up to where we were? >> oh, yeah we got a long way to go -- >> but -- >> years to get back to the top. we're not falling anymore. that's good. >> all right. excellent. christine romans, thanks so much. more than five years after her death, anna nicole smith's modeling legacy lives on. coming up, see her young daughter in a starring role. and if you're leaving the house right now, of course you can watch us any time on your desk top or your mobile phone just go to cnn.com/tv. now with a fancy coating that gives you a burst of wildberry flavor. now why make a flavored heartburn pill? because this is america. and we don't just make things you want, we make things you didn't even know you wanted. like a spoon fork. spray cheese. and jeans made out of sweatpants. so grab yourself some new prilosec otc wildberry. 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[ male announcer ] the spark business card from capital one. choose unlimited rewards with 2% cash back or double miles on every purchase, every day! what's in your wallet? here's your invoice. 35 days and counting until the fiscal cliff. and there are signs of compromise from the gop. cold, wet weather heads into the northeast. some areas will see a few inches of snow. biting the hand that feeds. one of hollywood's highest paid teens publicly rips a show that made him rich. welcome back to "early start." i'm deb feyerick in for john berman. >> really nice to have you this morning. thank you. i'm zoraida sambolin. 30 minutes past the hour. we have just under 35 days and counting until we hit the fiscal cliff and several top republicans say they are ready to revoke their no tax pledge to get a spending plan passed. that's not sitting well with the man they made that pledge too, conservative lobbyist grover norquist. listen to norquist, naming names and getting really personal on cnn's "piers morgan" last night. >> the pledge is not for life. but everybody who signed the pledge, including peter king, who tried to weasel out of it, shame on him as the new york sun said today, i hope his wife understands that commitments last a little longer than, than two years or something. but you don't tell the bank oh, the mortgage, wasn't that a long time ago? if you make a commitment you keep them. >> cnn political director mark preston joins us live from washington. and mark the house is back in session today. how much compromise can we really expect now that we have reached this serious crunch time? >> well, zoraida, we're not going to see any compromise today. we will not see any compromise tomorrow. and we're likely not going to see any compromise for about a week. we will start to see some republicans, as we've seen so far, start to tick away from the pledge, the no tax pledge that they made to americans for tax reform. fact of the matter is there's 35 days for republicans and democrats to come together to get some kind of a deal. the fact of the matter is, things don't necessarily happen here in washington unless there's an extremely large amount of pressure that is put on the folks on capitol hill and down at the white house to get something done. >> so so far there are no talks scheduled between top republicans and the president. what's the latest from the white house? >> what we know right now is that president obama has reached out to house speaker john boehner the republican and the majority leader harry reid the democrat. the staff have been talking over the thanksgiving recess. the talks have not been as fruitful as some people had hoped. but they are starting to talk right now publicly about where the white house stands on this whole issue of raising taxes. this is what jay carney had to say yesterday. >> math tells us that you can't get the kind of balanced approach that we need without having rates be part of the equation. it's simply -- we haven't seen a proposal that achieves that. a realistic proposal that achieves that. >> you have the white house spokesman jay carney yesterday talking about raising rates on the wealthy. this is something that's a sticking point for many republicans. in order to reach compromise, though, zoraida, democrats are going to have to come to the table and talk about reforming entitlements such as medicare and medicaid. and the white house, of course, is going to continue to try to put pressure on republicans to agree to tax increases. now, zoraida, let me just add to this, while there is talk about democrats and republicans, president obama getting together to reach a compromise, we are starting to see some kind of campaign now being launched by the white house. today, we will see president obama meet with small business owners at the white house. the rest of the week, he'll also be having meetings with middle class folks who will be affected by this fiscal cliff. if it's not fixed, then on friday, he heads up to pennsylvania to go to a toy company to talk about why congress, why the white house, why here in washington needs to resolve the fiscal cliff. >> all right, mark preston live for us in washington. thank you. >> let's talk more about this now with congresswoman maxine waters. she's a democrat from california. she serves as chief deputy minority whip and is also on the financial services and judiciary committees. thank you so much for joining us this morning. >> you're welcome. >> listen, first of all we want to talk about senate majority leader mitch mcconnell. he's accusing the democrats of not being willing to compromise. take a quick listen. >> republicans have stepped out of our comfort zone, and yet we rem remain at an impasse. leading us to ask why. because a vocal minority on the hard left continues to argue to leaders of their party from the president on down, that democrats in washington should do absolutely nothing about short-term or long-term spending problems. >> so congresswoman he says that the republicans are outside their comfort zone. are democrats also out of their comfort zone? is everything on the table? not just medicaid and medicare, but also obama care? >> the president has made it abundantly clear that he's prepared to compromise if, in fact, the republicans understand that we have to raise taxes on the richest 1% or so in this country. they're not willing to do that. basically, what they're saying is, we can, you know, get the resources that we need, the revenue, rather, that we need, by closing loopholes, and some reforms. but they're not willing to deal with the tax rates. that's a no starter. we have to have all of those tax cuts that were afforded to them by the bush administration on the table. we've got to increase those tax rates. and so they don't have a credible proposal on the table and we are, and the president is willing to compromise and to talk about cuts and discretionary spending. if, in fact, we can get started with understanding we have to have the revenue in order to have a credible compromise. >> well, at the same time, though, when you talk about a credible proposal, both sides probably think that their proposals are the ones that are credible. if the republicans are willing to take a couple of steps towards the middle, why not the democrats? why not say, well here's what we are willing to shave, because if you say, well, show me yours before i show you mine, nobody's going to get anywhere. >> well, as a matter of fact, we have not seen the republicans come with a credible proposal willing to do anything. they are, many of them are still bound by the norquist pledge that they made. we see a few talking about perhaps stepping away from it. but the fact of the matter is glover norquist has challenged them and basically called peter king a weasel for even talking about compromising with that tax proposal. so you haven't seen any credible proposal from the republicans willing to step forward to deal with the revenue issue. >> what's interesting, and we talk about grover norquist, basically saying, no taxes. no taxes. but now simpson bowl, the republican and the democrat, two years ago they came up with a plan, it is now being talked about again. this is two years later. all these issues have been on the table for a very long time. so what is the hold up? is there still this intransigence that nobody can get past? >> well the real holdup in my estimation is this -- you cannot talk about dealing with our deficit, you cannot talk about how you run this country without talking about credible revenue. and if, in fact, you want to continue to give tax breaks to the richest people in this country, then you can't get started with a credible proposal for compromise. you've got to start there. and when that is done, then you can talk about entitlement and what can you do with a credible proposal to reduce entitlements? but you can't do that until you talk about how you're going to fund a defense and not increase revenue. with the cliff that we're faced with, we're talking about maybe a 50% reduction in the defense department, and so, you have to talk about how you're going to pay for all of this. >>, and lastly, it was so interesting, we're talking about fiscal cliff. we're talking about an avalanche. we're talking about an austerity problem. this is very strong language, very scary words. >> yes. >> the american public is not going to accept anything short of some sort of a compromise. are those words sort of floated out there something to manage expectations, possibly? >> well, you know, the press has basically coined the fiscal cliff and promoted the idea of this catastrophic position that the congress finds itself in. i think that what the public is looking for is they're looking for reasonable, sensible legislators to talk about what is possible. they're looking for both sides to be willing to compromise. but one thing we know for sure, the president has a mandate. the people have spoken, and they have said they want everybody to pay their fair share of taxes. they don't want the middle class and working people to have to bear the burden of the cost of government, without the very, very rich paying their fair share. and that is at the top of this agenda. and it has to be dealt with. >> okay. congressman maxine waters, the democrat from california. thank you so much. we appreciate it. >> you're welcome. thank you. >> 39 minutes past the hour. too early for christmas. but just in time to possibly mess with your travel plans today. coming up, more on the cold, wet weather that's moving into the northeast as we speak. hey, look! a shooting star! make a wish! i wish we could lie here forever. i wish this test drive was over, so we could head back to the dealership. 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[ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels speeds relief to your worst cold symptoms plus has a decongestant for your stuffy nose. thanks. that's the cold truth! thanks. try running four.ning a restaurant is hard, fortunately we've got ink. it gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at office supply stores. rewards we put right back into our business. this is the only thing we've ever wanted to do and ink helps us do it. make your mark with ink from chase. guess who's here? john berman is joining us with a look at what's ahead on "starting point." >> great to see you guys this morning. you've been talking about the fiscal cliff. the high-level negotiations ramping up as both sides of the aisle trying to reach some kind of deal before your taxes go up january 1st. and they will go up if there's no deal. we're going to talk to the people at the center of the discussions right now. pennsylvania senator pat toomey. maryland congressman chris van hollen. they were on the super committee that failed to reach a deal a year ago. and utah senator mike lee. plus u.n. ambassador susan rice meeting with three of her sharpest critics today on capitol hill to explain her description of the benghazi attack. could this remove the opposition to her possible cabinet nomination? could that be pommes coming as early as this week? and i hear we have a special guest coming. n nascar's danica patrick is going from the racetrack to the virtual world of video games. danica patrick is going to be here. >> i'd like to race in her car. >> yeah, yeah. >> can you pull that off for me? >> i'll see what i can do. i'll put in a good word for you. >> all right, john berman, thanks so much. look forward to watching you. in the northeast, meteorologist alexandra steele is in for rob marciano. it's going to be a quick hit, right? >> that's right. quick hit. john mentioned some virtual play. we had virtual snow in the meteorological world, verg ga, snow that falls into a dry atmosphere so we don't see it. it moistened up the atmosphere and in new jersey we've got snow. teterboro, flurries. new jersey, temperatures 28 and snow falling there. just began but we are going to see a quick hitter. the white, of course, delineating where the snow is. south of washington, d.c. rain. and we will see some snow in virginia, as well. but here is pennsylvania, pretty much this is the access where we could see the biggest accumulations. maybe one to three inches for a stripe of snow from harrisburg to allentown. and right here towards morristown, new jersey and south of scranton. you can see the dark white, that's where the heaviest bands of snow may line up. 1 to 3 inches. west of north washington we could see in west virginia, maybe two to four inches of snow. from the south side of this, rain and storm. look at birmingham, atlanta, about to get hit. so a slow go at the airports later this afternoon for you. new orleans, here comes the rain. so really, kind of a very tough 95 corridor here into the southeast today. most of the country, guys, dry, other than the eastern seaboard. and the northwest, kind of where we've seen storm after storm, next seven days we're going to see kind of a barrage of storms move in. so pretty active there. >> alexandra steele live for us. thank you very much. 45 minutes past the hour. time for your top stories this morning. the body of former palestinian leader yasser arafat was exhumed this morning from a mausoleum in the west bank. a team of forensic scientists will now analyze tissue samples in an attempt to determine if arafat was poisoned when he died back in 2004. and a dangerous scene today in downtown sydney, australia. the cabin of a giant crane at a construction site burst into flames, and the top part of the crane collapsed. >> that's crazy. >> on a nearby roof. oh, my gosh. incredibly there were no reports of injuries according to australian news organizations. and after holding the title for three months, jill kelley is no longer honorary consul to south korea. the florida socialite in the middle of the david petraeus sex scandal has been stripped of that post. south korea's deputy foreign minister accusing her of trying to use the title for personal gain. >> hmm. well this week's monday night football game featured the eagles and panthers. two of the worst teams in the nfl. it was a big night for carolina panthers quarterback cam newton. he threw for two touchdowns and ran two touchdowns in himself as he led the panthers to a 30-22 win over philly. eagles quarterback michael vick sat out the game. he's still recovering from a recent concussion. >> take a look at this. smoke on the water. for the first time in about a year, lava from hawaii's kilauea volcano reaches the ocean. a local station reported some skiegt seers hiked to the area to get a closer look. guides say don't do that. they say a lava shelf may collapse and put people in danger. folks have actually died trying to take a closer look. >> running towards lava not on my wish list. scott kelly is preparing to spend a full year in space. the first u.s. astronaut ever to do so. he's going to help nasa collect information about the long-term effects of space flight on humans. kelly and a russian cosmonaut are due to go up to the international space station in 2015 and return the following year. scott kelly is the twin brother of astronaut mark kelly, and brother-in-law of former arizona representative gabby giffords. >> i was just looking at him saying, boy, they look a lot alike. >> that's why. >> look at this. the empire state building is showing off its brand-new look. new yorkers are used to seeing the empire state building illuminated in various colors. this is all for special occasions. but now the building has upgraded its lighting system. gone are the old floodlights and they have been replaced by a state-of-the-art computerized system that can deliver all kinds of colors and cool effects. the new lights went on display for the first time last night. deb is not a fan. >> not yet. i'm a purist. >> you'll get there. >> i'd like to know which light, why, there's got to be a purpose. watt waiting for blue for hanukkah, green for christmas. >> hollywood is buzzing today about anna nicole smith's 6-year-old daughter's new modeling campaign that she has. and the young star of tv's "two and a half men" who says, fans, stop watching the show. why? we're going to have both stories coming up. ruit, something this delicious could only come from nature. now from the maker of splenda sweeteners, discover nectresse. the only 100% natural, no-calorie sweetener made from the goodness of fruit. the rich, sweet taste of sugar. nothing artificial. ♪ it's all that sweet ever needs to be. new nectresse. sweetness naturally. after you jumped buship in bangkok,n. i thought i'd lost you. surfing is my life now. but who's going to .... tell the world that priceline has even faster, easier ways to save you money. . . on hotels, flights & cars? you still have it. i'll always have it. so this is it? we'll see where the waves take me. sayonara, brah! welcome back to "early start." 52 minutes past the hour. like mother like daughter. anna nicole smith's 6-year-old daughter is following in her late mother's footsteps. she is modeling in an ad campaign for guess now. dannielynn birkhead is working for the same fashion label that put her mom on the map. is she serious about a career in modeling. nischelle turner has all the answers for us. what is this all about? >> you know, zoraida, i'm not sure how serious any 6-year-old is about anything unless it's one of their favorite characters. >> the dad. >> yeah, that's the big question. her father larry is saying that these guess ads that she is in are an homage to her mother. you know, guess says it's a first for them, having a legacy modeling for them. and it's good traction. good marketing, because we're talking about it, right? the ads are actually very innocent. they're very charming. so she may actually have a future in front of the camera. but as charming as this story can be, there's a lot of people who remember how her mother couldn't keep it together in the public eye, and they worry if this could happen to this little girl, who looks so much like her mom. although i saw an article in the new york daily news where her dad says, dannielynn wants to be either a doctor, a birthday cake baker or the owner of an ice cream truck. so i don't know if her profession has been decided on just yet. >> also got a nice handle on her, as well. which is good to see. you're also following this really bizarre story, "two and a half men" it's a controversy. tell us about that. because i find it mind boggling. >> yeah, daeflg. this is all about angus t. jones who grew up playing jake harper on the show. he's telling people not to watch "two and a half men." he's one of the highest paid child actors on television. he appeared in this video where he denounced the show that made him rich and famous. >> dude, if you watch "two and a half men" please don't watch two and a half men. i'm on two and a half men, i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. >> you know, it's a little bizarre. jones goes on the video saying he doesn't want to contribute to the, quote, enemy's plan, by being on the show and he doesn't think he can be a christian and be on a show like "two and a half men." we reached out to cbs for a reaction, and maybe some little hint as to what the show is going to do, they had no comment at this time. but, here's something you can read between the lines at. his character is in the army now on the show, so, if something happens, maybe jake harper could be shipping out. and last hour you guys did ask a question, how much does he make per episode? >> yes. >> i did a little research. and in 2010 he signed a deal for $7.9 million for two seasons. that's 26 episodes. >> oh, my goodness. >> he also got a $500,000 signing bonus. so if you do the rough math it adds out to about $300,000 per episode. >> so i suppose he could afford to say don't watch. >> that's exactly right. >> and he may get his wish come true, also. nischelle turner live for us. thank you very much. >> all right. today's best advice coming up. ure valley granola bars, rich dark chocolate, toasted oats. perfect combinations of nature's delicious ingredients, from nature valley. ♪ nature valley granola bars, nature at its most delicious. in that time there've been some good days. and some difficult ones. but, through it all, we've persevered, supporting some of the biggest ideas in modern history. so why should our anniversary matter to you? because for 200 years, we've been helping ideas move from ambition to achievement. and the next great idea could be yours. ♪ starts with arthritis pain and a choice. take tylenol or take aleve, the #1 recommended pain reliever by orthopedic doctors. just two aleve can keep pain away all day. back to the news. we wrap it up as always with best advise. >> we asked anne frank's cousin about the best advice he's ever received. >> when anne frank's mention to the world is humanism. peace between mankind. no matter what religion, no matter what nationality, no matter what color of skin. she wanted peace all over the world. no more wars. no more fighting. no more religious fighting against each other. peace. that was anna's message in the world. >> that's a nice note to end it on. >> very nice. that's it for "early start." i'm zoraida sambolin. >> and seem d
good morning, everyone. our starting point today, more republicans seeming to break their no tax pledge but still bickering with democrats over the so-called fiscal cliff. and just under 35 days now america falls off that cliff. you've heard the menacing sound right there. this triggers drastic spending cuts and tax hikes. now there are some signs of compromise on capitol hill. several top republicans saying they're willing to at least consider raising tax revenues to get a spending plan passed within the next five weeks. however when the lame duck senate returned to work yesterday, it sure sounded like the same old stalemate. >> the senate has spoken and president obama has spoken. he's promised he will not sign any bill that mortgages our future to pay for handouts to the wealthiest 2% of americans. i only hope house republicans have been listening. >> we've been responsible, even as we've remained firm on this point. no tax increases now for promised spending cuts that won't materialize later. >> hardly a political plug there. cnn political director mark preston is live from washington this morning. mark, so far there are no formal fiscal cliff talks scheduled at the highest levels. but the white house just announced that president obama is going to be going to pennsylvania on friday to try to sell his version of the tax plan to the american people. is that going to help things? >> well, john, you know, it's a dual strategy right now that we're seeing develop in these negotiations over the fiscal cliff. the first strategy, of course, and the first bullet point is when president obama gets together with congressional leaders and they try to get some kind of resolution. the second bullet point, though, is to try to pressure the republican party and that's what we're seeing from president obama by going out to pennsylvania, to this manufacturing facility, that makes toys, including tinker toys and the k'nex building set. so we'll be doing that on friday. in addition, today it actually starts. pressure campaign begins today. they'll be meeting with small business owners at the white house. tomorrow it will be meeting with middle class americans who say that they will be impacted if congress doesn't fix the fiscal cliff. they'll also be meeting with business leaders this week. so we're seeing a two-prong strategy right now out of the white house. >> it starts moving in the realm of tinker toys you know it's getting very, very serious. we've seen some republicans, major republicans, come out the last few days saying they don't feel bound anymore by that americans for tax reform pledge that grover norquist pledge. most recently house majority leader eric cantor seemed to have a little wiggle room there. do you expect to see more republicans coming out here? >> the floodgates have certainly opened and i suspect we'll see more republicans talk about the need for resolution. we have a new cnn poll in the last 24 hours that show that if this is not resolved, that republicans will take a majority of the blame, and not president obama. so i think we will see more republicans start to break away from that pledge. but, on the other side, though, democrats are also going to have to come to the table, and do some compromise. we saw senate minority leader mitch mcconnell talk about it yesterday on the senate floor. see what he has to say. >> republicans have stepped out of our comfort zone, and yet we remain at an impasse. leading us to ask, why? because a vocal minority on the hard left continues to argue to leaders of their party from the president on down, that democrats in washington should do absolutely nothing about short-term or long-term spending problems. >> and there you have it. senate minority leader mitch mcconnell talking about how republicans are trying to come to the table but they haven't seen that from democrats yet. john? >> all right. really is interesting to try to guess when the first democrat will come forward and show a little bit of leg on the idea of compromise. mark preston in washington, thanks very much. >> indeed, tinker toys. i got the joke, it was funny. the other big story we're following, u.n. ambassador susan rice is going to meet with three republican senators who criticized her over comments she made in the aftermath of the attack on the u.s. consulate in bengha benghazi. this as a cnn/orc new poll shows the obama administration's overall response to that attack does not get high marks. 54% of americans say they are dissatisfied with how the attack was handled. foreign affairs correspondent jill dougherty is at the state department this morning. >> hey, christine. the bottom line, as i look through this poll, i think it says americans do not see a cover-up. that's the one thing. but there is a lot of confusion in this poll, i think, in terms of what americans think, you know, happened, didn't happen, don't forget this has been -- it is confusing. and, it has been highly politicized. so when you look at some of the parts of this poll, for example, you know, thinking it could have been prevented, 48%. 42% think it could not have been prevented. and it's very hard, i think, for americans, to figure that out. who knows unless you have the intelligence information, and all of that has not come out yet. the other thing, though, is that americans are really split. 44-44 over how the administration handled it. you know, did they handle it appropriately? or did they not? and that's, i think, where the nub comes in. if people are confused, chances are it wasn't handled correctly in terms of explaining it. >> so what does she expect from this meeting that she's having today? it seems as though john mccain, senator mccain, has reformed a little bit from his initial criticism. what can we expect on this meeting on the hill today? >> essentially what she's going to do, and she will be with the acting cia director michael morrell, they're going to be answering questions, at least it's expected, answering questions about why she said what she said when she did. in other words, when she went on those sunday talk shows, how much did she know? what were the talking points? did she really know more than the talking points? did she just stick to the talking points? was there more that she could have looked into? and this, again, i think reflects some of the confusion. don't forget, you know, there are three investigations. congressional, fbi, and state. and until those are completed. >> thank you so much, jill. >> a lot of people here in the northeast looking towards the sky this morning. winter storm we hear headed our way. let's get a quick check on the weather with alexandra steele. >> good morning to you guys. quick hitter. rain and snow. we're seeing it move in this morning and will exit this afternoon. and into the early evening. you can see, of course, the white delineating where the snow is predominantly kind of the axis of this main snow is here in southeastern pennsylvania. and also, into northwest new jersey. places like morristown. so the strike on where we'll see one to three inches of snow, harrisburg to allentown, to morristown, new jersey. already some snow falling already in teterboro, and also in suffolk new jersey where the temperature is 2 degrees. in teterboro it's 36 degrees. here's that 1 to 3 inch swath, 2 to 4 inches potentially in garrett county, maryland. also on the southern end, we're seeing rain and lightning. look at this, birmingham, just alive this morning with showers and storms. all making its way toward atlanta, georgia. so, you can only imagine the travel delays we will see at the world's busiest airport develop in a couple of hours. also into new orleans, showers and storms headed your way. but it is a one-day affair, in today, out tonight. that's really the only action right now. but, a barrage of storm skies heading into the northwest. as we've seen so far this season, we're going to continue to see it beginning tomorrow, and lasting through the weekend. >> all right, alexandra, thanks so much. >> other top stories we're following, egyptian people voicing their opposition to president mohamed morsi and the muslim brotherhood. and wondering if they replaced one dictator with another this morning. this ireport showing protesters as they carry the 16-year-old's casket through tahrir square yesterday. intense protests expected again today. morsi declaring egypt's courts cannot overturn decisions he's made since coming into office in june. or over the next six months. one opponent says that can only lead to a dictatorship. morsi has said he's trying to protect egypt's fragile arab spring revolution. he's not trying to accumulate unchecked power. the body of former palestinian leader yasser arafat was exhumed this morning from a mausoleum in the west bank. a team of international scientists will analyze tissue samples in an attempt to determine if he was poisoned to death in 2004 with a radioactive substance. the actual cause of arafat's death was never actually determined. the current head of the palestinian authority travels to the united nations this week for what he hopes will be a vote with a historic outcome. mahmoud abbas, will be present thursday as the general assembly votes on a resolution that would upgrade palestinians to the status of a non-member state. meanwhile, only one week since the cease-fire between israel and hamas, and the u.s. official tells cnn that iran is already figuring out how to resupply hamas with missiles and other weapons. a flight from fort lauderdale to san juan, puerto rico, forced to circle back and land just after takeoff because of a bird strike. an inspection confirmed a bird hit the right engine of that jetblue flight yesterday. passengers were put on a different flight and arrived in san juan after a 2 1/2 hour delay. monday night football action in philadelphia, kind of like a loser bowl. not a marquee match-up. the eagles and panthers, two of the worst teams in the nfl. but it was a big night for panthers qb cam newton. he threw for two touchdown passes, and he ran for two touchdowns himself. there he goes. that wasn't him. way to go, man. 30-22. eagle quarterback michael vick had to sit out of the game because he's still recovering from a recent concussion. ahead on "starting point," more republican lawmakers breaking with grover norquist on that pledge not to raise taxes. could there be a political backlash? next hear from one senator who signed the pledge, pat toomey of pennsylvania. >> and after a record-breaking holiday shopping weekend, how did retailers fare on cyber monday. the staggering numbers ahead. ♪ [ gordon ] for some this line is a convenience. how you doing today? i'm good thanks. how are you? i'm good. 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[ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards card. apply online or at a bank of america near you. welcome back to "starting point." minding your business this morning, cyber monday sales rose 28% from last year. that's according to the ibm benchmark survey. the most searched for items, amazon's kindle and kindle fire. uggs. ipads, the ipod touch, legos and the wii. snapshot of america's priorities. estimate monday sales reached $1.5 billion. >> billion. >> a quick check of the market. stock futures are flat this morning. a lot of data today, durable goods orders, home prices, consumer confidence, and european markets are higher after officials there agreed on a bailout terms for greece late last night. new this morning, a warning on the fiscal cliff and a downgrade of expectations for u.s. economic growth. the organization for economic cooperation and development cut its forecast for the u.s. economy for this year and next year, and on fiscal cliff negotiations, the oecd said, quote, diseaecisive policy actis needed to ensure that stalemates over fiscal policy in the united states and continuing euro area instability do not plunge the world back into recession. plunge back into recession the whole world, a very bad, bad idea. >> a lot of menacing terms there. fiscal cliff a menacing term here. now we know we are just under 35 days away before we fall off that cliff. which could lead to deep spending cuts. want to bring in republican senator pat toomey from pennsylvania. he was a member of the deficit reduction super committee last year that failed to agree on a plan. but he's been talking about this issue for a long, long time. good morning, senator. >> good morning. >> we just learned that president obama will be traveling to your backyard on friday to talk about the fiscal cliff and spending, and traveling to pennsylvania right now. is this a welcome visit as far as you're earned? >> as far as i'm concerned the president of the united states is always welcome in my state of pennsylvania. we welcome the president and look forward to his message, and i have some questions i'd like to-ish i hope he addresses. >> what questions? >> first of all the president seems absolutely determined to inflict a tax increase on the american people. two years ago he signed a bill that extended the current tax rates for two more years because he said the last thing you want to do is raise taxes in a weak economy. today the economy is weaker than it was two years ago. why in the world does he want to inflict that damage now? >> senator -- >> second, i've got several others, but go ahead. >> one more in, then i'll ask you one. >> sure, here's another one, if the president actually gets the tax increase that he says he wants that solves 8% of the projected deficit over the next ten years. what is the world is the president's plan for the other 92%? is he going to raise taxes on the middle class? is he going to raise taxes repeatedly? does he have some -- has he discovered the willingness to rein in spending? we haven't seen any plans. >> senator, let's talk about you, now. because a year ago when you were part of the super committee you did propose your own cut plan and revenue plan. >> right. >> this included closing loopholes. this included reducing deductions in taxes. you still support closing loopholes and reducing deductions? >> look, the concern that i have is that we are now just a few weeks away from a massive tax increase. and i am trying to find a way to avoid inflicting that damage on our economy and going through that. so, if we're going to have to have some kind of revenue increase, which this president seems determined to do, i would hope we could at least do it in the way that does the least economic harm. that means lower marginal rates, reform the tax code, offset the lost revenue by reducing deductions, write-offs, loopholes, that sort of thing, then, at least, you could hope that you'd have some pro-growth policy in your tax code that would offset the damage done by greater revenue. >> so that is a yes, though, just to be clear. you would favor raising revenue by closing loopholes and reducing deductions? >> if we were lowering marginal rates at the same time lower than what we have today, and if we were going to do something meaningful about the actual problem we have, which is spending, and which is the entitlement programs. >> right. agreed the democrats need to come along on the idea of spending cuts and talk about that in a serious way, we'll stipulate that. but would you be in favor of reducing deductions and closing loopholes without the corresponding rate cuts? >> no. why -- you know, i think that what we need to do if we're going to do this, you know the revenue side isn't where the problem lies in the first place. this is a side show to the real problem. the real problem that the president has refused to address, how are we going to put our entitlement programs on sustainable path? how are we going to live within our means? we're going to do something on the revenue side, then by for gosh sake's let's at least not damage the economy any more than we have to. let's do it by lowering marginal ratings and generating revenue through reducing the value of deductions and write off some loopholes, taxes, things that distort economic activity. >> warren buffett wrote an interesting op-ed. he is a supporter of the president but said he does not favor raising rates on people making more than $250,000 but said he would support it for people making $500,000. is there an income level where you support or at least not oppose vehemently the idea of racing rates? >> again, you know, i don't think that's a constructive direction to go in. we -- you know, we could just keep adding ever more brackets, and ever more burdens on people who are productive or have a couple of good years in their business. i think all of that discourages economic growth and discourages risk taking and entrepreneurship. so i'm in favor of moving in the direction of a flatter tax system. of fewer brackets, lower rates, simplicity where we get rid of all the distortions that happen in the tax code, rather than speculating about how many different new brackets we should create. >> i want to get to benghazi. on taxes you talk about closing loopholes and reducing destructions. grover norquist says that would violate his pledge. are you okay with violating the grover norquist pledge? >> i don't intend to violate any pledge. my pledge is not to support higher taxes. what we're faced with in just a few weeks is a massive tax increase. if i can help ensure that we don't have that tax increase then i believe i've fulfilled my pledge to fight for the lowest possible taxes. >> he may have a disagreement there. die want to move on to benghazi. susan rice is traveling to capitol hill to meet with three of her fiercest critics. do you think some of her republican colleagues who said they would block her nomination as secretary of state, do you think they've been too hard on her? >> well, i don't want to speak for my colleagues, but i thought what i heard was that they would block it if they didn't hear an adequate explanation for why she went on national television repeatedly, many days after the attacks in which four americans were murdered, and she told the story that wasn't true. now, maybe she has a good explanation for this but we haven't heard it yet. and so i'm glad she's coming to capitol hill. maybe it's possible for her to provide some information that we don't have now that would explain how this could happen, how the american people could have been so misled about the nature of this incident. so, i welcome her visit and hope it's constructive. >> if she is nominated can you see yourself supporting that nomination? >> again, it depends on whether we get some very clear and acceptable answers to these questions. how she could have gone on national television and told the american people that this was not a -- this was not related to a terrorist attack when, in fact, senior people in our intelligence community knew almost from the very beginning that it very much was a terrorist attack. that's a disturbing fact pattern that we need to have addressed. >> senator pat toomey of pennsylvania, great to talk to you this morning. >> thanks for having me. >> ahead, the democratic process left to the flip of a coin. the election that was decided by a coin toss. that's next. plus, you want to be danica patrick? now is your chance. virtually at least, with a new racing game, and she's here with a live preview. 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[ all ] i'm with scottrade. welcome back to "starting point." the consequences of failure are dire. the hope of cooperation is fragile. congress back from holiday break and it must do something before the end of the year or we'll go off this thing called the fiscal cliff. raising tax rates, and triggering big spending cuts. it could cause a recession. a new cnn/orc poll shows a whopping 67% of americans think that any budget deal must have both spending cuts, and tax increases. let's bring in maryland democratic congressman chris van hollen. he was a member of the deficit reduction super committee, and he has covered this territory for the past year. here we are again. good morning, sir. >> good morning, christine. great to be with you and john. >> we have spent so much time talking about grover norquist and the tax pledges from some of the republicans on the right. their promises to not raise taxes and where they might be budging on that. i want to talk to you about the spending part of this -- of this -- of this balanced approach. because, conservatives are saying that you guys do not have a serious commitment to cutting spending. that all this talk about taxes is -- is distracting from the fact that democrats don't have a serious, serious plan for cutting spending. so tell me what's a serious plan? are you willing to cut spending? and how? >> yes, yes we are, christine. in fact, if you look at the president's budget it takes exactly that balanced approach that people are calling for. it has additional revenue, by asking high income earners to pay more. to reduce the deficit. but it also includes spending cuts. so, we did a trillion dollars in spending cuts as part of the budget control act over the next ten years and we're going to have to continue to implement that. so that's part of the plan. secondly the president's budget actually contains more health care savings than the bipartisan simpson-bowles commission does. he does it in a number of ways. for example he asked pharmaceutical companies to pay higher rebates to drugs for people who are on medicare and medicaid. he reforms the medicap wraparound insurance plan. right now medicare is essentially indirectly subsidizing those plans. so the president actually has substantial savings, not only in health care, but in many other areas. for example he eliminates a lot of the excessive agriculture subsidies. so the president's plan does have that balance of cuts, and revenue. >> interesting that you bring up health care because eric cantor, something we heard from speaker boehner, he would like obama care to be back on the table. i mean, democrats say, look, this is how we squeezed out -- we squeezed money from medicare. but the republicans are saying no put that back on the table. this is what he said. >> if the president is serious about joining us and fixing the problem, he ought to be putting obama care on the table. there's no question in my mind, that is the largest expansion of government programs -- >> can you say at the moment that that's being talked about? >> all i can say is the president has got to get serious >> when i hear stuff like that i think you guys are still on completely different planets at the moment. democrats and republicans, on how to fix this. >> well, that's right. that's sort of taking the talks into reverse right now. look, the cnn poll that was conducted showed that 70% of the american people recognize that congressional republicans need to do more to cooperate with the president. they know before the election they did not do that. now we've all got to work together to get this done. with respect to obama care, the congressional budget office, the nonpartisan entity, shows that actually over the next ten years it reduces the deficit, and over the next 20-year period it reduces it by even more. so if you want to reverse obama care, you also are reversing the important savings that were part of obama care. we achieve many of those savings by ending the overpayments to some of the private insurance companies within medicare. >> but we don't have health care costs under control. and that still is -- obama care did not address the rising cost of health care. frankly, some say wasn't even meant to. it was about access to health care. we can -- we can -- we can fight that battle all over again. but, bottom line, i think, is that, you know, mitch mcconnell and others have said that, you know, they're the ones who are bending. they're not seeing the bending from the democrats. let's listen to mcconnell for a second here. >> republicans have stepped out of our comfort zone, we've been clear about what we'll do and what we won't, and yet we remain at an impasse. leading us to ask, why? because a vocal minority on the hard left continues to argue to leaders of their party from the president on down that democrats in washington should do absolutely nothing about short-term or long-term spending problems. >> they don't think you got entitlements seriously on the table. i know you outlined some of the things the president proposed through obama care. what other kinds of cost savings, changes, are you going to wring out of medicare and medicaid, and is social security absolutely off the table? >> social security, social security is not part of the debt deficit problem. we've always said we can look at social security on its own terms to try and strengthen it. but we're not going to raid social security to pay down other parts of the deficit. with respect to medicare and spending cuts, it's really interesting to hear senator mcconnell say this, because he knows that we adopted over a trillion dollars in cuts over the next ten years. he also knows that the congressional budget office said that obama care would reduce the deficit. we can build on the kind of reforms that were in the affordable care act. the affordable care act did actually begin to reduce the cost curve in health care by modernizing the system to say we're going to reward the value of care that providers pay, that doctors and hospitals provide, not simply the volume. we need to move away from the fee for service system. what we do not want to do is the republican definition of reform, which doesn't reduce costs, but simply shifts rising health care costs onto the backs of seniors. that's what their voucher plan today. that's what their other proposals do. so let's reduce health care costs. let's do it in the overall health care system, medicare and the other parts of the health care system, but let's not just transfer those costs. that's not solving the problem. that's not real reform. we need to take the balanced mixed approach. the president actually has put that plan on the table. it would be useful if our republican colleague mitch mcconnell would actually show the american people what they're talking about. you can see the president's plan. it's on the internet. it's been submitted to congress. let's see what his plan is. >> it sounds like you guys still have a lot of talking to do. >> we do. >> and 34 days left. >> but i'm still very hopeful we'll get there. >> let me ask you something quickly about something dominating a lot of attention, too, susan rice, the u.n. ambassador, will be heading to capitol hill today. she's going to meet with three, with three republican critics who've been concerned about her response, her public response to the benghazi attack which, of course, resulted in the four americans killed. and we know that, you know, how the obama administration has handled the benghazi attack, one of our surveys shows that 54% of americans are dissatisfied with that response from the administration. a wide margin of people think that it hasn't been handled well by this administration. shouldn't someone in the administration have to pay for -- for what happened there? >> well, christine, as you know there are two pieces to the benghazi issue. one is finding out whether there was insufficient security at the consulate, at the mission in benghazi going forward. and there's a high level group of people investigating that. and out of that will come whatever accountability and repercussions. but then there's the separate issue, and this is sort of the cooked up conspiracy theory from a lot of republicans. and as the facts have come out that conspiracy theory has been shown to be exactly that, just a madeup idea. this notion that the administration, the obama administration through susan rice, was trying to change, change the facts when, in fact, what we now know is she was simply providing the information that had been the consensus position of the intelligence community, the cia and others in the intelligence community, and it's now well established that the white house had nothing to do with changing that evaluation and assessment. so she was reporting on the information available through the intelligence agencies, and it's just not fair to hold her responsible for misinformation when she didn't have any other facts that -- to go on at the time. >> congressman chris van hollen from maryland. thanks for joining us today. >> thank you. it's 38 minutes after the hour right now. other top stories this morning. a lawsuit filed by a house committee against attorney general eric holder in the fast and furious case will be heard in court this morning. republican lawmakers are trying to force holder to turn over documents from the failed gun trafficking operation. some of the weapons linked to the program were found at the murder scene of a border patrol agent. you'll remember that. the white house invoking executive privilege to keep the documents under wraps. a pretrial hearing begins today for wikileaks suspect u.s. army private bradley manning. manning himself may take the stand as early as tomorrow. his attorneys plan to use various jail mistreatment claims while he was at the marine corps brig in quantico to try to get his case thrown out. he's accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents which ended up on the wikileaks website. wikileaks has never confirmed manning was their source. just released 911 tapes revealing more about the kayous and carnage during last week's thanksgiving day pileup on interstate 10 in tax. foggy conditions caused about 140 cars and trucks to collide. listen to two of the crash victims crying out for help. >> i have a major accident over the interstate. cars and 18 wheelers and everything, i don't know where we are, the fog is thick. >> please get on i-10. >> ma'am, we've got it coming, okay. >> they're still hitting. >> ma'am, we've got them coming. >> ma'am, they're en route, okay? >> okay. >> all right. >> tough to hear. two people were killed in the pileup. 90 others had to be rushed to area hospitals. a dangerous scene in downtown sydney, australia. the cabin of a giant crane at a construction site burst into flames and the top part collapsed onto a nearby rooftop. incredibly nobody was hurt. the operator of the crane was also the operator of the crane that collapsed in new york a few weeks ago. >> that's interesting. rick santorum dropping hints he may be thinking about another run for the white house. the former senator and presidential candidate told piers morgan he's keeping all of his options open. >> i'm open to that possibility, but i -- we're a long way -- i'm focused right now on, on trying to -- to stay involved with the fray and make sure that we do the right thing up on capitol hill right now, and also, that this debate in the republican party about what the future of the party and where we're going to go that we're going to be very active and engaged to make sure we stick to america's founding principles. >> former house speaker newt gingrich hasn't ruled out another bid for the presidency either. he said he'd consider running in 2016 if the gop makes big changes. ahead on "starting point" she denied the drug cartels and she paid for it with her life. now one mayor's courage is being celebrated in mexico. her story next in a live report. t the world's biggest events in 3d, or live to your seat high above the atlantic ocean. it's what drives us to create eco-friendly race tracks, batteries that power tomorrow's cars, nearly indestructible laptops, and the sustainable smart towns of the future. at panasonic, we're driven to make what matters most better. just another way we're engineering a better world for you. try this... bayer? 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[ male announcer ] it's the power of aspirin plus more in a triple action formula to relieve your tough migraines. new bayer migraine formula. we have a story of bravery amidst the violence of mexico's drug tartle. the former mayor of a small town west of mexico city stood up to drug traffickers and paid with her life. >> maria santos gorrostieta survived two assassination attempts but two weeks ago she was ambushed and abducted while driving with her daughter. her body was found days later. cnn'sster latin american affairs editor rafael romo is following this story for us. it's really tough one, rafael. >> that's right. she was kidnapped on a busy street during the morning rush hour as terrified onlookers watched the scene unfold. maria santos gorrostieta was driving her young daughter to school as they were stopped. the 36-year-old former mayor was taken away by force, as her douaughter cried his tear clal. officials say when the body was found her hands were tied behind her back. she also showed signs of a severe blow to the back of her head. maria santos gorrostieta was also a medical doctor, and mayor of the small community of tiquicheo from 2008 to 2011. this was the third time, the third time she was a victim of an attack. during the first attack in 2009 her husband was shot and killed. but she survived serious gunshot wounds. after her second attack in january of 2010, she was defiant. she said, i will rise up again as many times as god allows me to so that i can keep on seeking, fighting for and working out plans, projects and actions for the benefit of people, especially those most in need. she is survived by her three children and her second husband. christine? >> hmm. cnn also reporting a beauty queen was killed in a shoot-out between mexican military and suspected criminals. also happened in an area well known for drug violence. what can you tell us about that? >> that's right, christine. this happened in the mexican sit of michoacan. some of our viewers may be familiar with this state. it's home to a very powerful mexican drug cartel. this woman here maria susanna flores gamez, she was 20 years old, was miss sinaloa 2012. she was caught in the cross fire during a shoot-out between the mexican military and members of an armed group. now we don't really know, and mexican officials are not saying at this point, whether she just happened to be there, or whether she was involved in some shape or manner with this group. but in any case, a very, very tragic end to a woman who had a very promising career, chris teen. >> all right. rafael romo, thank you. such a tough story. >> awful story. >> the mon know, the drugs, the guns, the money, the drugs, the guns. this is not just a mexico story. we are their largest trading partner. it's a real serious situation. >> so up next we're going to shift gears. danica patrick, she's taking her "a" game from the racetrack to sonics world. how you can play as this famous nascar driver in a new video game, danica patrick live with us coming up next. my doctor told me calcium is efficiently absorbed in small continuous amounts. citracal slow release continuously releases calcium plus d with efficient absorption in one daily dose. citracal slow release. i'm going to dream about that steak. i'm going to dream about that tiramisu. what a night, huh? but, um, can the test drive be over now? head back to the dealership? 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[ male announcer ] now all you need is a magic carriage. citi price rewind. buy now. save later. danica patrick, indy racer, just finished her first full season in nascar. finished tenth in the standings. >> now she's driving into a new video game in sega's racing transformed video game, you can play as danica patrick, zooming across land, air and water. check it out. >> take this. >> whoa! >> dang it. >> pedal to the metal. >> you had a quick glimpse of the virtual danica patrick. we have the real thing, danica patrick spokesperson for sega. before we talk about the game, let's talk about the nascar season. you did finish tenth in the nascar series. that is the highest finish by a woman. >> i founded out that that was the highest woman's finish in the championship. that's how it usually goes for me. i find out after things happen. i have high expectations. i would have loved to have been in the top five in the championship but it just didn't really work out like that. as a driver, as a competitor, i always want more. so i hear that and i'm like, yeah, okay. so nine other people beat me. it was a decent first year. we had god successes along the way, bad luck along the way. i'm much more prepared for the full sprint cup series next year for sure. >> what are you learning first full year, first full season nascar, what have you learned? how are you -- better different or better driver? >> just overall getting more comfortable so that going out and driving the car is the easy part and then you can really start feeling all the little tiny things that are happening with it and how it's reacting to the track and, you know, what kind of changes you need to make it better. so that's the kind of stuff that i'm learning, how the car changes over the race, where the track changes, what lines you need to take based upon what part of the race it is. there's a lot to learn. >> i guess we'll never do that but we will do something like play a video game and be danica patrick. >> help me practice for the real thing. >> given the fact that we're not in the air or water, i'm not sure that all ofs it does. >> unless something goes really really wrong, right? >> it's the holiday season so it's time to have a little fun. this is definitely a really fun game. it's fairly straightforward to play. if i can play it, anyone can play it. you can play a four-person game. good for family. and it's cool as an athlete to be able to have yourself as being a player in a game like that, that's such an iconic brand for games. >> i was surprised that women make up such a large percentage of games. they're almost half of console pc game users. i would not have thought it was that high. i would have -- first glance i would have thought it's so great in this game because it's going to lure in women. women are already there. >> i guess they know their stats. that's where i come in. but that's really cool. that's cool to noechlt i didn't -- i had no idea either. you would think more men play the game. then again, nascar fans are almost half women. so -- at least 40%, i think. i could be totally wrong. but i feel like i heard that. so, yeah, forget the gender thing. it's just going out the window these days. >> so let's talk about go daddy and super bowl. there were some rumors that maybe you and go daddy would part ways. but you're still there? >> absolutely. that was a weird situation. that was never the case, definitely my primary sponso and will be for years to come. and there's an article that came out that just didn't come out right. we quickly sort of fixed that and just a few weeks ago i was racing in phoenix and we were at go daddy's headquarters in scottsdale and announced that bob parsons announced that i'll be in both super bowl commercials. so that's pretty cool. >> any previews? >> i don't even know what days we're shooting. >> super secret. veil of secrecy. danica patrick, thank you so much. now now you, too, can drive like danica patrick. can democrats and republicans find some common ground to get a spending deal done? we'll speak with utah senator mike lee, who says there's a fiscal avalanche on the other side of the fast-approaching fiscal cliff. he is the half in the hit series "two and a half men." why is young star angus t. jones telling viewers to stop watching his show right now? e used andro, there's big news. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it raises your testosterone levels, and... is concentrated, so you could use less gel. and with androgel 1.62%, you can save on your monthly prescription. 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this is big news. >> good morning. i'm christine romans. >> and i'm john berman. soledad is off today. will it turn into a fiscal avalanche in lawmakers don't reach a deal? that's what utah senator mike lee says. you need to know about the winter storm head this had way. smash series pretty little liars, actress lucy hale is here, talking about the secrets of her show and her upcoming album. it is tuesday, november 27th, and "starting point" begins right now. good morning, everyone. we have an all-star team here with us this morning. ron brownstein, cnn senior political analyst and editorial director. will cain is here, columnist for the blaze.com. in the middle of them, roland martin, cnn political analyst and host of "washington watch" starring roland martin. >> all dressed up in these suits. >> will dressed up? seriously. >> no tie. no tie. >> "starting point" this morning, something that affects every man, woman and child, the fiscal cliff. just about 35 days away. we found out this morning that the president will be hitting the road in an attempt to avoid driving off that cliff. >> new cnn/orc poll. more than 60% believe a deal must have both spending cuts and tax increases. republicans are strongly opposed to any tax increases. we want to bring in senator mike lee. >> you wrote an op-ed. while washington is preoccupied with the so-called fiscal cliff, little attention has been given to the fiscal avalanche that will occur if we continue down an unsustainable long-term path causing markets to turn sour on u.s. debt and leading to a spike in interest rates. you're looking at the very long-term picture. they're just trying to get a little budget deal done here. you're real worried about if they don't do this right now what it means for the longer term. tell us about that avalanche. >> the thing about the cliff is we know exactly when it's coming. you can see a cliff. you can see when you're going to hit it. an avalanche is a little bit different. when the conditions are there, when it might happen. but you have no tiechling as to the exact moment that it's going to occur. and so that's what we need to be worried about. there will come a moment at some point in the next few years when people will no longer buy u.s. treasury instruments. at least not at these unbelievably low rates we have today. once that trend starts to reverse itself we'll be in a world of hurt. >> i've been calling it the curse of the bond market. interest rates are so low, because this government can borrow money so cheaply and so easily, it gives political cover to washington, to policy makers. they've been able to let this go on for a year, longer than it should have simply because interest rates are so low. we're still the best game in town. other countries have bigger problems than we do in terms of their financial problems but these rates are still -- we were worried about this last year, two years ago. these rates are so low. there's no sign they're going to turn around any time soon. >> it's a little bit like saying i didn't look both ways when i crossed the street yesterday and i didn't get hit. and i did it the day before and i didn't get hit. sooner or later, the piper has to be paid. sooner or later, these things will have consequences and they won't be pleasant. >> i want to turn to the budget negotiation going on at capitol hill. this famous pledge sponsored by grover norquist. conservative to say the least seemed to throw in the towel, providing maybe some cover for some republicans here. let me read to you what they said. if taxes are going up anyway because the bush tax rates expire and republicans can stop them from going up as much as they otherwise would, then pledge-takers deserve some credit for that. mr. norquist says it violates his pledge to eliminate deductions without lowering rates but at the current economic and political moment it is also a service if republicans prevent tax rates from going up. providing some cover there. have republicans effectively caved on the idea of raising revenue? >> i don't think republicans have caved on anything related to taxes. we do have to remember that it is possible to bring in more revenue without raising taxes. any time you stimulate economic growth that's going to bring in more revenue. i want more revenue because i want more economic growth. that's the best way to bring in more revenue, to fund government programs. >> i guess senator ron brownstein from national journal. what is your leverage if there is a stalemate? all of the bush tax cuts expire and rates go up for everyone, what is your leverage to prevent an increase in rates at least for those at the very top as president and all democrats are demanding? >> that's one of the problems that we have. one of the reasons we're calling this the fiscal cliff. if we do nothing then we go off that cliff. if we do nothing then current law requires all those rates to go up. that may be what "the wall street journal" is referring to, the simple fact that a default operation with no intervention by congress will result in a rate increase. >> they're also -- they are also clearly saying that if republicans can negotiate a deal in which rates went up somewhat but not all the way back to the 39.6 top rate under president clinton that they would deserve credit for doing that. they seem to be suggesting you would be increasing rates somewhat and. do you think that's an idea that will take root among senate republicans? >> perhaps so. i haven't seen the editorial. i don't know specifically beyond what you've described what they're saying. >> there is room, there, you think, for raising rates? not as much as letting the bush tax rates expire completely and closing loopholes, you think that might be fertile ground, is that what you're saying? >> i don't think that's a good idea. it's a horrible idea to raise taxes on anyone. for rates to go up in this economy is going to be a bad thing. it's going to kill jobs. even if we just allow the top two rates to go up, as planned by current law. we're going to lose 700,000 jobs. we have to remember these are not ceo jobs or top 1% jobs. these are people who are living paycheck to paycheck, hard-working americans who will lose their jobs. we don't roar about raising taxes on the rich because we're worried about the rich. we worry about that because of what that's going to do to the poor. >> this is will cain. before i got into this game of telling people my wonderful opinion on various topics, i was in the business world, bought and sold businesses. every time i did that, there were two parties to the interaction. there was a party and counterparty. i didn't just get to go dictate my terms. in order to make a deal to avoid, as you said, this potential fiscal avalanche, you'll give a little ground on taxes. are you getting a sense from your counterparty, the democrats, that they'll give ground on spending, main drivers of our debt and deficit entitlements? are you feeling that give? >> i'm not feeling that give so far. i do want to point out that so far the only proposal on the table, the only idea that anyone has thrown out from the democratic side is to allow the top two marginal income tax rates, top two income tax rates to go up. and that's what we know will kill 700,000 jobs. that proposal, to my knowledge, is not accompanied by any long-term structural spending reform. that's one thing that's so troubling about this. at the end of the day we have to remember it's not really a revenue problem we have so much as it is a spending problem. >> we heard so much about sequestration in terms of defense cuts. i get entitlements. i get the issue when it comes to taxes. you look at the amount of money this country spends on defense, is it an area where republicans say we can make cuts there as well if you want cuts on entitlements? >> absolutely. we need to make cuts anywhere we can. there are efficiencies we can find in military spending. that doesn't mean that the kind of sequestration called for by the budget act of 2011 is the way to do it. those cuts fall disproportionately on the department of defense and i think that's a problem. i've got a bill in the form of my cut, cap and balance act of 2012 that makes sequestration unnecessary because there are more cuts, some in defense and others in other areas. i have another piece of legislation that i have not yet introduced but am working on. targeted kus so we don't have to carry out all of the cutting in the area of defense or disproportionately in the area of defense. >> i want to bring in u.n. ambassador susan rice, who has a meeting on the hill in the next hour to meet with senators john mccain, lindsey graham to answer questions about the benghazi attack. word is that the president could pick -- his pick for secretary of state as early as this week. would you oppose rice if she were nominated? >> i'm sorry, i lost the feed. i can't hear -- >> can you hear me, sir? i'm afraid he has lost our audio. >> thanks to senator mike lee of utah, talking about the fiscal cliff this morning. not talking about ben gauzesy because the audio feed went down. top stories this morning. winter storm headed for the northeast. we'll get a quick check on the weather with alexandra steel. good morning to you guys. a quick storm, rain and snow moving in. you can see it there. it's finite. it will move in today and move out today as well. delineated in pennsylvania, the white where the snow is, pink is rain and snow and, of course, the rest is rain. we'll see the rain change over to snow as the moisture moistens up the atmosphere. we'll see the axis of the heaviest snow, one to three inches from harrisburg, allentown and here in northwest new jersey around norristown, new jersey. you could see a few inches of snow. bright banding is where the heaviest snow is coming down. that's where we'll see it, one to three. west of washington around garret county, maryland, highest elevations, maybe two to four inches for you. rain on the south side of this thing. birmingham is getting pounded by rain this morning. it's all headed to atlanta. flights in and out of atlanta next couple of hours, hop on line and see what you can do. we'll really get into some delays here in the southeast. farther south, new orleans, storms heading toward you. it is all moving east and will all be a pheta com plea as it moves out. guys in the northwest we've seen a barrage of storms, most active storm track. and we'll watch storm after storm come in through the weekend. this whole week until then. >> alexandra steele, thank you so much. >> sure. new clashes happening in cairo. tear gas canisters in the air as sire sirens blare. egypt courts cannot overturn his decisions, decisions morsi has made since coming into office since june or in the next six months. one opponent says that can only lead to dictatorship. the remains of former palestinian leader yasser arafat were exhumed this morning. many believe he was poisoned by israel when he died in 2004. now an international team of scientists will analyze tissue samples to see if they contain any traces of radioactive substance of plutonium. in fact, his cause of death was never determined. many were without power, some for weeks, long island power authority says those figures were only estimates b e based on last year's usage and totals will eventually be adjusted. this as two more lippa leaders are on the way out, vice president of customer service is leaving at the end of the year and a member of the board of trustees has resigned weeks after the ceoo has stepped down. inflight instructions by flight attendants, middle earth may be able to help. >> welcome aboard middle earth flight. before we set out on our journey, i would like to impart the joy of safety. even if you fly with us often. >> felt more like an elf to me, frankly. it's a play on "the hobbitt," 10 million hits on youtube and awesome. >> that's cool. ahead on "starting point" he stars on a show that he thinks is filth and doesn't want you to watch t a "two and a half men" controversy that doesn't involve charlie sheen. when you take a closer look... ...at the best schools in the world... ...you see they all have something very interesting in common. they have teachers... ...with a deeper knowledge of their subjects. as a result, their students achieve at a higher level. let's develop more stars in education. let's invest in our teachers... ...so they can inspire our students. let's solve this. a new way to save on your prescriptions. it's the aarp medicarerx saver plus plan from unitedhealthcare. with this plan, you can get copays as low as a dollar through a preferred network pharmacy like walgreens -- where you'll find 8,000 convenient locations. best of all, this plan has the lowest part d premium in the united states -- only $15 a month. open enrollment ends december 7th. so call today or visit your local walgreens. ends december 7th. ♪for your information ♪we're two of a kind ♪two of a kind ♪it's my observation ♪we're two of a kind ♪like peas in a pod ♪and birds of a feather ♪alone or together you'll find ♪that we are two-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, of a kind♪ starts with ground beef, unions, and peppers baked in a ketchup glaze with savory gravy and mashed russet potatoes. what makes stouffer's meatloaf best of all? that moment you enjoy it at home. stouffer's. let's fix dinner. welcome back to "starting point." you might expect a critic to say stop watching "two and a half men" but not one of the star. >> if you watch "two and a half men" please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on "two and a half men." i don't want to be waton it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. >> michelle turner joins us this morning. whatever is happening? >> we're all trying to figure out what the heck is going on here. this one is a little bit of a head scratcher here. if we never said the name of the person involved, we would think they're talking about charlie sheen, right? no. it is another controversy for "two and a half men." in this case, the half of the show, angus t. jones, is doing the opposite of charlie sheen, getting attention for complaining about the kinds of behavior that charlie sheen actually got in trouble for. he plays jake harper on the show. angus t. jones is one of the highest paid child actors on television. but he is telling people not to watch "two and a half men" because, you heard him, he said it's filth. he appeared in the video to talk about his religious faith and denounced the show that made him rich and famous. we also looked at this entire video. he continues on and says that he doesn't want to contribute to, quote, the enemy's plan by being on this show and that he doesn't think he can be a christian and be on a show like "two and a half men." of course, we reached out to the people behind the show to give us a reaction and give us a hint as to what the show is going to do. of course, they had no comment. his character -- and this could be a hint in its own -- his character in the show is in the army right now. so if something happens, there's always an out there. maybe jake harper could ship out. >> be like happy days, richie cunningham was shipped to greenland. >> he has a contract, right, michelle? he has a contract. is he saying he wants out of his contract? is he saying he is so morally upset by the content of the show he's going to walk away, take the moral high ground or is he contractually obligated to appear on this program? >> that's a good question, christine. back in 2010, he signed a contract that guaranteed him $7.9 million for 26 episodes. that's two years. he also got a $500,000 signing bonus for that. so i'm not sure. there has to be some sort of morality clause. you would think. but then again, sharly sheen was the star of the show for so long. so, yeah, i'm not really sure if he will be able to get out of it or walk away. chuck lorre, the creator of the show, has been known to be outspoken. >> this is not a shock when you have someone who is, in essence, new to their faith all of a sudden begins to study the bible, take a look at their faith. >> is he new to his faith, do you know? >> in terms of the reference to bible studies. as a christian, husband of a pastor, you have a platform that many other people don't have. the question is, how can you use a platform that god has positioned you for, to use it to be able, if you want to be able to spread the word? you can do that. and so to say, well, don't watch it -- take the time to explain what do you mean by filth? when you say risky humor. many christians are here in hollywo hollywood. this is no surprise when you have somebody who, again, is new to something who all of a sudden says based on what i'm reading i want to change my whole life. this is what happens when you have some folks who are babies in the faith. >> on that note, i'm sure this guy -- you talked about his contract. he has some nice syndication rights as well. comfortable for life, making it pretty easy to criticize how he got comfortable. am i wrong? >> you know, you're right. this show is in syndication. it is one of the most successful shows on television. and all of the principle players on this show make a lot of money. he is set for life pretty much in syndication. you're right about that. the point that roland made as well, we've seen this in other areas, too. i remember prince, when he found his faith, he said i can't be part of singing these types of songs. i don't want to do this anymore. we do see that when people are now gnu to their faith and trying to figure out what they're going to do next. i'm not sure if going on youtube and making this video is the best way to figure that out. >> don't watch my show now that i've become really, really rich by starring in it. >> exactly. >> michelle turner, thank you very much. >> five years after her death, anna nicole smith's 6-year-old daughter following in her mother's footsteps and has a lot of people wondering why. time mother of three. it was soccer, and ballet, and cheerleading, and baseball. those years were crazy. so, as we go into this next phase, you know, a big part of it for us is that there isn't anything on the schedule. 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[ female announcer ] live the regular life. phillips'. welcome back to "starting point, everyone. president obama welcomes mexico's president-elect to the white house this afternoon. in a recent washington post editorial, he said the two countries need to focus on more than just drugs and security. his top priority is strength strengthening economic ties to the u.s. cyber monday sales rose 20% according to the ibm benchmark survey. xpirion says amazon's kindle and kindle fire, uggs, ipads, ipod touch, legos and wii. cyber monday sales reached $1.5 billion this year. quick check of the markets. u.s. stock futures are flat. durable goods about six minutes out. home prices, consumer confidence. european markets are higher after officials there agreed on bail-out terms for greece late last night. >> that's big news potentially. >> it is big news. like mother, like daughter. anna nicole's 6-year-old daughter is following in her mother's footsteps, modeling for fashion label guess. saying dannielynn has the same playful spirit her mother had. to explain her mischaracterization of the benghazi attack and the confusing messaging in the weeks after. did she convince them, though, that she didn't mismean to mislead the country? a crane collapses in australia. what went wrong and how is it tied to the new york city crane collapse a few weeks ago? anybody out there playing the power ball this week? can i borrow $2? what you need to know before entering a lottery pool. >> don't do it. >> no, do it. >> do it, do it! >> you have to follow the right rules. erks americans are always ready to work hard for a better future. since ameriprise financial was founded back in 1894, they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship. together for your future. ♪ who have used androgel 1%, there's big news. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it raises your testosterone levels, and... is concentrated, so you could use less gel. and with androgel 1.62%, you can save on your monthly prescription. 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this is big news. welcome back to starting point, everyone. big day on capitol hill. u.n. ambassador susan rice heads to capitol hill to try to mend fences with senators who are upset about the comments she made in the immediate aftermath of the attack in benghazi. >> they said they wouldn't support her if she were nominated for secretary of state. >> this is about the role she played around four dead americans, when it seems to be that the story coming out of the administration -- and she's the point person -- is so disconnected to reality, i don't trust her. and the reason i don't trust her is because i think she knew better. and if she didn't know better, she shouldn't be the voice of america. somebody has got to start paying a price around this place. >> let's see what happens here. we will do whatever is necessary to block the nomination within our power as far as susan rice is concerned. >> those are two angry senators. senior congressional correspondent dana bash is with us right now. she's got a lot of persuading to do. you hear even in lindsey graham's -- the words he uses. he's not talking about the confusing message surrounding the deaths of those americans. he's talking about her role, which is pretty strong -- strong wording. >> oh, absolutely. look, this is going to be an early test of susan rice's diplomatic skills, this meeting today. these three senators, you're right, have been very critical. and specifically they're threatening to block her nomination if president obama does nominate her as secretary of state. cnn's eric spiegle just caught up with senator mccain about his meeting and this is what he said. >> whatever ambassador rice wants to tell me. she's the one who asked for the meeting. i didn't. >> do you trust her to be secretary of state? >> this issue needs to be resolved, cloearly. it needs to be resolved before -- i don't make a judgment as to whether she should be secretary of state or not until she's been nominated. >> now you can hear, john and christine, mccain's tone has really moderated when it comes to rice. sound bites you played were from a couple of weeks ago and now he he's saying that he's willing to listen to what she has to say and about the comments she put out when she went on those sunday talk shows. why she did not mention al qaeda, not just that -- because we understand now that she didn't mention it because she was told that that was classified and she was given unclassified talking points and that's what she read from. the bigger question they have, we're told, is why she went further and said that the obama administration has decimated al qaeda and whether or not she said that knowing the classified information, which suggested that al qaeda might have been behind or at least an affiliate of al qaeda might have been behind this attack in benghazi. >> it will be an interesting morning on the hill. >> this is ridiculous. first of all, she wasn't secretary of state. you have critics who don't want to mention secretary of state clinton, didn't want to mention petraeus when it came to the cia. and they want to zero in on somebody who frankly was sent out on television who was not even over the ambassador. >> are we seeing here, basically, the end game on this? will this resolve these issues? do we think that basically we're going to expect to see her nomination of secretary of state in the next few days? >> seems to be heading in that direction. there's a larger context here. republicans lost 80% of the vote of a rapidly diversifying country, nonwhite population. do you want two older white senators filibuster eefilibuste second african-american woman as secretary of state? >> i'm the president. i'm putting forth who i want. if i'm the white house, frankly, i want this fight. if you want to fight with me on this here, my appointment for secretary of state, fine. you bring it. >> it seems to me she will be somewhat conciliatory when she goes up to the hill. >> republicans made a mistake in focusing on her when there's a larger issue of what happened in benghazi and the fact that the talking points were changed only illustrates that there's a larger problem than susan rice. second, you talked about lynndie graham's words. we'll have to ask dana again, but will they talk about her role she should have known, not what she said but should she have known more and said something different? >> four americans are dead. in the end, four americans are dead. there should be numerous investigations. we haven't had an american ambassador assassinated since the 1970s. that that happened is horrific. so much of the conversation has been about politics, not about securing -- >> looking forward, this is all about can you stop the president's -- one of his major nominations out of the gate? that's what this is about. >> the questions are right. the mistake is personalizing it on the individual. other stories we're following for you guys, the u.s. military monitoring what it says is increased activity by north korean launch site captured by satellite imagery. no rocket visible on the launch pad. the activity is similar to what went down back in the spring when a north korean rocket blasted off. that rocket, by the way, failed. fast and furious case heads to court this morning. attorneys will be arguing the merits of a lawsuit. republican lawmakers want holder to hand over documents. guns of the botched operation were found at the scene of a murder of a border patrol agent. joe smiley sans avoided arrest for 14 years. he is accused of raping and killing his own girlfriend in 1998. investigators say he was caught on surveillance video shooting a man in the head execution style outside a california home back in 2008. fbi says a tip led them to saenz friday at an apartment in mexico. >> big arrest. dangerous scene in downtown sydney australia. top part of the crane collapsed on to a nearby rooftop. incredibly, no reports of injuries. this crane is operated by the very same company that owns a crane that partially collapsed on a new york city luxury skyscraper during superstorm sandy. fda has shut down the largest organic peanut processor in the country as part of its newest crackdown on salmonella poisoning. 31 people in 21 states, most of them children, were sickened by a peanut manufacturer there and sold by trader joe's. it's the first time it has used the new enforcement power it gained as part of an enforcement law. do you remember this? >> i have no recollection of this whatsoever. did i miss the '90 s? >> "boy meets world." there is a "boy meets world" sequel, tweet from ben savage himself. aka corpsi and topanga have signed on to star in "girl meets world" will cain the only person in the world to knows anything about this. >> i would like to say that i'm young enough to remember this show in the '90s, but topanga, california. topanga. >> pop culture but a different world. >> we could talk about money. >> we could buy pop culture. at a whopping $425 million, tomorrow's powerball drawing is set to be the biggest jackpot in powerball history, the second largest overall. >> the previous powerball record was $365 million, jackpot won by eight co-workers who each walked away with just over $15 million each after taxes. not bad. still there are some warnings if you are going to join an office pool. honestly. these end badly, like always. >> did you put in money today? >> no way! i don't trust any of you. state attorney -- >> he's greedy. >> explain to my friends here why this is such a sketchy notion. >> thousands of people are engaging in office pools and there's so much excitement going on. it's critically important that we put a few ground rules in writing or, as you said, people are going to be at each other's throats. there's a lot of room for misunderstanding. >> you have a point. somebody has to be in charge. the lottery catcptain. walk us through the dos. who is involved, copy the tickets. walk me through it. >> you appoint someone who will be the lottery captain or manager. the identity of this person can change as we go along. they have a lot of responsibility. they collect the money. they keep a sheet of collections and they check it off. they buy the tickets. they ensure that everyone signs the back of the ticket and then photo copies it and distributes it to everyone. >> put it in writing. appoint a lottery captain. contribute equal amounts. some people put in ten. some people put in two. >> you can't be loose with this because it leads to expectations that will go unfulfilled. if a throw in an extra $5, i might think i'm entitled to 33% and you might not. >> do you require the lottery captain to not buy an individual ticket? >> absolutely. >> come on. >> i'm just saying. >> you know what i mean? that's an excellent question. yes, but you need to clearly identify that on the front end. >> we have to get an attorney. >> so you say, okay, you're the lottery captain, you can't buy an individual ticket if you're going to be lottery captain. sign this sheet of paper? >> i think they should be able to buy an individual it ticket but we as a group should sign what is supposed to be the group ticket. >> the other don'ts. >> don't leave it open ended. i'm not going to pass you in the hallway and say i'm going to go buy a lottery ticket this afternoon and you say okay, i'm going to give you some money. i should send out an e-mail. realistically, no one is going to have the time or wherewithal to do a full blown contract. that's silliness. i can send out an e-mail to everyone saying i'm going to the deli at 3:00 pm. anyone who is interested sks please get me $5 before then. if you didn't, i assume you're not in it. and that's a paper trail. we all know that e-mails hang around forever. >> we know that these office pools are terrible ideas. i guarantee we have some guys in the room, mike, brad, guys on the crew. did you guys do an office pool? and who is your leader? >> they said not berman. >> our office pool right here, every time. these guys. >> what happens when it goes wrong? is there litigation? what happens in the litigation? >> what happens in the litigation, if there is a winner and it's an office pool, you can be sure that people are going to say, i thought i was in. i thought that you were going to cover me. that's our usual deal. that's why it's so important to have rules and never deviate from the rules. with any legal protection, you want to anticipate the slings and arrows down the rod. and i want to be able to say in court, no, no one said that they were going to cover you, because we don't do that for anyone. very important. >> and there are very real lawsuits about this. >> oh, yeah. and there's a hope that they're going to settle. so if you guys won the office pool, i might bring a nuisance lawsuit because you're eager to get your hands on the winnings. you don't want to be in court with me for a year even though you're going to win. >> lump sum or take the payments? 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maybe new buildings? what about updated equipment? they can help, but recent research shows... ... nothing transforms schools like investing in advanced teacher education. let's build a strong foundation. let's invest in our teachers so they can inspire our students. let's solve this. a recovering addict says striving to be perfect almost cost him his life. as a young gymnast, he felt so much pressure, he turned to alcohol and then drugs. but he made a stunning rebound. sanjay gupta has this story in the human factor. >> i started gymnastics when i was 9 years old. i was watching the 1984 olympics and it spoke to me as if it was like broadcasted directly to me. >> joseph putignano's gymnastics got serious after that but his insashable need to perform perfectly took over his life. >> for me it became a darkness that i have to be perfect. >> that's where his downward spiral began. >> i had my first drink and all that desire for me to be perfect and to be the best was just washed away in a moment. >> drinking led to pills, cocaine, eventually heroin. in 2007 after several failed stints in rehab and two life-threatening overdoses, recovery finally stuck. >> 27 years old. i hadn't done a handstand in almost ten years. but in the rehab, for whatever reason, i started to do handstands and splits and the more sobriety i maintained, the more this like light, if you want to call it -- i don't know what else to say -- pulled me in a better direction. >> it was a chance meeting with a circumstance dueque du soleil >> he saw something in me. >> five years of sobriety, starring as the crystal man in the cirque du soleil touring show. >> it's like the darkest of men carry the brightest of lights and here i was, the darkest of men and now i get to come down and shine. >> dr. sanjay gupta, cnn. >> that's cool. the star of the smash series "pretty little liars," we're talking to actress lucy hale about the series and her upcoming country album. [ woman ] ring. ring. progresso. i just served my mother-in-law your chicken noodle soup but she loved it so much... i told her it was homemade. everyone tells a little white lie now and then. but now she wants my recipe [ clears his throat ] [ softly ] she's right behind me isn't she? [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno. pretty little liars is a hit drama on abc family. soledad loves that type of thing so she sat down with one of the stars of the show, lucy hale. >> actress lucy hale is one of the stars of the smash hit tv series "pretty little liars," playing high schooler audrey montgome montgomery. it tells the story of four teenage girls who attempt to solve mysteries surrounding their friend's death, sometimes by telling "pretty little lies." take a look. >> reporters are hounding her for interview. >> okay. how are we going to do this? >> emily thinks she's coming over here so we can apologize. when she realizes what this is, she'll probably be more mad at us than she was before. >> i am not looking forward to seeing that. >> in a successful intervention, the loved one feels safe not judged. >> we start out all warm and fuszy a fuzzy and then we have hit her with the truth. >> getting toy s to tots. we'll talk about all of that. you're so tough and so sweet. >> got to hit them with the truth, yeah. >> why do you think that show has been so successful? killer demographic that people, no pun intended. >> nice. i think it's just everybody loves a little scandal. we have wonderful cliff hangers and, you know, people like to escape through drama and tv and we have all these great combinations and it all sort of works together. >> every episode has twists and turns and mysteries and secrets inside of mysteries. >> i know. >> do people hit you up for like tell me what happens, inside scoop? >> all the time. my mother. >> do you tell her? she's your mother. >> if i had scoop to give i totally would. the writers and producers are very, very careful about what they tell us. i think it's mainly because they know we all have big mouths. >> they won't tell you what's happening? >> no. and they want to keep it exciting for us as well. >> how far ahead do you get a script? >> the day before. the finale script we got the day we started shooting. >> they didn't want -- they didn't trust you on the finale. >> no, completely. >> i'm sorry. >> that's okay. >> you're from memphis, tennessee. >> i am. >> you can sing. you've got an album coming up. >> thank you. i do. signd with hollywood records about a year ago. i've been shooting the show so just been writing with some wonderful musician. >> i didn't realize music was your first love and in a way your first skill, too. >> i grew up performing. got really lucky on the acting side of things and i completely love my day job and what i do. at the end of the day music is my main passion. i'm really excited to let everyone hear what i've been working on. we hope to have the album out in the summer and single in the spring. >> do you have a role model, someone like taylor swift and say that's what i want to do? >> no. i grew up with people like faith hill and martina mcbride. >> hard core country? >> yeah, yeah. taylor swift has sort of paved the way for people like me who i will have some cross-over stuff as well and there's no one bigger in the world than taylor swift. got to give her credit, too. >> good thing to aim for. >> oh, come on, yeah. >> i was mentioning toys for tots. you'll be helping in getting toys for tots. >> yes. >> duracell is doing -- >> it's called duracell's power holiday smiles, partnered up with toys for tots. a sweepstakes they have on facebook.com/duracell. consumers can enter the sweepstakes and hope to win toys for themselves. with every entry, duracell is giving one battery to toys for tots. >> you have a million things vying for your attention, a zillion people who would love to partner up with you. why this one? >> i do so many things. i think this campaign really spoke to me. i'm always looking for something to sort of lend my voice to and help out in any way i can. this was a no brainer for me and something i'm really passionate about. i feel very honored that they chose me to sort of help get the word out. >> nice to have you with us, lucy hale. >> thank you. >> we're back in just a moment. ♪ [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough. in that time there've been some good days. and some difficult ones. but, through it all, we've persevered, supporting some of the biggest ideas in modern history. so why should our anniversary matter to you? because for 200 years, we've been helping ideas move from ambition to achievement. and the next great idea could be yours. ♪ but proven technologies allow natural gas producers to supply affordable, cleaner energy, while protecting our environment. across america, these technologies protect air - by monitoring air quality and reducing emissions... ...protect water - through conservation and self-contained recycling systems... ... and protect land - by reducing our footprint and respecting wildlife. america's natural gas... domestic, abundant, clean energy to power our lives... that's smarter power today. ♪ we're really feeling it here this morning on "starting point." check out the new led lighting system on top of the empire state building in new york. lights can produce more than 16 million colors siem ul cast with aalicia keys. we're playing -- >> jay-z. got to give it up. last night brooklyn nets beat the new york knicks. great job by brooklyn nets. >> i saw the nets with rick barry at the garden. that's a long time ago. >> that's a long time ago. >> want to make rick barry your end point, that's okay. someone else bring it. >> washington editorial saying republicans basically have to accept a world where not only revenue but tax rates go up is an absolute turning point in the fiscal debate. it is a moment where i think that becomes inevitable. >> he loves it. heisman voters, vote for johnny. >> i don't even like football and i like him. >> quick substantive point. lot of talk about tax pledges and grover norquist. there has to be a flip. aarp is -- >> d m
exhumed. was the palestinian leader po h poisoned by israeli spies? plus this. >> you said walden is in trouble. >> i'm the trouble walden has been in, repeatedly. >> he calls it filth, the half in "two and a half men" begs you not to watch his show. "newsroom" starts now. good morning to you. thank you so much for being with us. i'm carol costello. we begin with a high stakes meeting just minutes from now. this hour, the u.s. ambassador to the united nations will muster all of her diplomatic skills and tiptoe through a political mine field. susan rice meets with republican senator john mccain. as you know, mccain had vehemently opposed her nomination of secretary of state. now he shows signs of softening. at issue, that deadly attack on the u.s. consulate in libya. was rice playing politics when she said initially that terrorists were not to blame for the killing of four americans? minutes ago, we caught up to senator mccain for these exclusive comments. >> what do you have to learn today from miss rice? >> whatever ambassador rice wants to tell me. she's the one who asked for the meeting. i didn't. >> do you trust her to be secretary of state? >> this issue needs to be resolved, clearly. it needs to be resolved before -- i don't make a judgment as to whether she should be secretary of state or not until she's been nominated. >> you put more blame on the president or miss rice? >> the president is ultimately responsible. >> cnn's dan lothian first reported this morning's meeting with rice and mccain. he joins us now from the white house. dan, rice has not been nominated, not yet. how important are these meetings today? >> it's very important. republicans have been very concerned about the narrative that she put out there shortly after those benghazi attacks. they have a lot of questions and don't feel that this white house and this administration has been very transparent in the process. they have been very critical of her. as you heard the senator pount out there, it was ambassador rice who asked for these meetings. she will be accompanied by acting cia director mike morel. what's interesting is that we've seen some of the harshest criticism has been sort of toned down as we heard there from senator john mccain. from threatening to block her nomination as possible secretary of state to a willingness to hear her out, senator john mccain seems to be dialing back his public opposition to ambassador susan rice. >> i think she deserves the ability and the opportunity to discipline herself and her position. >> another vocal critic, senator lindsey graham, is still expressing doubts about her but avoided answering whether he would stand in the way of a rice nomination. >> when she comes over, if she does, there will be a lot of questions asked of her about this event and others. >> whether this apparent new tone is a real shift in thinking prompted by political pressure or more nuance language, the white house is all ears. >> certainly saw those comments and appreciate them as the president has said and i and others have said. ambassador rice has done an excellent job at the united nations and is highly qualified for any number of positions in the foreign policy arena. >> mi have no announcements to make on personnel. >> secretary of state hillary clinton has said she will not stay for a second term. ambassador rice came under fire for suggesting that the benghazi attack that killed four americans was a spontaneous event. >> there was a hateful video that was disseminated on the internet. that sparked violence in various parts of the world, including violence directed against western facilities, including our embassies and consulate. >> reporter: much later the administration labeled it a terrorist attack. even though officials pointed to early language the president used, quote, acts of terror. possible nomination of rice as secretary of state. >> we will do whatever is necessary to block the nomination. >> i am dead set on making sure we don't promote anybody that was an essential player in the benghazi debacle. >> reporter: carol, what's interesting is that that sbrou you played earlier, senator mccain was asked if he was softening his stance. and he said, no, no, not that i know of. clearly when you hear the words of earlier remarks that the senator made and then you hear what he's saying now, that he doesn't really want to make any judgment at all, there's clear ly some softening of the rhetoric from senator mccain. unclear, though, what's behind it all. >> dan lothian reporting live from the white house. from capitol hill to the corporate board room a lot of hammering over the fiscal cliff. some 35 days away now. business leaders are calling for action. listen to this plea from the group the business round table. >> america's ceos have a message for washington. >> top priority for us is to advance policies that will get the u.s. economy growing again. >> the country has to have a higher rate of growth. that begins with addressing the fiscal cliff issue. >> so, bipartisan bottom line, right? not quite. you see those business leaders have a vested interest in which spending should be cut and which loopholes closed. and let's just say what's old is new again. alison kosik is at the new york stock exchange with a closer look. put this in language we can understand as people who are not ceos. >> many of these high-level ceos, carol, are part of this movement, this campaign to fix the debt we've been hearing so much about. this includes some of the biggest heads of business that are out there. and some have been more outspoken than others when it comes to what needs to get done to get a handle on the deficit. it also has a lot of people saying wait a minute. some of these decisions could really impact -- and not a good way -- have a huge impact on the poor and elderly. for ceo lloyd blankfein, he did an interview over the weekend with cbs and made the case that the social safety net programs need to be scaled back like medicare, medicaid and social security. he says people need to lower their expectations of those sboi entitlements. easy for him to say. he made about $12 million last year. i digress. he did con socede that eventual the way to raise revenue will be for the wealthy to pay a higher tax rate. david coney is talking about addressing the entitlement issue but wants a corporate tax rate of zero. no doubt that would create huge outrage. he says that's the most effective way to create jobs in the u.s. and frees up so much money for companies to hire. many would probably agree that's important, too. you can see both sides of the story there, carol. one more extreme than the other, of course. >> of course. we'll see what happens. alison kosik at the new york stock exchange. good news for the housing market as home prices rise across the country with the biggest quarterly jump in two years. christine romans is in new york with more. good morning, christine. >> good morning, carol. more evidence that the housing market is healing. we've seen report after report on this. the biggest quarterly gain in two years. s&p kay schicase-shiller report. national home prices up 3.6% in the third quarter. can i show you the cities with the biggest gains? as you know, all real estate is local. some of the bounce back is coming in areas that were really beaten down badly. look at phoenix. the one-year change in home prices up 20%. minneapolis, up 8%. detroit, up almost 8%. san francisco, up 7.5%. so this is pretty key. many cities have not gotten back, even close to peak levels. you're seeing this healing overall in home prices. when i look at home sales from other data i've been looking at, other monthly reports we get, carol, you can see a lot of these deals are cash deals. so some of this is investors. some of this is first-time home buyers. clearly it's more evidence that the housing market is healing. one of the reasons it is healing is because mortgage rates have been very low. can i show you the most recent mortgage rates? anybody out there interested in refinancing? 30-year fixed rate. 15 year, popular refinancing tool. 2.63%. >> wow! >> yeah. those are low mortgage rates. >> i never thought i would see them that low in my lifetime. >> me either. >> christine romans, live in new york. thank you so much. happening in cairo, protesters flock to rage against the new president. tear gas was fired to disperse demonstrators. many say mohamed morsi betrayed the democratic intention of arab spring when he granted himself sweeping new powers last week. we'll keep an eye on cairo and bring you new developments as they happen. as early as today, we could hear from the u.s. soldier accused of leaking thousands of military and diplomatic secrets to wikileaks. bradley manning says military jailers mistreat ed him for nearly a year. if his attorneys can prove that, his case could be dismissed. if not, manning could face life in prison if convicted. also this morning, forensic experts have what they need to determine if former palestinian leader yasser arafat may have been poisoned eight years ago. just hours ago, they exhumed his body, took samples from the remains and then reburied him. fred pleitgen has been following the developments from the west bank. morning, fred. >> reporter: good morning, carol. the process only lasted a few hours. early in the morning hours, the grave, the tomb of yasser arafat was opened, all of this closed off to the public. awe all we saw was a big blue tarpaulin. russia, switzerland and france, experts opened the grave. they didn't actually have to remove the body but removed samples from the body and closed the grave again. all we saw out here was a ceremony, very solemn one, where palestinian leaders laid flowers to commemorate the late palestinian leader yasser arafat. what they're looking for, as you said quite rightly, is a poison. pl plunonium 2010. the palestinians, of course, have long accused israel of poisoning yasser arafat. israelis not willing to comment on that. palestinians say they hope this investigation will get them some clarity. carol? >> fred pleitgen, reporting live from the west bank this morning. chris christie says he's finally able to look beyond the devastation unleashed on his state by superstorm sandy and says the long recovery home has convinced him to run for re-election next year. storm victims have been asking about his plans. >> this weekend, mary pat and i, the kids, had an opportunity to just kind of have a few minutes to ourselves. and we talked about it. and we've decided we're going to seek re-election. and we're wanting to get that going today. so i instructed my campaign treasurer to file papers with the election law enforcement commission to seek re-election. and so -- >> there you have it. christie has been extremely hands on in dealing with the storm damage. that has helped fuel a huge spike in his approval ratings which now hover around 80%. in dewitt county, illinois, reluctantly agreed to a coin flip 14 days after their election ended in a tie. incumbent ferguson called tails. decisive coin flip was more like gambling than democracy, he says. crane on fire starts to collapse with hundreds of people standing below in australia. now we're learning about a connection between that crane and another crane that buckled in new york after superstorm sandy. 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[ female announcer ] with cisco at the center, meet the 5-passenger ford c-max hybrid. when you're carrying a lot of weight, c-max has a nice little trait, you see, c-max helps you load your freight, with its foot-activated lift gate. but that's not all you'll see, cause c-max also beats prius v, with better mpg. say hi to the all-new 47 combined mpg c-max hybrid. the new president of mexico will visit the white house days before he takes office. enrique pena nieto will meet with president obama later today. wolf blitzer will sit down with the president-elect nieto and you will hear that interview later today on cnn. now, one of the topics the two leaders will likely discuss is immigration. it's a hot button issue between the united states and mechanixi. immigration laws in the united states have gotten tougher. yes, tougher. so tough, many families are returning to mexico from the united states. >> a 10-year-old boy is struggling with his homework. oscar is getting extra help from his father because he's having trouble adjusting to his new school. >> when you left you were in, what, fourth grade? >> third grade. >> the fifth grader is technically a foreigner in his homeland. he was born in arizona. >> i pledge allegiance -- >> has approximatet been difficult for you to be here in mexico? >> kind of. >> why? >> because i have to speak another language. >> oscar's 6-year-old sister, angie, also is an american citizen. she says she misses american stores, bigger houses and parks. their parents, oscar and maria castillanes lived in arizona for years as undocumented immigrants. >> translator: we would feel percent could you telled and harassed. we felt bad. it was nerve-racking especially when we had to go out to go to work. >> translator: it was difficult because we had everything there. we had to leave everything behind and return to mexico. it was difficult. >> reporter: castellanos said they endured years of fear living in the u.s. after the strict immigration law passed in 2010, they moved back to mexico. according to the poou his ppoug hispanic center, net migration fell from 2005 to 2010. that means the number of immigrants coming into the country is -- some say they left the u.s. unwillingly. they were deported. abcs in english. >> a, b, c, d, e, f, g. >> she has yet to learn them in spanish. >> raphael romo joins us now. how common are stories like this? >> they are very common. states not only like arizona but georgia and alabama, which have passed immigration laws. there are a number of immigrants who have decided to move to other states within the united states, but there are many families like the castellanos family who decided for the mental sanity of myself and my children i just have to move back to mexico. >> it does make you wonder what the new mexican president will say to president obama about this issue. >> what the new mexican president is probably here to say is that both countries need to look at the issue of immigration as a shared responsibility. mexico sends a lot of people to the united states every year. the reality is that the united states also benefits from the labor that those mexicans provide. so it is a shared problem. and the argument on both sides of the border has been it should also be a shared responsibility. >> raphael romo, thank you for being with us. we appreciate it. shocker from asia. china is claiming territory that -- well, isn't exactly theirs. zain verjee is tracking the story. good morning, zain. >> good morning, carol. something strange is on page eight of the new chinese passport and it is making people in the region really mad. i'll tell you what it is after the break. 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[ gordon ] but for others, it's all they can afford. every day nearly nine million older americans don't have enough to eat. anything else? no, not today. join me, aarp, and aarp foundation in the drive to end hunger by visiting drivetoendhunger.org. a new way to save on your prescriptions. it's the aarp medicarerx saver plus plan from unitedhealthcare. with this plan, you can get copays as low as a dollar through a preferred network pharmacy like walgreens -- where you'll find 8,000 convenient locations. best of all, this plan has the lowest part d premium in the united states -- only $15 a month. open enrollment ends december 7th. so call today or visit your local walgreens. china is ticking off its neighbors with a new passport it's giving to its citizens. it basically shows china claiming territory it doesn't actually own. confused? zain verjee is here to sort it all out for us. good morning, zain. >> good morning. well, what's in a map, carol? this is what it is. china basically is having disputes with a bunch of countries around asia and specifically in some places in the sea known as the south china sea. what they've did decided to do is on page eight of the new passport, stamp a water mark map where you stick visas on and things like that and basically claim all the disputed territories in the entire region as its own and that's that. and it's making a lot of people in the region really mad because these are serious historical and political issues. china doesn't care because it's on page eight. >> so, any retaliation from those countries who are ticked off at china? >> yeah. yes, actually. they're pretty mad and making threats of their own. it's causing an international and diplomatic dispute in the whole region. taiwan is saying, look, we're not part of china. they have said this map shows the ignorance of reality on china's part. vietnam has said they're not even going to stamp the path passport. they'll issue these separate pages and then issue different stamps and india is saying they're going to put their own stamp of their own territory over the chinese passport. they're all going to have a big meeting and try to figure this out. it's not clear if china is even invited or what passport they'll choose to use. >> very strange. zain verjee, reporting live for us this morning. thank you. now is your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. should susan rice be considered for secretary of state? susan rice, john mccain, face to face. maybe the tryptophan and the turkey chilled everyone out. >> what do you have to learn today from miss rice? >> whatever ambassador rice wants to tell me. she's the one that asked for the meeting. i didn't. >> don't think so. the embattled u.n. ambassador is sitting down with the senator who accused her of being incompetent and deceptive and called for watergate style hearings on libya. >> she gave deceptive information to the american people when there was clearly counter information that affirmed that this was a terrorist attack orchestrated by an al qaeda affiliated organization. >> by now you know the story. rice intimated a cheesy anti-islam film caused the murderous rampage at the consulate in benghazi, libya. not true. her assertion on several sunday talk shows was okayed by the intelligence community and caused one great big partisan brawl. soon, democrats piled on, accusing republicans of racism. >> susan rice's comments didn't send us to iraq and afghanistan. somebody else's did. but you're not angry with them. i would just say in closing that it is a shame that any time something goes wrong, they pick on women and minorities. i have a real issue with that. >> yet when asked about mccain, rice was conciliatory. >> i have great respect for senator mccain and his service to our country. i always have. and i always will. i do think that some of the statements he made about me have been unfounded. but i look forward to having the opportunity at the appropriate time to discuss all of this with him. >> so, after mccain saying he would do whatever it takes to block rice's nomination, he now appears to be softening and says rice deserves the chance to explain her actions. talk back for you today, though. should susan rice be considered for secretary of state in light of all of this? facebook.com/carolcnn. facebook.com/carolcnn. your comments later this hour. nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? 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[ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards card. apply online or at a bank of america near you. good morning to you. i'm carol costello. thank you very much for being with us. it's 30 minutes past the hour. u.s. ambassador to the united nations susan rice is on capitol hill right now for a meeting with three of her biggest critics. she has been mentioned as the possible successor to hillary clinton as secretary of state but first rice has to address her initial handling of the benghazi attacks that, as you know, killed four americans. so, what is she likely to say to senator s lindsey graham, john mccain? maria cardona and republican strategist ana navaro. do we have dana's microphone problem worked out? >> i'm here, carol. >> okay, good. you heard what he had to say. what do you think? >> reporter: i think this is going to be a real test of susan rice's diplomatic skills, that's what i think. these are three republican senators who, of course, have been among her harshest critics. i can tell you -- i'll play a sound bite. john mccain has definitely softened his rhetoric when it comes to susan rice but he has not when it comes to the administration and benghazi in general. listen to what he said this morning. >> do you think there's still unanswered questions? >> about 50 unanswered questions. including why the president would continue to say two weeks later that there was a hateful video that sparked a spontaneous demonstration, why the fbi investigators questioned people who were survivors who told them there was no demonstration and that was not -- we learned by ambassador rice and not learned by the president. >> do you put more blame on the president or miss rice? >> the president is ultimately responsible. >> reporter: so that was all about the president. that's what john mccain is emphasizing right now. here is what we understand they're really going to press susan rice on behind closed doors, carol. that is we know after -- the big issue has been after the attack in september, on the sunday shows susan rice did not mention the fact that there was a possibility that an al qaeda affiliate was behind the attack. in the past two weeks, we were told by the intelligence community the reason is because they wanted that to remain classified. they didn't want it to be out there because they didn't want to compromise sources and methods. what's going to happen behind closed doors this morning and starting as we speak is the acting cia director is going with susan rice to talk about why she didn't mention it. because what really gets these republicans going is not only that she didn't mention it, but that she went beyond that and said during the course of these interviews that the obama administration has decimated al qaeda. the point these republican senators have been making is that that was a political statement because that served the white house well, to say that kind of thing before the election, because this was a big part of the president's campaign. >> interesting. >> that he got rid of bin laden. did she know the classified information? if so, why did she say that publicly about al qaeda when she may not have been able to talk about al qaeda with regard to this attack but might have known about it. >> so mccain said rice asked for this meeting. in light of what dana just said, how can rice win him over? >> look, i don't think it's about rice winning him over. i don't think this is about susan rice as much as it is about the unanswered questions of benghazi. we must understand something. there's very little leverage that senators in the minority have. one of the few things they can do is really make nominations and confirmations difficult. it's part of our system of checks and balances. i've seen it happen with democrats and republicans in the past. there are unanswered questions. i think john mccain, lindsay gram, kelly ayotte understand it was not susan rice's responsibility but she was the one -- even though she had nothing to do with it, the administration sent her out to paragraphrot talking points that were inaccurate. there were breaches of security, pleas for help that went unanswered, breaches of protocol and four dead americans that were representing all of us. what john mccain and lindsey graham wants are answers. today is a good path, good step toward getting some answers and a step in the right direction. >> so, maria cardona, our democratic strategist, we just had an election. people want democrats and republicans to get along. susan rice clearly is embattled, the source of controversy. should president obama still nominate her as his secretary of state? >> i think he should, if that's what he believes is the best thing for the country. look, she has been an outstanding public servant both at the u.n. and serving under the clinton administration in a national security role. there's no question about that. and i think what -- i actually applaud susan rice for going to these meetings. she asked for them when senator mccain actually gave her the opening, as he softened his criticism of her. and so i think what these meetings will do and what they should do -- and i agree with ana on this. there are a lot of unanswered questions. this will give ambassador rice the opportunity to walk through what she was asked to do, what she was given in terms of talking points and what i think is critical here is that there's no question that these senators now understand that their first polit politicicization of this has hurt -- has possible reperfect cushi -- repercussions for the gop sbchlt that's woi your seeing them walk back the criticism and point it at president obama. which president obama invited. if you understand the way that security -- that security levels work, john mccain knows that you do not go beyond what you are told you can say or not say. and so by attacking her, he understands that that is actual politics. this will go beyond the politics to get to the real answers hopefully. >> we'll see. dana bash, you'll be standing by. maybe the meeting will end soon but i doubt it. maria cardona, ana navaro, and dana bash, thank you. appreciate it. an actor from "two and a half men" is calling his own show filth and asking you not to watch. find out more next. cute. but don't you have any apps on your phone that can make your life easier? who do you think i am, quicken loans? at quicken loans, we'll provide you with myql mobile. this amazingly useful app allows you to take pictures of your mortgage documents using an iphone or android smart phone... so you can easily send them to us. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. ooh, la-la! one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. tintroducing a revolutionary. it new mascara. clump crusher...crusher. 200% more volume. zero clumps. new clump crusher from easy, breezy, beautiful covergirl. gives you a low national plan premium... so you can focus on what really matters. call humana at 1-800-808-4003. the hit comedy "two and a half men" can't seem to stay out of the headlines. first the public meltdown of the former star, charlie sheen. now the young actor who plays jake harper, he wants off the show. he calls it filth. >> this is nice, like old times. >> how so? >> you and me sitting here, watching tv while the good looking owner of the house is out on the deck, swapping spit with a hot chick. >> that's what the actor, an guchlt s jones is talking about, saying that this type of acting, this type of dialogue offends his christian values. michelle turner is in los angeles. this sounds so kirk cameron to me. >> you know, just when you think nothing in hollywood can shock you anymore, something shocks me again. we have yet another controversy for "two and a half men." although, as you said in this case, the half of the show is angus t. jones, kind of doing the opposite of what we've seen charlie sheen doing. he is getting attention for complaining about the behavior that got charlie sheen in trouble in the first place. he is one of the highest paid child actors on television, makes $500,000 an episode. he is telling people not to watch the show. like you said, he calls it filth. he appeared to talk about his faith and denounce the show that made him rich and famous. watch this. >> jake on "two and a half men" means nothing. he is a nonexistent character. if you watch "two and a half men" please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on "two and a half men." i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. please. people say it's just entertainment. the fact that it's entertainment, do some research on the effects of television and your brain and i promise you, you will have a decision to make when it comes to television and especially with what you watch on television. >> you know, jones says in the video that he doesn't want to contribute to, quote, the enemy's plan by being on this show and he doesn't think he can be a christian and be on a show like "two and a half men." of course, carol, we reached out to the people behind "two and a half men" and see if they could give us a hint on what the show was going to do. they didn't have any comment on all of this. his character, if this gives you a hint, is in the army now. if some fallout does happen, there is an out there. maybe jake harper -- >> could get shipped off to afghanistan or something. >> yeah, something. >> dowhy does he remain on the show? >> that's a good question. in 2010 he signed a guaranteed contract for 26 episodes which in part means two seasons because there's 13 episodes a season. $7.9 million he is getting guaranteed. he also got a $500,000 signing bonus during this deal. so, you know, maybe he's trying to fulfill his contract or he may have just koind of found his faith and is pretty conflicted. we talked about this on "starting point" and "early start" this morning. sometimes when you find a new faith you're conflicted about what you're doing. he could just be at that point where he's not sure if he should be doing this type of acting anymore. >> how old is he? i didn't catch that. is he 15 maybe? >> he is a teenager. i'm not exactly sure, to be honest with you, how old he is. i think he might be around 17, 18 years old. he is getting up there. i think he is about to go to college so around 18-year-old and just becoming an adult. >> he is 19 years old, a producer just said in my ear. i didn't know either. >> okay. thank you, producer, for making that clear for us. >> thank you, producer pam. we appreciate it. michelle turner, thanks so much. we appreciate it. >> absolutely. recognize this face? the daughter of the model who helped put guess jeans on the map. we'll tell you who she is. plus -- >> let me think. okay. here you go. >> set my timer for 30 minutes. >> how would you like to hear from siri while you're driving your car? one automaker is putting her inside infotainment systems. we use this board to compare car insurance rates side by side so you get the same coverage, often for less. that's one smart board. what else does it do, reverse gravity? [ laughs ] [ laughs ] [ whooshing ] tell me about it. why am i not going anywhere? you don't believe hard enough. a smarter way to shop around. now that's progressive. call or click today. [ grunting ] we don't let frequent heartburn come between us and what weove. so if you're one of them people who gets heartburn and then treats day after day... block the acid with prilosec otc and don't get heartburn in the first place! [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. 48 minutes past the hour. time to check our top stories. more fallout at long island power authority. heavily criticized by consumers for its response to superstorm sandy. vice president of customer service will step down at the end of the year. and a board member has quit. these moves comes weeks after lipa's chief operating officer announced he was leaving. in the heart of sydney, australia, the arm of a construction crane falls on to a building, barely missing a busy street. the collapse happened after fire engulfed the cab of the crane. two weeks ago the construction site was shut down when workers walked off the job because of a gas leak. the crane is operated by lend lease, same company whose crane buckled in new york city during superstorm sandy. automakers are moving to incorporate smart phone links into new models. chevrolet spark and sonic will have siri on its infotainment systems. ford also plans smart phone access in its 2014 version of the fiesta. small businesses will be affected whether or not we reach the fiscal cliff. the president has invited more than a dozen executives of small businesses to the white house. cnn political director mark preston is in washington to tell us more. good morning, mark. >> good morning, carol. you're absolutely right. the president today will be meeting with small business owners here in washington, d.c., the beginning of what seems to be becoming a public relations offensive by the white house as he tries to build support for h ideas that he wants incorporated into the negotiations on the fiscal cliff. he will be having discussions today, but we should be careful. they won't necessarily be listening sessions as they will be rah-rah sessions to try get support for president obama's proposal to have the tax cuts extended for folks who are making less than $250,000 a year. but for them to be sun setted for those making over $250,000 a year. >> the president had a similar meeting with heads of large companies. will he hear anything different, or will it be, as you said, a rah-rah "in session." >> i think it will be a rah-rah meeting. he will hold a meeting with other business leaders tomorrow as well as holding a separate meeting with folks who are middle class income who will be hurt by the fiscal cliff if in fact it is not resolved here in washington, d.c. but on friday, he's going to leave washington, d.c. he's going to go pennsylvania. when he's in pennsylvania he's going to visit a manufacturer that builds toys, specifically they build the tinkertoys as well as the connects building sets. he's i to get support from all corn -- he's trying to get support from all corners of the middle class to support him as they move forward on the livefi cliff. >> thanks. no suspension for a kick in the groin, but the lions' defensive tackle may not get off scot-free. [ male announcer ] a european-inspired suspension, but it's not from germany. ♪ a powerful, fuel-efficient engine, but it's not from japan. ♪ it's a car like no other... from a place like nother. introducing the all-w 2013hevrolet malibu, our greatest malibu ever. ♪ "talk back" question -- should susan rice be considered for secretary of state? from debbie -- no, it would be a stupid distraction. while we have so many other issues facing our country. fiscal cliff, anyone? oh, that's right, that's how politics works. from jason -- senator mccain served honorably in vietnam, surviving what many could not. i believe he is exhausting the credibility he has with the american people through his nasty, unfounded remarks on ambassador rice. this from rick -- i have a better question -- what makes her unqualified? from michael -- if she simply repeated talking points provided to her, she should not be faulted. on the other hand, if she deliberately stated known facts, she should be disqualified for higher office. keep the conversation going, facebook.com/carolcnn. thanks as always for your comment. we'll be right back. the distances aren't getting shorter. ♪ the trucks are going farther. the new 2013 ram 1500. ♪ with the best-in-class fuel economy. engineered to move heaven and earth. ♪ guts. glory. ram. no, no, no, stop! humans -- one day, we're coming up with the theory of relativity, the next... stop, stop, stop! my car! not so much. but that's okay. you're covered with great ideas like optional better car replacement from liberty mutual insurance. total your car, and we give you the money to buy one a model year newer. learn about it at libertymutual.com. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility -- what's your policy? how they'll live tomorrow. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪ a panthers/eagles match-up would have looked good a few months back, but that was before michael vick's jury. cam newton had the best game of the season throwing for two touchdowns, running for two more. no turnovers. the eex could not -- eagles could not hold on to the ball and lost 30-22. they haven't won sent september. the owner has been "supportive." detroit lions's at defensive tackle ndamukong suh will not be suspended for kicking a player in the groin. there will be a possible fine for the thanksgiving day game kick. on monday suh said the text angelsed nev e-- the texans wour have someone like it on their team. the nets hosting the knicks for the first time. jay-z and beyonce in the house. the game was rescheduled after superstorm sandy hit. there they are. more nets than knicks fans showed up. the new kids on the block won this battle in new york in overtime, 96-89. the teams are tied atop the atlantic division. that's sports this morning. the next hour of cnn "newsroom" starts right now. happening in the newsroom, u.s. soldier bradley manning charged with document dumping on wikileaks is now accusing the united states military of torture, and it could be his get out of jail free card. walking out on walmart. a congressman-election joins the protest. he joins us to explain why he wants to put the union in walmart. she has cancer and uses medical marijuana to cope. she's also 7 years old. her parents say it's the only thing that works. dr. sanjay gupta with his expert opinion. and your cell phone privacy put to the test. courtrooms around the nation are torn k. police use yourle th ce phone activity like your gps and text as evidence? "newsroom" starts now. good morning, i'm carol costello. thank you very much for joining me. topping the news this hour, a question -- is bradley manning a heroic whistleblower or traitor? more to the point, was manning, a u.s. soldier, a victim of torture at virginia's quantico marine base? as early as today, manning will testify about that at ft. meade. as you know, he's accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of war logs and diplomatic cables to wikileaks. he'll likely detail how he was treated while confined at quantico. manning claims that for nine months he was held in his cell for 23 hours a day, checked every five minutes, and often stripped naked. if this is proved to be true, manning could go free. joining me to explain that you will is a military lawyer, welcome, greg. >> good morning. >> if are you representing manning, and you're not, but if you were, why start with an accusation of torture at the hands of his u.s. captors? >> well, it could likely be a get out of jail free card under article 13 of the ucmj. if torch's alleged and proven -- torture's alleged and proven, the military judge does have the capability to dismiss all the charges. i don't think it's likely in this case, but it is a possibility. >> why do you think -- why do you think it's not likely? because manning, you know, he says he's been -- he was confined to solitary confinement for 23 hours. psychiatrists and psychologists will testify at the hearing that there was no evidence that manning would commit suicide. so why keep him in solitary confinement? isn't that enough? >> well, i think there's a debate as to whether or not it was necessary to keep him in solitary confinement 23 hours a day. in my opinion, i believe he will get some article 13 credit p pretrial confinement credit, which means it will come off his sentence. i don't believe the military judge will outright dismiss the charges. i don't believe his treatment rises to the level of torture. >> is that normal for -- is that normal at quantico, to keefe someone in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day? what's normal in this case? >> no. it is not normal to keep a soldier who's charged in pretrial confinement for 23 hours a day. however, the charges in this case were very serious. espionage. i think they also did have some feeling that he may have been suicidal. so they were concerned about his safety. however, i think keeping him in confinement, solitary confinement for 23 hours a day i think is going to give the military judge some pause. and i think the military judge will give him some article 13 illegal pretrial confinement credit off of his sentence eventually when he is sentenced. >> manning has been held for years now. i mean, for a time, a long time, he was held without charges being filed. is that normal in a case like it, and will that enter into the hearing at ft. meade today? >> it could enter into the hearing today. the fact that he was held for such a long period of time. however, these charges were severe. there was also some defense delay in this case, as well, which is not attributable to the government. so both sides are going to argue whether or not the delay was -- was a very long delay, was a delay that he should get credit for. there's no doubt in my opinion that he will get some pretrial credit. i don't believe that he's going to be let go free and the charges dismissed. >> greg rinckey, thank you very much. >> my pleasure. also happening this hour, the southern poverty law center holding a conference in new york to discuss a lawsuit against a conversion therapy provider. conversion therapy as you may know is a controversial practice that tries to change a person's sexual orientation from gay to straight. coming up later is hour, we'll talk with the splc's attorney about the first of a kind lawsuit. also, we're keeping a close eye on things in cairo, egypt. protesters have blocking to tahrir square to rage against egypt's president. earlier this morning, police fired teargas to disperse demonstrator. many egyptians say muhammad morse betrayed the democratic action of the arab spring when he granted himself new powers last week. we'll bring you developments as they happen. forensic experts from three countries have what they need to determine what killed the former palestinian leader, yasser arafat. hours ago, they exhumed arafat's body, took samples from his remains, and then reburied them. it's suspected arafat died of pulonium poisoning in 2004. in other words, high levels of the radioactive elements were found on his clothing and toothbrush. the palestinian authority speculates that israel may be to blame. israeli officials have not commented on this. time is running out, and lawmakers are now back at work. house members are returning to capitol hill today. their senate counterparts returned monday. the number-one issue, of course, resolving the live in. there are also some other big meetings happening this morning on capitol hill. susan rice, the u.s. ambassador to the united nations, is sitting down with some of her more outspoken critics about comments she made over the attack in benghazi. congress has been demanding answers since ambassador chris stevens and three other americans were killed in libya on september 11. and there's no bigger critic of rice than senator john mccain. >> that was an act of terror. for 19 disagree with that fundamental fact i think is ignoring the facts. she continued to tell the world through all the talk shows that that -- that it was a "spontaneous demonstration sparked by a video." that's not competence in my view. >> rice is meeting now with senator john mccain of arizona and then will sit down with lindsay graham of south carolina and senator kelly ayotte from new hampshire. and we have more now from thrill. dana, tell us more. >> reporter: the meeting we believe is underway now. i say we believe because we have seen the senators go into the area where the meeting will take place. it is happening at a classified room at the capitol. we didn't see rice go in, but we believe she was taken in in a hidden way, much like david petraeus was a couple of weeks ago. what do they want to talk about? obviously you heard john mccain's complaints before them loudly about the fact that they believe she was political in her comments after that 9/11 attack this year in benghazi and didn't give the appropriate information to the american people about what really went on which we now understand from intelligence officials was that it was an al qaeda-affiliated attack. since those comments, john mccain has softened his rhetoric. listen to what he told cnn exclusively this morning. >> do you trust her to be secretary of state? >> this issue need to be resolved. clearly, it needs to be resolved before -- i don't make a judgment as to whether she should be secretary of state or not until she's been nominated. >> do you put more blame on the president or ms. rice? >> the president is ultimately responsible. >> reporter: obviously, susan rice has not been nominated for secretary of state. but the fact that she requested this meeting, wanted to try to clear the air and explain herself to these senators, these three intense critics certainly is telling. now what is the crux of the issue? carol, we understand that what the republican senators are most annoyed about is not just that she didn't talk about al qaeda, which we now know from officials it's because she couldn't, it was classified, but that she went on to say that the obama administration has decimated al qaeda. so what they're going to ask in this meeting is whether she knew in a classified way that al qaeda or an al qaeda affiliate was behind this. if so, that's -- that's their accusation, that she was misleading the public. >> all right. dana bash, reporting live from capitol hill this morning. good news for the u.s. housing market. a report released just about an hour ago shows that home prices are up about 3.6% from a year ago. that is the biggest quarterly percentage gain in two years. the rebound spurred by a combination of record low mortgage rates and improving job market and a drop in foreclosures to a five-year low. and also just into the newsroom, more signs of recovery. consumer confidence, it hit a four-year high. alison kosik joins us from the new york stock exchange. wow, i'm feeling pretty good this morning. >> reporter: you and a lot of other americans surveyed in this report. yeah. looks like the consumer is in a better place than they were, say, a few years ago. as you said, consumer confidence reaching a four-year high in november. this rise better than expected. americans said that they're feeling more optimistic about the jobs market now and in the future. so this is really good news, especially ahead of the holiday shopping season since confidence often correlates closely with how much people are going to get out and spend. we know that people have already been hitting the stores and buying on line in force. it's good for the economy when people are feeling optimistic and they're out there spending money. as for the market, not seeing it move too much. it looks like investors have bigger fish to fry. known as the fiscal cliff. the dow is down about 11 points. there's still a lot of worry about how these talks on coming up with a deal on the fiscal cliff, how the talks will go. carol? >> alison kosik live from the new york stock exchange. representative-elect alan grayson has been standing with protesting walmart workers. when he delivered bagged meals on to see walmart on thanksgiving, walmart called the cops. we'll talk that and the ongoing protests next. and one wedding, 2 kids, 43 bottles of olay total effects many birthdays later, still looks amazing. thanks to the trusted performance of olay. do you really think brushing is enough to keep it clean? while brushing misses germs in 75% of your mouth, listerine® cleans virtually your entire mouth. so take your oral health to a whole new level. listerine®... power to your mouth™. of green giant vegetables it's easy to eat like a giant... ♪ and feel like a green giant. ♪ ho ho ho ♪ green giant ho ho ho sfx- "sounds of african drum and flute" look who's back. again? it's embarrassing it's embarrassing! we can see you carl. we can totally see you. come on you're better than this...all that prowling around. yeah, you're the king of the jungle. have you thought about going vegan carl? 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[ female announcer ] live the re♪ular life. ♪ 13 minutes past the hour. president obama will meet with mexico's president-election today. pina-nieto who will be sworn in in four days has a message saying u.s./mexico relations need to go beyond drugs and security concerns. on his list, deeping ties with the u.s. jill kelley will lose her title as honorary consul according to the deputy foreign minister of south korea. it comes after a new york businessman accused kelley of trying to use her honorary position to solicit positibusin. that position carried no official responsibility. another long island power authority executive is resigning. the utility has come under severe criticism for its handling of restoring power after superstorm sandy. the vice president of media relations and a member of the board of trustees are leaving their post. big retailers like walmart are rushing to clarify their links to a garment factory in bangladesh that caught fire over the weekend. more than 100 people were killed. more than 200 others injured. thousands of protesters in bangladesh have taken to the streets demanding a full investigation into what happened. the government has now ordered such an investigation. as for walmart, it issued this statement to cnn, "our thoughts are with the families of the victims of this tragedy. the factory was no longer authorized to produce merchandise for walmart. a supplier subcontracted work to this factory without authorization, and in direct violation of our policies. today we have terminated the relationship with that supplier. the fact that this occurred is extremely troubling to us, and we will continue to work across the apparel industry to improve fire safety education and triple crowning in bangladesh." back here in the united states, a protest against walmart goes on. and you can count representative-elect alan grayson with standing with the company's workers. he joins us now live. welcome. >> thank you. >> you attended a walkout at a walmart in orlando on black friday. and you showed your solidarity the night before by delivering bagged meals to walmart employees who had to work on thanksgiving. that caused walmart to call the cops. so tell us what happened. >> we went to walmart to hand out thanksgiving dinners to them because they had to work on their thanksgiving, couldn't be with their families. we brought a bag, the bag had three things -- a turkey sandwich because it was thanksgiving, a bag of chips, and a letter explaining what their rights are to organize. >> then so -- cops were called? what did the cops do when they arrived? tell us about that. >> it was the security staff. walmart always has security staff around. once they saw that we were handing out the bags, they objected, asked us to leave, and we left. the security staff simmply escorted us as they often do. the important thing is we showed workers what their rights are. walmart tries to keep them in the dark. and we showed that they're not alone. that people care. that we want the working poor to have a better life in america. >> you posted a letter on your facebook page and wrote, "walmart accounts for more than 10% of all the retail sales in the united states. it's the largest private employer in the world with more than two million employees. even though the employees comprise barrelly -- barely 10% of doing its business, walmart exploits them mercilessly. now walmart employees are starting to organize, starting to fight back." someone i know said you don't like working at walmart, get another job. >> all the people who have those jobs suffer from the fact that we have 8% unemployment. we all suffer from the fact that walmart underpays its employees. the average associate at walmart makes barely $1,200 a month. that's $1,2 hundred. could you live on $1,200 a month? i couldn't. the fact is they don't because taxpayers subsidize them. because walmart underpays them, taxpayers pay for their medicaid. because walmart underpays them, the taxpayers end up paying for their food stamps. in fact, each walmart associate costs the taxpayers over $1,000. it's time to end that. walmart needs to pay for its own employees and give them a living wage. the minimum wage needs to be higher. and walmart and other employees need to pick up the tab on insurance and coverage for their employees and stop handing that tab off to the taxpayers. >> when many of the protests happened on black friday, we noticed that not a lot of workers comprised the big crowds. it was mostly union people, community leaders, and a few walmart workers. and some might say that really the unions are behind this. the employees aren't behind this so much. >> in fact, at one walmart not too long ago, 200 walmart employees walked out and shut down the store. but the walmart employees in general are afraid. they're being intimidated. they're being told in many cases if you even talk about union you'll be fired. in orlando, here in orlando, one of the lawyers -- one of the employees who talked about a union was fired. he came back a few days later just to talk to his former employees, his former staff, his former colleagues, and they let him off the premises in hand -- they led him off the premises in handcuffs in a way that everyone else could see. employees are being intimidated. they want to help. they want to join. they want to make their lives better. but walmart is doing everything it can to prevent that. >> frankly, it seems like walmart's winning. it had one of its biggest black fridays ever. it didn't stop people from shopping, these protests. >> the protests aren't meant to stop people from shopping. the protests are meant to inform workers of their rights to organize under the law and under the constitution and to make sure that they understand that they're not alone, and they will be protected if they exercise their rights. it's not meant to raise prices, not meant to interfere with shopping. it's meant to organize people who desperately need to be organized to make a better life for themselves. >> representative-elect alan grayson, thank you very much for being with us this morning. >> thank you, too. this morning we're hearing from the wife of a man who died in a walmart parking lot this weekend. the man who was suspected of shoplifting dvd players was confronted by employees and security in the parking lot. the man's wife spoke to cnn affiliate wsb. she says she wants answers. >> it took three people to hold him down and choke hold him. how can you do that? you know, one person with no weapon, all for two dvd players? >> a police investigation is underway to determine exactly what caused the man's death. "talk back" question for -- should susan rice be considered for secretary of state? facebook.com/carolcnn. it never. can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno. part of a whole new line of tablets from dell. it's changing the conversation. ♪ ...and now... you! [ giggles ] ♪ the one and only, cheerios home of the legendary grand prix circuit. the perfect place to bring the all-new cadillac ats to test the 2.0-liter turbo engine. [ engine revs ] ♪ [ derek ] 272 horsepower. the lightest in its class. the cadillac ats outmatches the bmw 3 series. i cannot believe i have ended the day not scraping some red paint off on these barriers. ♪ [ male announcer ] the all-new cadillac ats. now's your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. should susan rice be considered for secretary of state? susan rice, john mccain, face to face. maybe the tryptophan of the turkey chilled everyone out. >> what do you hope to learn today from ms. rice? >> whatever ambassador rice wants to tell me. she's the one that asked for the meeting, i didn't. >> maybe not. whatever. the embattled u.n. ambassador is sitting down with the senator who accused her of being incompetent and deceptive and called for watergate-style hearings on libya. >> she gave deceptive information to the american people when there was clearly counterinformation that affirmed that this was a terrorist attack orchestrated by an al qaeda-affiliated organization. >> by now you know the story. rice intimated a cheesy anti-islam film caused the murderous rampage at the consulate in benghazi, libya. not true, but her assertion on several sunday shows was ok'd by the intelligence community and caused one great big partisan brawl. soon democrats piled on, accusing republicans of racism. >> susan rice's comments didn't send us to iraq and afghanistan. somebody else's did. but you're not angry with them. i would just say in closing that it is a shame that any time something goes wrong they pick on women and minorities. i have a real issue with that. >> when ask good mccain, rice was conciliatory -- asked about mccain, rice was conciliatory. >> i have great respect for senator mccain and his service to our country. i always have, and i always will. i do think that some of the statements he made about me have been unfounded, but i look forward to having the opportunity at the appropriate time to discuss all of this with him. >> that's today. after saying mccain would do whatever it takes to block rice's nomination, he now appears to be softening. he says rice deserves the chance to explain her actions. so in light of all of this, the "talk back" question -- should susan rice be considered for secretary of state? facebook.com/carolcnn. facebook.com/carolcnbc. yo -- facebook.com/carolcnn. your comments later. do police have a right to seize your cell phone for evidence some what about your gps and texts? we'll talk about this legal clash between the law and technology. 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[ male announcer ] can a car be built around a state of mind? ♪ announcing the all-new 2013 malibu from chevrolet. ♪ with a remarkable new interior featuring the available chevrolet mylink infotainment system. this is where sophisticated styling begins. and where it ends? that's up to you. it's here -- the greatest malibu ever. ♪ when you take a closer look... ...at the best schools in the world... ...you see they all have something very interesting in common. they have teachers... ...with a deeper knowledge of their subjects. as a result, their students achieve at a higher level. let's develop more stars in education. let's invest in our teachers... ...so they can inspire our students. let's solve this. coming up on 30 minutes past the hour. good morning you to, i'm care costello. thank you for joining us. in cairo, protesters are flocking to tahrir square to rage against egypt's president. many egyptians say mohamed morsi betrayed the democratic intention of arab spring when he granted himself sweeping new powers last week. it appears superstorm sandy could cause more than -- could cost more than hurricane katrina. andrew cuomo says the superstorm will cost $42 billion. new york like other states appealing for federal aid. 110 people died in the region during the storm. nearly 1,800 lost their lives in hurricane katrina. in the heart of sydney, australia, the arm of a construction crane falls on to a building, barely missing busy broadway street. the collapse happened after a fire involved the cab of the crane. just two weeks ago the construction site was shut down when workers walked off the job because of a gas leak. technology and the law colliding, especially when it comes to cell phone use. it's a bad between your right to privacy and a lawful search of your cell phone. in rhode island, for example, a judge threw out cell phone evidence two months ago in the case of a man charged with killing a 6-year-old boy. in louisiana, a federal appeals court is reviewing how to handle location records stored on cell phones. on thursday, a senate committee will consider making changes to a 1986 law on electronic privacy. changes that could include a new amendment requiring a warrant to search your emails regardless of how old they are. joining me is perry aftab, one of the first lawyers in the world to practice internet law. i admire you because this is complicated, isn't it? >> it's very complicated, carol. good to see you again. >> great to see you. let's talk about this rhode island case. it's before the state's supreme court now. is it likely that the justices will overturn that lower court ruling? >> it's unclear right now. and the courts are all over the place. what we need to recognize is there is no guaranteed decision anywhere. and we have to now star looking at how we can protect ourselves and how we can arm law enforcement with the tools they need to protect us. >> right now if a police officer came into my home and i was suspected of committing some crime, he could just confiscate my cell phone, look at my cell phone and take any information he wanted out of that phone and use it against me. >> well, he could take your cell phone. it depends on where you're located as to what information can be used and how far it can go. you've got to remember that if it's -- other than the 180 days on the third-party storage which in the case of verizon or someone else that they're keeping that t that long, would allow law enforcement to get the information merely on a letter saying it's relative to an investigation. they have to have clear grounds to be able to use that cell phone to find out what you're doing. >> so how do i protect myself? because in my cell -- we have iphones now, all sorts of information. not just who called and who you received calls from. >> it's what you do and who you talk to, what you're buying, pictures that you've taken, the people have sent you to. and gps and through all of the apps, how much you've eaten, when you ate, when you took your medications, it's everything. i think that's why the senate is looking at this. this law is almost 30 years old. worked very well. the electronic communications privacy act is in effect our federal wiretapping law. what it said is electronic communications require subpoenas and warrants and court orders to get unless they're 180 days old and stored someplace else. no one in 1986 ever had the dream of what could happen to cell phones 30 years later. >> you got that right. will it be difficult for those lawmakers who want to put more privacy rules into place because the government uses cell phone records, you know, in cases against terrorists, to track down terrorists. >> and we have those protections now. and you can subpoena verizon, you can subpoena at&t wireless. you can subpoena facebook and get this information. but it requires a subpoena. now what we're doing is looking at what doesn't require a subpoena. what can you do without a court order or warrant. can law enforcement just pick it up and look at it, see what it says, and act on that. and that's really the issue here. i suspect that the senate will be looking at other ways of dealing with. this maybe requiring subpoenas for records that are more than 180 days old. and you'll see a lot of the cell phone providers don't keep the records that long. maybe this is one of the reasons. >> maybe so. parry aftab, privacy and security lawyer joining us this morning. thank you very much. she's one of the new faces in the latest ad for guess jeans. guess who her mom is. we'll talk more about this and n showbiz. ter job can be frustrating. so at university of phoenix we're working with a growing list of almost two thousand corporate partners - companies like microsoft, american red cross and adobe - to create options for you. not only that, we're using what we learn from these partners to shape our curriculum. so that when you find the job you want you'll be a perfect fit. let's get to work. thank you, mr. speaker, uh, members of congress. in celebration of over 75 years of our government employees insurance company, or geico...as most of you know members it.congress. ...i propose savings for everyone! i'm talking hundreds here... and furthermore.. newscaster:breaking news. the gecko is demanding free pudding. and political parties that are actual parties!? 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[ male announcer ] lifts to clear obstacles. ♪ lowers to cut drag. rises to every challenge. the class exclusive air suspension in the new 2013 ram 1500. engineered to move heaven and earth. guts. glory. ram. like mother, like daughter apparently. the late anna nicole smith who used the guess jeans ad campaign to help launch her career didn't live to see her 6-year-old daughter step into her shoes. and yes, become a guess kids model. michelle turner joins us from los angeles. and i have such mixed feelings about this, michelle. >> yeah. yeah. no, i feel you on that. i definitely do. we all remember those guess jean ads for anna nicole smith. and it's like, well, guess who's in them now, her daughter, dani lynn. she is all of 6 years old, carol. yeah, these photos have people talking. we've been talking about it all day. not everyone is a fan either. guess says that it's a first for them, having a legacy model for them. it's been good traction and marketing because we have been talking about it. now the ads look very innocent and very charming. so this little girl actually may have a future in front of the camera. but as charming as this story could be, there's a lot of people who remember how her mother could not keep it together in the public eye. there is concern about what will happen to this little girl who, by the way, looks just like her mother. now her father, larry, is saying this was simply an hodgea ag-- homage to her mother and not a career move. for now, larry says he plans to let her be a kid. he saw an article in the new york "daily news" with her dad says that dannielynn wants to be -- dani lynn wants to be a doctor, lawyer, or owner of an ice cream truck. that's good news. i don't know if the modeling profession has been decided yet. she's just being a little girl at this point, and that's good to head. it is scary when you look at her and she looks just like anna nicole smith. >> she really does. it's eerie. you're right. i don't know -- that second picture bugs me. what 6-year-old girl leans on a pole -- a branch? i don't know. just -- that one doesn't bother me. but the second one does. let's see the second one. >> yeah. you know -- >> there it is. >> that one's -- that's the one you're talking about there. yeah. there we go. that's the one you're talking about. that is a little more adult than all the rest because the rest of them she's kind of playing in the sand and she's being a little kid, making funny faces. that one, yeah. i can see where that could bother you. >> okay. just had to get that out. michelle turner, thanks. >> i'm glad. >> thanks, michelle, appreciate it. for more in entertainment headlines, watch "showbiz tonight," 11:00 eastern on hln. i was worried the health care system spoke a language all its own with unitedhealthcare, i got help that fit my life. information on my phone. connection to doctors who get where i'm from. and tools to estimate what my care may cost. so i never missed a beat. we're more than 78,000 people looking out for more than 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. 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this is big news. could you imagine an education focused on marijuana? imagine no more because it's a reality. humboldt state university in northern california is holding interdisciplinary studies right now focusing on medical marijuana. it's being run by different professors and lecturers. medical marijuana's a hot topic now as more states allow its use and two states, as you know, they've approved the drug for recreational use. so here's a question -- would you let a first or second grader or any child use medical marijuana? some family members in oregon say yes. 7-year-old any kyla comstock has leukemia. she's a registered medical marijuana patient. her mom gives her the drug every day. not surprisingly, there are some, including her father, who have concerns about this. after all, she's 7 years old. dr. sanjay gupta joins us with more. and we wanted to get your opinion on this. >> well, i mean, the first question a lot of people ask is, is this even safe to do. and this ends up being the crux of questions surrounding marijuana. what is hard from a purely scientific standpoint is that it's an illegal drug in the united states. so it's hard to do studies on a drug that's illegal. you often look to other countries to try and get data. and it's also -- here we're talking about a child. it makes it more difficult to do these studies in children. we don't know a lot about the safety overall. we do know -- in any kayla's case, there are 51 other children in oregon who are all registered to be able to get medical marijuana. she's not the only one. this is something that the doctors have obviously prescribed for not just her but for others. >> tell us how marijuana is administered. it's not like she's smoking a joint, right? >> right. there's all sorts of different ways. people are used to thinking of it that way. it also can number baked goods. in t c-- it can be in an active form. thc is the active ingredient people talk about. it can give you the feeling of being high, but it's a good nausea medication, for example. of this is not anext total anymore. this has -- anecdotal anymore. this has been proven in studies back to the 1970s. people getting chemotherapy can try to prevent nausea with that. >> in mikayla's case, it did ease her pain. some have gone so far, i think she's in remission now, right? >> right. right. >> some say that the marijuana helped kind of cure her leukemia. is that possible? >> you know, if you're talking specifically about its effect on the cell, i think that's harder to say. all the other stuff, chemo is a very toxic drug. probably a lot more toxic than cannabis is. but the side effects that you get, the marijuana, pain from the cancer itself, those things can be treated to some extent with, you know, the thc the way that she was getting it. now doctors will say are there other ways that are less toxic, more -- have a higher impact. we don't know. in her case it seems to work. in other patients who are young. we know in people who start before age 15 and keep doing it throughout their life even sporadically tend to have an impact later in life. lose about eight i.q. points on average. these are hard studies to come by. these are studies out of the netherlands. for adults who do this past adolescence, the long-term impact in terms of safety, there's not a lot really written to say that it's necessarily a problem. >> it's easy to sit back and criticize the parents in this case. criticize the mom. when you have a 7-year-old kid in terrible pain, you want to relieve their pain. >> yeah. i read the article. i've been following the story. i don't know what the relationship is between the parents and the doctors here. clearly doctors in oregon who think that this is a viable form of treatment. i'm not sure what -- where the communication breakdown is. there is even fda-approve of versions of this that can be given to adults as well as children. there are options for them. they're doing it differently. i'm not sure why that s. but as a treatment, though, in adults, i think we're beyond the anecdotal, beyond the -- there's studies. in children it's harder to come by. are you getting more and more children on these registries. >> dr. sanjay gupta. thank you very much. >> any time. thank you. it is 45 minutes past the hour. time to check our top stories. senator john mccain, he's been meeting with a u.s. ambassador to the united nations, susan rice, about what happened in benghazi and what she said. let's listen. >> leading up to the attack on the consulate. the tragic deaths of four brave americans and whether ambassador rice was prepared or informed sufficient sufficiently in order to give the american people a correct depiction of the events that took place. it is clear that the information she gave the american people was incorrect when she said that it was a spontaneous demonstration. >> unfortunately, our live shot is freezing for some reason. you heard john mccain begin to explain what happened in that meeting between -- okay. we've got it going again. let's listen. >> other americans who are fully aware that people don't bring mortars and rocket-propelled grenades to spontaneous demonstrations. >> senator -- >> we're going to -- >> all right. here's lindsay graham. let's listen. >> i'm more disturbed than i was before that the 16th september explanation about how four americans died in benghazi, libya, by ambassador rice i think does not do justice to the real reality at the time and in hindsight clearly was completely wrong. here's the key -- in real time it was a statement disconnected from reality. if anybody had been looking at the threats coming out of benghazi, libya, it was jump out at you, this was -- an al qaeda storm in the making. i'm very disappointed in our intelligence community. i think they failed in many ways. but with inquiry and curiosity, i think it would be pretty clear that to explain this episode as related to a video that created a mob that turned into a riot was far afield. and at the end of the day, we're going to get to the bottom of this. we have to have a system we can trust. and if you don't know what happened, just say you don't know what happened. people can push you to give eplanations and you can say -- explanations and you can say i don't want to give bad information. here's what i can tell you, the american people got bad information on 16 september. they got bad information from president obama days after. and the question is, should they have been giving the information at all. if you can do nothing but give bad information, isn't it better to give no information at all? my belief is not only is the information bad, and i'm more convinced than ever that it was bad, it was unjustified to give the scenario as presented by ambassador rice and president obama three weeks before an election. >> senator, can you support her as secretary of state knowing that? >> i want to say that i'm more troubled today knowing, having met with the acting director of the cia and ambassador rice because it's certainly clear from the beginning that we knew that those with ties to al qaeda were involved in the attack on the embassy. and clearly the impression that was given, the information given to the american people was wrong. in fact, ambassador rice said today absolutely it was wrong. i don't understand the cia saying clearly that that information was wrong. and they knew by the 22nd that it was gone. yet, they have not cleared that up with the american people to date in coming forward and saying that they were wrong, including the president of the united states having parroted also, talked about the fact that this was the reaction to a video, attacks in benghazi. and what troubles me also is that -- obviously the changes made to the unclassified talking points were misleading. just to be clear, when you have a position where you're ambassador to the united nations, you go well beyond classified talking points in your daily preparation and responsibilities for that job. and that's troubling to me, as well, why she wouldn't have asked -- i'm the person that doesn't know anything about this, i'm going on every single show. but in addition, the fact that it's not just the talking points that were unclassified but clearly it's part of her responsibility as an ambassador to the united states. she reviewed much more than that. >> senator, can you support her as secretary of state nominee? can you -- >> before anybody could make an intelligent decision about promoting someone involved in benghazi, we need to do a lot more. to this date we don't have the fbi interviews of the survivors conducted one or two days after the effect. we don't have the basic information about what was said on the night of the attack that's been shared with congress as of this date. so i remember the john bolton episode pretty well. our democratic friends felt like that john bolton didn't have the information needed to make an informed decision about ambassador bolton's qualificati qualifications, john bolton to be ambassador. and democrats dug in their heels saying we're not going to vote, we're not going to consider this nomination until we get basic answers to our concerns. all i can tell you, that the concerns i have are greater today than they were before. we're not even close to getting the basic answers. >> senator -- >> may i -- >> all right. we're going to step away from this. as you see, those powerful gop senators were not very happy with the outcome of their meeting with ambassador susan rice. and i believe that president obama does nominate susan rice -- if he nominates susan rice to secretary of state, the nomination could be a train wreck as it stands now. coming up we'll go to the white house for reaction. dan lothian is there. [ male announcer ] considering all your mouth goes through, do you really think brushing is enough to keep it clean? while brushing misses germs in 75% of your mouth, listerine® cleans virtually your entire mouth. so take your oral health to a whole new level. listerine®... power to your mouth™. but proven technologies allow natural gas producers to supply affordable, cleaner energy, while protecting our environment. across america, these technologies protect air - by monitoring air quality and reducing emissions... ...protect water - through conservation and self-contained recycling systems... ... and protect land - by reducing our footprint and respecting wildlife. america's natural gas... domestic, abundant, clean energy to power our lives... that's smarter power today. moments ago three gop lawmakers addressed the microphones, talking about a meeting they left with ambassador susan rice. they were trying to talk out what exactly happened when susan rice appeared on national television to talk about benghazi. and you may recall she said that the benghazi attack on that consulate in -- on that consulate in benghazi, libya, was the result maybe of this anti-islam film. it turned out not to be the case. the meeting was supposed to smooth things over between ambassador rice and the senators. as you hear from senator lindsay graham, don't think much smoothing over occurred. let's listen. >> in real time, it was a statement disconnected from reality. if anybody had been looking at the threats coming out of benghazi, libya, it was jump out at you, this was a -- an al qaeda storm in the making. i'm very disappointed in our intelligence community. i think they failed in many ways. >> let's head to the white house now. dan lothian is there. if anything, dan, sounds worse. >> reporter: well, it does. and keep in mind that these were meetings that were requested by ambassador rice herself. a chance for her to sit down along with mike morrell, acting director over the cia, and lay things out as they happened, you know, back when those benghazi attacks occurred. and coming out of the meeting as you have been playing there. there were still a lot of concerns. the white house and the president in particular has defended ambassador rice for all of her hard work. also defended the fact that the information that she gave out at the time was based on real-time information that they had gotten from the intelligence community. it later turned out not to be exactly accurate. and what you're hearing from the senators is that because that information may have been murky at the time, that she and others in the administration should have had some pause and should have said, look, we don't know what happened. we don't have good information. so we're not going to give bad information out. we're still waiting to find out if we can get any reaction from the white house to the latest development in terms of this tone from lawmakers. what we have seen over the last few days is sort of a ratcheting back of some of the harshest tones. senator mccain had been out front, talking about how he would block a nomination of ambassador rice to secretary of state. keep in mind, there has been no nomination. sthooes top of the list to re-- she's at the top of the list to replace secretary clinton when she leaves the state department. but no nomination has been made yet. nonetheless, there has been this firestorm. there has been this harsh rhetoric. over the last few days, they pulled back a bit saying they want to listen, hear her out, hear her essentially defend herself. but after the meeting today, as you see there, they still have a lot of tough questions, carol. >> a lot of tough questions. dan lothian at the white house. i'm sure you'll continue to follow this story throughout the day. thanks, dan. and thank you for joining me today. i'm carol costello. cnn "newsroom" with ashley banfield continues after the break. while brushing misses germs in 75% of your mouth, listerine® cleans virtually your entire mouth. so take your oral health to a whole new level. listerine®... power to your mouth™. without freshly-made pasta. you could also cut corners by making it without 100% real cheddar cheese. but then...it wouldn't be stouffer's mac & cheese. just one of over 70 satisfying recipes for one from stouffer's.
wood burning fireplaces but cigarette smoke is what the fire department thinks happened in this case sending a family to the hospital. >> did they check you out? >> 3-year-old tino was taken to the hospital last night in a carbon monoxide scare. an alarm went off in the family home, they called 911. turns out the alarm was a smoke detector not for carbon monoxide, firefighters tested for signs of the gas. they found nothing. and neither they, nor pg&e have been able to find a leak in any appliances. >> our thought is that there is probably a secondary source, maybe. heavy cigarette smoking. >> not that time. they usually smoke they go into the front and smoke. smoke there. >> whatever the cause, some family members did have elevated levels of carbon monoxide. >> by law, january 1 you have to have a carbon monoxide defector like the one this family lives in. >> a san francisco sheriff deputy accused of robbingp< ÷ a bank went before a judge today. the 56-year-old is a veteran of the force, today pleading not guilty to second degree robbery and burglary. police say he's demanding money from a teller in a bank of america and running off with $1700.jmyrw the judge made tong surrender his gun and passport. he has an order to stay away from the bank and teller. >> a 14-year-old girl died today after she was struck by a pickup truck riding her bike to school. it happened at jefferson avenue. police say the man stopped after the crash and he is cooperating with investigators they try to figure out what led to this tragedy. >> happening now, investigators are trying to figure out what caused a crash that killed four people on highway 50. three of them are a family from san francisco. officers say the prius veered off and hit a minivan. a 10-year-old survived. we'll hear from relatives coming up on abc 7 news at 5:00. >> santa clara county prosecutors revealed they're considering charging a 15-year-old as an adult following a crime spree. he was arrested on friday. police believe the teenager teamed up with this man, a 26-year-old johna kran dawson willbanks in at least four robberies. the police suspect him of killing a man and wounding a police officer chasing them on november 16th ooj residents now have their say in a selection of a new police chief. tonight is the first in a series of meeting as louing community members to tell city kg.!at they want in a new chief. current chief chris moore is stepping down after a challenging two years on the job marked by resource cuts and a rise in violent crime. the meeting is at 6:30 at the community center. >> a jewelry store owner fired a two armed men who stormed into the shop this morning in a strip mall at story and king road around 10:is a. a manhunt is now ton for two men. wayne freedman will have more in a live report coming up on abc news tonight at 6:00. >> san francisco general hospital is joining laigs of those suing los angeles dodgers and former owner over the beating of brian stow. the hospital asking for $1.2 kblinl to cover the cost of providing extensive brain trauma care. stow was beaten by two men outside dodger stadium following 2011 season opener against the giants. >> we know what sparked this fight on black friday. women's under wear. we showed you this video on friday. a fight started at a victoria's secret, turns out two women were arguing over discounted under wear and started throwing punches and three men got involved. it took security 15 minutes to break up this fight. >> today is cyber monday when shoppers are expected to pound the keyboard instead of the pavement. >> abc 7 news explain autos cyber monday born in simpler times n 2005 people did holiday shopping online the money after thanksgiving. because that is when they're back in the office with access to high speed internet they didn't have at home, fast forward to tab blets and smart phones, you can shop anywhere, any time. this explanation offered through the company satellite uplink you may have your smart phone with you while in a store able to do that comparison shopping. and make a decision to buy the product while you're there or order it online. >> google calling it nonline shopping. this professor of marketing says there is less and less distinct between online and shopping. >> pick up of the store, we ordering bringing people from brick and mortar stores. >> analysts predictó5ç >> still head on abc 7 news at 4:00 wrnings about popular bounce houses for children. the staggering increase in how many kids are getting hurt, daily. >> also, wardrobe malfunction causing pop star justin beiber to get booed on stage. >> a bonus, each player getting a record a but what about melky cabrerra who was suspended for prus using performance-enhacing drugs? >> and michael fin gee taking yourzf)estions on twitter and facebook, you can contact michael on facebook.com or twitter. >> taking a look outside at 4:08 on monday, traffic in the skyway in san francisco. if you're heading down to the peninsula, 101 south on righthand side you're looking good now f you're heading over the bay bridge, a lot of traffic. that is eastbound lanes on lefthand side of the screen new numbers out show more children are end ending up in emergency rooms. some injuries result from dramatic mishaps and many others happen when children bump into each other inside of the inflatable play houses. researchers found the number of er visits rose from 702 to 11,000 in 2010. the most common injuries were sprains and broken bones. some children suffered more serious one autos they did see that 7% of the children had concussions. we worry about in particular, in young children. >> part of the increase might be attributable to the growing use of bouncy houses and also, betser record keeping by hospitals. >> late this afternoon, authorities should down+ jéhe nation's largest organic peanut butter producer finding contamination in a new mexico processing facility. states became sick after eating sunland products. >> don't bother with facebook message about copy righting your personal information. it's all a hoax. users have been seeing this message making rounds asking to cut, paste and post a personal copy flight resfons a new guideline. facebook spokesman says the company does not, never did try to secure copy rights on anys)rpñ material post bid user. snops.com says the notice is false. >> apple bought european trademark on the name lightning from harley davidson. it's also the name of apple's new mobile connector. the trademark gives the company the right to use the name in everything from motorcycle parts to eye glasses. no word on how much apple paid for the trademark. >> from black friday to cyber monday, retailers already enjoying a good start to the holiday season. >> that is right. apple and samsung are at it again.s2]r >> good afternoon, yes, millions of americans taking to their computers and mobile devices today searching for cyber monday deals. early indications are that sales could be headed for blockbuster status. as of this afternoon, ibm smarter commerce unit says sales at the top online retailers are up more than 25% from last year. that is after predicting shoppers will spend $1.5 billion today. andg!jd adobe digital thinks the spending could hit $2 billion after retailers took in estimated $1 billion in sales on black friday. >> sam young says it found no instances of child labor, but the company says it did find efrl instances of inadequate practices including execkive overtime hours and other violations. san sam says it's reviewing 144 companies in chin yachl the review after china labor watch accused some suppliers of using under aged workers. and apple taking aim at some newest products apple is now asking a california court to add six products to its suit including galaxy s 3, note 2, 3 mini and a number of others. samsung asked for perm dwroigs add the mini and more to its lawsuit. the case scheduled for trial in 2014. as for markets, most stocks closed lower as lawmakers prepared to debate so called fiscal cliff. your bloomberg silicon valley index a little higher. the new york man who claims to own part of facebook has been indicted for wire and mail fraud. he was arrestedézpk last month accused of0l"ty faking e mails m mark zuckerberg and fabricating other evidence to bolster claims he owns part of the social network. the lawsuit is spill(b stil pending. back to you. >> thank you. >> sandhya patel is here with weather. the last day or two, nice weather. >> enjoy it while it's lasts, right? we've had fog around tomorrow, more fog in the morning. mostly dry, then, storms move n we'll be talking about three storms when taking you outside. we're looking at fog. you can see high clouds moving in up above. let's check out live doppler 7 hd.ác@ñ fog lifted a lit. -- bit. it hasn't cleared out. it's going to be likely dense again in patches roont. temperatures into 50s along the coast. 60 as cross the bay area. areas of fog overnight, wet, windy starting wednesday, more storms going into the weekend. three storms coming our way. tomorrow morning watch out for valley fog. temperatures upper 30s to low 40s. you're going to need fog also along the coastline. temperatures in the 40s and 50s. here is our first storm, bust of wind and rain, it does not come at a good time. heavy rain for northern california thursday into friday. we'll look at wide spread wind and rain into the weekend. so here is a computer animation, strong winds ahead of the front. we're going see wet weather. rain doesn't end there. another storm due here into thursday, then another hitting the weekend. rainfall totals wednesday through sunday. you can see over a foot north of the bay area. excessive rain there. four to six inch as cross the heart of the bay area, we're looking at eight inches in the viewing area this, is throughout sunday. the rainfall does drop off heading south. four inches for the south bay. three to four inches and parts of the east bay but that is why we're concerned about the potential for creeks and streams to overflow. flood watch wednesday through saturday. including sacramento valley. stay tuned for additional changes we'll see a wind advisory going up for wednesday. tomorrow afternoon, upper 50s to low 60s could see sprinkles as you can see here, but really main par of the rain rain doesn't arrive until wednesday morning. temperatures throw mid-60s and again we may see heavy rain and wind as you look at the accu-weather forecast.?>a for extended food of -- period of time. wet, windy wednesday, thursday, more rain friday, saturday. showers on sunday with a chance of rain on monday. watch out for potential for creeks and rivers to overflow. and of course we'll be watching winds as well. >> coming up next, the play people are talking about today. a personal reason sind behind shaving her head for cancer research. >> rolling stones big return to stage and special performance fans haven't seen. >> taking a look at the bay brinl toll plaza. it's very easy going for drivers making their way on bridge two indianapolis colts cheerleaders shaved their hair for chair taif the team head coach was diagnosed with cancer the cheerleader offer aid challenge. she said if the mascot could raise $10,000 she would shavetñs her head. another cheerleader joined sunday. the moss mas cot raised 22,000s ndz two weeks. megan says she was inspired to do it vuft been affected by cancer and had family members who z.mentors and i volume lun near a local children's hospital. that little girl lost her hair and saw bravery they possesses. it's something i wanted to do to reach other ootz coach is still fighting cancer and stepped out into the crowd at the game and thanked everyone for support. >> great they raised so much. >> a golden anniversary for rock royalty and another controversy with justin beiber. >> yes this, has to do with his clothes. >> holidays are week as way. christmas spirit. hollywood boulevard trance formed into a giant red carpet for the parade. actor served as grant marshal. stars tell otrc is a family tradition. >> you mean, years ago we had to take him to the parade here. >> i've been in this parade several times when i was like 14, 15, 16. 17 years old. when ways doing full house. >> rolling stones got a crowd of 20,000 fans last night to kick off 50th anniversary tour. former band members joined the stones on stage for the first time in 20 years. they bring the tour to the u.s. next month. >> justin beiber, boo? never say never. fans in canada jeered throughout the performance in a game sunday, they're angry he wore unbuttoned overalls and a packers cap when accepting a special honor from the ka in aa prime minister. he says he doesn't have a chance to change. get your headlines any time on >> christmas season is on this afternoon. the nation's capitol a tractor trailer carrying a 65 foot tall spruce from colorado arrived this morning at the foot of capitol hill. after being inspected the team of urban lumber jacks hoisted it into place. it will be decorated with 5,000 ornaments to reflect the year's holiday theme celebrating our great outdoors. >> really cool looking tree. >> well known people are being mentioned as possibilities to serve on the rez's cabinet eve yorts to avoid fiscal cliff now underway. top republicans say they're willing to compromise but there is a catch. >> also, new study says where an expectant mother lives can expect her baby's risk of autism. >> why san jose airport wants permission to shoot guns off a oor. local names being mentioned as a possibility for cabinet pofts. >> abc 7 news is here now with the look at the short list. mark?>hi >> they've got to be secretary of state and secretary of treasury. both planning to step down. >> the president has known for a while two are headed for the door. secretary of tress surey tim geithner and secretary of state hillary clinton ai. clear front runner for hillary clinton's job appears to be susan rice. >> she has done exyemp particulary work. >> the u.s. ambassador to the united nations is not without controversy. fight. >> it's been what this began was a spontaneous, not a premeditated response to what trance pired in cairo. >> that turned out to be bad information. the white house chief of staff thought to have the edge. but there is talk facebook chief operating officer cheryl sandburg could get the nod n the clinton administration she served as chief of staff to larry summers and sits on the president's job council and on the board of walt disney company, which owns abc and this station. sanberg would be the not the last berkeley woman being mentioned. christina roamer's name surfaced andz:"ñ politico wrots another name, eric schmidt could be tapped for the job. defense secretary leon panetta as long express aid desire to return to his family estate in carmel valley. former pentagon official michelle fornoid would be the first secretary of defense. a one factor that could keep sandberg from taking the post if it is offered is more than a billion dollars in stock options from facebook. option that's will be vested over next 10b/2q years assuming she remains in the company. >> congress is back to work today and efforts underway following long holiday weekend. lawmakers have until the end of the year to agree on cuts. >> the countdown to the cliff now stands at five weeks. if congress doesn't act, $650 billion going into affect on january 1. there are now increasing signs that republicans may be willing to deal on the most controversial issue. tax autos i'm willing to generate revenue. >> for many, doing just that would mean breaking a pledge to not raise taxes and taking political risks that come with it. >> world changed. >> the no neweh9hn taxes pledges the brain child of grover norquist. >> the pledge allows elected officials to make it clear openly to the voters where they stand. >> here in washington he carries weight as evidenced by lawmaker xgh signed the pledge over the years. norquist told abc news this isn't about him and lawmaker autos don't tell me bit. they need tochl plain to voters.twrht >> there is still a catch. >> i will violate the pledge for the good of the country only if democrats will do reform. >> the white house indicated everything is part of the discussion. >> abc news, washington. >> stocks gave back a little of last weeks gain was traders concerned with about the fiscal cliff. dow jones gave back 42 points to finish at 12,967. the s and p 500 off nearly three. >> jipgss planned a real yeel against a recent power grab by president morsi. a shawl but vocal group demonstrated again today in tahrir square. emfeel he is acting like a dictateor. the u.s. says his power grab goes against the spirit of the revolution. >> morsi says he acted within his rights when issues declaration that's give him sweeping powers and writing a new constitution above egypt's judish yairy. his spokesman says the decrees could not infringe on the course in any way. supporters intend to rally tomorrow. >> tensions running high in the middle east. israel defense minister announced he's quitting politics. israelies go to polls january 22 to vote for members of parliament. the graduate served as the israeli prime minister from 1999 until twun. >> new york city mayor is asking washington for $9.8 billion to help pay for damage from super storm sandy saying insurance will only pay for $9 billion of the $19 kbrinl sandy did to the city. the storm killed 40 residents, left 10,000 homeless. bloomberg says he expects feds to antiy up. >> i believe that we're going to win. i still think we're going to get that stadium on the west side.%fyqt i'm an optimist. >> new york governor kuomo is asking washington for $42 chris christie is seeking $30 william. total is still less than $146 billion washington provided after hurricane katrina. >> up next, nasa announces it's longest space flight and american astronauts that will take part in the mission. >> giants will get a record bonus every player is paid, including suspended slugger melky cabrerra. >> michael finney q and a just head. i'll answer your questions here a little later. >> enjoy sun while you can. we have dense fog followed by stormy weather. we'll take a look at storms coming up. >> taking a look at traffic on the san mateo bridge. headlights are heading towards hayward and points east. traffic moving well now for drivers heading towards san mateo. stay with us. the news at 4:00 continues right after this. 20-year-old died during a gun battle between soldiers and i gang of drug traffickers they were traveling within mexico. and also today, angus t jones who plays jake harper trashed the show calling it filth?r and told thempeople to stop warning jy posting a notice their words are copy righted but the message is a hoax. >> nasa asked scott kelly to take part in its longest mission yet. they will begin training next year for a year long mission aboard the space station. the two men taking part to examine long term affects of weightlessness on humans. his twin, mark kelly commanded several missions including final mission of endeavor. mark kelly married to gabrielle gifford autos spencer christian is off. and sandhya patel is here with an update. >> take advantage of the nice weather because goitsing to change. it's going to be tracking three storms, second one coming in on thursday. and third one is just east of japan due in here friday night into saturday. so with all of the rain expected, of course there is a concern, flood watch has been posted from wednesday through saturday for lake county and delta. sacramento valley. we'll likely see debris flows into areas burned by fires, flooding of creeks and streams and watch out for overflow into river. tomorrow afternoon you can see sprinkle arriving in advance of the storm system but main rain doesn't arrive until morning commute wednesday, highs you're looking at 58 in half moon bay. 60s in san francisco. oakland 62 degrees around livermore, san jose, 63 degrees if you were you i'd get rain gear out starting on wednesday and hang on throughout the weekend. we'll likely be watching for a wind advisory going up later on this weekend while early as wednesday. >> thank you sandhya. >> still head on abc 7 news at 4:00 a group of experts calling for access to emergency contraception. >> sfudys show drinking grapefruit juice or eating fruit can cause a bad reaction with drugs. >> and suspicious searches police say they found on the computer. >> if you buy a christmas gift now, can you return or exchange it when it's past the store return policy? >> the young mom was acquitted last year but now, comes admission that botched police work may have kept jurors from hearing key evdz in this case. >> this is the spare tire cover. >> abc news confirmed the sheriff's office that investigated this case admits it missed strange internet searches made on the home computer the last day caylee was seen a live. they were apparently never discovered because they were done using a web browser they never searched. >> on the day caylee died someone on the anthony home computer ran searches an hour after george anthony said she left the home. disclosed the search with a term fool proof suffocation. now, one prosecutor told the local florida news station that the missed records would have put accidental death claim in question. >> this evidence didn't help the prosecution anyway, shape or form. it's no surprise to me ta it was not presented at trial. >> abc news legal analyst says the revelations are a moot point. >> casey anthony could confess and it won't change anything. she can say, here is how i did it. here is why i did it. here are the details she wouldn't be tried again because of double jeopardy. >> jose baez insist it would have bolstered feens because they were made after prosecutors contend casey anthony left the house. >> checking healthy living news this afternoon a recommendation says american teenagers should:.v have easier access to emergency contraception. the american academy of pediatrics suggest doctor dwrorz write prescriptions before teens might need them. currently it's available for girls 17 years and older in most states. the new recommendation woz apply to younger teens. >> people taking prescription drugs should avoid citrus juices when washing down w grapefruit juice can have interaction with a growing hum of drugs. the review published says people over 45 are at greatest risks for negative feekts ask a new study suggests children live tg near highways may face a higher risk of suffering from autism. university of southern california researchers examined kids exposed to pollution when their moms were pregnant and they do not believe pollution causes autism. the prefel yens increased over several years. this disorder now affects one in 88 children born in the united states, up 25% since 2006. >> michael finney is here answering questions on facebook, twitter and e mail. if you purchase a christmas gift now, can you return it when it's past the return policy? >> i'm$ glad; when they tell you that. so you need to pay attention. >> yes. yes. >> a twitter user asked this question and i have a question about this question. they tried to write a tried to use amazon locker. it was full. >> it is so you know how they leave it on your door step and it can be ripped off? now there are lockers around that youzwo can have it deliverd there. it has to be under a foot square. as big as they'll go. best thing you can do is normally they aren't filled except this time of the year, they put in the next zip code over. and often that will be free because they're not all filled at the same time. they'll find a locker for you. you'll go there. >> now, i want to tell you about cyber monday. it's not over yet. you can have until midnight to get a deal. i wanted to let you know about deals i've spotted. do you have a giants or a's fans on the list? major league baseball.com or mlb.com you buy one item get the second aat half price. this is great with those items and it's not too late to get a great travel deal for the holidays. southwest airlines offering flights from oakland on christmas eve. they're for $100 or less. remember, these deals expire tonight. marin county bart says an event a week from saturday where families can pick out, take home holiday tree. helping parks clear land and you can get a free tree. you need to make reservations so call, soon. of course i'll have information on our web site. go to abc 7 news.com. have you ever cut down a tree? >> i have. >> it's fun. and if you can do a few things and help out? >> there. you go. yeah. >> members of the world champion san francisco giants have extra cash to spread around. a full post season share of the money is a 50 full shares to contributors throughout the season. melky cabrerra?) qualified for a full share. the a's playoff money came to $34,000 for a share. >> still ahead students get a visit from stars of the golden state warriors. >> in san jose, international airport[ószñ airport wants the y to take aim at problem birds. >> then at 5:00 a local family tradition turns to tragedy. tonight extended family shares grieve with abc 7 news. >> and an animal sdkj ñ another bay airport wants to get serious about bird strike autos city leaders poised to approve agressive measures to deal with the problem birds. >> abc 7 news is live now from san jose with more on problem and one possible solution. car rena? bijdvym 8qgg 180 reported bs the latest happening just thisbs month. and involved a jet like the one you can see in this video.nq it's taken off from san jose international airport when hitting an undetermined bird species. the pilot returns to the airport using an engine. in 2009, bird strikes took out both engines of a plane. airport management has been working to not only use cracker guns that make noise to scare birds but also top@z approve the actual use of bird shots to kill birds when necessary. city council appears ready by making changes to allow for the discharge of the firearms by people other than law enforcement and military. only people authorized to fire any weapons are a biologist and a hand full of operations personnel. >> they are out there 24-7, monitoring populations and in particular, birds. it's up to them, what is the best way to mitigate this hazard here. >> faa started ordering a number of airports to expand programs to prevent bird strikes. it was 2009 when suly sullen berger landed his jet in the river after a flock of geese destroyed both engines. oakland and san francisco airports which are situated near waterways have approved agressive programs to deal with the birds strike issue. san jose wants a follow in those footsteps. it appears that city council is going give approval tomorrow. >> thank you. >> someone looking for an intentive to do well in school got a big one in a school today. golden state warriors guard sr surprised students for attending their awards ceremony, some say they recognized him from gifts they have received from warriors during halloween. >> we're going to go get our roo ward i said that was the guy on the bobbel head its a good likeness, you can see. this is encouraging all players to attend community events over next month. >> and thanks for joining us for abc 7 news at 4:00. abc 7 news at 5:00 begins now. >> ar.a tahoe tradition turns tragic. how they'll care for the sole survivor, a child. >> i'm sandhya patel live doppler 7 will be tracking three three storms this week. >> cyber monday comes with a twist costing you more this year. good evening, everyone i'm carolyn johnson. >> 31 fatalities chp says that is up this year. >> three were members of a san francisco family. only one child survive whtd pruis they were riding in collided head on with a minivan. the family was heading home from tahoe. the girl's extended family has the story. >> this was a close-knit family enjoying the american dream. the father an immigrant from china celebrating thanksgiving with their family in the east bay. then, saturday, an awful, tragic scent. -- accident. >> they've been a loving family. we're still thinking of what to do, how to kind of cope with our emotion autos maggie is the niece of the 38-year-old san francisco man who was killed along with most of his family in the accident. she spoke to abc 7 news requesting her face not be shown. she told us they had thanksgiving dinner with su, his wife and their two children. 8-year-old sean and 10-year-old ellie. saturday, their uncle took the family on the day trip. >> he takes the family to lake tahoe every year to see the snow.
welcome to "today" on a tuesday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. >> and i'm matt lauer. a few years ago buying online was something of a novelty and made a lot of people nervous, including myself. now it's a way of life and huge business. >> that's right. new numbers released overnight show just that. sales up significantly over last year, and that is thanks in large part to consumers using mobile devices. shoppers spent more than $1 billion. is this the sign we've been waiting for that the economy is finally on the mend? we're going to ask a guy who just might be the best investor ever to walk this earth. how is that for an introduction. >> pretty good. >> warren buffett, glad to have you here. >> all right. an important health warning. if you've having a grapefruit or grapefruit juice for breakfast this morning, it can have serious, even fatal side effects, if you're using certain medications. dr. nancy snyderman will be here to explain that. >> a lot of medications take. like mother, like daughter. anna nicole smith's little girl is modeling for the clothing brand guess just like her mother did. we'll have more on that story. we're also going to tell you about a recent health scare for oprah winfrey. >> we want to begin with cyber monday, big success. diana alvear is live from phoenix at the amazon.com fulfillment center. good morning to you. >> reporter: lots of happy faces on the floor this morning. now that it's clear the consumers were out in full force, shopping with their laptops, their devices, turning amaz amazon.com into their top online destination. whether you were shopping from home or on the go, cyber monday seems to have been a monster success. >> we should see somewhere around $1.5 billion of spending by consumers online. >> reporter: game-changer this year, smartphones, tablets and other devices. ibm's research estimates the number of shoppers using mobile devices on cyber monday grew more than 20% over last year. that very convenience could cost brick and mortar retailers. it's called showrooming. consumers look at products they want, perhaps even test them out, all the while comparing prices in real time with their smartphones. >> before you know it they are buying online. that could be the physical retailers' worst nightmare. >> reporter: across the board online business was booming on cyber monday. at land's end they set a company record with 24,000 orders placed in just one hour. here at amazon.com, they are celebrating being the number one online destination on black friday and beyond. >> it's huge. an incredible amount of volume will come through these buildings. however, it doesn't just stop then. customers are going to continue to shop right up until christmas. >> reporter: what will change is what consumers buy. >> we do see customers switch to things like gift cards because those are available to be printed out right from the computer, or they can be sent via e-mail. >> reporter: so far, it's also been a good season for all retailers. >> we got a tv. >> reporter: holiday sales over the weekend went up 13% in a tough economic year. they hope to keep the momentum going by staggering deals and offering flash sales right up until christmas eve. >> retailers played this particular inning well, but there's still, you know, quite a bit of a game ahead. >> reporter: and, of course, this game will continue. you're looking at the very busy inbound department here at amazon.com. they will be turning product over several times a day until at least christmas eve. amazon won't have the hard numbers until december at the earliest but judging by the smiles on people's faces i think they had a pretty good day. >> diana, thank you very much. one man who has had his finger on the pulse of the economic is famed investor warren buffett, chairman and khoe of bataway and has written an op-ed, tax on the wealthy. i'd like to ask you about black friday and cyber monday. numbers robust about any standard what. is it telling you about how consume remembers feeling about the overall economy? >> consumers are feeling reasonably confident. the economy has been coming back for a year and residential housing is coming back, so they are feeling better. >> when you say they are feeling reasonably confident, what are big investors, guys like you? when you start looking forward to the economy in 2013, how confident are you? >> well, i'm confident. i can't speak for others, but i -- we buy stocks almost every day, so i -- but i'm confident about the american economy over the decades to come, and we'll have ups and downs and i can't really predict them. one thing i'm sure of is america is a winner. >> let me read you something that the ceo of honeywell said on "meet the press" on sunday and he said right now i'm not all that bullish. in fact, i'd say there's a great uncertainty that's just hanging over the entire economy because we're not confident our guys can govern anymore. there's a lot of money on the sidelines that people are willing to invest but people like me just aren't hiring now because they aren't confident that people can do it. that's a very troubling statement, isn't it? >> at berkshire hathaway we're investing $9 billion in plant and equipment if 2012. that's a record for us, 10% more than we did last year and last year was a record. so i've got great confidence in america. it's always uncertain. december 6th, 1941 was uncertainty but we didn't know it. >> if a guy like mr. cote is saying he's not hiring because the fundamentals of the economy is being wrong, but washington is wrong. that's a difficult situation to fix. >> it may, but it's manmade and can be man corrected. we've had plenty of times when people have gotten upset with congress, although i'll add mitt we're at a new time high on that. >> as we come to the fiscal cliff in the next month or so and one of the sticking point, tax rates for the wealthy, you favor a minimum tax rate for the wealthy of 30% for taxable income between $1 million and $10 million, 35% for income over that. do you see the political will in washington right now to accomplish that and come up with a compromise? >> i wouldn't be surprised if it happens. >> that deal? >> that deal could happen, sure. i mean, i think there's a generally feeling among the american public certainly and even among many in congress that the rich like me have been getting away with low tax rates, and it's time to make the tax rates more progressive. >> one of the ideas being pushed out there by the right is that if you raise taxes on the wealthy it will have a chilly effect on hiring in the country. part of the op-ed you wrote, bear with me. suppose that an investor you admire and trust comes to you with an vest deal. this is a good one, he says enthusiastically. i'm in it and i think you should be, too. your replay possibly be like this, it depends on my tax rate? if the taxes are too high, i'd rather leave the money in my savings account earning a quarter of 1%. only in grover norquist's imagination does such a response exist. why do you think republicans are clinging so tightly to that idea? >> well, i think they are worried about primaries next time, but i think you're seeing people peel away from that. i'll call you at midnight, matt and tell you i've got the greatest stock i've ever seen. you're not going to say what's the tox rate, you're going to say what's the name of it? >> bottom line, would raising taxes on the wealthiest americans have a chilling effect on hiring in the country? >> no, and i think would have a great effect on the morale of the middle class who have seen themselves playing high payroll taxes, income taxes and they watch guys like me end up paying a rate paid by the people in my office. >> mr. buffet, appreciate you being here. want to tell our viewers to stick around. you'll be back in the next half hour to chronicle a new book. always good to have you here. >> thanks, matt. >> now to savannah. >> a potential showdown in washington over the fatal attack at the u.s. consulate in libya, one that could affect who president obama nominates as his next secretary of state. nbc white house correspondent chuck todd has the latest on this story. chuck, good morning to you. >> reporter: well, the woman who could be president obama's pick to replace hillary clinton as secretary of state, u.n. ambassador susan rice. she's going to capitol hill today for some closed door meetings with republican senators, including some of her toughest critics like john mccain as she attempts to explain her comments about the benghazi terrorist attacks, a move that could also signal the president is planning to go ahead with rice's susan rice heads to capitol hill today where along with the acting cia director, she'll meet with three of her toughest republican critics to do damage control, a move that could pave the way for rice's nomination for secretary of state. at issue, rice's initial incorrect explanation of the september 11th terrorist attack in benghazi. >> this is a spontaneous reaction to a video. >> reporter: when rice's name was first floated for secretary of state, gop senators pounced. >> we will do whatever is necessary to block the nomination that's within our power as far as susan rice is concerned. >> reporter: rice, who said she was relying on preliminary intelligence reports, responded to mccain last week. >> i do think some of the statements he'd made about me have been unfounded, but i look forward to having the opportunity at the appropriate time to discuss all of this. >> reporter: late monday mccain told nbc news rice herself requested today's meeting. >> i'll be glad to have the opportunity to discuss these issues with her. >> reporter: savannah, the actual nomination to be secretary of state, it's the first of the second-term cabinet appointments we expect, and it could come as soon as late this week but probably early next week. and if susan rice is the pick, expect john kerry tapped to be defense secretary. >> chuck todd from washington, thank you. let's get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories. natalie is standing by at the news desk. natalie, good morning to you. good morning, everyone. the remains of the late palestinian leader yasser arafat have been exhumed and reburied this morning as investigators look for clues as to whether or not he was poisoned. nbc's martin fletcher is on the west bank in ramallah with more. martin, good day to you. >> reporter: hi, natalie, good morning. well, it's a grim moment here at yasser arafat's shrine in ramallah, scientists picking through the bones of the palestinians' legendary leader. specimens will then be taken to lack labs in russia, france, and switzerland to try to solve the enduring mystery of his death. was yasser arafat murdered? hidden behind the wall of blue tarpaulin investigators exhume the the body of yasser arafat this morning. he was buried in a frenzy of grief eight years ago. at rest in this shrine in ramallah ever since. revered by his people as a freedom fighter, and reviled by others as a terrorist. the last time a frail arafat was seen in public, he flew for treatment to paris. there he died in his hospital bed. cause of dead, never made public. his wife kept the medical report private, and rumors flew. he died of aids. he was murdered, poisoned. >> each one of us want to know the truth. what killed yasser arafat? we're obsessed about this. >> reporter: it was object after a report by al jazeera tv this year that the pressure grew on arafat's wife to agree to exhume her husband's body. al jazeera claimed that arafat was poisoned with radioactive polonium 210. al jazeera reported the scientist in switzerland found high levels of polonium on arafat's clothing given to him by his widow, so if he was murdered, who did it? that's obvious, palestinian officials say. israel. israel's always said that's nonsense. they had plenty of chances over the years to kill arafat when they were at war, so why poison him when they weren't fighting? scientists say it will three months to reach a verdict, and the israelis say they are sure the verdict of death and the cause of death will be established as natural causes. natalie? >> all right. martin flesch owner the west bank for us. thank you, martin. the nation's largest organic peanut butter processor has had its operations suspended by the fda. officials found salmonella all over sunland inc.'s processing plant. earlier this year 41 people across 20 states, most of them children, fell ill from the company's peanut butter which is primarily sold at trader joe's. the company had been set to reopen today. a health scare for oprah winfrey. the media mogul revealed that she thought she might have breast cancer last month. the scare turned out to be a false alarm. she shared the news at an "o" magazine news conference. and chaos in sydney, australia, this morning as construction workers were forced to flee the city's biggest crane as it caught fire towering above the university of technology there. a 65-foot crane arm came crashing down on to a nearby building. no one was seriously injured, and the crane's driver is being credited with swinging the arm away from the busy street below. that guy is a hero. it is 7:14 right now. backer of the savannah, matt, and al. scary moments there. >> no question. thanks very much. >> we're going to get some snow around here. >> that's right. >> what happened? >> well, a little laryngitis. >> oh, my goodness. a lot of laryngitis. >> okay. >> i don't think it's -- i don't think it's at all contagious. >> okay. do the weather. >> let's take you a look. >> that's good. go ahead. >> let's go to reading, pennsylvania, to show you what we've got. we've got a little light snow, wet snow falling. some of the roadways covered. that's about it. here's what we've got. a frontal system pushing its way and low pressure along it. rain to the south and colder air there's light snow developing. as the day goes on, we look for the snow to get a little bit heavier at worst, maybe 1 to 3 inches of snow stretching to the west of pennsylvania on up just to the north of new york city. we'll get to your local forecast right after this oh...santa. [ male announcer ] the charmed memories collection at kay jewelers. each charm is hand-crafted in italy, and with hundreds of charms to choose from, you can turn your special moments into charmed memories. this weekend, get this free charmed memories bracelet or a charm valued up to $45 with any charmed memories purchase of $100 or more. at kay, the number one jewelry store in america. these are for me, right? ♪ every kiss begins with kay good tuesday morning to you. this is our last mild day before heavy rain comes into the bay area starting tomorrow morning. 64 degrees in livermore, you'll hit about 63 in fremont and 64 in santa teresa. meanwhile mid-60s just about everywhere. the storm gate opens up as we head throughout the next couple days. the jetstream has taken a dip to the south so we're expecting a series of systems to impact the bay area starting tomorrow and lasting through monday. >> all right, al, thanks. if you like having grapefruit for breakfast, you probably know that it can be dangerous if you're taking certain drugs. well, now a new study finds the risk of that is even bigger than we knew. dr. nancy snyderman is nbc's chief medical editor. >> good morning, savannah. >> we've heard grapefruit can interact with different drugs. what does this study tell us? >> this study comes out of canada. we've known grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interact with medications but now there's so many more medications on the market the possible interactions have skyrocketed to the point it can make drugs more dangerous and more potent and in some cases can make them inactive, so combining the two is never smart. and the drug-drug interactions are greater in the over 50 age group. why? because they drink more grapefruit juice and the consumer is on medication. >> a long list of drugs but some are very popular like statins. >> statins, you're right, a lot of people take. cardiac drugs, something called beta blockers which slow down the heart rate and regulate the heart rate. people know if they are on them, and the third common is antibiotics. so the take home here is at least know the interactions can exist. no one is saying don't drink grapefruit juice, but certainly don't drink your medications in proximity to it. at least let it get through your stomach. >> did it give any indication of grapefruits, did you have to eat a whole plate? >> not a perfect study and you have to drink a quart or more. yes, we support the grapefruit, an extraordinary fruit. separate when you eat or drink for when you take your medications and at least give six to eight hours to get out of your stomach. that's when problems will take place. statins and people, that's a big one. >> thank you. once again, here's matt. thanks. nearly three and a half years after her death actress farrah fawcett is at the center of a new controversy, a trial is about to begin over a portrait of her by andy warhol that hangs in the home of her onetime love ryan o'neal. >> reporter: andy warhol produced two portraits and ryan says the one that belongs in his bedroom says that belongs to him but the university of texas said she left all her artwork to her alma mater, hence the upcoming trial. farrah fawcett and ryan o'neal were a couple whose on-again, off again relationship made the pages of tabloid. in 2006 it was definitely off when she talked about the reality show "chasing farrah." >> how many of these did he make of you? >> well, he probably made three. i don't know. he had two. >> reporter: her household insurance policy listed two synthetic polymer paintings by andy warhol of farrah fawcett each 40 x 40 inches, the same two she shipped earlier to the l.a. condo where she later died. the living trust never mentions o'neal and leaves all artwork to the university for its general charitable purposes. >> was the painting in her house at the time that she died, because if it was, i think the court or executor are probably going to assume that the contents of the house belong to her. >> reporter: o'neal says this warhol was given to him by the artist himself. her daughter tatum mentions it in her memoir and only gave it to fawcett for safekeeping when a new girlfriend objected to it and how did it get back in the bedroom, as shown in a reality show launched last year. he had wrongfully taken possession of it after fawcett's death. last spring o'neal talked to matt on "today" about his ex. >> she loved me. she said so. she loved me. >> reporter: but the dispute over the warhol portrait may be less about love than money. pasadena gallery owner buys and sells warhol pieces and says this one could be worth millions. >> $10 million out of the question? >> you know, it would be my guess that it would be closer to that than 30. >> $10 million is an awful lot of money. >> an awful lot of money. >> reporter: o'neal's spokesman calls the lawsuit ridiculous and that there are dozens of witnesses who will confirm his version in court. >> mike taibbi in los angeles, thanks very much. more problems for the hit sitcom "two and a half men." now one star says people shouldn't watch it anymore. that later, but first this is "today" on nbc. anna nicole smith's daughter now a guess model herself. >> that story after your local news. . . . . 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[ male announcer ] now all you need is a magic carriage. citi price rewind. buy now. save later. the time is 7:26. good morning, everybody. i'm jon kelley. meteorologist christina loren is telling us brace for the rain, people in the north bay right now preparing for the flooding with several days of rain in that forecast. in san anselmo, neighbors hoping they do not see another flood like the one back in 2008. there's a creek that runs right through the middle of town and it is known to flood big-time. we talked to one man who had a landslide on his property last year and he told us he never wants to see that again. >> it is a lovely here and every place has problems, it could be snow, it could be something else so the rain is part of it. we definitely need the rain, but you've got to prepare for it. you see a lot of people that don't clean their gutters. i'm amazed. >> the city is making sandbags and sand available free of charge so residents there can try and prepare. meteorologist christina loren has been hustling in that weather department telling us it's going to be kind of wet. >> it certainly is. you have one more dry day to clean out your storm drain and we'll see a lot of city workers doing that just today with the potential of 5 inches of rain in parts of the bay area. we do have some fog out there. livermore about half a mile visibility, same for santa rosa right now. keep that in mind. the fog will burn off the second half of the day. by mid-morning we should see partly cloudy conditions. we have a series of storm systems on the way. the first one arrives at of tomorrow morning. heavy rain and gusty winds just in time for tomorrow morning's drive. let's take a look at your drive right now with anthony slaughter. >> thank you, christina. we do have an accident in san jose. this is actually right under the bridge. 280 at 17. we can't actually see the accident but you can definitely see the backup all the way on 280. that backup is quite a ways away. also you can see lots of red in that specific location. we also have a couple of accidents in the east bay right around auto mall parkway and mowery and that is slowing things on 880 in the southbound direction. that backup goes all wait back to san lorenzo. the altamont pass still remains slow at this hour, jon. >> appreciate it, my man. brace yoselves, grab an umbrella. we'll be back with another local update in a half hour. the "today" show rolls on. twaflmen, if you watch "two and a half men", if you watch "two and a half men," please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on it and i don't want to be on it. >> i think that would fall under the category of biting the hand that feeds you. that's angus t. jones slamming his own show. so what's going on? we'll have more on that coming up in just a couple of minutes. 7:30 on tuesday morning, november 27th, 2012. i'm matt lauer alongside savannah guthrie. coming up, warren buffett, the third richest man in america worth $46 billion shares the secret to success. we'll take a look at a new book and all the things written about him in the past several years. >> we know he's good at making money. there's another way to get rich, powerball that now stands at $425 million. is there anything can you do, any strategy to snatch that winning ticket? coming up, one multiple time lottery winner explains how he believes you can in fact boost your odds. also ahead. anna nicole smith's daughter back in the spotlight in a new modeling campaign just like her mom. >> and it's tuesday which means, of course, the professionals are here. this morning we'll get their take on the black friday frenzy which stretched into thursday and monday. >> exactly right. stretched right out. >> let's begin with yet another controversy surrounding the hit sitcom "two and a half men." this time it's not charlie sheen but the show's youngest stars raising eyebrows. telling his fans the show is no good. nbc's kristen dahlgren is at "two and a half men," the set for that show. good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, good morning, matt. that interview took place right here on the warner brothers lot inside angus t. jones' trailer. it's likely the studio didn't know what he was going to be saying. you would expect the star to encourage people to watch his work. instead he told fans to stay away. it's the show that made angus t. jones famous. on "two and a half men" jones plays likable lost cause teenager jake harper. >> can i go to vegas? >> no. >> reporter: and has almost half his life. america watched him grow up in the role and now on youtube, another side of jones. one encouraging viewers to stop watching the show. >> please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on it and i don't want to be it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. >> reporter: the video was posted by forerunner. jones was baptized as a seventh day adventist this year, and in the clip the 19-year-old talks about finding god. >> you cannot be a true god fearing person and be on a television show like that. i know i can't. i can -- i'm not okay with what i'm learning what the bible says and being on that television show. >> reporter: jones reportedly makes $350,000 an episode, a sum that made him the highest paid child actor on tv for starring alongside ashton kutcher and john crier. warner brothers who produced the show had no comment. >> if there was language in his contract requiring him to refrain from disparaging the show, they could sue him or they could say, hey, we're ending your contract and not paying you. there's no chance that that would ever happen. warner brothers is in business to keep this show on the air. >> reporter: of course, "two and a half men" is no stranger to controversy. who could forget charlie sheen's epic split with the show? >> we can get all the answers and the truth. wow, winning. >> reporter: after sheen's rants against "two and a half men" and its producers got him fired, ashton kutcher took over, a move that had fans tuning in to watch the fallout, which could be exactly what happens this time. >> it put "two and a half men" in everybody's heads, and they were more likely to tune in, so i think if there's any impact on the show, it's going to be in the opposite from what angus t. jones suggested. i think more people might watch. >> reporter: now we reached out to reps for jones and didn't hear anything back. the big question, of course, becomes will he quit the show? he may not have to. "two and a half men" may actually be in its final season so perhaps he'll collect a few more paychecks before it's over. >> all right. kristen dahlgren, thanks very much. here's savannah. >> thanks and now to the powerball lottery. the chances of winning about as good as having a ufo land in the front yard but people from coast to coast are going wild because it's a $425 million jackpot. mara schiavocampo has more on the story. mara, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. those odds aren't deterring people much. this $2 ticket is what everyone is after. more than 350 million powerball tickets have been sold since this pool started growing. it's now reached almost half a billion dollars and may continue to soar before someone finally hits the jackpot. from atlanta. >> i'm the luckiest guy alive. why not. >> reporter: to new jersey. >> a little bit of money for a lot of possibility. >> reporter: to new york. >> when it's over 100 million, that's a nice ticket. >> reporter: all across the country a surge of energy over powerball and its record jackpot of about $425 million. >> i hope i'm the winner. >> reporter: current pool has been growing for more than seven weeks, getting bigger and bigger each time no one wins as the jackpot soars, so does the excitement. >> house boat, yacht, mansion. >> reporter: and the prospect of a $278 million cash payout, powerball's biggest ever. >> eight's been a good number lately so i try to include that in everything. >> i think about numbers. as i'm thinking the numbers, they just pop in. >> it's my husband and i, and we play our birthdays and our anniversary date. >> reporter: this year powerball kicked the game into high gear making changes that raise the odds of winning and the minimum jackpot to $40 million. >> mega millions is breaking records. >> reporter: 2012 may be the year of big payouts. in march three megamillions players won a record $656 million, more than half a billion. >> she giggled for about four house, i think. >> reporter: the powerball drawing is wednesday night. while many are counting on sheer luck, some say you can play to win. >> the one thing that i tell people is don't play quick picks. >> reporter: florida player richard lustig says he's won the lottery seven times, pocketing millions in prize money. >> it doesn't matter how you pick your numbers. what matters is what you do with that set of numbers after you've chosen it. i teach people how to research that set of numbers to find out if it's a good set of numbers, and if it is, you play it, and you play it all the time. >> for this drawing lustig has bought several powerball tickets of his own, one of many hoping to hit the jackpot. tickets will continue to be sold until about an hour before tomorrow night's drawing, and if nobody wins tomorrow night, that jackpot will keep growing, and it's likely to top half a billion dollars. savannah. >> mara schiavocampo in midtown manhattan, thank you. now a check of the weather with al. >> thanks, savannah. big changes coming out to the west. you can see all the storms that are stacked up out there and that's going to be bringing in a lot of wet weather over the next 72 hours. as you look ahead you can see the rain making its way from northern california all the way up into the pacific northwest. inland we're looking at mountain snow. these are rainfall amounts. anywhere from 6 to 10 inches of rain over the next 72 hours, just north of san francisco, into coastal oregon, so it is going to be wet. we're probably going to see some flooding before this is all out. that's what's going on around 7:38. good morning to you. we've got quite a bit of low cloud cover but we're looking good right at the immediate surface. you can actually see the roadway over most of the bay area this morning. our temperatures are going to be comfortable today but i really want to spend some time on your seven-day outlook and show you what's to come. this is your last dry day before the heavy rain arrives wednesday into thursday. we're going to get periods of rain. thursday the wind continues, getting pockets of rain in the north bay and the heaviest rain arrives on friday. >> and that's your latest weather. savannah had. >> all right, al. thanks. coming up next, more with legendary investor warren buffett. can you learn how to make money just like he does? and later going down. what might be the funniest and meanest elevator prank ever, but first these messages. job. tell me we'll always be together. ♪ tell me i've still got it. that our traditions matter. tell me you love me for who i am. that you can't wait to be home. tell me you're glad i've joined your family. even if i can't be there this year. just tell me. 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[ male announcer ] get the season's hottest brands, like an lg 55-inch led tv. make an electronics purchase of $429 or more on your walmart credit card and get no interest if paid in full within 18 months. america's gift headquarters. walmart. back at 7:42. in 1966, if you spent about $220 to buy ten shares of stock in my next guest's company it would be worth more than $1.3 million today. warren buffett, the chairman and chief executive officer of berkshire hathaway is the subject of a new book called "tap dancing to work," warren buffett on practically everything. carol lummis has covered warren buffett for "fortune" magazine for decades. welcome back, mr. buffet. you went back and looked at 80 or more articles written on this guy. you've known him for years and years. did you learn something looking back? >> you know, i did because i saw a great arc of his business life. the book is basically a business biography, and i just learned -- i think maybe the most important thing i learned is how consistent he's been in his thinking. he's never changed. >> i didn't put this to any kind of a computer test. i haven't fed this in to get the numbers. you know the word that i think probably comes up more than any other to describe his style of investing rational. >> rational. >> is that the key to his success? >> it absolutely, is and it's the un-key to most people's success. they just can't do it. they get very emotional about investing. >> people have used the word rational to describe me, too, but not in glowing terms. you know what i often think they mean. i think they mean boring. >> in my case they do, i don't know about you, matt. >> is perhaps part of your genius you have a somewhat boring approach to investing? >> i couldn't be more boring. >> is that the key? >> it's true. i look at the facts and wherever the facts lead me, i go. >> the crux of it is this, carol. he says you go out and find undervalued companies so their stocks can only go up. make sure they don't have a lot of debt and they have good managers in place and then you jump on those companies. people out there are saying, duh, why don't i think about that, but why does he find them where other people miss them? >> well, he says that it's simple but not easy, and that's why other people i don't think can do it. but he also thinks about business 24/7, and most people aren't doing that. he is -- he brings a frame of reference to any business subject that comes up and there's no one better. >> he looks kind of dapper today, all right? but i've seen him on the golf course, all right, and there's somewhat of a sight guide because if warren buffett walked into a restaurant and you didn't know who he was, the third wealthiest man in the world, you would not realize it. >> especially when it came to the tip. >> is that part of the magic perhaps, that he catches people off guard? >> i think it's less so today because you walk down the street with him today, he's likely to be recognized by lots of people, but he does catch them off guard because he, first of all, he's very nice. he's so funny, and -- and people the are -- just don't see this complex guy. >> it hasn't all been roses for you. you took a beating like a lot of people back in 2008 and 2009. 2008 on paper was your worst year. >> probably. >> what did you learn from it? >> i learned i can get a chance to buy stocks a lot cheaper and i like that. if i buy hamburgers today and the price goes down today, i like it better tomorrow. >> you see the opportunity always for the next year. >> always, always. >> this book seems like a little bit of a gift, a little bit of a good-bye letter to a long friend, and i don't mean it that way. you've known each other for a long time, doing this for a long time, battled health reasons, talked about leaving, you've chosen a successor but not named him. what's it going to mean to the world of investing when he hangs up his investing shoes? >> 20 years from now when maybe that's the case. >> you think he's going to go that long? >> maybe i should say 25. at any rate, he will be remembered -- his -- his role in life will be remembered into the next century. i don't have any idea about that. i don't know for sure whether it's going to be philanthropy or investing that's the lead item but people will be reading about warren buffett 100 years from now. >> do you have a date in mind? seriously, do you? >> methuselah made it to 999. >> great to have you. >> pleasure to have both of you hear. >> the book is called "tap dancing to work." and we're back right after this. nature's true celebrities aren't always the most obvious. it's more than being glamorous, or tall. it's not all about who sparkles the most. or who is the best dressed. what nature really cares about is what you have to offer. like the stevia plant. small and humble with a surprising secret to share... sweetness. truvia sweetener. zero-calorie sweetness, born from the stevia leaf. from nature, for sweetness. try this... bayer? 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[ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough. get to holiday fun faster introducing nook hd - the world's best 7" tablet made for reading and entertainment. your favorite magazines and catalogs look better than ever. and with scrapbooking, you can save the things you love, bring them all together, and be inspired like never before. scrapbooking. create yours with nook hd - and even bigger with hd+. find yours at barnes & noble. well, the daughter of the late model anna nicole smith has been kept out of the spotlight since the very public custody and paternity battle over here but now that's changing. natalie is here with that story. >> dannielynn burkhead is a beautiful girl so it's no surprise she is now a model for the very same clothing line that helped make her mother famous. it's a high-profile commercial debut for a 6-year-old girl. dannielynn burkhead frolics in this black-and-white ad for the clothing guess. her mother modelled herself for the guess brand. >> i hate to tell you, but i told you so. >> her father larry birkhead has recently kept her out of the public eye but recently invited us into their kentucky hem. >> people like to take pictures and do things so it's kind of like you have to build your own little fortress. >> he offered glimpses into the life of the first grader who shares his mother's striking looks and playful personality. >> people say oh, is she going to shine, and really in all honesty, she's the biggest dramatic toddler i've ever seen in my life. falls down on cue and goes into all big dramatic things but she knows who is friend and foe and once she gets to know you she's like most other kid. >> but most kid hasn't been under the public eye her entire life. dannielynn was five months old when her mother died of a prescription drug overdose in 2007. >> she knows her mom's image and can recognize her but i don't let her see anything that's over the top. she will see, you know, dad, what happened to mom. mom is in heaven, the doctors couldn't fix her and, you know, one day you'll get to see her again and that's kind of how we leave it right now, and i don't really go beyond that because i really don't know what to say to her. that's good for now. you see pictures around and see things of her mom, and sometimes i don't know if that's too much. i try to keep her mom's memory alive for her. >> birkhead says the ad campaign is a one-time tribute to smith and all proceeds will be set aside for dannielynn. by the way, the ad campaign with dannielynn is scheduled to appear on buses and billboards starting in mid-january and larry birkhead says the primary focus is on dannielynn's education. >> our focus is on al's health. his voice is nearly gone. >> a little shaky. >> do you know where we can go? >> go to the bull pen. >> who better than scarlett johnasson. >> do you have any experience? >> i have a lot of experience with weather, yes. i would say this is my dream come true doing the weather with al roker. come true doing the weather with al roker. >> no, no[ horn honks ] [ gps ] hello dave. oh, not again. [ gps ] dave, do you know where your wife went last week? she went to jared to look at tag heuer link lady watches. i'm not going to the cleaners anymore, am i? [ gps ] no dave, you're not. [ wheels screech ] right turn. [ engine revs ] [ male announcer ] jared has an incredible selection of tag heuer swiss timepieces -- including the new ultra feminine link lady collection. how did you know? who knows you like i do? [ horn honks ] [ male announcer ] that's why he went to jared, the galleria of jewelry. so all of you do. yes, for sure. now what's better? being able to shoot two lasers out of both of your eyes at the same time or just one laser out of one eye? [ all kids ] two! [ moderator ] okay, why? if it's just one beam -- okay, it does a little bit of damage. two beams -- it will make something explode! and that's more fun? yeah! and it's more powerful you're saying? yeah! 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[ male announcer ] the united mileageplus explorer card. the mileage card with special perks on united. get it and you're in. it is 7:56. good morning, everybody. i'm jon kelley. milpitas police on this hour on the lookout for a gunman who allegedly fired at an officer early today. police say the officer tried to pull over that suspect on jacklin road near arizona avenue. police say the suspect got out of the car and started shooting. the officer returned fire but the suspect was able to get back in his car and drove off. police at this time do not know if the suspect was actually hit during the shootout. we can tell you the officer was not injured. now, as far as your weather forecast, this morning christina loren has been using expressions like rain boots and arc. i'll let her tell you the rest. good morning. >> good morning to you, jon. yeah, we've got a lot of rain headed our way. let's look at the positives, you don't have to wash your car, turn your sprinklers off a few days of the starting with a foggy look over san francisco. you have one more dry day before the heavy rain arrives. 64 in santa teresa and 63 in san francisco so let's talk about that rain. we stop the clock on your futurecast at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. it is going to get very active for your morning commute tomorrow and then the showers continue all the way through this weekend. potentially all the way through the first part of monday. make sure you've got that umbrella ready to go. let's take a look at your drive, it's rush hour. good morning, anthony. >> we do have an accident to report. in fact there was a person trapped in a vehicle in a location in san jose. on 280 under 17. you can see the accident is right under the bridge but the backup continues at least a quarter of a mile in that specific location, again in san jose. also in the east bay we're looking at a couple of accidents on 880, one . >> thank you very much. once again as christina mentioned, if you're planning on washing your car, don not bothe. lots of rain on the way. the "today" show rolls on. 8:00 now on this tuesday morning, november 27th, 2012, and we are already getting a bit of weather, shall we say, here at 30 rockefeller plaza, but folks here are happy to be here smiling through the rain which we think may turn to snow, but al roker is feeling under the weather this morning. unfortunately, he has la laryngitis. >> but we have scarlett johnasson here. >> i'm going to read the weather now. >> did you realize since you've been here his voice has gotten worse and worse. >> now just like whispers. >> milking is. >> the crew is really excited about this. >> wonders if you have any nursing experience after the weather? >> i think that's a loaded question. i'll take a pass on that. >> also ahead, the professionals are in the studio. they will weigh in on everything from all the craziness surrounding black friday to medical marijuana for a 7-year-old. even that little intimate where justin bieber met the prime minister of canada wearing overalls. they will be talking about that. >> all right. when she's done with the weather scarlet will talk about the fabulous new movie "hitchcock" already getting a ton of buzz. we'll catch up with her about that. >> and later dr. phil be here. >> wonder if he has any experience in laryngitis. he'll explain how to get negative people who said it's fortunate you've got laryngitis. >> did you get your flu shot? >> i don't believe in flu shots. >> get a surgical mask. >> let's get the day's top stories. >> good morning, everyone. the economy got a boost from record cyber monday holiday shopping. early figures show sales were up more than 28% compared to cyber monday last year. that would make it the biggest online shopping days ever. sales from mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones rose 10%. the woman who could be president obama's choice for the next secretary of state is meeting with key lawmakers today on capitol hill. u.n. ambassador susan rice will try to explain her initial incorrect comments about the deadly september attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi, libya. rice will be accompanied by the acting cia director as she meets with her toughest republican critics, including arizona senator john mccain. now let's head to wall street and cnbc's mary thompson at the new york stock exchange for us. mary, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, natalie. investors likely to applaud the latest lifeline for greece. finance ministers helping the country avoid bankruptcy. still that deal could be delayed by governments who are just tired of coming to greece's rescue and president obama meets with small business owners as part of a week long effort to drum up support for his plan to help the country avoid the fiscal cliff. back to you. >> mary thompson at the new york stock exchange, thank you. actress halle berry's ex-boyfriend was granted a restraining order following a thanksgiving day fight. some of the pictures you're about to see is quite graphic. he suffered cuts and bruises and a broken rib at the hands of martinez but it was aubrey who was arrested and released on bail. the restraining order requires martinez to stay 100 yards away from aubrey until a hearing next month. the two have been locked in a custody fight over their 4-year-old daughter. now for a look at what's trending today. our quick roundup of what has you talking online. a chicago woman is winning internet sympathy over a bad romance that turned into a parking ticket nightmare. jennifer fitzgerald says her ex left the car registered in her name in an airport parking lot for three years, and it racked up more than 600 tickets leaving jennifer with a $100,000 tabitha she is now fighting in court. well, her new job as editor at large "southern living" magazine made jenna bush hager a top search on bing last night. she calls herself a homesick texan living in new york and this prank scared up 2 million his. the lights would go out and a ghostly girl would sneak in through a hidden panel. well, just as frightening, the lights would go out again and the ghostly girl would vanish through the trap door as quickly as she had appeared. that would scare the living daylights out of me. it's 8:05. let's go back outside to matt, savannah, al and scarlett. >> al has laryngitis and scarlett johnasson fulfilling a lifelong dream of doing the weather. let's look at the radar right now. showers in the northeast and snow developing in the northeast. expect thunderstorms from new orleans to atlanta. heavy rain developing in the northwest. 3208 inches of rain. look for 1 to 3 inches of snow from western pennsylvania to southern new england, and that's your latest weather report. here's what's happening i . thank you. nice job there. good morning to you. taking a live look over san jose. the clouds will continue to increase. as we head throughout the day, we have three storm systems on the way. 64 degrees in livermore. 64 in gilroy. 63 in san francisco. the rain arrives tomorrow morning. heavy rain and gusty winds continue through friday. we will lighten up a bit over the weekend, but still staying wet through monday. local weather. matt. take it away. >> you said that with such aplomb and flare. >> i even like it when you did the gesture towards pennsylvania. >> thank you very much. >> we're getting news now from the control room. our director now has laryngitis and they would like you to head down there. thank you. >> it's very contagious. >> when we come back, the pros are in the studio and they will talk about everything including medical marijuana for a 7-year-old. but first these messages. while managing their schedule with my producing partner. i set up kid's corner so they can learn and play games without deleting my stuff. 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[ male announcer ] priority mail flat rate boxes. online pricing starts at $5.15. only from the postal service. back now at 8:10 with requested toys's professionals" where our power players take on the hot issues of the day. star jones, donny deutsch and nancy snyderman who need no introduction. >> holidays and merry christmas, shopping hon thanksgiving and black friday. so many instances of people, you know, creating mobs outside the store. one where a guy left a kid in the car while he shopped all night. we asked the question as charlie brown did so long ago, isn't there anyone who knows what christmas is really all about? has this just gone craze? >> the fact that you said christmas is the hot button item because people say happy holidays. >> that's a whole other story. >> i didn't like the fact that stores were opening on thanksgiving which is one of those great american holidays where there are no presents, there is no religion and you really get to give thanks. that's when i think we jump the shark. >> you know, i was one of those that actually shopped online. did i all of the black friday shopping, bought myself a tv online for $280, it was a good deal, i'm telling you the truth, but i also did small business saturday, and that was my feel good time of the thanksgiving holiday. >> i guess the larger question is have we made the holidays too much about consumerism recognizing this is very important for our economy. it's not what we make it. it's very important, advertising and marketing and brands get blamed for ore commercializing everything. we're filling demand. it's like we don't create people who want to use deodorant. they want to use it and obviously people have the need and want to shop and want those deals and i think also parents have the ability at home to distinguish between teach their children when christmas and hannukah is versus great shopping and wonderfulness. it's reality. everything is commercialized in the world. >> it's interesting. steve jobs said why would i wait for a focus group to tell me what people want that don't even know what they want until i give it to them and that's what's happened to the holidays. >> people wanting to shop at 5:00 a.m. on thanksgiving they wouldn't be there. >> but it got created and then the frenzy started. >> i want to get to our next topic, medical marijuana and kids. a 7-year-old being treated for an aggressive form of leukemia. she has been given by her doctor medical marijuana and takes it in bill former single day. this goes to our doctor, whether you think it's advisable for kids to be taking marijuana for medical purposes. >> i have no problem with a child dying africanser getting some relief from nausea, vomiting. >> 75% of surviving. >> and therein lies the rub. one of the parents said that she credited the marijuana with saving her daughter's life and being part of the cure. there is no evidence for that. so i think, you know, sort of the -- the blank statement, is it okay for 7-year-olds? you have to break this down case by case by case. >> and aren't there other medications that can be used to alleviate the nausea? >> nothing works as well. oregon law approved requires no monitoring of a child's medical monitor use by a pediatrician. >> that's dumb. >> god forbid any of my children were sick and there could be anything that could alleviate their pain or discomfort, i would do it. no blink of an eye. >> and then you have the problem that these parents are divorced, and if one parent in that -- that parental family, if you will, decides that they don't want their child to take certain medication, then that brings in another legal rub which is what you have. >> and the dad in this case said i'm worried about what it will do to my child's brain and that's a very responsible way. >> when he saw his little girl she was stoned. >> when you're on morphine you're stoned. we're probably not competent, the three of us have never tried pot, so we're probably not -- >> not even touching that one with a ten foot pole. >> i definitely can't. go ahead. >> next topic, denied boarding death of a woman. a woman visiting overseas from hungary. tried to get back on three different flights, 425 pound, obese. had one leg that was amputated so she needed a wheelchair. three different airlines on three different occasions were not able to board her. it's not that they denied her. were not able to get her on the plane, according to the airline. she died. she apparently did not want to seek treatment in europe, and she died of whatever was ailing her. i guess the question is what is the airline's obligation in that situation? >> at some point we have to determine whether or not obesity is now considered a disability. >> well, it is covered. >> it's covered, eeoc has been pushing for full coverage. however, you know, in preparation for this topic, i went online to a pilot forum to read what pilots were saying. >> you study for this stuff. >> this is what i was taught. what's interesting about what happens in a safety situation for everybody else on plane if the woman could not board the plane safely, then that means she couldn't get off in an emergency safely. >> right. >> and that's an issue that we're going to have to determine when it comes to air transportation. there's not an air ambulance. >> i don't understand how she got there. went there for vacation so went conceivably on an airline. did she get fatter or sicker? they made it sound like delta, they couldn't even get her in the wheelchair so something happened. >> each airline has absolutely different equipment, and they have different rules. >> right. >> some airlines say that you have to be able to sit comfortably in one seat. >> the pilot does have the legal right to say that this is my ship. >> last topic, all casual, all the time. did you see the pictures of justin bieber who we adore around here wearing his overalls to meet the prime minister stephen harper of canada. he was receiving an award, quite a prestigious award, wearing his overalls, one down and had his hat behind him. justin said in his defense, behind the scenes of a show and he was about to go on stage. what say we people? >> if that's the case -- if literally the guy showed up and he's on stage, look, if he was my kid, obviously he'd be dressed differently because i'm so serious, but i think we have to -- us elders have to start to understand -- >> i can't believe you're going to say this. >> the same thing with zuckerberg. it's a different world now, guys. >> no, it's not. he's the head of state. >> he was performing. >> no, no, no! >> are you craze? >> i'm not crazy at all. >> he's supposed to be going on stage immediately following. >> by the way. >> that's what he's supposed to be wearing. >> apparently the canadian equivalent of a kennedy center honor. >> going on stage. >> not in five minutes. had plenty of time to meet a head of stage. >> my family has bieber fever. >> i'm going to dial an expert. she's done the weather and scarlett johnasson, what say you? >> the look is rad, a good look. the '90s are back, and he's rocking it in the right way. >> run, run. >> matt lauer has laryngitis and i'll be conducting the interview. hi, how are you? >> good, how are you? >> dony is such a slut. >> more after this. research hospital created a special brain tumor treatment just for arianna. our bold, new procedure is helping to extend her life... and give her family hope. look what i made. beautiful... hug your child tonight... give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. and give to those who are not. go to st. jude dot org or shop where ever you see the st. jude logo. hi, i just switched jobs, and i want to roll over my old 401(k) into a fidelity ira. man: okay, no problem. it's easy to get started; i can help you with the paperwork. um...this green line just appeared on my floor. yeah, that's fidelity helping you reach your financial goals. could you hold on a second? it's your money. roll over your old 401(k) into a fidelity ira and take control of your personal economy. this is going to be helpful. call or come in today. fidelity investments. turn here. well, inside the brewer, there's a giant staircase. and the room is filled with all these different kinds of coffee. actually, i just press this button. brew what you love, simply. keurig. what are you lookin' at? 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[ male announcer ] snickers satisfies. she is one of hollywood's hottest stars and now scarlett johnasson is starring in the movie "hitchcock" about the making of the classic movie "psycho." and she plays actress janet league. >> i'm curious to know how are you going to shoot the shower scene? well, it's only from here up. i'm not exactly boyish. >> i'll be doing short bits from various angles and cut together the montage which suggests nudity, suggests violence. nothing will actually be shown, but, of course, having you in the shower will make it all that more, well, titillating. >> scarlett, welcome back. good to see you. >> good to see you. >> helen mirren is there is there some sort of a surcharge added to the price when you have scarlett johnasson, a dame and a sir in the same movie? >> i don't know, but i better be cutting a cut of it. >> how do you address them on set? do you have to call them sir and dame? >> no, i just, you know, i call them. they are incredibly casual. it's tony, of course, tony is very casual with his panama hat on set and helen, you know, we just -- just call her hey you. she loves that. >> just comes to anything. >> hey you. >> this is a movie that's all about hitchcock. you're a young lady. you just turned what, 28. >> yes. >> he died a long time ago. were you very aware of his work? is that kind of a rite-of-passage for any actor or actress? >> you know, i was raised on hitchcock films. my mother is a huge film buff and i saw hitchcock, "psycho," probably when i was too young, like 7 or 12k3w4r8 ye. >> me, too. >> too young. and when the chair was spun around at the end it petrified me. >> when it came time to shooting that, when it came time to shoot that for the movie, what came to your mind? >> you break it down into each piece, each shot, you know, kind of what -- what hitch had edited in, and then, you know, you kind of make it your own. you sort of wing it, and -- >> do you have that music in your mind the whole time? >> no. i think when you have tony hopkins there stabbing at you with a completely frenzied psychotic look on your face you don't need that kind of mood. sort of puts you right there. >> all the motivation you need. >> seeing hannibal lecter from also way too young was enough to, you know, give me that kind of naturalistic feel, you know. >> i know you didn't want to do an impersonation of janet leigh but you did talk to her daughter about it. what did you want to learn? >> i think more than anything it must be strange to have somebody play your mother and especially someone as beloved and celebrated as janet, and -- and i just wanted to reach out and -- and jamie was lovely. she sent beautiful photographs and gave me some wonderful stories. >> she said something really nice. at the end when she watched, it she thought you captured her mom's sweetness. >> which is really as an actor is the most -- it's the most rewarding thing you could hear. such a wonderful communication that we -- that i was fortunate enough to be able to have and, of course, janet first and foremost was a loving, loving mother, and -- and wife, and she, you know, reiterated that. >> speaking of sweetness, you get a sweet new tattoo recently. i saw that you showed to a host of another show before here. i'm not going to ask to see it. that's not the new one. >> that's an old one. >> that's another one. >> how many pieces of ink do you have? >> i've lost count. >> more than ten? >> oh, come on. there it is. my gosh this photograph will circulate for the rest all time. >> when you stand on a street and show it like that, chances are it's going to show up somewhere. >> some photographs, as i'm sure you might know yourself, were meant for personal consumption, not for the public. >> what does it say? >> it says lucky you. that says lucky you. >> you turned 28 on thanksgiving, what did you do for the day? >> stuffed my face like everybody else and i had cake and, you know, everybody drank. we were all merry. i was with my grandmother. this is her 90th birthday this year, so we were really excited to have her. >> happy >> and great luck with "hitchcock." thank you very much. >> and we're back after your local news. . . . . good tuesday morning to you. 8:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. the police standoff on treasure island is now over. police were trying to stop a car they say was driving through red lights near bush and mason streets in san francisco. the suspect fired at officers before speeding off to treasure island. police cornered him. during the standoff, police shutoff access to the island. let's check the morning commute. anthony is in for mike. >> we are looking congested. a bit of congestion in the south bay. an accident at 280 and 17 that is being cleared away. this is a live look at 880 and fremont. a slow go there. southbound direction is the heaviest with congestion. this is an accident that has just been reported right around tennison on 880. altamont pass is heading to clear. it looks like you are good to go there. all right. picking up out there. thank you. we'll have another local news update in a half hour. in the meantime, have a great tuesday morning. oh, you have a keurig vue brewer? oh, it's great! now i can brew my coffee just the way i love it. how do you do that? well, inside the brewer, there's this train that's powerful enough to carry more coffee and fresh water to make coffee that's stronger and bigger... and even hotter! actually, i just press this button. brew the coffee you love -- stronger, bigger, or hotter -- with the keurig vue. we're back now. 8:30 on a tuesday morning. it is the 27th day of november, 2012. and you can see it's raining here in new york city, and if you look down at our plaza, got some nice people there. that is the current "american idol" champ serving as our holiday elf this morning in our 19th annual holiday toy drive, and by the way, these people are being awfully generous, if you can't come down in person, you can donate online. go to today.com and find out all the details about that, and i should tell you, as i say that i'm matt lauer along with savannah, almost said scarlett johnasson. >> you wish. >> natalie morales and al roker. scarlett johnasson did the weather because al has a serious case of laryngitis. >> can you have laryngitis the day after and the day after. >> oh, that's terrible. >> and so philip phillips is going to take on the weather chores in this half hour. >> yes. >> all right. >> now, meantime, coming up, we'll talk about the holidays and we love to talk about great things for the holidays but sometimes you have to talk about the grinches in your lives. how to watch out for the backstabbers, abusers, imposters and takers and sometimes you really see those people pop up during the holidays. >> and if you want to save some money at the supermarket, then you're in luck because the original coupon queen is here to share her secrets, including whether generics are really cheaper than the name brands. >> all right. now we'll head into the kitchen in a little while and get some lovely comfort food, perfect for a day like this. >> we all agreed scarlett johnasson was a perfect ten doing the weather the last half hour. no pressure. first of all, nice to see you. >> good morning. >> you ready. >> i will try to. >> let her rip. >> look for rain and thunderstorms in the southeast. expect 1 to 3 inches of snow from southwestern pennsylvania to southern new england. flood watches for the pac floodif watches in northern california. 3 to 8 inches of rain by thursday. in the southwest. i did it. >> it's a little easier to read. well, thank you, phillip phillips. the time just turned 8:33. this is a live picture over high atop san bruno mountain. highs today on the cool side. 65 in livermore. 64 in santa teresa. as we head throughout tomorrow morning, heavy rain arrives and gusty winds. thank you very much. why don't you stick around and we talk to you for a second. we mentioned you're the current american idol champ. you just released an album. it's great to have you here. you're so closely associated. are you happy to be promoting your own music? >> i'm really excited for it. i got to do a lot of writing. it really represents me. i'm really proud of that. people seem to be enjoying it so far. so that's a good thing. it's always good to hear that. >> sit down with great musicians and be so supportive. was that a fun process for you? >> it was. some of the few people i wrote with, they wanted me to make songs too. so they wanted me to write the songs for me. i really appreciated that. . i had a great producer. everything just kind of happened at the right time. >> meanwhile, your single "home" just went certified double platinum which is a huge accomplishment for your first big single. >> it's insane. i always get nervous even people are like have you seen it? i don't want to know. i get too nervous. i'm glad it it can help people out. so i just did help with the choir in staten island. >> such a great cause. if al could speak, he would say thank you for being a part of our holiday toy drive and the best of luck with the world of the side of the moon. >> we'll have you sing the forecast next time. >> you're here to sing later on. >> much more ahead on a tuesday morning. first this is "today" on nbc. ♪ [ female announcer ] nature exists on the grandest scale... ♪ ...and in the tiniest details. ♪ and sometimes both. nature valley granola thins pack the big taste of granola and dark chocolate into one perfect square, under 100 calories. nature valley granola thins. nature at its most delicious. this morning on consumer, the original coupon queen susan sam says you can use them to save big. she has been doing it for decades. good morning to you. >> good morning to you. >> you and i make quite the pair this morning. >> and i'm in heels. >> me too. we'll get through it together. we first met you back in 1978. we have the footage to prove it. you have on "the today show" talking about couponing. what has changed since then? >> the most major thing that has changed is in 34 years since i was on, there's been an explosion in couponing. probably as a result of that original show and the footage you're going to show. the other thing is the internet wasn't even in existence at that time. we had a small underground of network that exchanged everything through the mail. the typical coupon on it today had a bar code. there was no such thing back then. not on the coupons or products. i gave the checker my coupons and she added them up on a brown paper bag. >> just so folks know, couponing is still very in. >> when i began in 1972, there were 23 million coupons. now there will be 311 billion coupons issued. >> proving you are the coupon queen. you used to take your little ones to the store and they wanted to buy something, you had a phrase they would always hear. >> they helped me cut out the coupons at the kitchen table. that was one thing. when we e got to the super market, they would want different products and my answer w was, i'm sorry, i don't have a coupon for it. end of discussion. >> your son and granddaughter is here. look what's in her hand. a coupon. >> we have a couponer in training wagon for her. >> we love chatting with her. you're going to debunk some myths. a $1 coupon is always more valuable than a 75 cent coupon. not so. why? >> the item is on sale. but my store doubles that 75 cent coupon to $1.50. so i'm actually just going to pay $1.82. i'm getting them for that using the sale and using my 75 cent coupon doubled. that's the first myth. 75 cents in this case is worth $1.50. in this case only $1. >> so you have to read the fine print. >> that doesn't mean you have to buy three. so always keep in mind when you see 3 for $5, it's your discretion. >> sometimes they require you buy multiple. >> that's why i have the two cookies over here. >> our next myth is that the generic brand is always cheaper than the national brand. i was a believer in this. >> if you never looked at a coupon or sale, you might be right. i went into the store $3.79. but i went become to the flier and they have the same brand of the same cereal for $1.l 88. my final cost was 88 cents. again, $3.79, which was the generic brand. so that myth is definitely not true. >> your third myth is a lot of one people believe. you can't get fresh food with coupons. >> people say i have never seen it on fresh dai or produce. but manufacturers are branding every single thing in the store. you'll see it on fresh fruits and eggs. so when it's on sale, the normal price of these eggs is $3.49 each. it tells me i have a limit of two. each one of these coupons is doubled. my final cost for each dozen eggs is 49 cents instead of $3.49. >> we bow down. 98 cents from $6.98. >> you're getting a good name brand. manufacturers have come to learn that people are not looking just for process eed items but fresh stuff. >> finally, if something looks too good to be true it probably is. >> i'm going to debunk that in this case. with this pickles. two pickles. if you see them on the shelf you may not be paying attention to the fact this one has something on it. but i paid attention because i knew it was on sale for $1.99. but when i looked at the pickles, this one had $1 off of two jars giving me the two jars for $3 instead of one jar for $3.49. >> you amaze me. susan santer, you are still at it and you're just great. thank you so much. i think we make an adorable couple. how tall are you? >> one thing that will never change i was 4'9" when i was first here and i'm still 4'9". >> it's great to have you. you can catch susan on extreme couponing tonight. next dr. phil and how to keep negative people out of your hair. first, this is "today" on nbc. the holidays are here and while it's the season of cheer and good will, dr. phil wants you to be on the lookout for negative people in your lives. it's part of his new book "life code." dr. phil, welcome back. it's good to see you as always. >> glad to be here. >> you talk about baiters. >> i'm just saying there are people in life that we would rather not meet or have them in our space. that's an acronym. back stabbers, abusers, imposters, takers, exploiters, reckless. reckless with your life and theirs. you have worked with them. and some are in your own family. the problem is, and my dad used to say the holidays are when people who don't know each other get together in too small a space for too long a time and make each other miserable. that's because our family sometimes was dysfunctional. but the truth is you do get together sometimes with people you're kind of thrown in with that you'd rather not because they thrive on drama. >> when you talk about baiters and negative people, if it's a friend or an associate, maybe you can reduce the time with them. not so much with family. >> one of the things i talk about in "life code", there are things we have to do in the real world if we want to win. and one of them is knowing when to pick your battles and at the holidays, look, that's a time you can choose. i'm not going to join issue. you have drama and want to talk about this issue, how i treated your kids, or how you treated my kids, i'm not going to join issue. i choose not to do it because i determine what battles i pick. i'm not going to fight with you. you have the power to do that. >> you also talk about in your book, which it sounds like playing your cards close to the vest, i can name 100 people who would be shocked to know how i feel about them. what's the principle behind that? >> the principle is you don't have to let everybody know everything you think all the time. there's a good example. i talk about this in the book. a woman was talking about a great job that had opened up across town. she was so excited about it. 25% salary increase, better hours, so excited. she was telling her friend about it. her friend applied for the job and got it instead of her. and she felt so betrayed. i'm like dummy, you told her about the job and she outmaneuvered you for it. you just need to play the game well. some people say i don't like playing games. life is a game. that's what this book is about. i'm telling you how the gamt is really played. . not how you wish it was, but how it is. >> you feel parents should talk to kids about? what age? >> every step of the way, and i'll tell you why. the most important thing that we do as parents is to prepare our children for life. we put them out into the world. but you can't put them out into the world you wish they were going to live in. look, this isn't pleasantville. you have to put them into the world they are really going to live in and the number one way to protect a child is to teach them to self-protect. so if it's predators online, if it's bullies at school or whatever, you have to teach your child that there are people out there that would do them harm. and i got to give you an example. we tell our children mind adults, do what you're told, be respectful. then we turn them over to people we don't know much about. teachers, coaches, priests, what do we really know about these people? we need to teach these children to listen to themselves, pay attention to their instincts and not give people the benefit of the doubt. i want everybody to read this book. you can get it on the booknook.com. it's not in stores until after the first of the year. it's in a pre-sale. >> just in time for the holidays. the book is called "life code." dr. phil, thank you. we are back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. this morning on "how to cook everything today" comfort food for a chilly night. all it takes is meatloaf filled with flavors, sweet maple glazed carrots and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. need we say anything more. the recipes come from mark bittman's "how to cook everything, the basics" cook book. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> you know al roker is under the weather when we're doing the meatloaf covered in bacon. we all need comfort food, you're a little bit under the weather. >> a little bit. >> an american classic, everyone's favorite. >> you start with two different kinds of meat here though. >> meatloaf is not hamburger shaped like this. meatloaf has to have tons of flavor. >> so you like a little extra fat. >> you like extra fat which pork will give you, pork and beef so you get a nice combination of flavors. >> okay. >> you do breadcrumbs soaked in milk so the idea is you really want to maximize moisture and kind of lightness. you don't want to really dense, thick, but, again flavor. >> how long do those soak for, the breadcrumbs, ten minutes? >> garlic and sage, use any herb you like and some egg. >> binds it all together. >> i really love parmesan cheese. these, by the way, are great as meat balls also, so you can shape them however you want. parsley, onions. i mean, it's all great stuff, right? salt and pepper. >> okay. >> and then the idea is i would do much more pepper than this but doesn't make for great television. the idea is handle it lightly. you want to make sure it's mixed, but you don't want to be packing it together. >> don't want to overmix it. >> lightness. >> not going to be fluffy, but kind of avoid it becoming super, super dense. >> and you're doing the free form meatloaf rather than put it in the loaf pan. >> why? >> i do free form, three reasons, one, all the excess fat runs off. if you do a loaf pan it's sitting in a puddle of fat. >> two, you get more surface area this way so you get nice little exterior crispy bits, and obviously it's pretty easy. >> i love all the color in it. >> and three, the bacon. >> this is gilding the lily department. >> no glaze, just bacon. >> bacon glaze. >> does it get any better? >> so -- >> yeah. that's it. >> put that on top and then you'll pop it in the oven, how long? >> 350 until it's done, half an hour, 45 minutes depending on how you shaped it, and -- >> super easy. >> easy to do, delicious. >> gorgeous, we have a shot of it later on. >> and then you're going -- you've got to have the maple glazed carrots to go with the meatloaf. >> got to have something. >> side of mashed potatoes. >> something vegetablish to go with the meatloaf. >> yeah. >> this is the most easiest and beautiful carrot recipe. take carrots and cut them into little coins, in a pan. >> okay. >> the pan is hot. some water, some butter which could be -- which could be oil instead. >> right. >> and then brown sugar or maple syrup. maple syrup is also a little more glamorous. >> let that simmer down for how long? >> ten minutes with the cover on. the water kind of evaporates, the butter obviously melt and glazes the carrots, the maple syrup reduces a little bit. >> bacon. >> i know. you need some bacon meatloaf. >> and then you've got that. >> that's beautiful. >> and especially if you put some parsley on there, totally beautiful. serve the sick man a plate. >> and lovely. >> and then chocolate oatmeal. >> chocolate oatmeal cookies, a little bit of sinmun and a lot of butter. this is not diet food, this meal, but you'll both feel better. stuff that everyone likes. >> he's upped the weather. >> i need a shield. >> we need scarlett johnasson to come up here. and i'm not a germaphobe. thanks, guys. >> speaking of food, they say this is the latest craze to hit the internet. it's called milking. >> i don't know about that. >> oh, no. >> that's a perfectly good gallon. >> after your local news. it would go great with that meatloaf. good morning to you. 8:56. i'm laura garcia-cannon. enjoy a clear day because there is a lot of rain on the way to the bay area. in san anselmo, people are preparing for possible flooding. a creek runs through the middle of town which is known to flood. the city is making sand bags and sand available free of charge so residents can prepare. so, when is it coming? christina. good morning to you. first showers arrive through tomorrow morning. today, you get one more dry day before the heavy rain and gusty winds. winds whipping across the bay area. saturday and sunday, the tail end of the system swings through with lighter rain. arianna is creating a special drawing just for me... and st. jude children's research hospital created a special brain tumor treatment just for arianna. our bold, new procedure is helping to extend her life... and give her family hope. look what i made. beautiful... hug your child tonight... give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. and give to those who are not. go to st. jude dot org or shop where ever you see the st. jude logo. and we're back now with more of "today" on a tuesday morning. it's the 27th day of november, 2012. the weather outside not great. you can see the umbrellas, although we've got a hardy crowd gathered. they have been here for several hours now. we want to thank them for stopping by. nicer inside. i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie, al roker willie geist and vanesse mitchell who is stepping in and john harris down here exactly. >> coming up, all have people on our holiday list that are impossible to shop for. this morning what may be a perfect answer, a personalized gift basket that won't break the bank. >> plus a rum cake, and then there is a lot of holiday stress, a lot of joy and also some stress around the holidays. we think we have just the man to help you through it. tony robins, a strategy and guru for presidents, pop stores, and he'll help you out with your holiday troubles. >> and if you're looking for a sweet ending for your next holiday party, got an expert in house who has some delicious desserts, including a new twist on the brownie sundae, but first let's get a check of the headlines with natalie standing by over at the news desk. natalie. >> good morning. good morning, everyone. lawmakers are racing to avoid going over the so-called fiscal cliff divided along party lines along tax rates. republicans are pushing to keep the rates the same and democrats are looking to raise rates for the rich. meantime today, u.n. ambassador susan rice heads to capitol hill. rites is widely considered the president's front-runner for the next secretary of state, but she has received strong opposition from house republicans. rice will discuss her now controversial comments delivered in the wake of the deadly attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi, libya. online sales may have been even better than expected on cyber monday. internet shopping jumped more than 28% over this time last year according to ibm benchmarks. so far this holiday season americans have spent more than $13.7 billion online. the dangers of consuming grapefruit for grapefruit juice while taking certain medications may be greater than first thought. according to a new study in the canadian medical association journal the number of drugs adversary affected by grapefruit has grown from 17 in 2008 to 40. they include anti-cancer agents, heart drugs and central nervous system drugs used to treat pain, schizophrenia and other conditions. side effects can include gastrointestinal problems, difficulty breathing and sudden death. the teenage star of "two and a half men" has stunned fans by slamming the show. in a video posted on the yout n people to stop watching the show which is filled with filth and doesn't want to be on the show which pays him $250,000 an episode. in the clip he talks about finding god. actress halle berry's ex-boyfriend was granted a restraining order monday against berry's fiance following a thanksgiving day fight. some of the pictures you're about to see are quite graphic. the ex-boyfriend says he suffered cuts and bruises on his face and a broken rib at the hands of olivier martinez. however, it was aubrey who was arrested and later released on bail. the restraining order requires martinez to stay 100 yards away from aubrey until a hearing next month. the two have been locked in a custody fight over their 4-year-old daughter. and a rare photograph is up for auction. it's believed that this image shows the iceberg that sunk the "titanic" just two days before the ship hit it and sank back in 1912. the picture is expected to sell for up to $10,000. it is now four minutes after the hour. up to date right now, let's go back over to savannah and the whole gang. >> not going to do the whole name. only another hour for this show. natalie, thank you. earlier this morning the crowd showed its holiday spirit by donating it our 19th annual holiday toy drive, and we want to thank singer philip phillips for pitching in to collect the toys. somebody else contributing generously through the years is john harris, senior vice president for hillshire brands company. john, good morning. >> good morning, great to see you guys. >> whenever we see you we know there are glad tidings. tell us about your donation. >> this career we're donating $250,000 worth of jimmy dean hillshire farm, ballpark, sara lee to children all over the country. it's our seventh year doing it, did it as sara lee and now as the hillshire brands company and can't think of a better cause than this wonderful toy drive. >> a lot of places you can put your efforts. why this? >> what's great about this effort, matt, it allows us to reach so many different people and so many different charities at once and really reach those who need our help most, and that's why we love doing it and you guys are terrific partners. we urge other companies who haven't done it yet to come out and be a part of this. it's a great, great cause. >> a lot of the food items are good, healthy items, too. >> sausages as well, organic line. a lot healthier. jimmy dean's delights, lots of great stuff. >> thank you for your participation this year and always. you've been great. thanks so much. >> and don't forget, you can help so many children by donating to our toy drive. come by the plaza with a i to. donate any time at the nbc experience store or participate online with our partner, amazon.com. if you want the details, head to today.com, and now we get a check of the weather from vanesse mitchell. >> better after this. just put the map up and there you go. >> well, we see rain in the northeast. we do. bad weather. >> yes. >> absolutely. >> snow is coming as well. 1 to 3 inches. >> you want to just sit on my lap? >> yeah, there it is. >> clouds. >> that is what this was all about. >> yes. from the very get-go. >> and in the pacific northwest, they got rid of it. a lot of wet weather, and then there's the cue to the local thank you very much.m here. taking a live lk at the storm in the pacific northwest. that will approach our area. our first heavy rain arriving tomorrow. enjoy the dry conditions while they last. 65 in livermore. 64 in santa teresa. 62 in san francisco. rain moves in as of 4:00 a.m. heavy rain on the way for friday as well. saturday into sunday, we keep showers in the forecast. >> all right. now to today's "take 3" where we take on three top thanks has you talking. joining us again, vanesse mitchell/weather man. now on shaq's all-star comedy jam tour. in l.a. >> this friday, l.a., nokia theser. >> a big venue. >> yes. it's going well. >> we want to get to the story that natalie mentioned a few minutes ago about the "two and a half men" co-star ranting, angus t. joan blasting his show by "the forerunner "chronicle"s," and a youtube channel run by the seventh day adventist. >> please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on "two and a half men" and i don't want to be on it. please stop filling your head with filth. you cannot be a true god-fearing person and be on a television show like that. i know i can't. i can -- i'm not okay with what i'm learning what the bible says and being on that television show, so, you know, just -- it's -- you go all or nothing. >> he's been on the show for about half his life. just got a pay bump and makes $350,000 an episode. >> about $8 million a year. >> 8 million bucks a year. i know at "snl" you made 350 grand an episode which was nice. >> i did not. >> would you ever trash the show you're on? >> i'm a god-fearing man and god is speaking to me right now saying i'll take his job. that what he told me to say and they can change the name to "two men and a brother." i'll take that job. have no problems, i'll show up early with cove and doughnuts. >> i would watch that show, by the way. >> what does a studio do? they said they have no comment, other than hire you. >> yeah. >> hire me. i don't know how you can go back to work and -- and pretenth tend like things will be normal after you say something like that and trash the show and they have been paying you this money all these years. if you feel that strongly about it, give all the money back and see how god is talking to you then. >> he's not tried to quit the show at all. he says he doesn't want to be on it anymore, but nobody really knows if he's tried to get out of doing it, and he is cashing hig his check and doesn't seem to have a problem cashing that 350,000 an episode check. >> another layer because his mother feels like -- she said publicly, the term wasn't brainwashed. >> a cult. >> that he's joined some sort of a cult which is an unfair characterization of the church he's in. >> yes. >> but feels like he's being used by that church. >> kind of the last season. >> it is, maybe the last of it anyway. >> take the 350 grand, want to give it to the church and move on. >> never happens with broke people. never happens with people coming in and all of a sudden people on your left and right telling what you to do with your jobs because you don't have a job and you're broke. >> i'm all for the spinoff, finesse, with you as part of the cast. >> i agree. >> two men and a brother this fall on nbc. this one i don't understand. watch the video. remember planking? >> yeah. >> this is milking. it's hit the internet. you get a gallon of milk and you take it outside while fully clothed. >> just gross. >> and pour it on yourself in public. >> why? >> a group of students in the uk have videotaped them doing it. >> oh, it's uk. >> putting it on fook since wednesday. got almost 100,000 hits. they say it's a political statement in this case because the government is milking them. so why not milk themselves. >> oh, that will show them. >> absolutely. >> you think this is going to catch on? i don't think so. >> no. it's a perfectly -- a waste of a perfectly good gallon of milk. not going to add the cookies. >> never understood the planking, the tebowing, all this stuff where you gratuitously take a picture of yourself. >> there is art to that. >> what is planking? >> when you're doing that pose right before you go into the swimming pool. >> i'll be honest. >> i just have toom too mu much for captain crunch to do anything like that. >> put it to better use. we have sons in law, seen the movies "meet the parents" and "every loves raymond," deals with in-laws, don't love seeing them over the holidays, supposed to have conflict. that's the stereotype. there's a piece in the "wall street journal" this morning, pretty interesting finding, that says it's better to get along with the in-laws. in fact, there's science behind it. a new study says if men get along with their in-laws it leads to a better and longer marriage. >> reduces the divorce rate by 20% or something. >> the same isn't true for women? >> not the opposite. >> 20% for women because whimper receive their in-laws, they perceive the relationship as meddling or interfering with their parenting or being a spouse in general. >> better to have a good relationship than a bad one. >> right. >> not that complicated. >> would you like to compliment your mother-in-law? >> not only she beautiful but she's a great cook. >> do you think it's harder for women to have a closer relationship with the in-laws than it is for you? >> more difficult you think? >> i think it's easier for guys. you guys can bond over football and eating your wings which we're going to eat in a moment. >> this is fantastic. >> all right. we've got to move down here because there are buffalo wings. >> a new show called "inventions usa" premiers tonight on the history channel. the host is one of the great names in television. >> hi, guys. >> all right. real quick. tell us what you've got here. >> you want to start here. >> this is like a normal guy like joe normal construction guy comes up with this idea where you're out there working, comes up over your ears for dust. you could rob a bank. you could rob a bank. >> what's so awesome about it. it's not over there. it's -- it's an easy thing to make. he made it, and it's a real guy out there. >> use it while cleaning, too, some people get worried about the fumes from the cleaning sprays. >> what's wrong with these? >> so i've heard. >> what about the mask, if you're a real guy and out still work, it's over there or on top of your head, like your phone rings, whatever. this is legit. >> so you think this is a good invention. >> i think it's a great invention and showing there's somebody in america built just a cool thing with ease and we're getting in front of the manufacturer. >> this is what we really want to know about. >> the point just made about the fumes, that's exactly what we test when we get an invention, hit right on that. >> talk to us about this. >> want to demonstrate. >> you learned how to demonstrate. >> this is for wings. >> who came up with this and why? >> a couple of guys, eric and dan invented this because they were using things like hand heads and iphones and droids. >> if your phone is ringing right now, you're mad because now you just put it down and go. >> you've lost your other hand. >> exactly. >> they just sit there, so, i mean, they look a little weird and a little unusual, but if you have a business meeting, totally would do that. >> if you pull one of these out when you're at a restaurant. >> they will be sitting on the side. >> that was in it, you'd totally doing it. >> i'm not doing this in a sports bar. i'm not doing that. i feil like to feel my chicken. >> maybe in the privacy of your home. >> this is called what again? >> trongs. >> get it? >> i thought you were saying thongs and i was excited. >> a big letdown. >> you could really grab on to the meat see and pull the meat off the bone. >> a lot of people will have to have a meet begun this. >> finesse, get in there and test drive those for us. >> i'm a vegan right now. >> your show on the history channel. >> right. >> this is little tiny stuff we brought you. >> we'll check it out. >> check it out. >> thank you, guys. up next, an answer to your nails. gift baskets on a budget right after this. capital one venture miles for their annual football trip. that's double miles you can actually use. tragically, their buddy got sacked by blackouts. but it's our tradition! that's roughing the card holder. but 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i don't know! i never met the guy! whaaaaa! he does exist! they do exist! uhm... santa? here's a better idea. pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits in just 15 minutes the light delicate layers add a layer of warmth to your next dinner. pillsbury grands biscuits let the making begin. . this morning on today's holiday gift guide what, to do for the person who has everything, a personalized gift basket might be the perfect answer. chris scholles is a lifestyle expert. good morning. >> good morning. >> such a great idea and much more personal than bringing a bottle of wipe or a bouquet of flowers. >> it is, and i think people get really intimidated by expensive gift baskets they see online but i want to show you an easy way to do it at home. >> you can do this on the cheap, much less expensive. >> start with our packaging here and two great websites for that. one is called garnish and the other is shop sweet lulu and you can tell. they have really cute boxes and paper suitcations you can put things in, little crates and very inexpensive. everything here is under $10, if that even. >> so don't think gift basket has to be necessarily a basket. >> some way to economize, buy a case of wine. >> great websites now, this one is from guiltcase and buy tons of wine and then you have it around the house in case you have guests or want to break it up into different baskets. >> right. >> let's move on over here. this is a great idea, if you're maybe going to somebody's house to present them with a date night out, pasta basket. >> nicer thing to do would be to probably cook it for them, and you use simple things. i've actually taken ribbon and tied it around pasta. >> put it in a little glass jar. >> really small things you can do to make a different in these baskets and make them really personal so people really like them. >> if you're staying overnight, this is the breakfast basket. >> i call it -- if somebody shows up at my house with this, i'm going to invite them back or just ask them to stay with me, because if you've taken care of breakfast for your hostess, how nice is that. >> maple syrup, granola. >> muffins. >> coffee, of course. >> get as creative with it as you want. >> okay. now this one is the baked goods basket. >> baked goods basket which is my favorite that i love to bake. if you have a friend that doesn't like to bake, send them along with already baked cupcakes and include the decorations for them. that way they can do it for themselves. it's an afternoon activity for them. >> perfect. my kids would love that. over here, this is the apple a day basket. >> the apple a day basket. >> for a teacher perhaps. >> a great idea for a teacher. mack maybe you need something more unique and one of my favorite party tricks is to pick apple pies in mason jars. >> i love that idea. >> can't give away. pre-made pie crust. put the apple pie filling in there and cut some things out with cookie cutters and you're good to go. >> great idea, beautiful. >> this basket i think the guys will love this, the game day basket. >> i hope so. >> guys are impossible i think to shop for, so if you send them something for game day, how could they not love this. you do their favorite beer. found here they have pizza decals that you can put on a pizza and eat them off. it's an edible decal. >> really. >> what do they taste like? >> not too sure about that one, okay, and then chili mix and different things for them, so i just think, again, something really unique, you put some thought into that they are really going to appreciate. >> make sure you know their team here for the giants fan. >> giants and jet fan. >> okay, and then finally, the ice cream social basket. i imagine this is great again for kids. >> great for kids. everyone loves ice cream and you can throw in different things like cones, topping, chocolate syrup, and, again, i've got these great little cute cups here. >> great candies to decorate. >> yeah. >> doesn't have to be intimidating, means a lot to people because you've put a lot of thought into it. >> great job. thanks so much, and we're back right after this. the naturally sweet monk fruit,m something this delicious could only come from nature. now from the maker of splenda sweeteners, discover nectresse. the only 100% natural, no-calorie sweetener made from the goodness of fruit. the rich, sweet taste of sugar. nothing artificial. ♪ it's all that sweet ever needs to be. new nectresse. sweetness naturally. ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix. happier holidays. go olive garden's 2 for $25. an italian dinner for 2. start with all the fresh salad and warm breadsticks you want. choose an appetizer made for sharing. then two delicious entrees from five of our favorites. classics like eggplant parmagiana. or new favorites like smoked mozzarella chicken. three courses, two people, just $25 but only for a limited time. go olive garden. and try our unlimited homemade soup, crisp salad, and warm breadsticks lunch, just $6.95. 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[ female announcer ] make new traditions with pillsbury grands! cinnamon rolls. good tuesday morning to you. 9:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. taking a shot at birds. today, san jose could change the rules about who can fire at birds to clear them from airfields. san jose international airport says it is trying to crackdown on the deadly danger to planes. since 2009, the airport has had 180 bird strikes. airport management says police and military officers can only shoot at the birds at the airport. they hope the city council changes the code and allows trained staff to shoot the birds. blanks are usually used to shoot the birds. san jose city council will address the issue at a meeting this afternoon. we will take a quick break, but we'll get to the forecast and look at the commute after this. welcome back. the time now 9:26. we have a good-looking day shaping up. in turn, we will not see the rain just yet. heavy rain on the way tomorrow and the next six days, we have rain in forecast. very very wet commute. 65 in livermore. 63 in fremont. 62 in san francisco. the jet stream is taking a significant drop to the south. that opens the storm window. we will see storm system after storm system move through the bay area. look at what is on the bay for tomorrow morning at 4:00 a.m. heavy bands of moisture. the system will come in vertical. it will impact the entire bay area for the drive. we have a lot of orange and yellow to contend with. that is light-to-moderate and heavy rain on the way to the bay area. wintry pattern continues through wednesday. thursday into friday, the heavy rain continues. saturday and sunday, it lightens up a bit. let's check on the drive right now with anthony slaughter. we have a congested area in fremont at 880 because of the accident at dixon landing and another accident as you make your way up hayward. this accident is actually right near mowery avenue. one you get up to the toll plaza, you notice yellow and reds. also in the peninsula, some congestion at burlingame and san mateo. thank you. thank you for joining us as well. another local news update is coming up in a half hour. have a great tuesday morning. >> okay. here we go. five, four, three, two, one! >> it was a beauty. that was the tree lighting in rockefeller center last year, and tomorrow the festivities get under way again with everyone from mariah carey to cee lo green to rod stewart and the rocket rockettes. we will have a preview tomorrow morning. i'm enmoralis here along with al roker and willie geist. you're set to host tomorrow. you've got to rest the voice of yourself. >> going to the doctor in an hour. >> get a little shot in about an hour. >> and i'm going to the doctor. >> we need to shut al down for the day. >> coming up, our next guest, weather man finesse mitchell had his moments and tony robins will do it. did you know you were doing the weather? >> no, but i don't think my voice is much better than his. >> after we get the weather from tony he'll help you deal with some of that holiday stress. >> all right. plus seven tips on how to stay healthy during the holidays. >> and who knew it could get any better? until you had to make a new and improved, believe it or not, brownie sundae. >> lots of chocolate in this sundae, more chocolate than anything else. first, tony, your moment to shine. going to come out or not? >> today there's wet snow in the northeast and some airport delays from boston to d.c. tomorrow there's heavy rain but no katrinas, don't worry about that. some high winds and mountain snows in the west coast and rockefeller christmas tree lighting, ideal weather, mid to upper 30s. good morning to you. we are looking good today. we have thick pockets of fog out there. overall, we are not expecting the heavy rain to arrive until we hit tonight. i want to take a live look over the city of san francisco and show you the clouds are increasing this morning. as we head throughout the day, highs will be the mild. mostly in the 60s. then as we get into the weekend, we continue the rain chance up to 5 inches is possible over the bay area. resume on file. >> coming up next, tony's back to share more of his good advice for beating holiday stress right after this. ♪ [ female announcer ] let betty crocker do the measuring and get a head start on delicious homemade cookies. ♪ just pour, mix...love. johan comes in a porcelain vessel, crafted with care by a talented blonde from sweden. ♪ smooth, rich, never bitter, gevalia. [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough. that was me... the day i learned i had to start insulin for my type 2 diabetes. me... thinking my only option was the vial and syringe dad used. and me... discovering once-daily levemir® flexpen. flexpen® is prefilled. doesn't need refrigeration for up to 42 days. no drawing from a vial. dial the exact dose. inject by pushing a button. flexpen® is insulin delivery... my way. levemir® (insulin detemir [rdna origin] injection) is a long-acting insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes and is not recommended to treat diabetic ketoacidosis. do not use levemir® if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. the most common side effect is low blood sugar, which may cause symptoms such as sweating, shakiness, confusion, and headache. severe low blood sugar can be serious and life threatening. ask your healthcare provider about alcohol use, operating machinery, or driving. other possible side effects include injection site reactions. tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you take and all of your medical conditions. get medical help right away if you experience serious allergic reactions, such as body rash, trouble with breathing, fast heartbeat, or sweating. with flexpen®... say good night to vial and syringe. ask your doctor about levemir® flexpen. covered by 90% of insurance plans, including medicare. findour co-pay at myflexpen.com. ♪ ♪ [ girl ] dear santa... ♪ dear santa, i want a ballerina tutu, a pink bike, a unicorn night-light... [ female announcer ] this year, bring their wish list to life. [ girl ] ...princess doll, markers... [ female announcer ] this year, bring their wish list to life. mommy! i went potty! that's great, honey.... where? for life's bleachable moments. all right. it may have been a little stressful for best selling author tony robins to do the weather a few moments ago but nothing like the stress you may feel during the holidays. tony here with great advice. thanks for sticking around. you passed the test. we'll call you in a pinch. >> 40 years with roker, stick with him. >> he's still our guy. a time of joy and carols and family and everything else. for a lot of people it's not about going to a mall on friday night and bashing through the door and getting whatever you can. this is a very difficult time, especially now for so many people. how do you begin to get through it if you're on that side of the holiday. >> today it's more than just holiday stress. it's katrina. when you lose your home, it's more than blues are experiencing or people coming back and dealing with the economy without a job or individuals coming back from the war. what i've been focused on, for years people studied post-traumatic stress and its effects but in the past years there's post-traumatic growth, people with the stimulus that caused the stress now they grow like never before. someone loses their arm or job, the first thing that separates from other people is the part inside of them that say i will not let this defeat me. there's something inside where they draw the line. if they do that, three things happen, someone who makes it through the post-traumatic situation and grow. first, they really discover who they are, what their strengths and ability are. people realize they are stronger and find out who their real friends, are not the facebook friends and the people who are there for you when things are going you have to and deepens all the relationships and it gives you an antibody against other forms of stress. actually, got to learn to use stress instead of stress using you. that's how life changes. >> one thing you talk about is getting a ritual. how do you explain that to people watching? >> habits control us. we all have rituals, whether we know it or not. get real with yourself. we have a delusion in our society if we get everything the way we want it we'll be happy. in 2006 we had the highest levels of unhappiness in this country at the peak of the economic boom. i'll give you a better example. if i asked you what's the best thing that ever happened in life, give me your ten-second answer, what would that be? >> birth of my children. >> the number one answer, win the lottery, $200 million lottery, i'm set. what's the worst thing that can happen, number one thing is, to have somebody else take care of you because you become a quadriplegic. one one, the person who wins the lottery, or the quadriplegic, which one three years later is happy? >> the quadriplegic. >> no. >> neither. the three rituals, the basic level about that, a ritual of focus. what you focus on is what you feel. what they can't control right now, focus on what they don't have. you lost electricity but didn't lose your home. focusing on what you have and being grateful is number one. put it in different state so you can help people. >> what you do is have enough physical energy to deal with challenges you face. right now exercise of 20 minutes three times a week has a anti-depressant effect on your body, and thirdly it's really the ritual of giving. when you're in the worst place, all the research shows, if you did five acts of kindness, it affects you three weeks of your life. doing something simple and that's why i'm here. >> you talk about giving, basket brigade for the holidays. talk about that? >> when i was 11 years old. we were very poor and had no money on thanksgiving. somebody game by and delivered food to our family and it made me believe strangers cared, completely changed my life. this year we'll feed 2 million people and we're on track for 3 million because of what's happened here with the hurricane. i'm dedicating -- my foundation is doing half a million and i'm doing half a million in the tri-state. people would like to help out. build a basket of food, join a group of people already doing it and donate and go to tonyrobins.com or the anthony robins foundation and we'll send them a download of an audio of rituals that will strengthen you for the holidays and for 2013 and beyond. >> the man with the biggest handshake in the business, just swallows your hand, wish you could be here. thank you so much. happy holiday. >> thank you. seven tips on staying healthy during the holidays. that's right after this. ! now i can brew my coffee just the way i love it. how do you do that? 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ask your doctor about once-a-day xarelto®. for more information including cost support options, call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com. this morning on "today's health," seven tips to stay healthy during the holidays. good morning. >> good morning. >> atime of year when we don't have time to take care of our health. >> at "prevention" magazine we give you ways to stay healthy. watch your sugar. too much sugar weakens your immune system. keep your sugar grams down to 60 grams, equivalent of six teaspoons, the amount of sugar in half a can of coke and the fruit-flavored yogurt and the sugary drinks, the alcohol and egg nogs and sodas. keep check of your sugar intake and stay healthy. >> the warm drinks, the hot teas and coffees, not to overtea it with that. >> hot teas and coffees act as diuretic. alcohol is a diuretic so it will lead to more dehydration. dehydration increases our chances of getting sick so we really want to increase your water intake for every one of the hot drinks you have. two glasses of water for every one of those drinks. >> okay. also the time when a lot of families are getting together. a lot of colds in the families and flu getting passed around. how can you avoid getting the flu? >> unfortunately, holiday season and cold and flu season always coincide so the key is get a flu shot. the flu season extends all the way to spring so it's not too late to get a flu shot and within the magazine we talk a lot about natural remedies for preventing the cold and flu and treating the cold and flu. >> washing hands and if you have a colleague like you work with like al roker. >> stay away. >> being off. you said it. next, a lot of people going outside, looking for holiday presents, and you say watch out for dry eyes and muscle tension, starting with the dry eyes first. what does that signal? >> when the dry air, can really irritate your eyes. the best way is carry moisturizing eye drops and wear protective eye gear. talking about tension from the cold, outside, stressed, you're stressed, cold, walking on snow or ice and the body contowards and you make yourself more prone to injury so the best way to prevent that is maybe stretch before going outside. shuffle on ice or snow. don't lift your feet up and wear protective foot gear, and that can help prevent injuries. >> and also not -- don't forget about your skin. a lot of people may not think about it. this is the time of year when it's cold and dry, as you mentioned, and so your skin really pays the price as well. >> everyone forgets, you know, kind of their routines when they are in the holiday season. important to moisturize. dry skin has a higher chance of infection. carry lip balm and moisturize especially after showering or bathing because that's when you lose the most moisture from the skin and protect yourself, drink a lot of water as well and that will help keep your skin moist as well. >> rehigh detroit and replenish. a lot of people hope for a white christmas and if you're out in the snow, and we'll get some date, hazards when it comes to shoveling and hazardous activity. >> snow injuries, approximately 11,000 snow injuries a year, back pain, chest pain, cardiovascular issues so protect yourself. dress appropriately, hat, gloves, scarf, use your legs to shovel snow. there's ergonomic snow shovels, i'm in atlanta, never seen one of those and shoveling in two directions and pushing snow rather than pulling snow can protect you from the snow injuries. >> doctor, great advice. thanks for the seven tips. >> thank you. >> coming up next, a new take on an old favorite, the brownie sundae, but this is triple chocolate and some apple pie, too, but, first, this is "today" on nbc. oh, you have a keurig vue brewer? oh, it's great! now i can brew my coffee just the way i love it. how do you do that? well, inside the brewer, there's this train that's powerful enough to carry more coffee and fresh water to make coffee that's stronger and bigger... and even hotter! actually, i just press this button. brew the coffee you love -- stronger, bigger, or hotter -- with the keurig vue. >> this morning in "today's kitchen," delicious desserts. the pastry chef joins us. here with a new spin on a classic dessert, brownie sundae. good to see you. >> good morning. >> this is kind of a specialty for you guys at sugar and plum. the big browny. >> we have many specialties, one of the best desserts we have which is spelled with a double "m" in case you go to the website. >> what makes this difference? >> the best premium chocolate and local butter from vermont. we make everything homemade and everything is fresh. >> three types of chocolate, right? >> yes. >> let's get us started and take us through the process. >> one of the secrets to our brownie a la mode is we use everything that's all natural and for our caramel sauce i like to add a little bit of salt which gives it a savory taste to it. you want to get like a light amberg color and not too -- and whisk it and add in a little bit of salt and cream. the cream would actually stop the caramel process. >> i love that caramel with the sea salt, so great. >> can we do this whole operation at home? something people can do in their kitchen? >> absolutely. one of the best things about this is you can actually control the amount of sugar that you add or the cream and the butter. you're getting the best product, and you know what's going into the body. >> you're going little bit by little bit. >> you a brownie fan? >> especially a la mode and the ice cream melts on it, delicious. >> this is regular chocolate. >> so this is what happens after like you bring it to a boil and then it gets to a dark amber color. >> wonderful. >> you want to add the butter. >>the butter will help thicken it up and give it body, but as you can see, a little bit of butter for a lot of sauce. >> what am i doing over here? >> let me help you out on this. >> the chocolate bits that you've added in there. >> that's chocolate. >> we use a combination of chocolate that we use. it really depends. >> you've got the chips and the powder, the cocoa, right? >> that's processed. >> and we also have honey and also salt. >> i'm going to add a little bit. >> okay. >> and can you add the chocolate in for me. >> all of it? >> there we go. >> yeah. >> i saw that. he snuck a chip. >> got to sneak one. quality control. >> how is it? >> it's really good. >> 100% quality. >> what do you make of the whole dessert craze? everybody is eating cupcakes and brownies and everything else. where did that come from? >> it's good for us. >> i'm sure it is. >> not so good for the waist line but good for the soul. >> you know, a small indulgence for, i think, for this economy and times right now, it's always good to treat yourself to something a little bit like that. not everybody can afford to go on vacation. >> is this done in terms of the batter, we bake it? >> this is the sauce. >> that's the sauce. >> and you just put three scoops of ice chrome on. >> three. >> okay. >> so the brownies were already made. >> that's not too bad. >> right on top. right on top and gently press it down a little bit. >> oh, my. now we're talking. >> now it's a party. >> and add a little chocolate sauce on top. >> now we have the whipped cream. >> okay. >> much more than that. >> goo big. >> how about that? >> okay. >> chocolate sauce on top. >> get the caramel and chocolate on top. >> it looks delicious. sugar and plumm is the restaurant. >> heaven on a plate right there. coming up, kathie lee and hoda will bring you a live performance from "american idol" winner philip phillips. we'll be back after your local news and weather. good morning to you. 9:56. i'm marla tellez. south of crescent city, the search for a teen that was swept away to sea is now over. rescue crews called off the search last night for the 16-year-old boy whose parents were killed after plunging into power surf to save the family dog from drowning. state park officials say the boy was initially able to get out of the water safely, but went back in the water to search for his father. the boy is presumed dead. the boy's girlfriend and sister watched the tragedy unfold from the shore. the dog managed to survive. rain is on the way throughout the bay area. let's get a look at the forecast with christina. >> thank you, marla. unfortunately, this is the last dry day for the next four-to-five days with the series of storm systems on the way. it is a good day to clear out your storm drains before the heavy rain arrives. 64 in livermore. 62 in san jose. 63 in san francisco. as the jet stream dips to the south, we are just going to see storm system after storm system bull's-eyeing the bay area. look at the seven-day forecast. gusty winds and rain. thursday, periods of rain. friday, the heaviest rain arrives. the tail end of the system arriving saturday and sunday. we stay in that system through the first half of monday. let's take a look at the drive. anthony. we are still looking at congestion on 880 and fremont. no major accidents to report. a typical slowdown. it looks like congestion is starting to break up just a bit. as we get to the bay bridge toll plaza, you notice a bit of a slowdown. the ramp is at least clear. an accident at 580 in castro valley at redwood drive. the right shoulder is blocked. marla. anthony, thanks so much. we will be back with the next news update in 30 minutes. we will see you again at 10:26. from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb live from studio 1-a in rockefeller plaza. hey, everybody, it's a drizzly booze day tuesday. we don't let that dampen our spirits, do we, hoda woman? >> we do not, it's a perfect day to go to a movie. if you could see one movie, one movie this entire month, i saw it yesterday by chance, walked by a theater, saw "lincoln." i cried within the first five minutes, you will too. daniel day lewis is lincoln. >> what great acting. >> no, the outfits are authentic. they actually used lincoln's real time piece in the movie. this is the great thing about him to me, he was so smart, but a genius listener. when he looked at someone, he waited and really listened to what they had to say and was able to talk to probably the smartest and least educated the exact same way. it was amazing. you understood why he was so great. sally field was off the hook as his wife. >> mary todd who was a little -- he thinks she's a brilliant actress, didn't think she was right for it or something. you never know if what you read is true, but anyway, there's a story he couldn't get her off his mind, then asked her to test. just to see if it was right. daniel day lewis and she did a screen test and he said, good morning, mother, just like lincoln would. good morning, mr. president. they stayed in complete, total character the entire time and it was electric when they were together. i hope that story's true. >> this is based on a book called "team of rivals." they said daniel day lewis was so interested in the part, asked her to take him to lincoln's old home to feel it, breathe it. it has oscar written all over it. it's a home run. >> i can't wait! >> whether or not you're into that history, doesn't matter. guess who's here. >> philip philips. so, so cute he had to be named that twice. american idol winner and georgia native. reached number one on itunes, became the unofficial theme to the summer olympics, what do you want? >> he's going to sing us a song that's not been sung before. >> philip philips sings "gone, gone, gone." there's a theme. anyway, we're looking forward to that. >> speaking of great voices, "the voice" was on last night. they are narrowing it down even further. it's getting exciting. this show has caught fire this season more than ever before. the numbers are crazy. anyway, there are a bunch of people we loved yesterday. here's amanda from team adam. she sang "someone like you." take a look. ♪ ♪ someone like you ♪ nothing but the best for you too ♪ ♪ don't forget me i remember you said ♪ ♪ sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead ♪ ♪ sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead ♪ >> they are going to eliminate tomorrow. here's a real favorite. this is cathy pope from team blake. she sang "are you happy now." ♪ could you look me in the eye and tell me that you're happy now ♪ ♪ could you look me in the face and say are you happy now ♪ ♪ are you happy now >> she's got an alanis look. >> everyone loved her, everyone's loved her from the beginning. i'm beginning to like her a lot more the more she's doing it. and trevin you know from team cee lo. ♪ >> always so hard to sing whitney, isn't it? >> great job. >> good for them. so the live show tonight on 8:00 p.m. eastern. >> yes, it is. >> lovely they have a hit on nbc besides us. >> crazy. >> that's supposed to be funny. so anna nicole smith's daughter is now 6 years old. i can't believe she's 6. >> they didn't know who the daddy was, all of that. she's now the newest face of guess kids. her mom was a famous guess model. the father is photographer larry burkhead. i think this is just to be a tribute to her mom, but we'll see. >> anyway, so she's been modeling a little bit, so we'll take a look. ♪ >> cute. >> adorable. oh, she's got her mom's smile. wow, she has her mom's smile. >> she does. >> uncanny, adorable. speaking of interesting models, this is an unlikely model. a chinese grandfather, he's 72 years old. i guess his granddaughter started a clothing line and while she was having friends over, he decided he was going to try on a jacket, it looked good, everyone laughed, ultimately, he's the face of her clothing line. let's see how grandpa looks. >> that's grandpa? >> are you kidding? >> i wish we could see it up close and personal. 50 shades of grandpa. >> they call him maddy gaga. >> that's what i'm trying to be in life, funny elderly. this is something a woman did in chicago that wasn't great. i don't understand the story. >> this is just sad. a chicago woman racked up more than $100,000 in parking tickets for a vehicle she says she hasn't driven in three years. a car signed over to her for $600 by her uncle in 2008 was driven by her then-boyfriend. the car is technically registered to her, but he abandoned the car for more than two years, two years ago. >> she's been getting tickets ever since. now she's caught paying? >> yeah, she filed a lawsuit against her ex. >> that's terrible. really terrible. >> it really is. i don't think she should be held accountable, but i guess legally she is. >> i've gotten my share of parking tickets throughout my life. >> hoda has a story here. >> when i was in college at virginia tech, i almost didn't graduate because i had so many parking tickets, but in my defense, i worked for the campus radio show, i had to cover breaking news. >> of course, you did. >> ultimately, you have to pay or they won't give you your d e diploma, which i learned. when i got to new orleans, i did the same thing. i used to live in the french quarter. you'd take a padlock for your parking space and lock it behind you. i would get off work so late, i was unscared. >> yeah. >> in the quarter, still, you never know. i would parallel park and block my own parking place. no, i got tickets every single day. i said this is my spot i'm blocking. they said, too bad. so i paid a portion. all righty, we got to try this. you know, since last friday we've been saying. >> what is it? >> something infused peanut butter. bourbon infused. it's delicious. it's reginald homemade pecan peanut butter. $5 to $10 a jar. >> taste it, just taste it. >> it's good. i've been eating it since friday. sara, any time you want to look up from your blackberry or iphone, will you tell us about the i do over? >> if you had a wedding or honey moon go wrong, we want to hear your story for a chance to win a trip for two to the bahamas. round trip airfare for two. i wanted to get a third pronunciation in there. enter at klgandhoda.com. we will pick 12 winning couples. hotel and airfare provided by the bahamas tourism union. >> we have two ladies joining us. did you bid on this? >> it was actually a bidding war. we combined forces and took the other woman out. >> way to go. feminism at its best taking another woman out. how did your favorite celebs get their holiday season started? we have the latest buzz. and no place like home, live performance from phillip phillips. first, these messages. i am not a vegetarian! yeah, i might have ears like a rabbit... but i want to eat meat! [ male announcer ] iams knows dogs love meat. ...but most dry foods add plant protein, like gluten iams never adds gluten. iams adds 50% more animal protein, [ dog 2 ] look at me! i'm a lean, mean flying machine [ dog 1 ] i am too! woo hoo! [ male announcer ] iams. with 50% more animal protein. [ dog 2 ] i'm an iams dog for life. not a rabbit. woof! [ dog 2 ] i'm an iams dog for life. hershey's makes smiles. smiles make more smiles. when the chocolate is hershey's. life is delicious. i am so getting an a. [ gasps ] oh! [ screams ] [ female announcer ] when good intentions turn into bad messes, there's clorox clean up. with the combination of a cleaner and the disinfecting power of clorox bleach. has oats that can help lower cholesterol? and it tastes good? sure does! wow. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy. that's right. so it's like i won. sure. oh my gosh i won!!! i won!!! [ male announcer ] get a $100 walmart gift card when you buy any android or windows 8 smartphone. through december 1st. from america's gift headquarters. walmart. something this delicious could only come from nature. new nectresse. the 100% natural no-calorie sweetener made from the goodness of fruit. new nectresse. sweetness naturally. ♪ you are exactly one of a kind ♪ yummy. ♪ a-b-c-d want to drive it to daddy ? ♪ for always ( giggles ) time for today's buzz, catching you up on all things hollywood. >> catching you up, entertainment weekly senior writer. >> we call him our studly stat man. >> oh, appropriate. dripping from me, dripping. >> liz and dick, you were tweeting during it. first tell us about the ratings, how did it do? >> didn't do great, it did okay. i think with the hype and social media explosion it created, for me. it did 3.5 million viewers for lifetime, which is okay, it's their fourth-highest rated tv movie this year. it's behind steel magnolias. >> what did you think of it? >> the best train wreck since "show girls." i think i could play a better liz taylor in a wig. >> what's the prognosis for her career? >> it's not good. it's not good. she needs to learn how to read clearly. that script was bad. >> is she still doing love life? >> i don't think she's doing that anymore. amanda siefrid did a version of it. >> tell us about chris brown. >> none of these stories are going to end up well. >> chris brown got in a twitter war over the weekend with a comedian named jenny johnson. she said nasty about him, he said something nastier, said things about pooping, farting, her face. should have just watched liz and dick. i didn't mean tweet anyone. i was mean tweeting lindsay lohan a little bit. i'm not controversial. >> let's talk about the halle berry brawl. i thought it was a squirmish. wait until you see the picture. i don't know if we can use it. >> he's got a black eye. >> halle berry, her boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, came over with their daughter and got in a fight with her current man, who used to be a professional boxer. gabriel, the canadian male model, dude, what are you thinking? he got the bejeezus kicked out of him. he got granted a restraining order against olivier. >> this one, aubrey, was arrested. >> yes. they thought he initiated it. >> now he's got a restraining order. >> halle berry has two hot men fighting over her. please, i could barely get someone to open the door for me. he's so hot. i know. this is # halleberry problems. two men fighting over you. >> there is an element of tragedy. she wants to take her child to france, which is so much more paparazzi friendly. >> that's true. >> he now may be kicked out of america. >> he has a work visa. who is this, green card? haven't you been in this country forever? >> let's talk thanksgiving day box office. >> not him, the other one. >> record box office. >> hoda's gone. >> it was a record box office over the weekend, like $295 million, which is the record since 2009. "twilight," "sky fall," "lincoln." i heard sally field tears it up in "lincoln." i love a sappy lady. >> yes, you do! and we love our studly man. >> was that an interpretation of me? >> no, it wasn't. we love you, sweetheart. >> love you too. that's the way the cookie crumbles. a holiday treat. great destinations every family member will enjoy after this. this holiday when kmart shop your way members check out, they can win... ... a trip to universal orlando resort, during our 30 days of surprise sweepstakes. you could have a despicably good time. fly with harry. or win lots of other great prizes. for more chances to win visit shop your way .com only at kmart. went home and fed her family. now she's helping her community. no wonder it's hard to focus on her own needs. but she's got one a day women's, a complete multivitamin with key nutrients women may need all in one pill. because our focus is you. your soups are so awesomely delicious my husband and i can't stop eating 'em! what's...that... on your head? can curlers! tomato basil, potato with bacon... we've got a lot of empty cans. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. we've got a lot of empty cans. theand the kids always eat sky their vegetables.e. because the salad there is always served with the original hidden valley ranch. hershey's drops. a lot of hershey's happiness in little drops of milk chocolate. and cookies n creme. pure hershey's. it's eb. want to give your family the very best in taste, freshness, and nutrition? it's eb. want to give them more vitamins, omega 3s, and less saturated fat? it's eb. eggland's best eggs. eb's. the only eggs that make better taste and better nutrition... easy. eggland's best eggs. better taste. better nutrition. better eggs. it's eb. and it's time for sara in the city, when our sara haines leaves the safety of our studio to explore everything new york has to offer. >> this time she goes crazy for cookies. >> lucky me. this classical holiday dessert comes in all shapes and sizes. i did taste tests at different sweet spots all over manhattan. what better place to do a cookie tour than the classic milk and cookie? the bakery is known for its 14 creative cookie combinations, and i can't wait to dig in. first up, the bacon snap. i never would have put bacon in a cookie, that's amazing. next, the gingersnap. that is the holidays. then tina lets me design my own holiday cookie. >> this is going to be everything but the kitchen sink cookie. >> seven minutes later -- tina, do you have a pizza slicer? >> good choices. >> next stop is elini's. a place known for colorful conversation cookies. i learned the fine art to frosting. what's the secret? >> i think patience. >> eleni is patient as i frost and frost and frost my way to a perfect santa. for those who are less patient, edible ink markers. pretty much exactly like hoda so far. next up, levain bakery on the upper westside. i can actually already smell the cookies, great sign. the specialty here, four signature cookies. >> chocolate chip walnut, chocolate raisin, dark chocolate, and dark chocolate peanut. >> that doesn't stop me from tasting all four. oh, my god. >> so good. >> now i'm on the upper west side. let's go see what they've got baking. here they serve up classics with a twist. >> really just meant to be an american-style bakery with a sort of playful approach. >> including their holiday cookies. >> we crush up candy canes and fold them in the cookie dough we sell. >> and the compost cookie. their version of the chocolate chip. >> has chocolate chips, pretzels, potato chips, coffee, butterscotch chips, and gram crackers. >> those are amazing. even the littlest critics agree. how good is that cookie? yeah! so, of course, i couldn't come back empty handed, so first of all, hoda, i would like to say eleni was sweet enough to save the cookie i made of you. >> it's got my ipod. >> can i try that? we're going to show you great trips for the whole family. dad: hello! mom: hi! mom: what's that, rosie? ♪ you are exactly one of a kind ♪ toy sfx: hi there! let's learn to clap! clap, yeah! ♪ we were made for each other ♪ mom: a-b-c-d-e-f-g ♪ for always. toy sfx: h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p. mom: h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p. q-r-s. q-r-s. aunt sally's singing again. it's a tradition, honey. [ singing christmas carols ] mmmm. [ female announcer ] make new traditions with pillsbury grands! cinnamon rolls. it is 10:26. good morning. i'm marla tellez. today, outside the recruiting center, protesters will gather together to support wikileaks. he is trying to avoid trial by claiming he has already been punished enough by being locked up alone in a small cell and having to sleep naked for several nights. manny is charged with the biggest security breach in u.s. history by sending the classified cables to the web site wikileaks. we will check the forecast and the roads after the break. [ female announcer ] what would you call an ordinary breakfast pastry that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. faster than mandy can hang up on mr. monday. you hang up first. [ female announcer ] in just 60 seconds, you've got snack-defying, satisfying totino's pizza rolls. [ ringing ] it's on. let's roll. welcome back. time is 10:28. getting a look at the live conditions at the golden gate bridge. these are high-level clouds. no fog to report. we have three storm system s slated to bring us rain. we have 64 in fremont and 62 degrees in san jose. we will time out the storm systems for you at 11:00. let's check out the drive with anthony slaughter. thank you, christina. it is congested out there. not as bad as this morning. this is the bay bridge toll plaza. good news there and in the east bay along fremont and 880 southbound. the headlights or the traffic is moving along there. there is an accident at fremont road at 880. otherwise, everything is working out pretty good this morning. marla. thanks so much. we will have much more of the day's top stories coming up in 30 minutes. jon kelley and i will see you at 11:00. we're back on this booze day tuesday with travel and holiday trips for the entire family. whether you just haven't had the time to plan your vacation or can't figure out where to go, help is here. >> kids, grandparents, general manager, virtual tourist is here with trips for a little something for everybody. >> hey. >> hi, guys. >> congratulations, you got married this past year. >> thank you, hi, denise. >> you want to start us off in san diego. >> yeah, virtual tourists have a million members around the world and tell us suggestions for places to travel. they came up with san diego. i thought it was great, because the weather is fantastic and the holidays is different. some of the ideas you can do, hotel coronado. >> love that hotel. >> they do skating by the sea. they put up an ice rink, palm trees, ice, pacific ocean. just a really, really glorious thing. and then the harbor, in the harbor, all the boats get decorated and they have this kind of parade of harbor lights and the people check out from the ocean. i think that's the hotel del cor you're looking at. so the boats, it's a great thing for the whole family. >> looks like the grand floridian. >> take us to colorado, would you? >> for skiing, you may be traipsing around aspen in fur coats, but steamboat springs is a great cowboy town. >> it's a fun town. >> real historical. they are great, because they have this thing if you buy tickets for five days and rent your skis, it's free for the kids and they have daycare and ski schools and all that kind of stuff. that's really great. they are doing a new thing this year where they'll come on a horse-drawn sleigh and take you to a dinner in a snowy woods in a tepee. >> this city is one of your spots, too, new york city. >> i love new york, it's my favorite time to be here during the holidays. we were walking around last night because of the lights. i, myself, am not a shopper, but within 30, 40 minutes, you can see some of the best highlights of window shopping. that's great. awesome skating just back here, which we checked out. >> it will be lit tomorrow night. >> we checked out the skating, i can confirm you do not need to be an expert. there was some alternate skating out there, let's just say that. of course, f.a.o. schwartz with the kids for the holidays, they are putting on a shin dig with tours, toy soldiers, all that. >> i took the kids to central park and they ran wild. it's a perfect spot for kids, winter or whenever. >> don't forget broadway, lots of great shows. broadway when you come, definitely. >> savannah, georgia. >> savannah was another great recommendation of the virtual tourists. it's off the beaten path, one of the first cities in america, it's beautiful, they have this whole historical district there with federalist homes and they get decorated and have this thing called the holly jolly trolley that goes around with elves and carolling. it's beautiful there, it's great. >> if you're more adventurous, london is another one. >> so much of our imagery is london, christmas carol, charles dickens. they put on a whole thing, winter wonderland, there are rides, ice castles, skating, stalls. >> london is an expensive town. you have to be surprised about the prices in london. >> it is expensive. some of the hotel picks has kitchenettes. >> you can do all these trips affordably if you plan right. >> if you check out some of the tips we've given on virtual tourist, you can do it on a budget. >> thank you, chief. >> thank you. how sweet it is. >> a roundup of confections from chicago's fine chocolate show after this. >> sissy is in the house, you know that's trouble. ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] let betty crocker do the measuring and get a head start on delicious homemade cookies. ♪ just pour, mix...love. can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno. and then there's juicy chicken with best foods ♪ best foods is the secret to making parmesan crusted chicken... [ bell dings ] ...so crispy so juicy so delicious it's your secret to making dinner disappear best foods. bring out the best yep. the longer you stay with us, the more you save. and when you switch from another company to us, we even reward you for the time you spent there. genius. yeah, genius. you guys must have your own loyalty program, right? well, we have something. show her, tom. huh? you should see november! oh, yeah? giving you more. now that's progressive. call or click today. that's why i take new trubiotics. it's a daily probiotic that helps in two ways. one helps support digestive health, the other immune health. stay true to your health. new trubiotics. from the makers of one-a-day. stay true to your health. hershey's makes smiles. smiles make more smiles. when the chocolate is hershey's. life is delicious. calling all chock-a-holice lifestyle expert sissy biggers is back from the first-ever fine chocolate show with a roundup of all things chocolate. how are you, sissy? >> i'm great. it was amazing. it's the first time they did it in chicago, it is the first city for chocolate. they manufacture so much there. >> i didn't realize that. >> first, when i got back, i had a craving for chocolate jewelry. i went to miami, your biggest fan in miami. she set up lovely rings for you girls. >> is this real chocolate? >> real chocolate. when you eat it, you can return it to wendy and she'll make it again for you. >> for the women who have everything, this is perfect. >> here's a history of chicago and chocolate. since 1939, ever watching on the north side of chocolate and think you smell chocolate, you do. they manufacture and process most of the cocoa in the yieuni states. of course, this is the fannie mae brand. they are leaders now in chocolate. hand crafted. >> they look plastic. >> they are flavor profiles is what they are advancing now, they have lemonade, candy apple, in addition to espressos. fanniemay.com, which is now owned by 1-800-flowers. >> these are cookies? >> chocolate-covered marshmallows. this is a new group in chicago, these are called puffs of doom. husband and wife couple were showing at the show, all-natural ingredients. this is sort of a couple of generations of chocolate. >> are these filled with something? >> filled with chocolate, drizzled with chocolate. first chocolate was a drinking chocolate back in the stone age. >> frank and i were born. >> not called hot chocolate anymore, it's drinking chocolate. it's an entire category. >> you are kidding me. >> french press. i saw them serving the chocolate this way, this is an organic, delicious hot chocolate. what a cute pairing for a gift. >> great idea. >> this is a chocolate wine shop. >> i can smell it. >> oh, my gosh. >> isn't that incredible? it's chocolate red wine. a great gift for anybody who loves wine. pairs beautifully with cheese. >> wow. >> this is a sparkling. >> why not? >> i hope you're up for a drink. i got a better one than that. chocolateloveshop.com. what do you think, hoda? >> i think it's interesting. >> i'm going to finish strong on the drinking category. this is the 360 double chocolate vodka. >> come on. >> we can't. >> we have lunch with our new boss today too. >> what do you think? >> go ahead, hoda, throw it back, baby. >> 60-proof chocolate. >> that is kind of good. >> that's actually good. >> looking for a product i've never seen before, go ahead, will you please try a chocolate covered banana? it's a huge hit in eastern europe. i've never seen it here. >> that is delicious. >> they were at the show looking for a distributor. aren't those fun? >> delicious, delicious. >> by the way, we have about ten cases in props. banana for everybody. this is another trend, this is the art of chocolate. this woman is out of california, she used to be an artist, then self-taught chocolateir. each one is a work of art. >> wow! >> hand crafted. look for her, great gifts. now we've got chocolate in bars, painted. a great example for another gift is this bricks. it's a wine, instead of cheese. move over, cheese, it's chocolate served like cheese, served with wine. >> amazing, okay. >> finally from our friend daniel in napa valley, the 12 days in christmas in truffles. you can even get a box for every day, 178 truffles delivered. >> thank you, sissy. who's better than sissy? nobody! >> congrats to your daughter. >> thank you. >> stay tuned for another treat, everybody. >> phillip phillips is going to sing a brand new song called "gone, gone, gone" right after this. nope. just can't fit 'em in my budget. well, with the walmart credit card special financing offer, you can get the sony blu-ray home theater system with wi-fi and the high zoom cyber-shot camera with full hd. look at you, spreading some christmas joy! my cart's kinda full. mind holding these? sure. you know what, muscle man, me and you together, we can knock this christmas thing out. this way, sweetie. [ male announcer ] get the season's hottest brands like the sony blu-ray home theater system. make an electronics purchase of $429 or more on your walmart credit card and get no interest if paid in full within 18 months. america's gift headquarters. walmart. [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough. get to holiday fun faster there's a place where the sky is always blue and the kids always eat their vegetables. because the salad there is always served with the original hidden valley ranch. it's the way ranch is supposed to taste. and try italians and vinaigrettes from hidden valley. that makes tv even better. if your tv were a prom queen, zeebox would be a limo. just like a limo makes a prom queen's night special, zeebox turns watching tv into a party with friends. download zeebox free, and have the night of your life with your tv. the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. american idol winner phillip phillips broke record when his song "home" broke triple platinum. >> in three short weeks after touring, phillips churned out his highly anticipated debut album, we've been waiting for this "the world from the side of the moon." >> we're so happy for you. you with wrote half of the songs and co-wrote the other half. >> i'm proud of it, not many people from iowa get to do that. >> has it all sunk in, just all of everything that's happened to you? >> no, everything's been going so fast, haven't had time to let it sink in too much. i think it's a good thing. >> got to love it while the fire is burning hot. >> i guess so. i've been enjoying it all. >> excited about the new song. it hasn't been sung before, it's called "gone, gone, gone." >> yes. >> ready to do it? >> i'll do my best. >> all right, philip. take it away, hon. ♪ ♪ when life leaves you high and dry ♪ ♪ i'll be at your door tonight if you need help ♪ ♪ if you need help ♪ i'll shut down the city lights ♪ ♪ i'll lie cheat i'll beg and bribe to make you well ♪ ♪ to make you well ♪ when enemies are at your door i'll carry you away from more ♪ ♪ if you need help if you need help ♪ ♪ your hope dangling by a string ♪ ♪ i'll share in your suffering to make you well to make you well ♪ ♪ give me reasons to believe that you would do the same for me ♪ ♪ and i would do it for you ♪ for you ♪ baby i'm not moving on ♪ i love you long after you're gone ♪ ♪ for you for you ♪ you would never sleep alone ♪ i love you long after you're gone ♪ ♪ and long after you're gone gone gone ♪ ♪ when you fall like a statue i'm going to be there to catch you ♪ ♪ put you on your feet ♪ you on your feet ♪ and if your heart is empty not a thing will prevent me ♪ ♪ tell me what you need ♪ what do you need ♪ i surrender honestly ♪ you've always done the same for me ♪ ♪ and i would do it for you ♪ baby i'm not moving on ♪ i'll love you long after you're gone ♪ ♪ for you for you ♪ you will never sleep alone i love you long after you're gone ♪ ♪ long after you're gone gone gone ♪ ♪ you're my back bone you're my cornerstone ♪ ♪ you're my crutch when my legs stop moving ♪ ♪ you're my head start you're my rugged heart ♪ ♪ you're the pokes that i've always needed ♪ ♪ like a drum baby don't stop beating ♪ ♪ like a drum baby don't stop beating ♪ ♪ like a drum baby don't stop beating ♪ ♪ like a drum my heart never stops beating for you ♪ ♪ for you baby i'm not moving on i love you long after you're gone ♪ ♪ for you for you ♪ you would never sleep alone i love you long after you're gone ♪ ♪ for you for you ♪ baby i'm not moving on i love you long after you're gone ♪ ♪ for you ♪ you would never sleep alone ♪ i love you long long after you're gone ♪ ♪ like a drum baby don't stop beating ♪ ♪ like a drum baby don't stop beating ♪ ♪ like a drum baby don't stop beating ♪ ♪ like a drum my heart never stops beating for you ♪ ♪ long after you're gone gone gone ♪ ♪ i love you long after you're gone gone gone ♪ >> we'll be back. thank you, phillip phillips! >> that was so great! >> we'll be back with more of "today" on nbc. >> how good was that? >> that was good. oh, you have a keurig vue brewer? oh, it's great! now i can brew my coffee just the way i love it. how do you do that? well, inside the brewer, there's this train that's powerful enough to carry more coffee and fresh water to make coffee that's stronger and bigger... and even hotter! actually, i just press this button. brew the coffee you love -- stronger, bigger, or hotter -- with the keurig vue. our 19th annual holiday gift drive is off to a terrific start with so many donations for the millions of needy kids on our list. >> karen davis, vice president of community relations for hasbro. we're so glad you're here. this is not your first time. >> it's not. we've been helping since the beginning. we've given $1.8 million in toys so far. >> you have a furby on your lap. >> i was able to grab some to give for the "today" show toy drive. this year we're doing something different, encouraging kids to be joy makers. we started an organization called generation on. we're asking kids to bring holiday joy to their community and make a pledge of service. for every pledge, we'll give a toy to the "today" show toy drive. >> that's so great. >> nicolas, you've been doing this for a few years, huh? >> yeah, i have. when i was 11 years old, i started got to have sole to give shoes to kids in homeless shelters throughout the u.s. in the past few years i've given shows to 3,100 children. >> thank you for all you do. tomorrow, a performance by singer/song writer chris mann. >> and how to entertain with chapel pai champagne. >> have a great day, everybody, see you at "scandalous." tropical storm force wind gusts and 2 to 6 inches of rain on the way to parts of the bay area. we are timing it out in your city to your door step coming up.
show but more importantly he's the keeper of the office pool. >> and has been, he says for five years. i've been giving this guy money for ten years. not sure where it's going help. takes it very seriously. gets very disappointed if we don't win. calls us from his home in monte carlo to tell us the news. here's what it's going to look like, if we win this lottery tomorrow, that's what the control room is going to look like. howie and everybody else will be gone. >> the sound of crickets. we'll show you the machine that will actually be the center of attention tonight. your odds of winning a mere 1 in 175 million. we're going to have more on the jackpot fever straight ahead. what's it like to become a multi-millionaire overnight? we'll talk exclusively to the couple who won the last big powerball jackpot worth $202 million. >> health news this morning, are some women with breast cancer having double mastectomies they don't need? coming up, the results of a new study that will get a lot of attention. and then yahoo!'s ceo marissa mayer has been touted as the woman who could have it all, so how is she adjusting to her new job and life as a new mom? we're going to hear from her for the first time since she went back to work just two weeks after giving birth. >> cue the breaking news music this. just in kate middleton debuts a new hairstyle, bangs. matt lauer, quick reaction. >> i'm speechless. >> let us begin though with tonight's record powerball drawing, a whopping half a billion dollars and counting. nbc's andrea canning is at a store in new york city where tickets are probably a hot commodity. andrea, good morning. >> reporter: yes, they are. this is a big deal. selling hundreds of tickets every hour. people started lining up at 5:00 a.m., and this jackpot, it just keeps growing. it's grown $175 million in just the last three days alone. >> ticket sales are expected to top a whopping $1 billion by tonight's drawing where a single winner could walk away with a cash prize worth $327 million before taxes. >> there you go. good luck. >> i would take my entire family on a cruise around the world. >> a sports car for me. >> aston martin. >> i'll pinch myself. >> reporter: and it's not just the lucky winners who win big. $1 of every $2 powerball ticket goes to the state covering lottery overhead and supporting programs like education. the federal government also hits the jackpot, taking a quarter of the winner's earnings in taxes and, yes, there's more. states and cities can take an additional 5% to 12%. a new york city winner would pay the highest taxes, but lucky winners in eight states may no state taxes on winnings at all. until today the biggest powerball on record was $365 million won by eight nebraska meat packers in 2006. >> we process hams and corn beef? they went from corn beef to caviar overnight and so could you. but jeremy elson, a senior researcher from microsoft says it's okay to dream, but don't quit your day job just yet. >> mathematically it's not a good bet to buy a lottery ticket, even though the jackpot is very large. >> reporter: odds of winning, 1 in 175 million. >> so if you imagine a line of 175 million pennies stretching from l.a. to chicago and just a single one of them has an "x" on it, you have the same chance of winning a lottery as taking a road trip, stopping alongside the road in a random place, flipping over a single penny and finding that one with an "x." >> reporter: still, you can't blame people for getting mesmerized by the power of the powerball frenzy. >> i would be thinking it's freaking incredible to have that much money. >> reporter: all right. i know we have the office pool. i'm going to increase our chances even more. tom, i'll take $20 in quick picks for the "today" show studio. the drawing is 10:59 eastern. you can buy your tickets until an hour before that. i'll get these numbers and you'll be in check of checking these numbers from home >> you don't want to give me those, and iia. thank you for thinking of me. appreciate it. more on powerball frenzy a little later on. right now here savannah. >> now to washington where ambassador susan rice holds more meetings with lawmakers on capitol hill, and it is becoming clear that a showdown is looming if rice is the president's pick to replace secretary of state hillary clinton. nbc's foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell has the details on that. andrea, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. white house officials say president obama still plans to nominate susan rice as secretary of state and democrats are confident they will have the votes to confirm her in the senate if she's nominated but top senate republicans are not backing down from their opposition. susan rice returns to capitol hill today for another day of republican outreach. this time with senator susan collins of maine and bob corker of tennessee. but rice's fence mending stalled as she submitted to a grilling over benghazi by her republican critics who had this to say. >> we're significantly troubled by many of the answers we got and some we didn't get. >> bottom line, i'm more disturbed than i was before. >> reporter: rice acknowledged she was wrong on key facts days after the attacks when she went on five morning programs and said benghazi was a copycat attack after protests in egypt. >> what happened in benghazi was in fact initially a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired hours before in cairo. >> reporter: tuesday rice acknowledged there was no protest in benghazi, but she blamed the cia, as she did last week. >> i relied solely and squarely on the information provided to me by the intelligence community. i made clear that the information was preliminary. >> reporter: acting cia director mike morel accompanied rice tuesday, in effect her wing man, but it didn't help. >> i'm more troubled today knowing, having met with the acting director of the cia and ambassador rice. >> reporter: both senator kelly ayotte and senator lindsey graham threatened to block rice's nomination. rice did persuade one senator. >> she said what she believed was true, and she was under no political influence from the white house. >> reporter: but joe lieberman is quitting the senate and won't have a vote rice and president obama are closer than he and the iconic hillary clinton. the president has made it clear he will fight for rice and tuesday the white house was not backing down. >> the focus on, some might say obsession on comments made on sunday shows, seems to me and to many to be misplaced. >> reporter: one veteran former diplomat says rice should not be made a scapegoat for doing her job. >> she was simply representing the viewpoint of an entire administration, and many of us have been in positions of defending administrations, republican and democrat in the past. >> reporter: and there's still another problem now. the acting cia director who accompanied rice late tuesday acknowledged that he had misspoken during his morning meeting with the three senators only add together administration's problem is a the president tries to assemble a foreign policy team for his second term. savannah. >> andrea mitchell in washington, thank you. let's turn to chris matthews, host of msnbc's "hardball," chris, good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. >> as andrea pointed all indications are that susan rice will be the pick for secretary of state and all indications are that it would be a very ugly confirmation battle. is it worth it for the president to take on this fight, and at this point, does he have any choice given how vigorously he's defended her? >> officially the white house has not made a decision yet. i was told last night right at the top over there they haven't made a decision yet, but he clearly has to get some separation it seems from the fight over what happened in benghazi, the testimony she gave on "meet the press" in mid-september was and the issue of picking secretary of state. if he can separate the two issues by a couple of weeks. if he has to make the nomination right in the middle of this, we'll have an opening act to the second term which will be very messy and hot and not helpful. >> would that be a fight worth having? >> it will distract over the next couple of weeks. clear that the president has to win the battle over a fiscal cliff. he's got those on the left who doesn't think it is a cliff and he needs to get the business community to put pressure on the republicans to get a deal before christmas. the president is playing it right so far, making it about the middle class and get the rich people to pay their taxes. it's really a tough fight. if this were his only fight it would be a tough fight. >> let's turn back to rice for a moment and look at the substance of that. she acknowledged was what she did was repeat unclassified talking points that came from the intelligence communities. if she had classified information that was somehow different or would have added more to it, obviously she couldn't have said it on the sunday shows, but should she have been more direct that the information she was providing to the american people was at that point not just preliminary but incomplete? i guess the bottom line is did she mislead? >> right. i think the big question -- it is a question. we don't have the answer. was she a flack out there in politics, mouthing the words that somebody told you, or is she a thoughtful cabinet minister to be a potential cabinet minister, and that's the big question because if she knew the classified didn't square with the unclassified, then she should have left some openings there, but from what i'm told she got the facts directly unchanged, unspun by the white house. nobody changed anything. if anybody's at fault here it's the intelligence community for giving her incomplete information for their own purposes. by the way, this story remains murky for a reason. i only say in politics if it's better than it looks, they will tell you. if it's worse than it looks, we have a cia operation going on in benghazi we're still covering up, and that's what they don't want to talk about. >> chris matthews, we'll see how it it develops, thank you. catch chris on "hardball" weeknights at 5:00 and 7:00 on msnbc. matt? >> thank you. one of the women involved in the scandal that brought down two generals, david petraeus and john allen is making headlines again this morning. jill kelley is launching a full-court press to respond to what she claims are mistaken notions about her. nbc's pete williams has the latest on this. pete, good morning to you. >> reporter: matt, good morning. just when this story had about run its course, one of the central figures, jill kelley, is back. her lawyers says some allegations reported about kelley are false, so he's conducting a vigorous campaign to correct what he says are mistakes. jill kelley, the tampa woman who first told the fbi about what she considered abusive e-mails sent anonymously from a woman when turned out to be paula broadwell has reached out to a friend, high-powered criminal defense lawyer abbe lowell to correct what she says are lingering misimpressions. in a letter to the florida bar association lowell says a tampa lawyer who once represented the kelley family acted unethically by making public comments about her two weeks ago, suggesting she was trying to be a social climber at a florida air force base. >> i understand that -- that there was an effort made to infiltrate, to use a word of art, the deal and the brass. >> reporter: in response, the lawyer, barry cohen, says nothing he said was based on the legal work for the kelleys, and kelley and her sister are, quote, architects of their own agony and in another letter abbe lowell asks if there's a leaked investigation to find out how kelley's name became public in the first place as the recipient of paula broadwell's e-mails. a source close to the kelley family insists jill kelley is not trying to keep her name in the news, and the source calls simply false any suggestion that she had an affair with general petraeus or general john allen. never happened, the source says. in another development, the south korean news agency says the government of south korea is revoking kelley's status as an honorary consul for the country. the source close to the family says she has never tried to use her military friendships or access to do anything improper and is instead being victimized by government leakers and the news media. matt? >> all right. pete williams in washington on this, pete, thank you very much. >> want to get a check of the day's other top stories. natalie morales is over at the news desk. natalie, good morning. >> good morning, everyone. protesters in cairo are rallying in tahrir square. once again they are demonstrating against president mohamed morsi. through clouds of tear gas protesters called for morsi's ouster after a power grab. he's the first freely elected president taking office after a popular revolution removed hosni mubarak from power last year. a new analysis from "consumer reports" finds a majority of pork for sale in the grocery stores contains high levels of a dangerous bacteria. the magazine found 69% of samples contained high levels of contaminants that causes food poisoning in about 100,000 americans, many of them children, each year. and more troubling, many of the samples were antibiotic resistant. "consumer reports" found that ground pork was more likely than pork chops to contain the bacterium and reminds readers to properly cook all meat. three officials have been arrested in connection with a factory fire in bangladesh that killed 112 people amid reports that workers trying to escape the flames were locked inside. meantime, records found by the associated press inside the charred factory show it produced clothing for walmart, disney, pixar, sears and other western companies. a new challenge to the pentagon's ban on women serving in combat. four female service members have filed a lawsuit for the right to fight saying the policy as it stands now blocks them from advancements that are open to men who serve in combat. and an apology from the youngest star of "two and a half men." while he did not take back his comments calling his show filth, angus t. jones said he apologized if his remarks were disrespectful of his colleagues and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be on the show. we'll have more on the story coming up in a live report. and "gangnam style" is the dance craze that has taken the world by storm. just about everyone is doing the horsey dance, except for our matt lauer. he conveniently wasn't here that are psy's concert on our plaza so jibjab has found a way to make matt dance. >> that's not funny. ♪ ♪ ♪ oppa gangnam style >> something's so wrong about that but so right. go to jibjab.com and put any face you want in there. it's free. so matt, savannah. >> that's really nice. >> you brought this on yourself. >> you could have done the horsey dance. >> am i now off the hook since i've done it, at least computer generated? >> no. >> natalie, thank you very much. stephanie abrams is here this morning because al's still got this laryngitis. >> hopefully he is feeling better this morning. al, hopefully you're watching, and you are recovering. >> he's got the tree lighting with you tonight. >> i can't do it alone. >> what are you doing tonight? >> the gangnam dance. >> anything but spend the night with me, okay. >> let's have a look at the weather and we'll start off in the west, and the rain is starting to come ashore. this is just the start of many storm systems that will be pulling in. there's the wide shot. can you see the clouds all the way out in the pacific and yet another storm behind that. it's going to go on for days. over the next 24 hours, 1 to 2 inches. we could see up to a foot of snow in some locations with this system. otherwise it's pretty quiet across the rest of the country. we'll get a check of your local weather right after this. good wednesday morn. we have strong winds picking up as the front comes on shore. heavy rain on the way as we head through the next three hours. sustained wind speed at 20 miles per hour. in san jose. you're at 26 in oakland. flight cancellation, and delays at three hours out of sfo. the front is moving in quickly, about 15 minutes away from heavy rain in san jose. as we head throughout the next couple of days, the rain continues. savannah. matt, over to you. >> all right. stephanie, thank you very much. yahoo!'s new ceo, 37-year-old marissa mayer, is one of the country's most high-profile working moms. so how is she adjusting to her pressure-packed job and being a new mother? we got exclusive access to mayer's first interview about how she's juggling it all. nbc's diana alvear has more on that. diana, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. two months after the birth of her son marissa mayer gave her first and last interview about life as ceo of yahoo! and new mother in chief to her newborn. it was in palo alto, california at a dinner. interviewed by "fortune" magazine in front of a crowd of invited guests, mostly women, marissa mayer focused on her two new roles. >> i knew that the job would be hard, and i knew that the baby would be fun, and i -- and i -- and the thing that surprised me, and really puzzled me so, is that the job is really fun. like yahoo! is -- yahoo! is a really fun place to work, and the baby's been easy. the baby's been way easier than everyone made it out to be. >> reporter: mayer was just 37 years old in july when she was named ceo of yahoo! becoming the youngest ceo of a fortune 500 company. she was also six months pregnant and announced that she only planned to take a week or two away from the office. in contrast, in a 2008 interview on "today," mayer, then a google executive, seemed to back longer maternity leave. >> i mean, basically said, you know, a baby and a googler should have their parent at home for six weeks or three months, and it should be standard from that child's point of view, and i think that means that ultimately it's a really supportive environment for women, but it doesn't necessarily mean special treatment for women. >> reporter: on september 30th came the birth announcement via twitter from mayer's husband and true to her word, two weeks later, the new mom tweeted she was back at work. >> what's the most important thing that you do to get it all done? >> you have to prioritize, and i do -- that's one of the reasons i haven't been talking and i'm going to go back to not talking. >> reporter: all mayer has only run yahoo! since july, her management style is clearly clicking with investors. the stock is up 18%. as a wisconsin native, she cited legendary green bay packers coach vince lombardi for his drive for success and winning. >> vince lombardi says, you know, in my life there are three things, god, family and the green bay packers, in that order, right? and, you know, i think for me it's god, family and yahoo! in that order. >> and in a few hours, mayer joins a group of ceos for a meeting with president obama about the ongoing negotiations over the so-called fiscal cliff, and then she'll have just enough time to get home for her son's two-month birthday on friday. matt? >> diana, thank you very much. just ahead, more on tonight's $500 million powerball jackpot. we're going to talk to a couple. they recently won over $200 million. they will tell us how it feels, but first this is "today" on nbc. >> "two and a half men" apologizes, sort of. >> after your local news. ♪ ♪ ♪ music is a universal language. but when i was in an accident... i was worried the health care system spoke a language all its own with unitedhealthcare, i got help that fit my life. information on my phone. connection to doctors who get where i'm from. and tools to estimate what my care may cost. so i never missed a beat. we're more than 78,000 people looking out for more than 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. [ female announcer ] kay jewelers presents neil lane designs. from hollywood's premier jewelry designer. hand-crafted diamond rings, earrings and necklaces. at kay, the number-one jewelry store in america. ♪ every kiss begins with kay it is 7:2. i'm jon kelley. the wind and the rain the big story. on the bay bridge, there is a big-time wind advisory in effect. what's it look like out there? >> good morning to you. i can tell you, the rain has been coming down at least for 20 minutes now and it hasn't stopped. if you're heading out this morning, bring your wet weather gear. this is what the toll plaza is looking at. there's already a car out there that looks like he has a flat tire. the backup is long. hold on to the steering wheel. winds could get up to 50 miles an hour. caltrans is saying workers on the deck and cables of the new bridge are now on a two hour hold due to the rain and wind. they're going to be operating with a skeleton crew. the wind picking up as well. certainly something to keep in mind as you head out this morning. reporting live at the bay bridge, i'm christy smith. >> right now, let's check back in with meteorologist christina loren. what's the weather outlook? >> we're expecting the worst of it between 8:00 and 10:00. we'll tart to see the showers held up slightly around the 11:00 hour. that's your sustained speed. in san jose, we've got 25-mile-per-hour winds. and gusts up to 40 to 50 miles per hour from time to type. the heaviest band of moisture pushing on shore. san jose still relatively dry. once that rain starts, we're in this wet pattern all the way through the beginning of monday. let's check on your drive with mike. >> here's the san mateo bridge. a little farther south than the bay bridge. soupy conditions coming over into that midst and the drizzle and the rain. look at the peninsula side. 101, slow through san mateo. the green shows you wet conditions. blue is ponding and puddling. all along highway 101 as well. the entire area of the peninsula. in the south bay, it's kind of ringing the freeway. really bogging down. >> we'll be back in half an hour with the latest in our storm watch coverage. send your weather photos and i havos in. there's a pretty shot of the rockefeller center christmas tree and that 80-foot norway spruce will look even better tonight when the switch is flipped on. it has 30,000 lights. al and i will be there tonight, and we'll bring it live right here on nbc. al is resting his voice this morning so that when he talks about how beautiful and spectacular it is, he can do so with full gusto. >> you call it the christmas tree. i call it the birthday tree. it's tice lauer's birthday. when they flip the switch, i've convinced it's for him. >> happy birthday. now fallout from angus t. jones' rant against his own show, "two and a half men." we'll tell you what the young actor is now saying after he urged fans to stop watching what he called the filth on his show, and then a movie that has a lot of people really interested. this is "the hobbit." things got a little wild at its world premiere. >> we know they will draw a crowd for that movie, wow. and then a new study in the battle against breast cancer. women will want to pay attention to this one. are too many patients getting a double mastectomy when they don't really need to have that operation? we'll talk about that with dr. nancy. let's begin this half hour with more on the $500 million jackpot and in a moment we'll talk to the winners of the last big drawing but first nbc's erica hill is here with a warning. if you're dreaming big this morning, might want to temper your dream. >> reporter: just a little bit, good morning. for many the big financial gain eventually translate to an even bigger loss which has some people talking about the curse of the lottery. it's become an all too familiar tale. >> always a dream. always a dream. >> reporter: for most people winning the lottery sounds like a one-way ticket out of the daily grind. >> tired of working. i've been working for 60 years >> reporter: options seem limitless. >> house boat, yacht, mansion. >> buy a lot of concert tickets. >> a big house, mansion probably in las vegas. >> reporter: and for some striking gold is more than just a far-fetched dream. >> it's enabled us to help others. >> reporter: jackie and gilbert sis narz of the l.a. area struck it rich two years ago using their winnings to give back to the community. >> good fortune that allowed us to start a foundation with the focus on hispanic education. >> reporter: winning the lottery is obviously a wonderful event, but it's all about your coping skills going into something that really changes your life entirely that will predict whether ultimately this will be a happy event or not. >> reporter: but for many financial haniness comes at a cost. >> it changed my life for the better, but in reality it change it had for the worse. >> reporter: this winner faced a slew of problems. among them a brother who tried to have him killed, a land laid who took a third of his jackpot in a lawsuit, a conviction on an assault charge and bankruptcy, and he's not alone. juan rodriguez was a parking attendant making less than 30,000 a year when he won a jackpot worth $149 million. soon after his wife divorced him and took half his winnings. in south florida, a woman is on trial accused of killing a man who won a $30 million jackpot. she pleaded not guilty. >> i think wing the lottery is a real double-edged sword. some people are able to really feel happier, have a more comfortable life, but more often than that, people are overwhelmed. the money erodes away at their relationships. they get self-destructive and at the end of the day they would have been better off not winning a lottery. >> reporter: nevertheless there are, of course, still plenty of people hoping to walk away as the winner of tonight's big jackpot, and they are happy to take their chances. matt? >> erica, thank you very much. brian and mary know what it's like to become instant multi-millionaires. two months ago they claimed a $202 million powerball jackpot. they are with us for their first national interview. brian and mary, good morning. nice to see you. >> good morning. >> since it's your first national interview how does it sound when you hear your name next to multi-millionaires? >> a little strange. >> a little different. >> takes some getting used to? >> every time we see a number about, you know, the financial projections, it -- you -- we can't fathom it. it's unreal. >> i was reading about you, and the one thing that impresses me about you is you guys are being very careful. you are not the couple, an you've got three kids, by the way, that ran out and started buying things up. one of the things you did that was really smart, you put together a team before you even claimed the jackpot. who was in that team? >> we have financial advisers from goldman sachs, an accountant. we have two attorneys. always have to have an attorney. >> how did you know to do that? where did you get that advice? >> well, i'm an attorney, and i actually did estate planning, a little bit of estate planning, took estate planning classes so i knew the basics of what large amounts of money needed to do. >> so when you started to talk to these people that eventually became your team, did you be honest with them, did you say hey, i'm thinking of hiring you because we wouldn't lottery? >> the attorney i sent her too to the day she told me she won put together the team, he worked with other high net individuals and knew who to call. >> 130 million is what you end up. >> 90. >> after taxes. instant temptation. everybody wants to go out and do something, splurge on something. you really haven't done that yet, have you? >> well, we've got a couple new cars, you know, clothes, nothing big, and our attorney, the one thing that i hope whoever wins tonight, if it's not us. >> are you playing in this one, too? >> she's got a ticket. >> people would hate you. >> i know. >> there would be like a lynch mob after me. >> it would be terrible. >> i just won $4 a couple weeks ago. >> he said grow into the money. don't go out and get everything now. you'll have time for all of that. just grow into the money. >> people i know have contacted you, want to help you spend your money. they have asked you for donations to things. is there a downside to becoming instant millionaires? >> you can't help everybody. i mean, we would like, to but you can't. i've got a stack of letters at home this thick of people, just strangers, wanting, you know, and you want to help them but you can't. you don't know who is telling you the truth and who is not. >> again, i think you guys have handled it awfully well, and i hope you'll continue to do that. congratulations most importantly. >> thank you. >> now let's get a check of the weather from stephanie abrams. >> hitting the lottery when we're talking about our temperatures today. we have heat into texas into the 70s, even into the northeast, the 30s and also the 40s. what about snow? what about rain? here it is for you. it's basically the west coast with just a few flurries there around portions of the great lakes, and then the big tree lighting tonight with al and savannah. it's going to be not too bad. 36 to 39, but that wind, 10 to 15 miles an hour, even though it's pretty light. it's still >> it's not cold out there, temperatures are in the 50s and 60s, but it is certainly wet. taking a live look at the bridge. slick conditions. more rain on the way. the heaviest part of the snow about 15 minutes away from san francisco. the winds are starting to gust. we've got a lot more rain on the way. this is the band of moisture i'm watching towards san francisco. that's going to arrive in the next 15 to 20 minutes and then a long line of thunderstorms through the afternoon. nk you. the young star of "two and a half men" is addressing the backlash to his video rant against the show. angus t. jones urged people not to watch it, but now he's issuing an apology to his co-workers. nbc's kristen dahlgren is in los angeles this morning with more. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. didn't take long before this went viral, received so much media attention to hear new comments from angus t. jones trying to send a much different tone. he is the half on "two and a half men" who stirred up a whole lot of controversy when he said this. >> please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on "two and a half men," and i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it, please stop filling your head with filth. >> reporter: late tuesday angus t. jones released a different statement. i apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which i have been blessed. jones, who has literally grown up on the show playing jake harper over the last ten years, didn't retract his earlier comments, but he did praise warner brothers which produces the hit show and his co-workers. i also want all of the crew and the cast on our show to know how much i personally care for them and appreciate their support, guidance and love over the years. it is a far cry from what jones, who was baptized as a seventh day adventist said in the testimonial for the "forerunner chronicles," a religious publication. >> you cannot be on a television show and be a god-fearing individual. >> reporter: he makes $350,000 an episode played first with cryer and charlie sheen after sheen was fired for his own troubles and rants against producers. >> we can get all the answers, wow, winning. >> reporter: after jones' comments first surfaced sheen told "people" magazine it's radically clear to me that the show is cursed. "two and a half men" has two episodes still to shoot before the holiday break, and sources tell nbc it's purely coincidence that both episodes, written long before jones' video, don't include him. >> now when they come back in 2013 to film the rest of the season's episodes, he is supposed to be in some of those episodes, so that's when we'll see if he's going stay or if he's going to least show. he's going to stay or leave the show. >> reporter: now warner brothers and cbs offered no comments. i guess fans will just have to tune in. exactly, savannah, what jones was trying to discourage them from doing. >> bet the producers would like that. kristen dahlgren in los angeles, thanks so much. still ahead, an important new study on double mastectomies, are wostectomies, surgeries they may not need? and later the story behind kate's new hairdo? but first, these messages. i love the holidays. and with my bankamericard cash rewards credit card, i love 'em even more. i earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% on groceries. 3% on gas. automatically. no hoops to jump through. that's 1% back on... 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[ both laugh ] febreze? how about that? yeah. febreze anti-clogging technology keeps it smelling fresh. febreze. breathe happy. back new at 7:44 with an emotional choice faced by women with breast cancer. what is the best way it treat it? a new study suggests most women who have a double mastectomy actually don't need it. dr. nancy snyderman is nbc's chief medical editor. nancy, good morning to you. >> hey, savannah. this is an important study that comes from the university of michigan comprehensive cancer center, and it is small, but still clearly shows that most women who are diagnosed with cancer in one breast have a very low risk of having cancer in their other healthy breast. it's not a decision e news host giuliana rancic made lightly. >> at the end it came down to choosing to live and not looking over my shoulder. >> reporter: but after consulting with her doctors and family she decided it was right for her, announcing her decision here on "today." >> and i'm going to go ahead and move forward with a double mastectomy. >> reporter: thousands of women with breast cancer face the same question every year. what form of therapy should i choose? for a growing number of women the answer has been to have both breasts removed. >> for me it was important to get the cancer out. >> reporter: but a new study by the university of michigan finds that for the overwhelming majority of women who have had both breasts removed, the risk of cancer developing in the healthy breast is very low. >> for most women over the 20 years after a breast cancer diagnosis, their risk of getting a new second cancer is in the range of about 5% or 6%, very, very small. >> reporter: actress christina app apegate had the surgery and sharon osbourne had the surgery after learning she had a high-risk gene but using the double mastectomy as a preventive measure may be unnecessary. >> many people are doing the procedure without the understanding of what the risk is for the other side. >> reporter: study suggests that fear of recurrence is one of the biggest factors driving the decision to have preventive surgery. 90% reported being very worried cancer would develop in their other breast. doctors say the science suggests for most women that fear is unfounded. >> the idea that by doing bigger surgery you're being safer and helping ensure a better outcome just simply true. >> there are some notable exceptions. women with a very strong family history of breast cancer, at least two or more immediate relatives, and those who carry very strong genetic mutations, for those women, yes, having a double mastectomy may be advisable, but those are the individuals who must make those decisions talking to their doctors and fear, we found, is the overriding reason people are having those, not the individual family decisions. >> let me pick up on that. let me be devil's advocate. no woman wants to do a double mastectomy but if she feels she should is there any harm? >> it's a major surgery. having a breast removed is not a simple operation. you also leave some breast tissue behind. place a bet that there's a 70% chance of you not ever having trouble or 90% chance, would you go ahead and have major surgery, the answer is no. we've let the fear of cancer override the statistical chances of getting cancer, that's a bad equation. >> have doctors been routinely recommending these double mastectomies? >> i think not, but doctors haven't been standing up to patients and say you must listen to me on this one, let's not go forward. i think they haven't been frankly honest enough. >> dr. nancy snyderman, thank you very much. >> thanks very much. >> brad pitt opens about when he'll marry angelina jolie and taking heat about the chanel ad and the duchess of cambridge and her new hair, sporting bangs. that after this. 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[ doorbell rings ] ♪ [ female announcer ] just for these hectic holidays, mccafé brings you a cup of holiday cheer. ♪ rich peppermint mocha and peppermint hot chocolate. holiday cheer with chocolate on top. ♪ the simple joy of unwinding. ♪ the simple joy of unwinding. even though our mom tries, she doesn't really get us. and she'll never know who we are, or what... no way, madden girls?? nike! they're so awesome! nike! wow! yeahhhh! thank you! who's your mommy now? it's a christmas miracle. give victoriously. famous brands. famously easy. famous footwear. victory is yours. all right. so apparently we have a new style choice this morning. when it comes to the duchess of cambridge. ladies, take it away. >> at an event on tuesday, he'll offer his analysis in a moment, she debuted new long flowing side bangs, a heavy part and vintage curls. >> say the style experts. >> yeah. i don't actually -- i've got to tell >> you it's more of a swoop. >> i'm not sure i would have noticed anything different from her hair. >> some are saying it's inspired by like farrah fawcett, and others are saying it's inspired by other own natalie morales. there is the duchess of cambridge. >> that's more. >> that's cute. >> there's the duchess of cambridge again. >> there's farrah fawcett. >> not farrah fawcett. >> natalie morales. >> you know, there's a little similarity there. >> coincidence? >> i think she's deflecting other pregnancy rumors. >> there's a theory. you're local news is next. hey buddy, i bet mom would love this, huh? jack? jaaack? jaaack?! jack?! looks good ladies! jack! come on, stop the car. jack! no, no, no, no, no! the only thing more surprising than finding the perfect gifts.. niice. ...is where you find them. how did you know? i had a little help. this is how to gift. this is sears. it is 7:56. i'm jon kelley. we have a live look at the san mateo bridge. a high wind warning in effect till 11:00 this morning. the wind and the rain impacting your commute. we will check in with mike in a matter of minutes. first off, meteorologist christina loren is tracking that wind for us. >> we're now in the thick of it. good morning. we have a batch of moderate rain coming down across san francisco. extending southward and into the south bay. we also have some very gusty winds to contend with. wind gusts just off shore being clocked very close to 50 miles per hour. you can see we're getting 45 mile per hour wind gusts up in the north bay so you want to travel cautiously with slick conditions already and the winds knocking you around over your open water bridges. it's a very dangerous combination. give yourself plenty of time. we have more rain on the way. our next system arrives as we head through late thursday into friday. that's packing a lot of moisture. we have another even wetter system on the way late saturday into sunday. 7:57. here's mike with your commute. >> just what christina said, wet wendy conditions. north 280 coming at us with the headlights. all that slowing going on on the left. now wet, make things tougher. we're looking here at southbound 101 with all of these headlights jamming up through the wet. the camera shakes because of the wind. an issue for the san mateo bridge as well. you see the green where it's wet and blue where it's puddling. that's for 280. 101 at 92 really bogging down around the san mateo bridge. 280 both directions, ponding there. a live look at the north bay, slow, down through san rafael. back to you. >> slow and easy, always wise. thank you very much, mike. we'll be back in one half hour with the latest in our storm watch coverage. see you then. 8:00 now on a wednesday morning. it's the 28th day of november, 2012. it's a pretty morning here in rockefeller center. there's the tree that will be lit tonight and will be in all of her glory tomorrow morning. savannah guthrie and al roker doing the honors tonight, along with a large group of celebrities and great entertainers, and it's always a great show. if you can, tune in to "christmas in rockefeller center." i'm matt lauer along with savannah out on the plaza. coming up in this half hour, if you missed out on black friday and missed out on cyber monday, have no fear. >> that's right. there are actually certain days of the week that are better to shop for certain items, whether it's electronics, jewelry or lingerie, winter coats, whatever you're into. we've got some great tips and interesting information. also ahead, do you think you could possibly find love on the subway? a lot of people find things on the subway here in new york city. love usually not on the top of the list, but this young lady here is a matchmaker who specializes in bringing people together on the subway. >> that's a nice idea. >> and then would you like to own david hasselhoff's home or perhaps one of madonna's new york city apartments? guess what, apparently they are for sale. we egcheck out a lot of celebrity homes up for grabs. fun to look at those pictures. >> before we get to that, natalie is standing by live at the news desk with all the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. the second biggest jackpot in u.s. lottery history is driving ticket sales for tonight's powerball drawing. the top prize has swelled to more than $500 million. your chances of winning it though are 1 in 175 million. with fiscal cliff budget talks at an impasse, president obama is holding an event with middle class americans to pressure congress to extend tax cuts for families earning $250,000 a year or less. meantime, white house officials say the president still plans to nominate u.n. ambassador susan rice as secretary of state despite renewed criticism from senate republicans who met with rice on tuesday. the tampa woman whose complaints about abusive e-mails led to the downfall of cia director david petraeus is fighting back. jill kelley's attorney has released telephone recordings and e-mails that he and kelley say prove she never tried to exploit her friendship with petraeus. the attorney is also demanding to know why kelley's name was revealed during the fbi investigation of petraeus and his purported mistress, paula broadwell. for a look at what's trending today, our quick roundup what have has you talking online. scarlet johansson's stint as al roker's weather fillin getting lots of buzz online. scar jo stepped into al he is neck of the woods tuesday when he came down with laryngitis. getting better for tonight's tree-lighting. "saturday night live's" jason pidek is big on youtube after ellen let him know he's a master of impressions. she held a celebrity photo and had guess who it was based on jason's impersonation. >> absolutely horrible. you're going to hollywood. >> simon could youel. >> eddie murphy. >> i love your show, not really. >> cher. >> as a reward ellen unveiled her house warming gift for jason and her girlfriend, actress olivia wild. that's hilarious. after "two and a half men" star angus t. jones went online urging fans to stop watching his show, he's being spoofed by "the office" stars rain wilson and craig robinson. >> if you watch "the office," please don't watch "the office." i'm on "the office," it's filth. >> please don't watch it. we're on thursday nights at 9:00 p.m. on nbc. do not watch the final season or that filth will rot your brain, seriously. >> as we mentioned, jones has since apologized to his she's cast and crew saying he has highest regard for them. it is now 8:04. let's go back outside to stephanie abrams in for al with a check of the wetter. >> hi there, natalie. i have some guys here visiting from charlotte, north carolina all dressed up here. where did you guys get this idea? >> in a store in times square last night. just came to us. >> all you got was hats. >> i know. they went shopping. we had no say in it whatsoever. >> well, you guys look great. thanks for coming out to the plaz a. let's have a look at the weather. along the west coast, you need a rain jacket. forget about having the crown for the statue of liberty. that won't keep you dry because it is going to pour. look at all the advisories. winds 50 to 70 miles an hour. we have flood advisories and there are winter storm warnings as well. otherwise it's pretty quiet 8:05 now, take a live look at the 280/17 intersection. you'll notice the camera shaking from time to time. gusty winds out there. san jose, we have a sustained wind speed of 18 miles per hour. closer to 30 in augusta. and still lighting up the radar at this point. from concord down to freemont, watch out for heavy rain headed in the next ten to 15 minutes. for the next few minutes, the rain continues. being a teenager? >> no, it doesn't. >> no, not at all. there you go, matt. over to you. >> thanks very much. are there better days of the week than others to buy the big items on your christmas list? we'll fill you in on that, but first, these messages. and always very curious.e my one day george got an important letter... he's built a rocket ship to travel into space. girl: google, how far is earth to the moon? google voice response: moon is 238,900 miles... mother vo: the great moment had come... ...3...2...1. ♪ ♪ ♪ this holiday you'll find 24 exceptional designers at prices that will amaze. exclusively at neiman marcus and target from december 1st. and then there's juicy chicken with best foods ♪ best foods is the secret to making parmesan crusted chicken... 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[ male announcer ] the united mileageplus explorer card. the mileage card with special perks on united. get it and you're in. back at 8:09. this morning on "today's consumer," the best time to buy. holiday sales are in full swing, and can you save even more if you know which specific days to shop. a fashion contributor and senior fashion editor at "marie claire" magazine joins us. >> good morning. >> you've heard of black friday and cyber monday but the best day all year round which is the best day to shop? >> which is it? >> the 27th of december, the best day, if you're willing to fight the crowds that are returning unwanted gifts. >> and also getting the folks returning their christmas gifts. >> selection is great. >> there's some store secrets that you say are good to know about timing and when to go. >> absolutely. 10:00 a.m. in the morning is a great time to go to any stores because most stores stock the night before so you have a great selection, and there's not a lot of people. avoid the midday because there's too many people around. >> lots of people on their lunch break at that time. >> exactly. >> secondly thursday evening is a great time because weekend sales kick in on a thursday evening. >> good tip. first, we're going to start with eastern items, certain times of year, best to get them. coats, if you want a coat right now, is this a good time to know? >> hold off. january and february, retailers want to make room for all their spring stuff. spring is in the air. they are not thinking about winter, so these you will grate discounts on. >> put a sweater on until then. >> layer up until then. >> how about sneakers? >> april is a great time to buy. retailers are realizing people are motivated to start running, get out running and pound the pavements. they are very competitive when it comes to sportswear so you'll get great discounts. >> jeans, i would think those never kind of go on sale. >> much more popular in the summer months, so when it becomes to september, back to school, october, sales dip, so you will see a great spike in sales by buying discount. >> okay. great. now let's go on to the days of the week, fascinates me. >> yeah. >> each day you say there's something worth buying on that day. start with monday, what's a good deal on monday? >> research shows that on monday women are not thinking about shopping. they are thinking back to work so there's a deep completely in sales so retailers incentivize by having staples on sale, sunglasses, retailers have rebates which they pass on to consumer. >> monday if you want a new camera. >> tuesday. how about tuesday, women are still on their shopping diet and it's all about the guys. want to incentivize the guys to shop who do a lot of research on the weekends and buy on tuesday. you find big guyswear on tuesday. >> wednesday? >> wednesday is all about the kids, and women stop their shopping diet and they are back on full force so it's the things we can't resieve. the sweet spot, kids clothes, shoes great, and jewelry. find great discounts on wednesday. >> so the idea is that -- they are going to actually offer discount on these days. you can find some good sales. >> yes. let us move on to thursday, a nice looking purse there. >> isn't it just. thursday is great for bigger ticket items because the traffic is the highest of all days, so they can afford to offer bigger discounts so handbags, obviously spend more money on them, can you find great bargains. >> accessories, too. >> more on friday, kind of the little pick me up before the weekend. >> yeah. >> and also -- and then saturdays and sundays we find a great skinny day, lingerie and swim wear. >> why on the weekends? >> i have no idea. >> show more skin on a weekend. >> maybe because people shop less for those things so retailers offer bigger discounts and you can find great bargains. >> should have asked you the beginning, just in the stores, or is there a difference between online and retail? >> these days of the week, discounts all apply more online. at the beginning of the month, so april for sneakers, january and february for coats. in store and online. >> some good information. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> coming up next, call her the love conductor. a matchmaker with a unique approach to finding that special someone. and then we'll take tout overnight premiere of the much anticipated new movie "the hobb hobbit" right after this. 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"l" for love. >> reporter: quick on her feet, eyes on the prize. >> let's see what we've got. >> reporter: fingers at the ready. >> here's the hat. everyone loves the hat. >> reporter: she's known as the love conductor. erica christianon is searching the subway for romance. diego, how old a fellow are you? do you know how cute you are? what kind of person are you looking for? >> would you ever consider signing up for my services and letting me help you find the love of your life? you're going to be a breeze with that face, 28. i can't wait. will you really e-mail she >> reporter: 31-year-old matchmaker doesn't use algorithms, no massive computer database. for her it's all gut. are you single by any chance? >> i'm single. >> how is that possible? >> do you go on the train and try to hook people up. >> reporter: her business is called train spotting. if she sees someone she likes. >> any chance you're single. >> reporter: single and game for an adventure. >> i'm a matchmaker. >> reporter: they get her card. christianon charges anywhere between $39 and $446 per month for her services which can include love matching, coaching and a perfectly planned out date, love conductor style. >> i set people up on mystery dates, and that's always fun. you know, sometimes i'll give them code names. they meet somewhere. opera singer who rides horses. >> that would be great. >> very specific, susana. >> and their a baritone, that's really fine. is there something romantic about the thought of what could come next, something you'd tell your grandkids? >> oh, yeah. if she manages to hook me up with the man of my dreams, that will be great. >> reporter: so is she successful? eliot says so. you hit it off? >> hit it off. it's been going strong, about a month and a half now. we'll see where it goes. >> reporter: but why the train? >> i think that you are getting the absolute best cross-section of all new york has to offer in the subway. >> you have my card. please get in touch if you want to. throw me an e-mail, and we eel go find her. >> okay. >> maybe on the train. >> maybe on the train. >> reporter: luck and love and locomotion. >> let's talk a little bit more about erik's success rate. pretty new, has a few dozen clients, but what she does say is she has been successful in marrying one couple. one that's still going strong, a few other second dates. as for erica herself, no, she's not single, despite what you saw in the video there, looks like she's flirting a lot, not single, and no, she did not meet her beau on the train. >> katy tur, thanks so much. >> now here's matt. "today" contributing correspondent jaeger is adding a brand new title to her resume. starting in january she will be taking on the role of editor-at-large of "southern living" magazine. congratulations. >> thank you. >> you're not going anywhere, you're staying here this. job stays the same. this is an additional responsibility. >> additional responsibility. might as well work while i can. >> the funny thing about this is you're going to "southern living" magazine at a time in your life when you're a new yorker. >> yes. >> how did this come about? >> i'm kind of a homesick southern person, a texan living here in new york, and so, you know, they came to me with this idea of working with them, and it's fun to be able to go back to -- you guys may forget that i'm -- >> hard to forget. >> every once in a while we catch a twang. i'll tell you a story. when we were in london for the olympi olympics, we all had dinner one night and you do miss the things were you surrounded with growing up. >> definitely. i love new york. i love the energy of it. i love the fast-paced nature of new york, but i do miss the slow texas way, and i think it will be fun. obviously there's a picture of me in blue jeans with my mother. >> at a very young age. >> at a very young age. >> was "southern living" on your coffee table in your home growing up? >> definitely was. my mom read. it not much of a cook but would dream over the recipes i think of somebody else cooking them for her, and, you know, i think it's fun. i'm in my 30s, 31, and i think it's fun to be able to talk about what new generation of southern women are doing which is balancing a lot. >> i looked at the release that comes from the magazine, and they say one of the things you'll be doing is called the paper napkin interview. what is that? >> i'll be talking with people from all over the south, people influencing our culture and hear how their southern roots have changed them. you're kind of from the south. >> no, i was born in new york city. i was from -- i now live on the southern shore of long island. so you can do it. >> if you want to interview me, that's fine. i'm not sure your readers would love that. what's the first project, do you have one in mind? >> i'm speaking with luke bryant, an up-and-coming country music star about his new album so that will be fun. >> the most important thing we need to mention is you're not going anywhere. we continue with you here as a "today" contributing correspondent, and you're adding this role at southern living." >> thanks so much. >> and we'll be back with much more after your local news. "sou" >> thanks so much. >> and we'll be back with much more after your local news. good morning to you. it's 8:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. rain is hitting the bay. >> good morning, laura. this say live look. this is basically the general sky over the general bay area as you see high atop this camera, shaking from time too-to-time, in addition to the gusty conditions, we have that and the bay getting slammed as we have been for the past hour. we will start to lighten up. the winds will increase as we head through the next few hours between 9:00 and 11:00. get ready for that. gusts upwards of 50 miles per hour. let's check on the drive with mike. >> let's take a look at the san mateo bridge. wet and windy conditions. heading over towards that sort of murky area. definitely wind is an issue. the peninsula is slow. oakland, 80 north as well. slow heading through, and the wind advisories as well. we'll look at the map see south of here, south bay, green on the map means wet conditions. blue means ponding and puddling. an accident caused problems. >> we'll be back in half an hour. the latest in the storm coverage. sent your news to nbcbayarea.com. brennan, lad, do you know where golf was discovered? scotland! aye...and do you know where your leukemia treatment was discovered? st. jude! right! after three unsuccessful marrow transplants, st. jude children's research hospital developed a bold new fourth transplant that helped save brennan. fore! i said four. why you yelling? good one! give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. and give to those who are not. go to st. jude dot org or shop where ever you see the st. jude logo. 8:30 now on this wednesday morning, november 28th, 2012. kelly osbourne on our plaza, collecting toys for our toy drive. and remember, if you cannot make it here to the plaza, you can still donate. head to today.com. it's easier to click on than it is to say and we'll give you all the details. kelly is here to collect toys and is also a member of "the fashion police" and will fill us in on the holiday trends and not so best holiday trends. >> on her second bag so doing a good job collecting. >> barbara corcoran is here. she will show us some of the celebrity homes that are up for sale right now, everything from a beverly hills estate that was once owned by elvis to usher's atlanta mansion and mad d.a.'s $23 million new york city apartment. how the celebrities live and what you can have if you have a lot of cash. >> that's a kitchen all right. not bad. also speaking of stars and celebrities, brad pitt is offering a clue about when his wedding to angelina jolie may take place, and also what he really thinks about this, that chanel ad spoofed by so many? oh, goodness. >> never mind. i'm not going to say anything. >> let's go to stephanie abrams in for al resting up for tonight's tree lighting. >> good morning. sarah is joining us from alaska. where are you from alaska and point it out. i'm from right about this. >> is this hot for you, these temperatures? >> absolutely. my family and have been peeling off our jackets every single day. >> what's cold? >> minus five. >> i'm a teacher and we have to have recess up until zero degrees. >> what? we don't have temperatures like that in the lower 48 today, so you don't have to worry about it. highs quite mild across the country and in the west is where we'll be seeing the showers. that's going to continue for the next several days. the tree lighting tonight, you need to bundle up. the 30s will be our temperatures. mostly clear and cold with al and savannah and into tomorrow it continues to be nasty along the west coast, and pretty quiet well, we're now in the thick of it. the front has moved onshore. the greater bay area getting nice and wet. there's more moderate and heavy rainfall on the way as we head throughout the next hours. the rain will be heaviest through 11:00. same for the winds picks up at san jose. from time to time, highs of 50s, that's the highest wind speeds clocked this morning. stay cautious out there. the slick conditions will continue. more rain on the way as we head through tomorrow. rhode island is celebrating her 80th birthday. if it's your birthday all you have to do is go to weather.com. speaking of birthdays, we'll send it over to willard scott with more. willard? >> nothing like a little birthday party in the fall, the leaves, the trees, how sweet it is and smucker's jam on the table. eunice simon, 100 years old, loves to play trivia and loves to listen to nice music. jim mitchum, beatsville, arkansas, 100 years old. former chief of police. boy, you're in a heap of trouble, under arrest and loves all sort of politics. had a ball this year and margaret grant, newarc, delaware, right up the road from us. 102. loves to cook and loves to bowl but not at the same time. dorothy, little dorothy miller, and she is from arlington virginia. that's across the river. 100 years old today. a devoted teacher and enjoys swimming. life's best exercise in the world. richmond, virginia is famous for a lot of things, not the least of which harwood cochrane, 100 years old. he said his secret is his beautiful wife louise. love and take care of each other. can't beat that. bernard and loretta hammond, battle creek, michigan. 75 years they have been married. they love each other and care for each other, and you can't beat the combination. that's it. and i love new york. there's a song about that, new york. back to you. >> all right. thanks so much, willard. up next, kelly osbourne on holidays dos and don'ts this season, but first, this is "today" on nbc. >> back new at 8:37 with "today's style." holiday trends from a real fashion authority. kelly osbourne has found her niche as part of e's fashion police. she's here to host and benefit the foundation for aids research. great to have you here. >> thank you so much. >> i want to talk trends for the holidays in a few moments, but let's talk about this milestone, 100 episodes of "fashion police." >> i cannot believe we have made it to 100 episodes. never filmed 100 episodes of anything in my life, but the fact that we've gone through 100 episodes and not one of us has ever gotten into an argument and all supportive, like family. me and george are like brother and sister, so when people see us like bickering, they are like stop being so mean to george. they don't get it. that's how we are. >> never gotten in an argument, except about fashion. >> yeah. of course. about the clothes, or if -- i kind of don't like it if some users refer to somebody as a slut. they should say it looks slutty, because you don't know that about that person. >> well, you know, it's a good point. i was going to ask you. it's a tough business. you know, you've been on the other side of it where people are critiquing. >> i still am. >> do you ever feel bad about critiquing stars' fashion knowing that they have made their best efforts? >> i would never say anything to anyone that i won't say to their face and that's something i make a real strong point of, but what's amazing to me is what i say and what people hear is a completely different thing. >> that's for sure. >> a good observation. >> and common sense is not common, and they forget that it is a comedy show, and it's finally taken 100 episodes of people to start realizing that "fashion police" is a fashion-based comedy show. >> knowing what you know about how tough people are on celebrity fashions, is it hard to walk down the red carpet and feel all those eyes on you? >> no, because it's all about how you feel. it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks or what -- you know, what "the fashion police" think. if you feel beautiful, there's no better feeling. >> what's the worst fashion crime on the red carpet as far as you're concerned, doing something that's really bold but doesn't work? i'm thinking bjork with the duck, or being too boreing? >> to me it's when they don't wear the right undergarments. >> really? >> because i don't want to see their bully button through their dress, the shape of their belly button through the satin dress because it ruins everything. you stare at it. there's like a weird belly button. >> never noticed anyone's belly button and why i wouldn't belong on "fashion police." >> don't have the right bra and the boobs are hanging out. you need the right undergarment. >> like it when somebody takes a risk rather than being boreing? >> i love it. henna bonham carter and bjork because they are fun to watch. >> do you feel you've gotten better at this job over 100 episodes? >> no. >> it just comes out of my mouth before i've even thought about what i've said because i'm not scripted in any way, on any of the shows that i do on e, so it's -- sometimes i'll say it because it's what i really think and i'll get all of these death threats on twitter, and i'm like it's just my opinion, why do you care that much? >> right. let's talk about trends for the holiday, because you do tend to see some good fashions and not so good fashions at the office party. >> we all have our good and bad days. >> we like to wear something special around the holidays. let's talk about pants. you have dos and don'ts. >> completely change. everything used to be low-waistd, go high-waisted this year. >> come on, really? >> high-waisted because there's many ways, things you can hide if you're got a little bit of puffiness down there, and you can get high-waisted underwear and put a crop top on tom and accentuates the smallest part of your body. >> high waisted, my many's jeans. sorry, mom. >> but that's what's back in the '70s. >> high-waisted. >> mine are high waisted right now, above my belly button, and you wear like a cropped top but if you don't have the physique, get a black leotard and it will give you curve and definition. >> talking about prints. dos and don'ts. >> houndstooth is a big thing, black-and-white prints, i love that. the scarfs. >> yeah, it's pretty. an easy way to, you know, snag something up. all you have to do is add like a red shoe and then it's a different outfit when it's black and white and that to me when you have that much versatility in an outfit, especially in a recession, it's important to buy clothing that, you know, you can reuse and change very easily. >> i'm totally depressed. you said no animal prints. i love animal prints. am i just out? >> i don't know how to say this. if you're like a punk rock kind of kid, totally wear it, but when this season, i don't think so much leopard prints. >> i love leopard prints. >> i was afraid. i was like is this leopard print? >> going through my clothes, the only thing that's not black is leopard prints. >> let's bring it back. great to see you. >> thank you. >> good luck to tonight and catch the 100th episode of "fashion police" friday night on e. >> coming up next, celebrity homes for sale, including an inside look at madonna's $23 million new york city apartment. but first, this is "today" on nbc. back at 8:45. this morning on "today's real estate" a peek inside celebrity homes across the country. barbara cochran is "today's" real estate contributor. good morning. >> good morning, natalie. >> starting off with a house that the king once lived in and owned, and we're talking about a property in beverly hills, elvis lived there from 1967 to 1973, and what's interesting about this piece of property, i guess lisa marie -- priscilla and he rented if it for a while and then bought it. >> they did, right before the child was born and divorced while they were in this house so it represents a whole chapter in their lives. there's a floor-to-ceiling windows and walls of glass throughout the house. what's interesting when you look at that front gate, that was designed by priss [ laughter ] eliminated all the windows on the front of the house because crowds of people would constantly hang out trying to get a peek of the king himself. it was a nuisance, so now all the windows on the back of the house, when you see what they front on, you'll appreciate the beauty of this house. a brand new kitschen, as you see there. >> beautiful. >> a month old, very neutral. anyone will like this kitschen, plenty of space. the real charmer about the house, the best street in beverly hills, making that 12 million price easily gotten. look at the views. everything backs out to the house with views and total privacy. this is a perfect house for a celebrity. everybody is going to die for this house, and it's freshly put on the market. >> gorgeous backyard, and as you said total privacy there. it is fantastic. okay. next we'll head to the east coast and take a look at a new york home. this is madonna's apartment. it carries a $23.5 million asking price, and it was showcased in "architectural digest" back in 1991 so i imagine this has to be a spectacular property with great views as well. >> madonna, just loves real estate, and this actual apartment is actually three units combined. bought one when she married sean penn, bought the second one when she divorced him and added a third apartment to this space when she just decide she had needed a little ven vags project. >> likes her real estate. >> and loves lavender. almost every room into the house is lavender if you're into that, not an objection ability color. >> that's the view. >> this has 110 square feet on the park, so -- >> central park west. >> central park west. >> looking over the east side, and you'll want to know that adds to that house value. two-thirds of its value. if that house didn't have that view, it would only be worth about $8 million but it's 23 million because of that. there's the taj mahal bedroom, a clothing rack on the ceiling, don't get that, but her private bathroom with a claw-foot tub and there are four other bathrooms in the house, and that, my dear -- >> is that a picasso? >> worth over $100 million, so if she would sell that painting she could buy three of the apartments. >> doesn't come with the 23.5 million. >> not at all. >> now let's go south and we're going to take a look at a property that usher has in atlanta, and this house is new to the market. apparently he's been wanting to sell this home in tlantor, for a whi while. what's stopped him? >> usher has an ex-wife that does not want to move out. when there's a wife who doesn't want to move, it's a problem so he's decided to show it with the estranged wife in place. good luck to the broke ebroker. but if you see the unit, the view you get. >> it's beautiful. >> everything about this house is meticulous, but i think he'll have a real push selling this house. we's asking $3.2 million. >> right. >> what's $200,000 more than he paid for it. there's the door. where do you think that leads to? >> certainly not the ex-wife walking out of it. >> his first wife, no, not really. that's actually a wine cellar this. hard is going to be a hard one to sell, i must say, because in that part of the country that's a very high price tag. >> barbara corcoran, great homes. thanks for bringing them to us. >> up next, the it has been just over a year since chris mann auditioned for season two of nbc's "the voice." as a member of christina aguilera's team, he made it all the way to the finals, and now he's out with his debut album and getting set to perform at tonight's tree lighting. excited to have him back. chris mann, good to see you. >> thanks for having me. >> what a difference a year makes. can you believe? >> no, i can't. been the craziest year my life and very thankful for everything. it's been amazing. >> needless to say you have a beautiful voy. you are a classically trained singer. >> yes. >> not immediately obvious you would be a pop sensation and here you are with a debut album. >> "roads" is a collection of my favorite things about music, has originals and the beautiful orchestrated crossover thing i like so much. >> you wrote or co-wrote two of the songs on the album. >> yes. >> and a lot of interesting cover songs, everything from willie nelson to coldplay. >> sort of reflects what i love about music in general. yeah, one of the highlights is definitely "my way," and paul anka rewrote it and as a sinatra fan, lady antebellum, willie nelson, coldplay. >> you definitely put your twist on it. chris mann, we'll see you at the tree lighting tonight. >> you will. >> but for now, take it away. >> thank you so much. ♪ there are roads in this life that we all travel ♪ ♪ there are scars and there are battles where we roam ♪ ♪ when we are lost or wherever we may go ♪ ♪ they will always lead you home ♪ ♪ there are roads that have led me to another ♪ ♪ to a friend or to a lover i have known ♪ ♪ for every turn is the year that i have grown ♪ ♪ as i walk along these roads ♪ some are long and some are weathered ♪ ♪ and some will lead through a storm ♪ ♪ when you've gone astray you will find your way ♪ ♪ as you walk along these roads ♪ ♪ there were times when i doubled and i wandered ♪ ♪ and every joy and every step i won't regret ♪ ♪ is i have lived and i have loved like no other ♪ ♪ i won't fear what life unearths ♪ ♪ ♪ because some are long and some are weather ♪ ♪ and some will lead you through a storm ♪ ♪ when you've gone astray you will find your way ♪ ♪ as you walk along these roads ♪ ♪ there are roads in my life that i have traveled ♪ ♪ there are scars and there are battles ♪ ♪ and i've been lost but no matter where i go ♪ ♪ they will one day lead me home ♪ ♪ they will one day lead me home ♪ >> beautiful voice and a beautiful song, chris mann. thank you. again, chris is just one of the performers we'll see tonight on "christmas in rockefeller center," 8:00, 7:00 central right here on nbc, and we are back after your local news. good morning to you. 8:56. i'm laura garcia-cannon. meteorologist christina loren tracking the storm. >> we have heavy rain pockets over santa rosa. we have a really good batch of rain centralized over south and san jose. we're going to continue to see the rain for the next few hours before it lets up. in addition to the rain week clocking very intense wind gusts. up to 50 miles an hour from time to time. we're going to continue to see the winds pick up as we head throughout the next few hours. make sure you check in. we'll have the updates right here on nbc bay area. ♪ it's a quarter after 1:00 and i'm still alone and i need you ♪ ♪ i need you now >> nice to see you. >> hi. >> back now with more of "today." just been listening to the delightful sounds of chris mann, one of the performers we'll hear tonight as we light the rockefeller center christmas tree. good morning, everyone. it's the 28th of november, 2012. a great but chilly morning here. >> a little brisk. >> i'm savannah guthrie alongside willie geist. matt had to leave a little early for an assignment and coming up, do you have it? do you have the fever spreading across the nation? >> i do. i have the fever but not the ticket. i'll get it tonight. >> okay. you need the fever and the ticket. powerball fever. >> i've got it. >> we've all got. >> these guys, the couple we just saw actually won a huge lottery, so we'll talk about what it's like if you win. you dream a little bit, but also there's some reality. >> doesn't always end well. ended well for that couple from iowa. doesn't always end well. do you have in the back of your mind the thing would you do with half a billion dollars? >> i would. >> would you like to share that with the national audience. >> i'd pay off my law school loans, and that would be the first thing. i'd hire like a personal chef and a personal trainer. >> those are both good. >> that would always be there and make me work out. >> the chef thing would be nice. not have to worry about it. >> i love my children, around-the-clock babysitter, someone who is always there. >> services. >> exactly. >> glad we worked this out. might use some of that money for steals and deals, can get a lot of them thanks to the great jill martin. leather totes and waterford crystals. >> can buy all three of those bags. >> up to 85% off exclusively for our viewers, and if you want to be the life of the party at the office, at home, wherever you, are you they'd to know what's going on in the world, and we'll get you some help tonight, keeping you in the know on the hottest headlines from hollywood and beyond with a new go-to resource a lot of people are turning to now called the skim. we'll meet the two young woman who founded it and are running it. >> let's get to the day's top stories with natalie morales at her post at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning, savannah and willie. powerball fever is sweeping the nation ahead of tonight's drawing. the jackpot has reached a record $500 million and frenzied ticket sales could nudge that number even higher today. political divisions are coming to a head in the nation's capital today as senate democrats rally behind u.n. ambassador and likely secretary of state nominee susan rice. republican senators say that they are more troubled than ever by rice's account of the u.s. consulate attack in benghazi, libya. budget negotiations are at an impasse over how to address the fiscal cliff. the tampa woman whose complaints of abusive e-mails that led to the downfall of general petraeus is fighting back. she say she and kelley never tried to exploit her friendship with petraeus and the lawyer wants to know why kelley's name was revealed during the investigation of petraeus and reported mistress paula broadwell. an apology from the youngest star of "two and a half men." while he did not take back his comments calling his show filth, angus t. jones said he apologize federal his remarks were disrespectful of his colleagues and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be on the show. the duke and duchess of cambridge visited the city that is their namesake today. they arrived in cambridge by train and visited the city's university. it is their first time in cambridge since they were given their title on their wedding day last year, but it is kate's new hairstyle though that has a lot of people talking. she's now sporting ban ining ba side fringe, as the british call it. wedding bells may be ringing soon for brad pitt and angelina jolie. "people" magazine reports at monday's premiere of his new movie "killing them softly" pitt said about marriage, the time is nye, it's soon. got a good feeling about it. and on "access hollywood" he was asked about the many parodies of his chanel ad. >> have you seen any parodies? >> i say fair play, absolute fair play. >> do you regret doing it? >> well, we don't -- we don't see a lot of each other's stuff actually. >> among first and best ad spoofed were the ones performed by pitt dead ringer on nbc's "saturday night live." that's pretty good. five minutes after the hour. let's go back outside to stephanie abrams in for al with a check of your weather. >> hey there, natalie. we'll start off with the toy drive. earlier this morning you saw kelly osbourne on the plaza collecting toig toys and visitors on the plaza and here for the tree lighting, all these toys are on their way to families that are in shelters. thanks to everyone who is participating this year to our toy drive. >> i wouldn't say no to kelly osbourne. >> you are teaming up with crest white strips. this is a massive check. >> a $30,000 check from crest white strips and it supports bigger brighter smiles on families all across america, just what christmas is about giving. >> giving. >> christmas is about giving and you get caught up in the whole shopping and the festivities, but it's great when you can turn around and make other people's christmas. >> and give year round with britain and with unicef. >> we try. >> i'm an ambassador with unicef and i take part in children's hospital back in london, too, but i'm so privileged to hand this over to you today because it's helping people here in the states. >> thank you so much, and congratulations on your nuptials that you just snuck off to rome. >> i did. that's what she good morning. we are on storm watch this morning. we have severe thunderstorms developing over the parts of the bay area. and you can see widespread rainfall this morning. i want to zoom into a very impressive cell over santa rosa. as you head through the next 15 minutes keep which mind, this is going to pack heavy gusts, rainfall and possibly lightning and pea-sized hail. we keep a stormy pattern in the mix all the way to the first part of monday. >> savannah, over to you. $30,000. wow. >> great to hear that. stephanie, take >> you not bad. now to today's "take 3" where we share our thoughts about the topics that have us talking. sticking around to add her two cents our editor at large. >> i'm taking over. >> we'll just keep giving you jobs. >> i love it. >> jenna bush hager. >> do you think willie is from the south. >> went to school in the south. >> i lived in the south for a decade. >> you're like grandfathered. >> vanderbilt. >> i have the name savannah. >> that's the southwest. >> true. >> sorry, sorry. hey, come on. take one. >> take one is the powerball jackpot frenzy. what else could it be, half a billion and it could get up now that the craze is going on. more and more people buying tickets. the odds though, 1 in 176 million. now, there are some questions if you join one of these office lottery pools. >> which we all have. >> we should probably talk to a lawyer. >> yes. >> do you find that a little strange based on your $1? >> i don't think howie strawbridge is going to like that. >> in the makeup room they were all doing it this mornings and i said, okay, are we shaking ton? i mean, is a shake good? >> i put my money in. >> they say whoever is straighting, hoy, pay attention, should be taking photocopies of all the tickets so that everybody knows the numbers and they can check them off because if howie goes and buys another ticket, let's say and ends up, that ends up being the winning ticket. >> i'll tell you right now, howie, i'm going sue you. >> savannah is our resident attorney here. do you think anyone in the history of the lottery has ever gotten a group together and said i've got all the tickets and now let's hire an attorney. no one has ever done that. >> because you can't afford it because you haven't won the lottery yet. >> and then the fight happens afterwards and studys suggest it doesn't make you happier. there are studies that say you're not any happier with $100 million. >> all the great religious and philosophies have come to the same conclusion that money doesn't buy a happiness. >> you hit a set point of happiness, harvard business professors studied it for years and came to the conclusion that there's an adaptation to happiness, a certain level. >> right. >> in other words, if you -- if you have something and you keep wanting something, the more you have, the more you want. you're never going to real be that happy. >> assuming your needs of food and shelter are met but i think we'd be happy. >> mo money, no problems. take two, who is going gangnam. >> gangnam. >> gangnam. >> gangnam. >> first public statement since breaking the viral video record for 838 million views. >> not david gregory. >> not david gregory. psy has identified the o celebrity he wants to drop him down gangnam style, and that is tom cruise. psy wants tom cruise will. we were just talking, chocolate thunder. >> he's hilarious. >> he would do it. a great dancer. >> let's invite him to. he could come on this show. >> already had matt lauer doing it this morning. >> jibjab. >> got that here? ♪ oppa "gangnam style" >> that's a lot of lauer, good clean fun right there. >> has more hair than lauer. >> the likelihood of matt lauer doing it is zero, we all know th that. >> i think that inside he wants to dance, but he's not sure he'll be a good dancer so he doesn't want to risk it. that's my analysis. >> i think next road trip we ply him with some wine and get him gangnam. >> christmas party. >> there you go. >> all right. >> exactly. >> i have a good one i think you're going to enjoy. take three here, calling it holy moly, the popemobile, the sacred vehicle is now for hire, rented limos for your prom or bachelor party and now you can rent the popemoeshlgs the o popemobile, the one that carried pope john paul pope john paul ii has been sitting in a museum for quite some time. can you rent the popemobile for 400 something bucks. >> on the streets of dublin. >> i've already put in a reservation for when my unimportant child is born in 2025 for their prom, you know, no funny business is going to happen in that popemobile. >> that would be wrong. >> i don't know if either of you have been to a bachelor party, hold a bachelor party inside the popemobile. >> that would be sacreligious. >> when my child is going to be excellent, the way i know that will be, prom will be fine. >> the cost is $325 an hour, fits about 14 people, i don't know who you can fight over who sits in the pope's chair. >> the pope hot tub. >> we're running out of time. can we get a quick shot of the treadmill desk, called the trek desk, 429, who is going to get on it? >> i took my shoes enna bush ha get up on there. >> it's fall so don't fall. >> there's times of study. i can go faster. >> you already have the treadmill and you can go your business. >> put your laptop right here. >> collate some documents over there. >> just a little bit. >> like all of a sudden -- i don't know -- are you ready? i don't know how to do it. >> slowly. >> all right. tell me when to stop, power walk. >> while jenna works out. >> thank you, jenna. >> it's 85% off. >> a little too much. this is embarrassing. run like the wind, jenna. i should have wore my sports bra. hershey's makes smiles. smiles make more smiles. when the chocolate is hershey's. life is delicious. 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[ ringing ] it's on. let's roll. something this delicious could only come from nature. now from the maker of splenda sweeteners, discover nectresse. the only 100% natural, no-calorie sweetener made from the goodness of fruit. the rich, sweet taste of sugar. nothing artificial. ♪ it's all that sweet ever needs to be. new nectresse. sweetness naturally. now to "jill's steals and deals, "big bargains exclusively for you, our "today" viewers, from waterford crystal glasses to leather totes, jill martin is here to offer some great holiday gift ideas. jill, good morning. >> good morning. first let's start off here. this is a blockbuster for us, probably the first time we've had it on "steals and deals, requests requests products by the body shop, not just any products, a ten-piece package from the body shop. >> feel like jenna needs this after the run so we'll give her one of these packages after, the retail for the ten pieces, 124, intensive hand butter, body butter, hand and nail cream, almond conditioning hand rom, lip roll on in coconut and bat lily and nut shower cream. >> are you going to smell very good if you do all of that at once. >> retails for 124 and the price is $39, 65% off. >> that's great. waterford crystal glasses, also a first for us. these are going to go really quickly. tell us about these. >> after you pamper yourself, they retail $100. marquee by waterford, each come in a set of four, double old-fashioned glasses, highball glasses, champagne flutes and all-purpose white wine glasses and they are all dishwasher safe which is important because who handwashes? >> yeah. >> the retail 100 and the deal 27.50, that's 74% off. >> you get four glasses. >> four glasses. >> and a great gift. >> okay. fantastic. over here to the dvd sets from baby genius, great for little to the in your life right now. >> these are always a great learning tool. >> my kids watched these growing up. >> and a great gift to send. retail 129.80, get ten dvds and ten bonus cds, national award-winning brand that encourages children to learn and discover. the retail 129.80 and the deal 29.95 for the full set, 77% off. >> fantastic. okay. over here to the great handbas s from ona ulrich, black, red, gray, green and brown. >> aren't they stuning? >> amazing. the retail is $650. it's the perfect classic bag. finest leather and gold hardware and cotton lining with a zipper pocket. it comes in six colors. celeb fans include cameron diaz and mila kunis. retails for 650 and the price $98. >> going to last you for a long time. and last but not least, such an incredible gift idea and we've done this before, a voucher for personalized photo canvas from mypicstocanvas.com. >> pics of you. >> i wanted to see if you took old photos and they weren't in such great condition. >> you look so much like your mom. >> thank you. the retail is 63.83 to 129.80 and turn your digital photos in works of art. purchase a voucher and send it in. can print out the voucher, and the e-mail will be send to you. i want everyone to know within 48 hours so it's not going to come immediately once you buy it. the retail 60.83 to 129.08. the deal 14.95 to 29.95. that's up to 76% off, so there's three different sizes for to you choose from. >> how long did it take to get it converted to the photo, to the canvas? >> two weeks once you order it. so if you want it. >> give it a little lead time. perfect time to order it. that's fantastic. by the way, the pictures were kind of wrinkled and they were able to bring them back to life? >> scanned them and sent it. so nice to have it. my whole family is not watching because happy holidays. >> there you go. jill martin, the best gift right here. thank you so much. the products are the ten-piece package from the body shop, the waterford crystal glasses, the dvds from baby genius, handbags and the gift certificate for personalized photo canvas from mypicstocanvas.com. if you have any questions just go to today.com/stealsanddeals. coming up next, the "two and a half men" star who trashed his own show, apologizes, sort of, but first these messages. gives you 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 50% annual bonus. and everyone likes 50% more... 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[ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. good morning to you. it is 9:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. this morning, that rain is falling in a first as a series of storms hits the bay area. darking a live look outside in san francisco. let's check in with meteorologist christina loren. >> it starts. and we're getting the worst part of this front. the actual core will cross through the bay area in the next few hours. we already noticed storms developing so you want to travel very cautiously. if you can, postpone your traveling until after 1:00 p.m. you'll see a much calmer atmosphere. the next system is lighting up. with in combination with the rain coming down, winds up to 50 miles an hour. take it easy out here. check on that drive with mike. >> okay, the san mateo bridge has been soupy and slow all morning. this is 92 westbound on your right. starting smoother because there's less traffic on it. heading over to the peninsula, the gumup at 901 and 82. and heading through this area, shake the camera, peninsula side, lighter volume, but still, that wind shaking that camera. there's the south bay, north at 880. smoother now. we'll show you on the map it's not as quite as bad as a half hour ago. >> thank you very much. we'll have a local news update right after this break. welcome back, everyone. a berkley city counselwoman washted the city to consider putting the soda tax on the ballot. linda mallon voted for that. voters did that earlier this month. this is an amazing story. the school bus driver being hailed as a hero after saving a girl from a burning bus. wilma mccossack grabbed the wheelchair off the bus. she couldn't get the wheelchair off the lift so she just picked up that little girl and carried her out. quite a remark about story. they hope to honor her later. >> we'll have another update in half an hour. hope you stay dry out there. thank you so much for joining us. join our local employees and others in clengting difficults this season. learn more at familygiving tree.org. ♪ oh, the weather outside is frightful ♪ ♪ but the fire is so delightful ♪ ♪ and since we've no place to go ♪ ♪ let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ♪ >> the unmistakable voice of rod stewart. he's been making music now for 50 years and counting, everything from rock, to folk, to disco and blue and will be a huge part of the tree lighting tonight in rockefeller plaza with savannah and al, and he'll stop on by to sing for us tomorrow on "today." i'm natalie morales along with willie geist and stephanie abrams who is in for al roker who is nursing his voice. >> he is. i texted him this morning. he said i'm better, not 100% but i'll better. i'll take better. >> playing the game tonight. >> he'll be there tonight. >> suited up and chin strap buckled. just ahead, from halle berry's custody battles to powerball fever, a cool new way to stay on top of all the hot headlines. it's called the skim, and we'll tell but it in a few minutes. >> love it and read it. a little bit of attitude and edge to it. >> meet the two young women who created it, and then the "two and a half men" star who called his own show filth and told people not to watch, it now whistling a little bit of a different tune. the latest on that story. >> and then solving some of those diet dilemmas that come up when you're eating with friends and family, especially now during the holidays. madeline burnstrom is going to be our buzz kill this morning, but first we'll launch our quest for the best next contest. looking for the best gingerbread house in america. >> from cottages to castles, would like to see what you can do with a little cookies, gumdrops and three finalists will win a trip to new york city and a chance to cheat live in our studios for today's best. >> exciting to see the entry. now a check of the weather. >> i'm volunteering to eat those. >> me too. >> put your trees up yet? >> too early. >> i have to wait until after the tree lighting here. >> tonight. >> we'll give you that. >> out of respect. >> the first tree. >> i know a lot of you put your trees up on thanksgiving day or the day after. maybe you're running out to get supplies today, won't have any problems across the country with the exception of the west coast. that's where it's messy and where it will stay messy. tonight for the tree-lighting, a little bit cold especially with the winds 10 to 15. you'll want to do the layers and bundle up. thankfully no rain or snow, and as we head into tomorrow, again, it's just the we are still tracking this wet and windy pattern and actually gets quite a bit more active was' speak. you can see for the most part, the bulk of the moisture right now confines right over the peninsula. we're about 59 minutes away from steady, heavy rainfall in the area of candle. 47 minutes away from cupertino and three minutes away from deer park. we'll continue to update you as the storms come in and roll onshore. . >> so besides what's happening in the west, it's basically a big warmup for the next several days for a lot of country. >> like the sound of that, stephanieing thank you. the competition on the "the voice" is heating up, and all eight finalists charted on itunes after monday night's performances, but two were set home. des durant from team christina and teddy from team cee lo. good morning, guys. >> des, you had so much pressure riding on you, last person standing on christina aguilera's team, the last hope she had to have a win in this competition. tell me about the pressure you felt. >> you know, the goal every week was just to go out there and put together a great performance. i think that was what me and christina set out to do every week, never about just the competition for the competition. it was about the performance, so i'm proud of what we've put together. i had fun every week and left my heart on that stage every time, so, yeah, it was a lot of fun. >> cody, i know you had previously tried to have a career in nashville, and you kind of gave up on that because of the pressure. are you thinking now that you've got a better shot at it? are you going to try again? >> well, i never gave up on it. i just -- it wasn't working as well for me as it has on "the voice," and, you know, with all of this happening now, i hope that i can go back with a different perspective and maybe some doors will open that were closed previously. >> and des, you had dropped out of yale, even played football at yale. are you thinking to go back to school, or are you going to pursue a music career? >> not immediately. you know, i'm really excited to make my own music, so that's what i'm really looking forward to in the next few even days, months, making new music and getting the music that i've already made out there, so it's going to be an exciting time. >> well, we loved watching you guys compete. you did a great job. thanks so much. best of luck to you all. >> tnk you very much. and the final six contestants compete on "the voice" next monday at 8:00, 7:00 central on nbc. coming up next, how to be in the know all the time right after this. [ bells dinging ] ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix. well, if you're the type of person that likes to be the conversation starter, then you may want to check out the daily online news letter, the skimm. that's with two ms. these are the founders. ladies, welcome. >> good morning. >> you completed abandoned us over the summer to start the skimm. everybody reads this thing. explain to people who haven't seen it what is the skimm in a nutshell. >> we found whether you're running around with the kids all morning or going from meeting to meeting, some people don't have time to look at the newspaper or read it cover to cover or even check out facebook or twitter feed. but they still need news fast. we created the skimm. it's an online news letter. we've got you covered from every topic. politics, sports, entertainment. we've got you. >> carly, it's just the two of you running it at this point. >> we are. we're roommates. we don't hate each other. we lived together in college. it worked out well for us. >> give people a taste. one of the sections you have every day is repeat after me... the first is what to say when you're late for work. what would we say today? >> i would say i knew i was going to be on time even though i had an appointment, but the elevator was slow. even though i didn't mean to mislead you, i'm going off the intellect i had at that time. >> this is like susan rice of the day. after the attacks in libya in september, she said she didn't know what happened. then she said it was actually a terrorist attack. >> see what she did there? >> exactly. the republicans in washington are not happy how this happened. they're worried she's going to replace hillary. they're giving her a hard time about what she said. next time susan just say no comment. >> good luck with the excuse at work tomorrow by the way. and what to say at breakfast this morning. >> did you eat grapefruit in the green room? >> no grapefruit for me. >> don't lie to me because you could die. i'm not joking. eating grapefruit when on sudden medications could lead to sudden death. >> it's really citrus sudden death. there are now 26 new medications that when they interact with grapefruit can cause serious harm. 13 of which can be fatal or sudden death. really, let's choose our battles here. >> there's one to wake you up in the morning. grapefruit's going to kill you. how about this one? what to say on a date. >> i know you're despited i'm not halle berry. i'm in a good place about this. i'm thankful i'm not halle this week. >> i would too. she had a thanksgiving fisticuffs throwdown. when her ex-boyfriend dropped off their daughter on thanksgiving, things got rough with her fiance olivier martinez. gabriel is looking rough in some photos. >> he's looked better. >> yes. especially for a model. now he's saying it's not a great situation. he says olivier tried to kill him. >> sounds like a bad halle berry movie. >> now i wasted my time reading the newspaper this morning. all i have to do is read the skimm. great to see you guys. >> thanks. up next, the latest on the "two and a half men" star to rail against his own hit show. that's right after this. "two and a half men" saga and the rail against his own show. that's after this. for using your red card. welcome home. she loves it. nintendo 3ds xl! nailed it. dad, i'm actually totally satisfied and have no complaints. ho, ho, ho! so smart with your money! plus free shipping at target.com. with your red card get an extra 5% off our everyday low prices... plus free shipping. thanks, guys. well, inside the brewer, there's a giant staircase. and the room is filled with all these different kinds of coffee. actually, i just press this button. brew what you love, simply. keurig. it's not for colds, it's not for pain, it's just for sleep. because sleep is a beautiful thing. ♪ zzzquil, the non-habit forming sleep-aid from the makers of nyquil. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toter strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. pillsbury toaster strudel. go olive garden's 2 for $25. an italian dinner for 2. start with all the fresh salad and warm breadsticks you want. choose an appetizer made for sharing. then two delicious entrees from five of our favorites. classics like eggplant parmagiana. or new favorites like smoked mozzarella chicken. three courses, two people, just $25 but only for a limited time. go olive garden. and try our unlimited homemade soup, crisp salad, and warm breadsticks lunch, just $6.95. nature knows all about baking. just mix together a few simple ingredients... and "voila". so for truvia baking blend, we mix sweetness from the stevia leaf with sugar, for a blend that bakes and browns like sugar, with 75% fewer calories per serving. the young star of "two and a half men" is addressing the backlash to his video rant against the show. angus t. jones urged people not to watch, but now he's issuing an apology, somewhat, to his co-workers. nbc's kristen dahlgren is in los angeles with more. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: hi, there, natalie. didn't take long after this one went viral and received so much video attention for angus t. jones to offer up some new comments, but this time with a different tone. he is the half on "two and a half men" who stirred up a whole lot of controversy when he said this. >> please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on "two and a half men," and i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it, please stop filling your head with filth. >> reporter: late tuesday angus t. jones released a different statement. i apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which i have been blessed. jones, who is literally grown up on the show playing jake harper over the last ten years, didn't retract his earlier comments, but he did praise warner brothers which produced the hit show and his co-workers. i also want all of the crew and cast on our show to know how much i personally care for them and appreciate their support, guidance and love over the years. it is a far cry from what jones, when was baptized as a seventh day adventist this year said in his testimonial for the "forerunner chronicles," a religious website and youtube channel. >> i can be on a christian and be on a show like "two and a half men." you can't. you can't be a true god-fearing person and be on a television show like that. >> reporter: the 19-year-old, who reportedly makes $350,000 an episode, played jake harper first with john crier and charlie sheen and then ashton kutcher after sheen was fired for his own troubled and rants against producers. >> we can get all the answers and the truth, wow, winning. >> reporter: after jones' comments first surfaced sheen told "people" magazine that it's radically clear to me that the show is cursed. "two and a half men" has two episodes still to shoot before the holiday break, and sources tell nbc it's purely coincidence that both episodes, written long before jones' video, don't include him. >> now when they come back in 2013 to film the rest of the season's episodes, he's supposed to be in some of those episodes so that's when we'll see if he's going to stay or if he's doing leave the show. >> reporter: warner brothers and cbs had no comment on the apology, so, i guess, natalie viewers will have to tune in to see exactly next what jones was trying to discourage them from doing. >> that's true. kristen dahlgren in los angeles. thanks so much, kristen. coming up next, family diet dilemmas solved, but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ crickets chirping ] [ traffic passing ] ♪ [ music box: lullaby ] [ man on tv, indistinct ] ♪ [ lullaby continues ] [ baby coos ] [ man announcing ] millions are still exposed to the dangers... of secondhand smoke... and some of them can't do anything about it. ♪ [ continues ] [ gasping ] oh, did you want it? yea we'll split it. [ female announcer ] made fresh, so light, buttery and flakey. that's half that's not half! guys, i have more! thanks mom [ female announcer ] pillsbury crescents. let the making begin [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough. this morning on "take it off today," diet dilemmas, especially now during the holidays. eating and drinking habits are never one size fits all and here to weigh in some tips and solutions is our diet expect. madeline, good morning. >> good morning. >> first they come from stories about your patients. the first one is about finding candy in your kid's room. >> first dilemma, while tidying up your 10-year-old daughter's room you find wrappers and candy hidden under the bed. do you ignore it? do you confront her about it? do you ask your what you might be doing to make her nuclear streets? do you worry she will be obese? >> what do you do? >> i would question why is she hiding food. i think you have to ask in a nice way why she feels the need to sneak the candy. also, you know, you're concerned not just about weight, but i think it's more about, you know, just having candy at night before bedtime, teeth, all of that. >> mom won't know. from the dad's perspective, if i do this and hide it mom won't know and i'll still be the perfect child. >> there's a little guilt through the dad. i have two young kids and you're sneaking them a little something, you shouldn't do it because you go against the mom. mom said i couldn't have that snickers bar and slide it to her so you've got to be responsible yourself, too. >> think about your own behaviors. don't jump to somethg. >> pressure to break your diet. >> right. here you have dilemma number two. your partner likes a glass or two of wine every day and encourages you to detroit red wing too. >> that's my husband. >> you're watching calories and would rather eat your calories than drink them. what do you do? tell him to leave you alone and stop pressuring you? try explaining your calorie counting plan to him or just join women with a seltzer and lime? >> i try the seltzer and lime, it's hard to resist a little bit or a little taste of wine. just a little bit. >> you're getting hazed by your husband. >> i know. >> drink, drink. >> he's like share a glass of wine with me. it's a social thing. you want to just -- when the kids are to bed, just relax and have our time together so you need to have that time but would i say if you can subs tutitute h seltzer, it's not the same thing or hot tea like i do. >> nobody likes to drink alone but don't pressure your spouse to drink with you. >> that's the spouse's problem. look, if you want a glass of wine or even if it's with food during dinner, you do what's good for you. natalie, indulging now and then. not the worst thing in the world. >> a little bit. good for the relationship, right? the next one is about yo-yo dieting, don't we all know about this one. >> a really tough one. your friend always tries the newest diet craze. would you like her to stick to a solid life still plan like you do. when she asks for your input, what do you do? just be supportive and encouraging? speak your mind about wacky detox plans and expensive shakes or help her identify a long-term plan and help her stick to it? is this really your problem to address? >> try to motivate her. when i'm having friends dieting, i'm going for a run, want to come with me. try to get them to embrace a lifestyle change. >> willie, lifestyle change, they want your approval. do you approve, if it's health damaging, do you say, that's -- >> we have only ten seconds. >> be a supportive friend and know your friendship. >> good morning to you. i'm marla tellez. right now i want to take you outside of the golden gate bridge where you see, yeah, slick roads and windshield wipers getting a workout. wind and rain and storms slamming the bay area. let's check the forecast with meteorologist christina loren. you are busy. >> indeed, marla. good morning to you. we've got a good looking day shaping up as we head towards the end of the day. but we've got wet weather. strong storms developing. 1100 in pacific without power. we're expecting more outages as the storm system moves onshore. san leandro getting hammered. that continues up north to richmond. and take a look at the wind speeds. and diablo, 50 miles per hour. at the surface. like i said before, between 1:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., the showers will lighten up for the evening commute. another round late thursday into friday and even heavier rain saturday into sunday. let's check on the wet commute with mike. >> my goodness, because of the wed conditions christina was talking about. windy conditions. toll plaza, you see the water. it's going to be the same condition or worse. flashing lights backing up here and heading across the bridge, there's a four-car accident reported on the bridge itself. and a slow climb up the incline. and moving across the bridge itself. no details on injuries. oakland, i-80, past the coliseum. and the camera shows conditions here, camera shakes because of that wind. wind coming across the san mateo bridge as well. from the hayward side, you see it on the right. here's palo alto, lighter commute. back to you. >> okay. mikes, thanks so much. we'll be back at 10:26. make new memories and make a family tradition at the kristi yamaguchi downtown ice. visit nbc bay area for information. i'm troy baker. for of the past ten years, our employees have collected holiday gifts for bay area children in need. this year, we're proud to be part of the holiday wish drive presenting sponsors and encourage you to join us by granting a child's holiday wish. please visit witness, wednesday, november 28th. >> big day around the country it is powerball day. >> drawing tonight. the pot is over 500 m singer whipper could walk away. >> look at our numbers. >> worth more than 327 million after taxes. can you imagine? >> no, that's crazy. tell you what the odd of running are, 1 in 175 million. >> i feel lucky. >> okay. listen. these are our numbers. we did a quick pick, which i kind of like. >> somebody did it for us. i gave them five bucks and said make it count. >> good. >> two and a half. >> anyway. i always do the quick pick but they say a lot of people pick the ones that are like calendar years because those numbers mean something, if you go out of that range, 51, 53, may be better. >> so we are going to hold onto these. >> let you know if we won. >> let us know if you did. >> we will let you know if you won, we won't be here tomorrow, perfectly well. >> hearing what people said they would do >> what would you do? it is very, very clear to me, what i would do find the very best theater or build the greatest theater that broadway has ever seen and then i would endow it so that people who have never been to theater, never known the magic of theater, never known how life transforming it could be could come for free, completely -- like the st. jude's hospital, you know, if you can't afford it you come. just so wonderful entertainment can be expressed. theater changes people's lives, good theater k so that's what i would do what would you do hoda? >> horses. no, i would probably get -- i would make sure everyone in my family had a great house. >> right. >> somewhere exactly where they wanted it, on the beach. i think we all loft beach house. you know what -- >> not about stuff? >> yeah. i really don't. sounds weird. probably a lot of things that would be nice, i don't know how i would spend t probably travel more. i would love to have a beautiful beach house, i thank you would be one of my things i would definitely get. >> nothing pretty other than for your family. >> bic night tonight. the tree gets lit and so do we. >> so do we. a tradition that dates back to 1933 the most famous christmas tree in the world is ready to get lit in front of thousands of people in the plaza, millions at home, much better weather today than yesterday. so glad about that air on television tonight on christmas in rockefeller center. >> al and savannah, he has voice problems but resting his voice today. great people singing, mariah carey, rod stewart, trace adkins, tony bennett, ill volo is singing. >> love ill volo. >> you know who else is singing, my favorite person and singer in the whole world. >> chris mann. came to me today. come over. >> my gosh. >> saw you sing october earlier hour, the song that i'm in love with called "roads." >> let's crank this up what do we have playing? >> so beautiful. and just went right to my dressing room, started listening to it over and over. the whole cd. congratulations. >> thank you so much. >> this is one of the most glorious voices god ever gave a man. can we crank it, please? ♪ >> not only is it technically gorgeous but your sincerity. if you're a jerk, you're hiding it really well. i believe every word you're singing. >> what a are you talking about? >> whisky wednesday. >> so i know about winesday, when i wake up, it's fourth hour. so -- and i -- >> you wake up with us. >> in the i wake up with you. yeah. >> how sweet. >> i tweeted you yesterday and i said have whisky ready and she poured the whole bottle. >> jervey a generous guy. >> cheers. >> congratulations, this i'm looking forward to hearing. >> i'm excited about tonight. lighting you the christmas tree in rockefeller center. i have a christmas record at wal-mart, some on itunes. home for christmas. >> what are you doing tonight? >> "o holy night," my favorite song and "i'll be home for christmas." >> and "i have a maria." >> is a song i have been singing my whole life and the version on "roads" pretty spectacular. >> you will sing later for us on the program? >> get a camera on your beautiful fiancee, laurie or laura? >> laura. >> she is so beautiful. and i asked him -- when you got engaged and you said -- i will let you tell it? >> engaged last night after the voice and we are on an amazing ride and it's such a pleasure to have -- to be able to share t we used to live -- we used to live here. >> quick to say, we have been together six years. i'm not a gold digger. i didn't jump on the band -- waiting tables, right? >> we were in new york city waiters and actually i used to work at bank of america right over here, right there, and i used to go to dean and deluka and sit here and look at the tree and be bitter. >> did you ever think one day you would be drinking whisky at 10:00 in the morning with hoda and kathie lee? >> whisky at 10 in the morning happened, too. >> singing at the lighting of the christmas tree? >> chris, we are so happy for you. >> honestly, i heard you sing today and i was like, oh, my gosh, you are my new favorite male voice on the planet. >> chris, have a great time tonight. >> cheers. >> thank you. >> merry crist malls. >> all the happiness to you. >> where are you going with our powerball? >> bye. see you guys. if you win, share. okay. all righty >>. >> oh, thank you. >> speaking of "the voice." >> yeah, last night, you guys, i think christina is in mourning. >> it was her birthday you right? >> her birthday is coming up but she no longer has a team. dez, who was her guy -- >> her big hope. >> is gone. >> and no way he can get back? that's it? >> nope, it's over. every other coach has two competitors left, christina has no team left. >> she will sit there like a lump and have nothing to do? >> don't say lump. >> i mean -- that's just a saying, i sat there like a lump, five nothing to do >> there was something fun, cee lo green had an interesting rendition. >> a duet, he didn't he? >> yes, he did. why don't we just watch and listen. ♪ green is the color of spring ♪ >> you know, yeah. ♪ oh, and green can be cool and friendly like ♪ >> just like you. ♪ ♪ and green can be big like an ocean ♪ ♪ or important like a river ♪ or tall like a tree ♪ like you and me ♪ yeah >> heartwarming. >> awesome. >> kermit and mrs. greenjeans. >> i love that. >> oh, wow. >> wonder what you guys think of this, everyone making a big deal out of it kate middleton's new lid. she found a kur ling iron. here is before. >> this is breaking news. >> important information. and then she got layers, okay? everybody, what do you think? >> you know, she is a beautiful girl and she -- i just -- >> little wispy bang. >> more like elizabeth hurley now. very pretty girl. she is classy and elegant and a nice change of pace from what we have gotten used to over there. the grace walds are back. >> if you guys have ever seen "christmas vacation," so funny u. >> they are back, chevy kmas and beverly deangell low. >> courtesy of old navy. take a look. >> old navy pop pants are making this the most colorful christmas ever. >> behold the graiswold's like spectacular. >> make the season bright with colorful cords, lights and jean he is. >> sparky, i love it. >> it's magnificent. >> decorate the family all the way with pop pants, adult it $19, kids, 15. ♪ joy to >> catch on fire and burn down? >> i don't know. i -- >> i like the movie. >> doesn't make too much sense. they just got the free commercial on nbc. there you go. now, what is with jimmy kimmel, how thought was our friend? >> apparently, he claims he is, there is a promo out, not 100% sure he still s. >> haven't heard this, but we have heard about it. >> let's listen to aly. >> jimmy's got big news. >> are you excited about this, guillermo? >> very excited. >> january 8th, he will make his biggest move yet. >> my long-term goal is to be so early we go head-to-head with kathie lee and hoda. >> so far, we're batting zero. >> i love jimmy kimmel, what does he mean? >> on so late. we don't understand 'cause we are not that smart. >> something went right in your life last night? >> last night, i found one of your friends wandering around, regis and his wife, joy, were at the carlyle a lot of fun. >> steve tyrell, a terrific -- >> i know it is blurry, he is in the middle. someone else took t. >> roseanne scott. >> another shot of your posse. >> reege and joy. >> they louvre. -- they love you. >> singing the songs of sammy kahn. at the carlyle. very little rooms in new york you can go to enjoy that kind of music and have that kind of an old-fashioned, in a good way, new york night. so good for the carlyle keeping it going. the feinsteins at the regency is going to be closing, i heard. it breaks my hear. just -- you know. >> let's get happy with the girls at the desk. we have some girls from caa. >> champagne. >> going to toast the ladies at the desk. hello caa. >> hoda's agency. you guys going to have a confab later. don't let her leave the meet. no matter what you do >> all right. let's toast. >> why are we doing that? >> i don't know. >> get ready for our upcoming segment, how to pair champagne and caviar during the who will day? >> yes, indeedy, what is going on. we have a fun show, by the way you today. >> good. good. so far -- >> kelly osborn's here. >> thank god for chris mann. >> chris mann saved us. >> he will sing for us later. sara an i do? >> an i do over bahamas get away give away. we already have 800 entries. get in there if you haven't. if you had wedding or honeymoon that went wrong for whatever reason go to our website, klgandhoda.com for chance to win three nights at the resort, include picture, tell us your story, we want to hear about it but it's going to be 12 couples so a really great deal. fun trip. >> fun. they will bond. those -- all going at the same time? >> i'm sure they don't have to coordinate. they only married each other, not the whole group. >> fun if they went together. >> the hotel and airfare provided by the bahamas ministry of tourism. coming up, a tv host, a singer around an actress and a certified fashion authority. >> cracks me up i saw her downstairs. she goes my mother says to say hello, she says she watches you every morning and she taught my daddy how to dvr your show 'cause i'm on today. dvr away. always fun. see what he is up to after this. an italian dinner for 2. start with all the fresh salad and warm breadsticks you want. choose an appetizer made for sharing. then two delicious entrees from five of our favorites. classics like eggplant parmagiana. or new favorites like smoked mozzarella chicken. three courses, two people, just $25 but only for a limited time. go olive garden. and try our unlimited homemade soup, crisp salad, and warm breadsticks lunch, just $6.95. i'd like to thank eating right, whole grain, multigrain cheerios! mom, are those my jeans? 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[ dog 2 ] i'm an iams dog for life. not a rabbit. woof! kelly osborn is host of "fashion police," breaking down the good, bad and truly ugly from all the red carpet events. >> worried about what we are wearing. >> definitely pass the test. hello, we're wearing patterns, the same color. >> i have a question about your pants. >> yes. >> tell me about these. >> high waist and this little flap here which usually makes women's bums look bigger but because the way they are cut -- >> can you stand up for one second? >> of course. >> oh. yes. >> pockets. >> ring in my pocket. what is that? >> ring off so we could see those nails. >> yes. >> hosting an event tonight. >> i'm host the voguing ball for amfar tonight, at the w hotel. going to be amazing. >> so your nails say amfar -- >> and vogue. into the voguing. >> look at those fingernails. do you have a favorite designer or are you -- >> i have a -- zack posen, not only do i love his dresses and the way they make me feel, but him. the nails, i'm so happy about i can get acrylics again, my niece is old enough, you can't have acrylics with a baby or if you work in the medical industry. >> i didn't realize. >> that >> they have a bacteria that kind of makes you feel dirty. my niece. >> that is jack's little girl. how precious is she? >> i call her the miracle, she has brought our family so much closer together. even more than we were. >> really? >> and there's me and my brother and pearly. >> how is he doing? >> he is doing absolutely amazing. >> in remission right now from the ms? >> you never really are. when you have ms, you have it your whole life. >> i know that but periods where it's dormant. >> he doesn't have any -- right now and he has completely changed his diet, lifestyle, goes to work every day. he is like doing really well, produce and tv and stuff. >> that's great. >> coming up on the 100th episode of "fashion police," you, joan rivers. >> julianna and george, right? >> like a crazy group of people. >> speak for yourselves, ladies. >> it gets riotous. you have to bleep joan every five seconds. >> yes, you do. >> she is the funniest woman on the planet. >> she is. can i just say, what an honor it is to work with a true legend as her. how much i learned from her is just unbelievable. she is amazing. we all love each other so much. i can't believe that 100 episodes, not one fight. >> ever get uncomfortable criticizing someone? you like the person, their outfit may not to be your taste but to someone else's. do you -- >> i tried very lightly, with my friends, but i don't talk about the person u.n.less i hanless i reason and i wouldn't say anything i wouldn't say to someone's face you that. is how i get by. it is a comedy-based show. >> it s joan. >> a sense of humor about yourself, you are in the wrong industry. >> now you get criticized, yourself, for some of the things wear, purple hair, stuff like that. >> i mean, look at me, for god's sake. >> how do you deal with the criticism that you get from other people? >> that's their opinion. it's totally fine. >> yeah. >> what went into the purple hair? why did you decide on that tint, that hue? >> when i was 13 years old, i snuck into my sister's room and went through one of her fashion magazines and tore out this page i liked and it had five supermodels with five old ladies that had five different rinses of gray. and i have done all of them and this is the last one. and i'm keeping it. i love it. and it makes people so angry sometimes. >> what do they say? >> i can't swear on tv. >> really? go there? >> they go there. and then i get a lot of young girls, i'm dyeing my hair just like you, makes me feel really cool, like i started something that usually people were calling me the worst name. >> people can be cruel. anyway -- congratulations, have a good time tonight. raise a lot of money for a great cause. >> good for you. >> sara haines has the photos that made you stop and say, how did they get on television? no, what the what, after this. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels speeds relief to your worst cold symptoms plus has a decongestant for your stuffy nose. thanks. that's the cold truth! my skin loses moisture nearly twice as fast as yours does, mom. that's why you use johnson's baby lotion twice a day to keep my skin baby soft. you've really got this "mom thing" down. ♪ i am so getting an a. [ gasps ] oh! [ screams ] [ female announcer ] when good intentions turn into bad messes, there's clorox clean up. with the combination of a cleaner and the disinfecting power of clorox bleach. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. pillsbury toaster strudel. he is a good little monkey and always very curious. one day george got an important letter... he's built a rocket ship to travel into space. girl: google, how far is earth to the moon? google voice response: moon is 238,900 miles... mother vo: the great moment had come... ...3...2...1. ♪ it is wipes days, we you know what that means. >> what? >> what the what, we look at all those photos that make you do a double take and just laugh like crazy. >> sara sifted through both of the pictures. >> don't falter her. you are my burst of sunshine. our first photo from jamie cochran from winter park, florida. >> okay. >> this is her daughter right when they handed her to santa. the boys went into autopilot. >> that's adorable. >> a great shot. >> i look at them all with the same shirt. wow. >> amazing mother that can get that many children:00ing adorable at the same time. >> okay. jennifer from morris town, new jersey, submitted that photo. >> ten his on the >> they saw that at a local park and mom is like i don't know what to do with this. >> what the what? >> the rule or do you let them go? >> i don't know. >> next up, a photo from dawn bud from cape may courthouse, new jersey. >> how cute is that? >> the dog every time passes this fountain gets up to play with the other dog. that's statue. >> oh. oh. >> that's statue. >> i didn't get that. >> the dog tries to play with it all the time. >> i thought he was getting a drink. >> me, too. >> he pushes his paw at him and tries to get him to play. >> that is unbelievable. never gets it. >> just going to be over and over again. sherry thurman from wildwood, missouri, sent us this feet toe. >> sit means sit. >> dog training, sorry, we don't train husbands, wives or kids. this is not the place to send your children. finer pepper from corbin, kentucky, submitted this photo. this is -- this is a legit sign at the bottom of mccloud mountain in tennessee. how do you even -- you have to take a snapshot of that to even remember what was next. >> wow, in other words, many curves ahead, be careful. >> go slow. >> thank you, sara, for that information. >> thank you ever so. >> thank you champagne wishes and caviar dreams? we are trying out both see what's best to impress your guests this holiday. he is one of tonight's performers at the rockefeller center tree light bug we got him first. amazing singer. we are already madly in love with him, chris mann is with us. >> all after the your local news and weather. [ boy 1 ] hey! that's the last crescent. oh, did you want it? yea we'll split it. [ female announcer ] made fresh, so light, buttery and flakey. that's half that's not half! guys, i have more! thanks mom [ female announcer ] pillsbury crescents. let the making begin mom: what's that, rosie? ♪ you are exactly one of a kind ♪ toy sfx: hi there! let's learn to clap! clap, yeah! ♪ we were made for each other ♪ mom: a-b-c-d-e-f-g ♪ for always. toy sfx: h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p. mom: h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p. q-r-s. q-r-s. for a professional cleansing device? join the counter revolution and switch to olay pro-x. get cleansing results as effective as a $200 system. guaranteed or your money back. olay pro-x. are you surviving the rain? good morning. i'm marla tellez. a look at the 280 interchange in san jose county. definitely wet roads throughout. we do want to check the forecast with christina loren. >> good morning to you out there. we are tracking significant rainfall and isolated storms embedded. what i can tell you within the next three hour, the storm system will start to deteriorate. in fact, by 2:00 this afternoon, we'll be dealing with mostly clear conditions when it comes to showers. taking to you the forecast at 11:00, we're talking about power outages. i will be out there live in the rain. stay tuned for that. let's talk to mike about the drive. >> you're talk about the first of a premajor event here. the roadways are wet. the result of berkeley curve off to the right backing up as you're approaching. still slow across the bridge. here in oakland, one of the reasons why it's soupy and traffic conditions are slow. not good there or the peninsula side of the bay. look at that rain dropping down. back to you. >> okay, mike. thanks so much. we'll have a look at the stories we're following today right after the break. hi, i'm kevin donley from rambus. this year, our employees are collecting holiday gifts for children in need. we hope you can do the same. visit family giving tree.org and made the holidays brighter. here's a look at one of the stories we are following today. gillroy police are on the lookout for the suspects they say opened fire on a home with a 4-month-old baby inside. police say the suspect shot an empty parked car in the corner of west tenth street on glennview drive overnight. at least one round landed inside the home. eight people were inside that home at the time, including a 4-month-old baby. officers are now looking for an older red honda sink with a hatchback seen leaving shortly after the shooting. we will see you at 121:00. we are back with more of today on this winesday wednesday and time for our weekly trivia game called "who knew", today we will test your tv jingle knowledge, the ones that stick in your head all day long? as always, kathie lee gifford is across the street at the nbc experience store, ready to happened out 100 bucks to anyone who gets the questions right and to those that don't, they get her awesome cd. all right. here to help me out is the ceo of deutsch inc., valerie defibo. are we ready? >> we are ready. >> see if our people are ready. go ahead, kath. >> who did this. ♪ you'll learn the meaning of easy cleaning with the only foam that's lysol ♪ ? that was me. any way, celebrity, by the way, happy birthday, ms. birthday girl. >> thank you. >> what celebrity is best known for appearing in the jell-o commercials, george lopez, bill cosby, steve martin or billy crystal? >> bill does kim. >> yes, indeed, bill cosby, very icon knick that commercial. >> very iconic. bill does fwhifs jell-o commercials for almost 30 years. he started in 1974 following a lot of the programming that he did with kids on "the electric company" in the early '70s, just a natural with kids, conversational, made them file like he talked to them like real people. >> all right. yeah. i remember that kids say the darndest things. kath, back to you. >> lovely lady from connecticut, finish the words to this famous candy commercial, gimme a break, gimme a break. >> game may break of that kit kat bar. >> right. i think it was one word. >> close enough. the technical anticipate, break me off a piece of that kit kat bar. right. >> so this is another 1986, this commercial, what's great about this jingle is the sound, it comes directly out of how you eat that candy bar so you're breaking off a piece, it's directly related to the form. the newest commercials don't even use the words, they mimic the sounds and the rhythm of the old commercials and -- >> really? >> very recognizable. >> kath, back across to you, hon. >> maine. >> name the brand that has this catchy jingle. listen. ♪ meow, meow, meow >> meow mix. >> yeah that didn't take long. [ ding ] these are too easy. >> a point. meow mix. >> meow mix. what is interesting, first of all, you can get as a ring tone. >> are you kidding? that would be so annoying. >> fun fact, cee lo green just rearranged this piece of music for, you know, recently, and the proceeds go to paws l.a., which is -- which is an organization with rescue cats for elderly people. so, just terrific. he brings his cat, purr-fekt on t "the voice." >> we know that back to kath. >> beautiful girl from utah, fill in the blank with the store name in this jingle, i don't want to grow up, i'm a blank kid is it -- tata tata, is it target, fao schwartz, toys "r" us or walmart? >> toys "r" us. >> toys "r" us. >> toys "r" us just relaunched this song a week ago, prior to the holidays, they are having a nationwide contest, basically, a sing along on thanksgiving night, where people all across the country could sing this song together and really for people my age and my parents' age to introduce the song to their kids. so, nostalgic. >> back across to kath. >> lovely lady from ohio, finish the words to this oscar mayer commercial, i love to eat it every day and if you ask me why i say, 'cause oscar mayor has a way with -- >> b-o-l-o-g-n-a. >> a bad day for me. >> got to make them harder, kath wants to give away her cds. baloney. >> baloney. do you also know that oscar mayor had a wweinermobile, 1936 iconic marketing? also did i love to be an oscar meyer wiener, 1963. so, this commercial, the boy in the commercial on the dock with the fishing pole, many people remember, that boy is now a computer programming. yes, he is. and an entrepreneur. so people go on to do great things. one more. might stump them. try this one. >> nice man from ohio. mo ho wrote the jingle for band-aids, i'm stuck on band-aid band because band-aid's stuck on me? >> i only know this 'cause i live with a fan nil low, it's barry manilow. >> a clean sweep. it s accident know that barry man level amazing. >> ba require manilow wrote jingles for state farm insurance, for mcdonald's earthquake and john travolta informs a 1975 commercial for band-aid. so, there are lots of nostalgic things for band-aid brand. >> we have time for one last one. >> memphis. all righty. what soft drink commercial had the tag line i'd like to bite world a -- was it dr. pepper -- >> the world. um. coke? [ ding ] >> got it can't give one of those away. like to bite world a coke. >> written on -- ♪ buy the world a coke >> i connick. so famous, hit the charts in the united states and europe. the interesting thing about this commercial, done by mccann erickson, was that it was written on the back of a napkin in an airport when people were nothing delayed and basically sharing over cokes, their stories and being, you know, just being together in that airport during this delay. that's what inspired the song. >> good tune. thanks, honey, thanks for joining us. >> thank you so much. it is winesday, we are doing what we best. we are gonna have a drink and we are gonna pair fine champagne with caviar, after these messages. in here, the oven. ♪ you are exactly ♪ ♪ one of a kind ♪ who wants a pizza? i'm gonna cut the pizza. what flavor is that? lemon green! ♪ clean up time ♪ ♪ clean up time ♪ for the latest smartphone. you wanna see if walmart has the same phone, for less? let's see! samsung galaxy s3 --- you could save over $50. no way! and -- you get a $100 gift card. are you serious?! yes! see for yourself how much you can save on the smartphones you want for christmas. walmart. [ female announcer ] hey ladies, you love it, you gotta have it. cinnamon toast crunch. 'cause that cinnamon and sugar is so irresistible. [ slurps ] [ chuckles ] everybody craves those crazy squares. unwrap your paradise. soft, sweet coconut covered in rich, creamy chocolate. almond joy and mounds. unwrap paradise. that's why i take new trubiotics. it's a daily probiotic that helps in two ways. one helps support digestive health, the other immune health. stay true to your health. new trubiotics. from the makers of one-a-day. want to wave to daddy ? ♪ you are exactlyne) one of a kind ♪ we're going to win. woah, that's awesome. ♪ cause we were made for each other for always ♪ score ! it is time to get this party started with some champagne and caviar pairings for all that holiday enter taken. >> document have to win the powerball tonight to indulge in these delicacies, here with serving suggestions is he will ya, managing director at caviar ruse in new york city. >> hi, how are you? >> a little pricey for some people. we have different price points as we go along? >> absolutely. three different caviares, three different price points and champagne to pair with it to clear your palate. >> exactly. we need to do that. >> what are we starting with? >> american sturgeon. you are going to start -- this is for you. >> oh. >> this is for you. >> my gosh, we get three each? >> take this one spoon here. >> okay. >> okay. >> so what do we do? >> in the -- >> really nice quality, a little bit more salt content. >> very salty. >> a little sip of that crisp, fresh champagne, you will clear everything through. >> that is sensational. what's next? >> the next is the siberian sturgeon caviar. >> yours is over there. >> i get that now. >> very velvety, delicate, works very, very well this rose say? >> yeah. mild, refined. not as salty. >> champagne good? >> love that. that is delicious. >> my gosh. >> rose say works well this. a medium body. >> this is pricier? >> a little bit more pricier, yes. >> it's delicious. >> finish off you the star of the show exphenomenal, large grain size in egg and it's really -- >> i don't like for you to say egg. like to call it caviar. not think about what it is. a champagne for a celebration, dom perrin yin. >> i love that one.ignon. >> i love that one. >> now what are we doing? >> entertaining at home, caviar ser server, crushed ice, let the guests help themselves, starch, toast points, crepe bellinis, creme fraiche, should you choose. >> capers and lemon. >> look ought showing off with the way you like it. >> i do like it like that. >> great, by itself it is perfect. >> this is our -- do an hors d'oeuvres plate for guests at home, caviar, creme fraiche and you have -- >> that one. >> then you have your being beggar's purses. >> what is the middle one? >> berg's purses, crepe bellini, caviar inside and a chive thai. >> do it all in one bite? >> yeah. >> do it. >> fop right in. perfect. >> my god. >> i love my work. [ laughter ] >> life could be worse. >> this one, chris mann going to sing for us, too. good day, hoda. >> what is this? >> simply another serving suggestion, a little smoked salmon. classic caviar. >> so good. >> okay. >> i don't want to count the calories we just consumed. >> actually -- >> how much is in these? >> caviar is very, very nutritious, per gram, one of the most nutritious foods out there enjoy and celebrate. >> i like you, your attitude. >> one calorie per bite, per gram. this is just simply unadorned for the caviar aficionado, intimate with your guests, a spoon of caviar, serve it just like this. >> do you eat it every day? >> you know, i taste it every day. but, you know, it's part of my job. >> you have to. >> someone has to taste the caviar before it goes out. >> the way we think. part of our job, what we do. what else have you done? get that last one. so delicious. excuse me. >> pardon me. >> caviar ruse, we play with food and the caviar all day long this is really simple, no frills, new year's day bagel, caviar, cream cheese. >> what's going on with this fruit salad? >> a really beautiful dish, a tuna with classic served on top, cucumber, yogurt. >> look what's happening. >> telling us we are out of time. we are going to finish and -- >> try that. >> okay. >> what is that, real quick? >> really quick, ice cream and caviar, nobody would have ever thought. works perfectly. sweet and salty, caramelized brioche. more calories here. >> we do have another show -- >> performance by our new friend, classical singer and former finalist on "the voice," chris mann. have to tell you everything that's in their products. but sc johnson isn't just a company. we're a family who cares about yours. that's why we're working to share all of our ingredients, right down to the fragrances and dyes. so with products like windex, you know what you're bringing into your home. going beyond the industry standard -- that's the family standard. ♪ [ female announcer ] let betty crocker do the measuring and get a head start on delicious homemade cookies. ♪ just pour, mix...love. ♪ go olive garden's 2 for $25. an italian dinner for 2. start with all the fresh salad and warm breadsticks you want. choose an appetizer made for sharing. then two delicious entrees from five of our favorites. classics like eggplant parmagiana. or new favorites like smoked mozzarella chicken. three courses, two people, just $25 but only for a limited time. go olive garden. and try our unlimited homemade soup, crisp salad, and warm breadsticks lunch, just $6.95. if your tv were a hot dog, zeebox would be fancy, french mustard. just like adding mustard to a hotdog makes you go "woah!," zeebox spices up your favorite shows. download zeebox free and say "woah" when you watch tv. secondhand smoke affects everyone's health. zeebox spices up your favorite shows. it's not just irritating. it can cause heart disease and even death. speak up about secondhand smoke. your health and the health of your family depend on it. just last year, classical singer chris mann auditioned for season two of nbc hit series "the voice." and his fans -- let's listen a moment. >> took him all the way to the finale, representing team christina. >> classical crossoverer singer, chris mann, out with his official debut album entitled "roads," he is here performing a cover of lady ant bellum's hit song, "i need you now." >> our new very favorite guy in all the world, chris mann. ♪ picture perfect memories scatter all around the floor ♪ ♪ reaching for the phone 'cause i can't fight it anymore ♪ ♪ and i wonder if i ever cross your mind ♪ ♪ for me it happens all the time ♪ ♪ it's a quarter after one i'm all alone and i need you now ♪ ♪ i said i wouldn't call but i lost all control and i need you now ♪ ♪ and i don't know how i can do without ♪ ♪ i just need you now ♪ another shot of whisky can't stop looking at the door ♪ ♪ oh i'm which you'd come sweeping in the way you did before ♪ ♪ and i wonder if i ever cross your mind ♪ ♪ for me it happens all the time ♪ ♪ it's a quarter after one, i'm a little drunk and i need you now ♪ ♪ i said i wouldn't call but i lost all control and i need you now ♪ ♪ and i don't know how i can do without ♪ ♪ i just need you now ♪ yes i'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all ♪ ♪ it's quarter after one i'm all alone and i need you now ♪ ♪ and i said i wouldn't call but i lost all control and i need you now ♪ and i don't know how i can do without ♪ ♪ i just need you now ♪ i just need you now ♪ i need you now ♪ it's quarter after one i'm still alone and i need you ♪ ♪ i need you now >> perfection! perfection. >> beautiful. >> you can catch chris mann on "christmas in rockefeller center" tonight on nbc. >> we are back with more of "today" on nbc. >> should have had him say and sing us some more. through december 24th, donate a bag of prepacked groceries, the goal to feed $30,000. it's a simple way to make a real difference because every bag counts. one of the many companies that gives so generously to our toy drive is for life, a small company but dedicated toing about the the lives of children all around the world through nutrition and education. >> david and bianca a husband and wife team behind the company. a pleasure and honor to welcome you all. >> good to be here. >> sixth year, you're giving back, already give so much, yours is a non-profit organization right? >> non-profit but do a lot of philanthropic work. >> okay, i misunderstood that okay. >> tell us what you are giving this year. >> we have something really cool this year, a v-reader. it is an interactive e-reading system for kids, to help them learn,read. there's games for phonics training and it's really cool. i think the kids will really love this. my gosh. yes. >> a back back a whole bunch of school supplies, pencils, pen, crayons, paper. >> some supplements to keep the kids healthy. >> just hearing about your daughter who just came bang from the philippines and learned a lot, right? >> she gave amy a real life-changing experience, as any humanitarian work we can do. it changes you forever. >> really happy for all you guys are doing. congratulations for giving. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> especially as a family, nothing more beautiful than that. thank you all very much. >> you can bring your toy to the plaza, you can donate online go to our website u. >> tomorrow, actor and director ed burns and ambush makeovers and "scandalous" two times today. bye. right now at 11:00, severe weather just pounding the bay area, this one, according to christina loren, just getting warmed up. from trop
train. one day little diari will hear an incredible story from her parents. the story of her birth. >> jasmine's contractions were five minutes apart before 6:00 a.m. he drove them from their pittsburgh home. but her water broke in the front seat. she was like pull my pants down the baby's hanging out. we both were yelling at the same time. >> i was in shock and in pain. i'm going have my baby in the car. >> they pulled up in the mini van right here. >> here in the parking lot in front of tonya maddox. a guy got out of the car screaming she's having the baby. she's having the baby. >> the baby came so fast she missed it. >> i was backwards i was in so much pain. i pushed her out. >> jasmine wrapped her third child in a coat from a tackty driver. tonya's husband helped daniel cut the umbilical cord of the special delivery. >> my husband took the shoestring off. >> finally the baby started breathing and we realized this was going to be all right. >> tonight the stay at home mom and the dad give thanks. >> this is a story to tell forever. >> baby diari is healthy and tonight she's spending the night at kaiser permanente and they're expected to go home tomorrow. they are calling her baby freeway. >> that's the funny thing about babies. they want to come when they're ready. >> it's their schedule, right. >> it works that way for the rest of their lives. >> i was going to say it does not change. enjoy the dry weather while we have it. a live look at downtown san francisco. a beautiful clear night. cbs 5 chief meteorologist saying get ready for a big super soaker that's coming. >> this will be the last dry night we have for a while. so enjoy this dry on cbs 5 high definition doppler. here's the reason why it will change. we have the pineapple express. a plume of rainfall direct from hawaii that will be aimed squarely at the bay area and northern california. these are the rainfall totals we're expecting. up to eight inches of rainfall for sonoma. the timetable for all this coming up in about 10 minutes. a bay area man under arrest after police tell us he tried to hang his girlfriend from a backyard tree it happened many fremont. >> the frantic 911 call came from this cluttered backyard at the end of beatrice street and fremont. she had her hands around her back and noose around her nec. >> he told her he was going to kill her and he was planning to hang her. >> daniel howard got into an argument with his girlfriend last night at some point he bound her hands and strung a noose over a branch. when police officers confronted him in the backyard they say he used her as a shield. and that he had taken up the slack in the rope and was ready to kick out the barrel from underneath her feet. >> howard shoved his girlfriend down an embankment. she suffered only minor injuries. >> had the officers not got therein in time what do you think would have happened. >> his brothers who were home at the time of the incident declined an interview but tell us howard was likely high on meth. a mellow monday night at the gym turned into drama. reporting feeling sick. at first emergency crews thought they were exposed to a chemical. but somebody poured too much aromatic oil on the rocks in the steam room. it turns out there was no carbon monoxide leak during a house party last night. that's what everybody thought after 14 people went to the hospital with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. what was it? too much cigarette smoke in the duplex. high level of carbon monoxide can show up in blood tests of smokers. cbs 5 reporter elizabeth cook on this crash and the toll it took on one bay area family. >> reporter: they were driving back from a quick trip in tahoe. but it ended like this. >> maybe one month we don't see each other. so we have a thing for thanksgiving. >> she's the sister of the driver of the toyota prius that crossed the center line of traffic and broadside add mini van. she celebrated the holiday with the sue family just two days earlier. the only survivor was 10-year- old ellie alley sue she was take on the the hospital with moderate injuries. >> i will take care of her. my daughter and my sister, everybody help each other like that. >> a little girl in the mini van, four-year-old nora elizabeth temple was also killed in the crash. four others in the van were hurt. chp is still looking into what led to this deadly crash. according to this year's thanksgiving data the number of people that died on local roadways is up from last year 44 compared to 32 of last year. however dui arrests are down. elizabeth cook, cbs 5. the remains of yasser arafat have been exhumed from his grave. testing the remains for radiation poisoning. earlier this year a lethal radioactive substance was discovered on arafat's clothing. test results could take several months. palestinians believe he was poisoned by israel. the charge israel denies. we've heard a lot of talk about the fiscal cliff. what does it really mean for you. for a household earning 20 to $40,000 that would mean a tax increase of 1,200-dollars. for a household airporting 40 to 60 it would mean a tax increase of $2,000. 64,000 up to six figures it would be a 3,500-dollar tax increase. it appears the tax deal is being worked out by two people. house speaker john baner and the president. it's expected to be a mix of revenue increases. probably a small tax hike on the wealthiest americans and spending cuts. of course any deal has to pass the republican controlled house. shoppers don't appear to be too worried about the fiscal cliff. this is shaping up to be the best cyber monday ever. sales are up 28 percent from last year. cbs reporter anthony mason found out the last few days have been busy. even during dinner time. amazon.com's biggest shipping center in phoenix arizona is the size of 28 football fields. last cyber monday it's busyist day of the year, amazon processed 200 orders per second. amazon vice president craig says the company expects business this year will be even better. >> we've hired and are continuing to hire 50,000 seasonal workers to meet customer demand. we need to come up with a new word for busy. we've been on hyper drive. >> online sales jump more than 20 percent on black friday. and thanks giving it was shopping day this year. >> it started early. a retail analyst with ibm that monitors 500 online retailers says shopping was heavy throughout thanks giving day especially with i phones and i pads. >> people were driving during thanksgiving dinner time. >> i'm saying the i phone is now the new utensil. does it go on the right or the left of the fork, i don't know. >> anthony mason, cbs news new york. >> he makes six figures an episode but one tv star is on a tirade. >> please stop filling your head with filth. >> the life changing move that caused him to bash his own show. >> they're going have to pry me out of here. >> imagine your boss paying to clean your house. the unbelievable perk some bay area companies are offering to keep good employees happy. some of the best child athletes in the country. the bay area kids that now have a chance at the ultimate prize. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, p train. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, [train whistle blows] wishing you happy holidays. think it would be pretty hao come up with . >> if you earned $300,000 for television episode, you'd think it'd be pretty hard to come up with complaints but don't tell that to the youngest star of two and a half men. >> if you watch two and a half men. please stop watching two and a half men. i'm on two and a half men and i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. do some research on the effects of television and your brain and i promise you, you'll have a decision to make when it comes to the television and especially with what you watch. >> angus jones who plays jake harper on the cbs sitcom made the comments to a christian website reporter. he says the show conflicts with his religious views. this follows of course the very public melt down of charlie sheen from the same show. warner brothers which produces the show is not commenting. >> the number of murders so far in oakland this year is 115 and that's more than all of the killings committed last year. four people were gunned down this weekend including two women. a third woman was shot and killed in another incident. and there is another story coming out of oakland tonight. cbs 5 reporter christin ayers shows us for a group of kids it's one win after another and they are on their way to the championships. >> reporter: the snap, the tackle, the whistle. take a close look. these kids playing pop warner on a soccer field in west oakland are some of the best child football players in the country. >> good job maalik. >> we only got scored on one time this whole year. >> when it gets to game time we're ready and focused. >> this is where the road meets the road they're saying. >> vice president kenneth smith isn't just a proud coach talking up his team. the east bay warriors have beat out the best to go to the national championship in florida three times and this year they did it undefeated. >> these kids are the cream of the crop. there are 1200 teams in each division and only 24 teams make it to national. >> it takes hard work. and you have to have pride in yourself. and you have to have discipline. >> discipline that extends off the field. most these players have grade point averages above 3.5. >> not only are they athletic, they're smart. >> they're being cheered on by a squad that's also going national. they placed first in regional this is year. >> team work. i'm confident because i think my team has what it takes to win first. >> the kind of determination that their coaches know won't end with pop warner. >> everything my coaches taught me shows me what the do and believe in me and it's going to follow me wherever i go. a hoax on facebook is playing on people's desire for privacy. a message is being past around urging others to copy and paste that posting or else facebook will use their content for commercial use without permission. the problem is, it's false. you know when the dot com bubble burst, catered lunches and free beer fridays went the way of ipos. well now, there's a start up that's even paying to clean employee's houses twice a month and other companies might want to take note. >> reporter: lunch is served in redwood city. and talk about serving up company loyalty. >> do you see yourself staying here for a while. >> absolutely. they're going to have to pry me out of here. >> he's engaged to be married but it might seem more like he's on a honey moon with his new employer. >> there's a shuttle bus. breakfast on the shuttle. wifi on the shuttle. when i get to work there's a lunch the gym they pay my phone bill. >> and his company will pay him to take a vacation. two months ago he started working for the redwood city start up ever note an app that keeps you organized. he launched ever note five years ago and sees freebies as things that make employees more productive. you're here because you want to work so anything we can do to knock out obstacles to make you be able to be more productive. >> is more productive a modern day translation of i owe my soul to the company store. >> do you feel like you're working more because of that. >> yeah. a little bit more. >> but that's okay. >> yeah, i enjoy it. i love my work. i don't feel that tired to put in that energy. >> it's her job to come up with these benefits. >> i'm special projects manager. and others have joked that it's i'm the happiness coordinator at ever note. i'm working to develop the corporate culture here and make it a very enjoyable wonderful place to work. >> one of the first things she did was start a program to reimburse employees their lease expenses for electric cars and since last fall 20 percent of ever note employee, 34 of them are taking part. >> they want to retain their people because it's people that are innovating. >> an hr consulting professors. she says employees respond to the perks but can become loyal to a company's culture. >> they are being very, very focused on i want to work in an organization that thinks like i do. that has smart people. that people that can inspire me. that i can learn from them. that they share my values. >> one thing ever note doesn't have, did you notice, no telephones on employee desks. to talk to a coworker the company wants you to actually get up walk over and speak to them face to face. we are just learning of this breaking news story a car chase just ended on treasure island. it started in san francisco in the financial district and it ended up on the bay bridge on treasure island. police tell us shots were fired we don't know if by police or by the driver of this car. right now, the driver, as you can see, is standing outside the car and he apparently has a gun held to his head. there are at least nine officers there. these are not live pictures. this is video. it's video taken just moments ago. of course we are not going to show anything live in case something happens. police have called for a negotiator. again, this is a story just breaking coming out of san francisco. it's the exit ramp on to treasure island. a car chase has ended there. officers are trying to talk that man out of that situation. we are keeping an eye on the story. and we will let you know as it continues. all right paul's keeping an eye on the sky because things are going to change in the next couple days. >> significant changes are coming. this morning was very foggy around the bay. i expect a repeat of that fog once again tomorrow morning. with your low in san francisco. further east, concord, 41, livermore 40, san jose down to 44 degrees tonight. dry for now. tomorrow night rain will build off to the west. we're looking at several straight days of rainfall. flood watch is issued for the sierra foothills and sacramento valley. they be issued for the north bay as soon as tomorrow. significant changes coming. large area of low pressure off to the north. that will tap into tropical moisture all the way down by hawaii. this low pressure area will act like a wall. this moisture is going to hit the wall. and get shoved to the east. it's going to hit an area that's going to get rainfall. right now it looks like the that will be northern california and the bay area. we will be the bulls eye for a lot of tropical moisture. we're dry through tomorrow evening. the first wave moves through wednesday. it will be wet and windy. a break on thursday. then friday, saturday, sunday, perhaps monday, three or four days of heavy rainfall. so it's later this week but it's coming. mid 60s tomorrow. san francisco 62. san jose 64. concord 63 and livermore 65 degrees. extended forecast. here comes the rain. on wednesday rain likely all the way through the weekend. and the potential for some flooding as we do head through saturday and sunday. we'll be right back. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a man is holding oks like a gun to his h h . >> more now on the breaking news story on treasure island. a man is holding what looks to be a gun to his head after a high speed chase. these are not live pictures. it's video. it was fed into the station a few minutes ago. we are purposely not bringing this to you live. police have called for a negotiator. they've asked for the coast guard to send a patrol boat to that area just as a back up. just in case. this all started about 20 minutes ago with a police chase that began in the financial district of san francisco and as i say ended on treasure island. we'll continue to monitor it and bring you updates. we'll be right back. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, some girls wish to grow up to be a princess. other girls wish to simply grow up. mae and bailey are friends battling kidney cancer at st. jude children's research hospital. we developed a treatment for their cancer that's helping kids like them across america. you know what i wish for? what's that honey? my hair back. and no more cancer. well, girls, st. jude is working on that. go to st. jude dot org or shop where ever you see the st. jude logo. both winners, but only one n start...see if "you" can fie . >> jim harbaugh has a problem but it's a good one. two quarters backs. both winners. but only one can start. see if you can figure it out. >> alex smith is our starting quarter back. he has not done anything to lose that job. also kyle kaepernick you can't categorize him as a back up quarter back because he started games and played well in those games i think the thing that's best for us. we have two good guys. >> thank you for the clarification one thing we're sure about wide receiver kyle williams is out for the season. williams tweeted that news earlier today. even without andrew luck shaw led them. san jose state with a huge test. number ten, kansas. the spartans rally james kenny the three and the j hawks. seven points with 240 to go. but a triple double. the 12th block of the game. leads to the fast break. and the j hawks win. the monday night top five. somebody asked what happened to fau. the former war won it with that basket against chicago. number four i'm not going call this the lambeau leap. how about the philadelphia flop. number three photo finish in golden gate field. mowcolorado fired head coach john ohm by after winning four games in two years. he was very emotional in the press conference. >> i don't care what they say. and as i told you guys when we're going through tough times, you're not judged by the score board at the end of the day. i was but you won't be. don't let someone else define you by what they think is right. >> yeah you're judged by wins wasn't enough. we'll be right back. ,,,,,, hey, look! a shooting star! make a wish! i wish we could lie here forever. i wish this test drive was over, so we could head back to the dealership. [ male announcer ] it's practically yours. test drive! but we still need your signature. volkswagen sign then drive is back. and it's never been easier to get a jetta. that's the power of german engineering. get $0 down, $0 due at signing, $0 deposit, and $0 first month's payment on any new volkswagen. ng what looks li . >> all right we are keeping an eye on an armed police stand off on treasure island. the man was either a hoodie on a towel on his head. he's holding a gun to his head. this is video. this is not live. this is video taken moments ago. right now the suspect is just walking around. there are police all in the area. this all started about 25 minute ace go with a police chase from san francisco's financial district ending up on treasure island. police have called for a negotiator. it's a tense stand off right now. you can stay posted to our website for the latest on this. we'll have information about it in the morning. >> all right david letterman coming up. ( band playing "late show" theme ) >> from new york, the greatest city in the world, it's the "late show" with david letterman. tonight...
good night, everybody. ,,,,,,,,,, get to the hospital! you're watching cbs 5 eyewitness news in high definition. >> the baby was coming and there wasn't any time to get to the hospital. good evening i'm allen martin. >> cbs 5 reporter sharon chen shows us the baby arrived faster than the morning dart train. one day little diari will hear an incredible story from her parents. the story of her birth. >> jasmine's contractions were five minutes apart before 6:00 a.m. he drove them from their pittsburgh home. but her water broke in the front seat. she was like pull my pants down the baby's hanging out. we both were yelling at the same time. >> i was in shock and in pain. i'm going have my baby in the car. >> they pulled up in the mini van right here. >> here in the parking lot in front of tonya maddox. a guy got out of the car screaming she's having the baby. she's having the baby. >> the baby came so fast she missed it. >> i was backwards i was in so much pain. i pushed her out. >> jasmine wrapped her third child in a coat from a tackty driver. tonya's husband helped daniel cut the umbilical cord of the special delivery. >> my husband took the shoestring off. >> finally the baby started breathing and we realized this was going to be all right. >> tonight the stay at home mom and the dad give thanks. >> this is a story to tell forever. >> baby diari is healthy and tonight she's spending the night at kaiser permanente and they're expected to go home tomorrow. they are calling her baby freeway. >> that's the funny thing about babies. they want to come when they're ready. >> it's their schedule, right. >> it works that way for the rest of their lives. >> i was going to say it does not change. enjoy the dry weather while we have it. a live look at downtown san francisco. a beautiful clear night. cbs 5 chief meteorologist saying get ready for a big super soaker that's coming. >> this will be the last dry night we have for a while. so enjoy this dry on cbs 5 high definition doppler. here's the reason why it will change. we have the pineapple express. a plume of rainfall direct from hawaii that will be aimed squarely at the bay area and northern california. these are the rainfall totals we're expecting. up to eight inches of rainfall for sonoma. the timetable for all this coming up in about 10 minutes. a bay area man under arrest after police tell us he tried to hang his girlfriend from a backyard tree it happened many fremont. >> the frantic 911 call came from this cluttered backyard at the end of beatrice street and fremont. she had her hands around her back and noose around her nec. >> he told her he was going to kill her and he was planning to hang her. >> daniel howard got into an argument with his girlfriend last night at some point he bound her hands and strung a noose over a branch. when police officers confronted him in the backyard they say he used her as a shield. and that he had taken up the slack in the rope and was ready to kick out the barrel from underneath her feet. >> howard shoved his girlfriend down an embankment. she suffered only minor injuries. >> had the officers not got therein in time what do you think would have happened. >> his brothers who were home at the time of the incident declined an interview but tell us howard was likely high on meth. a mellow monday night at the gym turned into drama. reporting feeling sick. at first emergency crews thought they were exposed to a chemical. but somebody poured too much aromatic oil on the rocks in the steam room. it turns out there was no carbon monoxide leak during a house party last night. that's what everybody thought after 14 people went to the hospital with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. what was it? too much cigarette smoke in the duplex. high level of carbon monoxide can show up in blood tests of smokers. cbs 5 reporter elizabeth cook on this crash and the toll it took on one bay area family. >> reporter: they were driving back from a quick trip in tahoe. but it ended like this. >> maybe one month we don't see each other. so we have a thing for thanksgiving. >> she's the sister of the driver of the toyota prius that crossed the center line of traffic and broadside add mini van. she celebrated the holiday with the sue family just two days earlier. the only survivor was 10-year- old ellie alley sue she was take on the the hospital with moderate injuries. >> i will take care of her. my daughter and my sister, everybody help each other like that. >> a little girl in the mini van, four-year-old nora elizabeth temple was also killed in the crash. four others in the van were hurt. chp is still looking into what led to this deadly crash. according to this year's thanksgiving data the number of people that died on local roadways is up from last year 44 compared to 32 of last year. however dui arrests are down. elizabeth cook, cbs 5. the remains of yasser arafat have been exhumed from his grave. testing the remains for radiation poisoning. earlier this year a lethal radioactive substance was discovered on arafat's clothing. test results could take several months. palestinians believe he was poisoned by israel. the charge israel denies. we've heard a lot of talk about the fiscal cliff. what does it really mean for you. for a household earning 20 to $40,000 that would mean a tax increase of 1,200-dollars. for a household airporting 40 to 60 it would mean a tax increase of $2,000. 64,000 up to six figures it would be a 3,500-dollar tax increase. it appears the tax deal is being worked out by two people. house speaker john baner and the president. it's expected to be a mix of revenue increases. probably a small tax hike on the wealthiest americans and spending cuts. of course any deal has to pass the republican controlled house. shoppers don't appear to be too worried about the fiscal cliff. this is shaping up to be the best cyber monday ever. sales are up 28 percent from last year. cbs reporter anthony mason found out the last few days have been busy. even during dinner time. amazon.com's biggest shipping center in phoenix arizona is the size of 28 football fields. last cyber monday it's busyist day of the year, amazon processed 200 orders per second. amazon vice president craig says the company expects business this year will be even better. >> we've hired and are continuing to hire 50,000 seasonal workers to meet customer demand. we need to come up with a new word for busy. we've been on hyper drive. >> online sales jump more than 20 percent on black friday. and thanks giving it was shopping day this year. >> it started early. a retail analyst with ibm that monitors 500 online retailers says shopping was heavy throughout thanks giving day especially with i phones and i pads. >> people were driving during thanksgiving dinner time. >> i'm saying the i phone is now the new utensil. does it go on the right or the left of the fork, i don't know. >> anthony mason, cbs news new york. >> he makes six figures an episode but one tv star is on a tirade. >> please stop filling your head with filth. >> the life changing move that caused him to bash his own show. >> they're going have to pry me out of here. >> imagine your boss paying to clean your house. the unbelievable perk some bay area companies are offering to keep good employees happy. some of the best child athletes in the ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, how far will people go to relieve their sore throat? try these. new cepacol sensations cools instantly, and has an active ingredient that stays with you long after the lozenge is gone. not just a sensation, think it would be pretty hao come up with . >> if you earned $300,000 for television episode, you'd think it'd be pretty hard to come up with complaints but don't tell that to the youngest star of two and a half men. >> if you watch two and a half men. please stop watching two and a half men. i'm on two and a half men and i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. do some research on the effects of television and your brain and i promise you, you'll have a decision to make when it comes to the television and especially with what you watch. >> angus jones who plays jake harper on the cbs sitcom made the comments to a christian website reporter. he says the show conflicts with his religious views. this follows of course the very public melt down of charlie sheen from the same show. warner brothers which produces the show is not commenting. >> the number of murders so far in oakland this year is 115 and that's more than all of the killings committed last year. four people were gunned down this weekend including two women. a third woman was shot and killed in another incident. and there is another story coming out of oakland tonight. cbs 5 reporter christin ayers shows us for a group of kids it's one win after another and they are on their way to the championships. >> reporter: the snap, the tackle, the whistle. take a close look. these kids playing pop warner on a soccer field in west oakland are some of the best child football players in the country. >> good job maalik. >> we only got scored on one time this whole year. >> when it gets to game time we're ready and focused. >> this is where the road meets the road they're saying. >> vice president kenneth smith isn't just a proud coach talking up his team. the east bay warriors have beat out the best to go to the national championship in florida three times and this year they did it undefeated. >> these kids are the cream of the crop. there are 1200 teams in each division and only 24 teams make it to national. >> it takes hard work. and you have to have pride in yourself. and you have to have discipline. >> discipline that extends off the field. most these players have grade point averages above 3.5. >> not only are they athletic, they're smart. >> they're being cheered on by a squad that's also going national. they placed first in regional this is year. >> team work. i'm confident because i think my team has what it takes to win first. >> the kind of determination that their coaches know won't end with pop warner. >> everything my coaches taught me shows me what the do and believe in me and it's going to follow me wherever i go. a hoax on facebook is playing on people's desire for privacy. a message is being past around urging others to copy and paste that posting or else facebook will use their content for commercial use without permission. the problem is, it's false. you know when the dot com bubble burst, catered lunches and free beer fridays went the way of ipos. well now, there's a start up that's even paying to clean employee's houses twice a month and other companies might want to take note. >> reporter: lunch is served in redwood city. and talk about serving up company loyalty. >> do you see yourself staying here for a while. >> absolutely. they're going to have to pry me out of here. >> he's engaged to be married but it might seem more like he's on a honey moon with his new employer. >> there's a shuttle bus. breakfast on the shuttle. wifi on the shuttle. when i get to work there's a lunch the gym they pay my phone bill. >> and his company will pay him to take a vacation. two months ago he started working for the redwood city start up ever note an app that keeps you organized. he launched ever note five years ago and sees freebies as things that make employees more productive. you're here because you want to work so anything we can do to knock out obstacles to make you be able to be more productive. >> is more productive a modern day translation of i owe my soul to the company store. >> do you feel like you're working more because of that. >> yeah. a little bit more. >> but that's okay. >> yeah, i enjoy it. i love my work. i don't feel that tired to put in that energy. >> it's her job to come up with these benefits. >> i'm special projects manager. and others have joked that it's i'm the happiness coordinator at ever note. i'm working to develop the corporate culture here and make it a very enjoyable wonderful place to work. >> one of the first things she did was start a program to reimburse employees their lease expenses for electric cars and since last fall 20 percent of ever note employee, 34 of them are taking part. >> they want to retain their people because it's people that are innovating. >> an hr consulting professors. she says employees respond to the perks but can become loyal to a company's culture. >> they are being very, very focused on i want to work in an organization that thinks like i do. that has smart people. that people that can inspire me. that i can learn from them. that they share my values. >> one thing ever note doesn't have, did you notice, no telephones on employee desks. to talk to a coworker the company wants you to actually get up walk over and speak to them face to face. we are just learning of this breaking news story a car chase just ended on treasure island. it started in san francisco in the financial district and it ended up on the bay bridge on treasure island. police tell us shots were fired we don't know if by police or by the driver of this car. right now, the driver, as you can see, is standing outside the car and he apparently has a gun held to his head. there are at least nine officers there. these are not live pictures. this is video. it's video taken just moments ago. of course we are not going to show anything live in case something happens. police have called for a negotiator. again, this is a story just breaking coming out of san francisco. it's the exit ramp on to treasure island. a car chase has ended there. officers are trying to talk that man out of that situation. we are keeping an eye on the story. and we will let you know as it continues. all right paul's keeping an eye on the sky because things are going to change in the next couple days. >> significant changes are coming. this morning was very foggy around the bay. i expect a repeat of that fog once again tomorrow morning. with your low in san francisco. further east, concord, 41, livermore 40, san jose down to 44 degrees tonight. dry for now. tomorrow night rain will build off to the west. we're looking at several straight days of rainfall. flood watch is issued for the sierra foothills and sacramento valley. they be issued for the north bay as soon as tomorrow. significant changes coming. large area of low pressure off to the north. that will tap into tropical moisture all the way down by hawaii. this low pressure area will act like a wall. this moisture is going to hit the wall. and get shoved to the east. it's going to hit an area that's going to get rainfall. right now it looks like the that will be northern california and the bay area. we will be the bulls eye for a lot of tropical moisture. we're dry through tomorrow evening. the first wave moves through wednesday. it will be wet and windy. a break on thursday. then friday, saturday, sunday, perhaps monday, three or four days of heavy rainfall. so it's later this week but it's coming. mid 60s tomorrow. san francisco 62. san jose 64. concord 63 and livermore 65 degrees. extended forecast. here comes the rain. on wednesday rain likely all the way through the weekend. and the potential for some and the potential for some flooding as we do head through , 3q get irresistibly clean and fresh carpets in your home with resolve deep clean powder. the moist powder removes three times more dirt than vacuuming alone while neutralizing odors for a clean you can see, smell and really enjoy. don't just vacuum clean. resolve clean. it sparks a movement. look ! no ugly spots ! and see that shine ! you've got to try finish. because once they try finish, they can't keep it to themselves. i'm switching for good. wow ! awesome ! finish is seriously good. cannot believe how great it works. incredible shine. i won't use anything else. love, love, love finish ! so far over a million neighbors, friends, and family have switched to finish. join the finish revolution. recommended by more dishwasher brands worldwide. a man is holding oks like a gun to his h h . >> more now on the breaking news story on treasure island. a man is holding what looks to be a gun to his head after a high speed chase. these are not live pictures. it's video. it was fed into the station a few minutes ago. we are purposely not bringing this to you live. police have called for a negotiator. they've asked for the coast guard to send a patrol boat to that area just as a back up. just in case. this all started about 20 minutes ago with a police chase that began in the financial district of san francisco and as i say ended on treasure island. we'll continue to monitor it ,,, how far will people go to relieve their sore throat? try these. new cepacol sensations cools instantly, and has an active ingredient that stays with you long after the lozenge is gone. not just a sensation, sensational relief. it sparks a movement. because people can't keep it to themselves. look ! no ugly spots ! awesome! incredible shine. i'm switching for good. love, love, love finish! over a million people have switched to finish. visit us on facebook. both winners, but only one n start...see if "you" can fie . >> jim harbaugh has a problem but it's a good one. two quarters backs. both winners. but only one can start. see if you can figure it out. >> alex smith is our starting quarter back. he has not done anything to lose that job. also kyle kaepernick you can't categorize him as a back up quarter back because he started games and played well in those games i think the thing that's best for us. we have two good guys. >> thank you for the clarification one thing we're sure about wide receiver kyle williams is out for the season. williams tweeted that news earlier today. even without andrew luck shaw led them. san jose state with a huge test. number ten, kansas. the spartans rally james kenny the three and the j hawks. seven points with 240 to go. but a triple double. the 12th block of the game. leads to the fast break. and the j hawks win. the monday night top five. somebody asked what happened to fau. the former war won it with that basket against chicago. number four i'm not going call this the lambeau leap. how about the philadelphia flop. number three photo finish in golden gate field. mowcolorado fired head coach john ohm by after winning four games in two years. he was very emotional in the press conference. >> i don't care what they say. and as i told you guys when we're going through tough times, you're not judged by the score board at the end of the day. i was but you won't be. don't let someone else define don't let someone else define you by what they ,,
the roads that are closed that we are able to confirm is jacklin road between arizona and campbell. they are closing off the road. we heard from our kcbs partners they won't expect to be open until 7 a.m. there was an officer-involved shooting in the area. we are waiting for the public information officer to arrive on scene to confirm that but we heard that milpitas police were trying to pull over a man in a tan honda and then took off, jumped out of the car and reportedly fired shots at officers. again, these are reports that we are hearing. we are waiting for police confirmation in the next cummins. we are hoping that we can confirm this more in detail but to give you an idea of the area right here, there are three schools here. a middle school, high school and elementary school in this area so that's why they are roping off this area to make sure it is secure. but again these are just initial reports that we're hearing at the moment. we are expecting milpitas police to bring out a representative hopefully in the next few minutes so we can give you a definite on what is going on in this area. live in milpitas, cate caugiran, cbs 5. 5:02. a fremont woman suffered minor injuries when police say her boyfriend tried to hang her from a tree. the woman's hands were tied behind her back. a noose was placed around her neck but police say when her boyfriend went inside she got her cell phone out of her back pocket and called 911. >> had the officers not got there in time, what do you think would have happened? >> he would have killed her. he would have hung her from that rope. >> police say 31-year-old daniel howard used the woman as a shield when they finally arrived. he made a run for it but was arrested for attempted murder. howard's brother was at the home at the time and says he was probably high on meth. the woman was not badly injured. 15-year-old is expected to be tried as an adult for a deadly crime spree in san jose. the teenager could go to court today. he is accused along with 26- year-old jonathan wilbanks of a series of crimes that happened earlier this month. police say the two robbed four businesses, killed a man during a carjacking attempt, and had a shootout with police 10 days ago. two would-be robbers had a surprise when they went into a jewelry store in east san jose and started shooting. the woman behind the counter apparently had a gun too. she fired back. no one was hit by any of the gunfire near king and story roads. but the two suspects ran out, sped away in a black suv without any stolen jewelry. a san francisco sheriff's deputy pleaded not guilty to bank robbery charges. prosecutors say fingerprints and surveillance video linked 36-year-old the man to a holdup of a bank of america. he is free on bail. it's 5:04. let's check the weather. apparently we need to get the galoshes out. >> armageddon is coming! >> maybe the canoes, too. today looks okay but it's tomorrow and thursday and friday and saturday and sunday that things get wet in the bay area. quick look at the numbers show that it's a mild start to your tuesday morning. readings mostly in the mid-40s to mid-50s under overcast skies. not much fog. we can seat bay bridge this morning in the headlines increasing clouds and winds pick up rain spreading south tonight. late tonight in the north bay and then around the mid time of the morning commute tomorrow. you always hate to say 8:00 tomorrow morning because you can't call it that closely but sometime during the morning commute tomorrow morning the rain will spread into the central bay area tomorrow. today we set the stage for this. low pressure that's spinning out of the south and that will increase the clouds, rain and wind for wednesday, thursday, friday. forecast highs for today not bad. low to mid-60s. it's in the extended forecast that we get wet and we stay wet. rain and wind gale watches posted and it will stay wet through the weekend. there is flooding potential with this. we'll have more in a few minutes. we need to get a traffic update so here's elizabeth. >> toward the bay bridge usually the best indicator of how traffic is flowing across the bay area and it looks okay right now approaching the pay gates. you may have heard us mention at the top of the hour treasure island is shut down. police standoff since 11:00 last night. so on the upper deck, you may notice a few cars there. on the off-ramp towards treasure island but it's not impacting traffic on the upper deck towards the tunnel and up the incline. a live look at traffic conditions on the upper deck on live drive time sensors still all green across the upper deck. here's a live look past the treasure island commute. a couple of cars moving at top speeds towards the skyway. police activity an officer shoved shooting that stretch of jacklin road still shut down between arizona avenue and campbell street. they are still looking for a suspect. that is a check of traffic. back to you guys >> thank you. san jose is asking the public for help in choosing the city's next police chief. the city is holding public hearings to talk about a replacement for chris moore, who will retire at the and of january. moore has been chief for only two years. the head of the police union says his successor will have some issues to deal with. >> our police department is falling apart. we have more people leaving. we have another two going to los gatos on top of 3 who went to redwood city another three or four who went to santa cruz. >> the fresno police chief and the sacramento chief are two of the people mentioned as possible candidates. 5:07. the terror attack on the u.s. consulate in libya will be the focus as susan rice holds meetings with key lawmakers. the u.s. ambassador to the united nations has been criticized by some republicans for comments she made shortly after those attacks. at the time, she said at tax stemmed from a protest against an anti-islam video. rice is considered a possible nominee to replace the outgoing hillary clinton as the secretary of state. meanwhile, lawmakers on capitol hill are jockeying for position right now in efforts to fix the federal budget and avoid the dreaded "fiscal cliff." if they don't reach a deal by the end of the year, tax hikes and across the board budget cuts will automatically kick in. susan mcginnis has more on today's efforts to get democrats and republicans a little closer together. reporter: president obama will begin a media blitz this week highlighting his efforts to steer clear of the "fiscal cliff." he will first meet with small business owners at the white house today. at the other end of pennsylvania avenue, fellow democrat senator dick durbin will give what's being called a major speech laying out a case for a bipartisan deal. durbin's a member of the senate's gang of 8, four democrats and four republicans who have collaborated on ways to reduce the nation's debt for 2 1/2 year. democratic senator mark warner is also in the gang and says democrats are willing to put entitlements like medicaid and medicare on the negotiating table. >> the math just doesn't work anymore not because the programs are bad but because thank goodness we're living a lot longer. >> reporter: republicans are also signalling they are more open to compromise. they say they will agree to raising tax revenue by limiting deductions for the wealthy. >> without compromising our principles we recognize that while democrats don't run this town neither do we. >> reporter: but the two sides remain far apart on the main sticking point. republicans oppose any increase in tax rates for the wealthy. the president refuses to sign any legislation extending the current tax rates to the top 2% of earners. the president has been in negotiations with house speaker john boehner and has said he is willing to put almost anything on the table except social security. he wants to deal with that separately next year. but republicans want all entitlements included in talks. they want the president to make the first move with an initial proposal. susan mcginnis, cbs news, washington. many cities are looking to cut pension costs in light of budget problems one bay area city is looking to buck the trend. antioch leaders are considering increasing retirement benefits for future employees hired from other cities. the goal, to entice veteran police officers to come to the city. >> they are not going to want to come from a 3% [ indiscernible ] because it adds years until they get to retirement. >> tonight the city council will take up the idea of increasing pensions. new rating system puts san francisco at the top of cities when it comes to protecting rights of the lgbt community. the human rights campaign gives san francisco, san diego, long beach and l.a. perfect 100 scores on the antidiscrimination efforts. other bay area cities ranked lower. vallejo had only a 52 out of 100. concord 64. richmond 65. and santa rosa came in at 59. later today two city leaders who were assassinated 34 years ago will be remembered in san francisco. mayor george moscone and supervisor harvey milk were killed on this day back in 1978. they were shot by former supervisor dan white. today there will be a ceremony on the steps of city hall featuring san francisco gay men's chorus that will be followed by a candlelight march to milk's former camera store in the castro. i was at cal when that happened. >> you remember that day? >> i do actually. rebecca moscone the mayor's daughter was in class with me that day. it's hard to believe it was 34 years ago. time now 5:11. coming up, without a life jacket. a man holds on for dear life for seven hours. >> and it's a sand dune debate. the little flower some say should keep a daly city development from going up. and they are great on the gridiron and off. coming up, meet the pop warner team taking another shot at the national title. 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" man tread water f when we came the on scene this was the only thing he was holding on to. he probably weighed up to 220 pounds and unfortunately, he was unable to get to his life jacket when the vessel capsized. >> lucky guy, too. this man tread water for 7 hours off the coast of florida until fishermen came to his rescue. he was in a boat with his brother when it capsized. his brother swam to shore to get help while that guy clung to the top of a cooler and waited as he was taken to the hospital to be checked out but he is just fine though. very lucky guy did not have a life jacket but that cooler top apparently saved his life. 7 hours treading water. >> he is lucky. time now 5:15. let's get straight to elizabeth who is monitoring a lot this morning but apparently obviously the breaking news we're dealing with on treasure island. >> you cannot get on the island right now. if you have been watching since early this morning, there was a police standoff late last night so they remain shut down. it's not impacting traffic on the main lines of the freeway on the upper deck or lower deck. you may see police cars but the main lines are moving at top speeds from the pay gates to the skyway. on city secrets in milpitas, there was an -- on city streets in milpitas, there was an officer-involved shooting. they shut down this stretch of jacklin road. closed between arizona avenue and campbell street. it is close to milpitas high. that stretch is closed until further notice. the main lines of the freeway, westbound 237, a live look through milpitas, it is still very light through the silicon valley towards san jose. we are seeing a lot of green traffic sensors. bart always a good option and so far, so good all bart trains still running on time. our biggest difference from yesterday is really the fog. let's check some of the live traffic cameras. free and clear this morning through the dublin-pleasanton area. ♪ [ music ]♪ >> and that was music for brian. >> here i am to tell you that elizabeth is right. there's less fog this morning than yesterday morning. out the door, the numbers are a little bit mild. proceedings are only from the mid-40s to the mid-50s. and so that's not so bad. but this is all the calm before the storm. the storm arriving about 26 hours from now in the bay area. and gale warnings are already posted for the offshore waters. the blue that you see there refers to wind advisories that will be hoisted in the bay area tonight. offshore wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour and over the altamont pass and pacheco pass and through the hills, it's going to be windy the north bay, santa cruz mountains, all of that that's tomorrow because of this low pressure that's out in the eastern pacific is going to be heading toward the bay area. that's a warm direction so it's not going to be this -- this first go is not a cold storm. we get clouds, wind and rain. this is a model of what's going to happen over the next 24 hours. this is today. clouds, clouds, clouds. this is tonight, watch the left- hand side of the screen. wham! this really well defined front begins to move into the bay area just offshore at this time at 5:00 tomorrow morning. if you are heading out of sfo today, okay, mostly cloudy, southwest winds. here's some of the main gateway destinations. pretty good weather in the southland and in new york they will get some rain. pinpoint forecast for the bay area numbers in the low 60s today. cloudy skies and then get ready to get wet. increasing clouds lead to rain on wednesday. on thursday, we really get hit as well as friday and saturday. finally on sunday and monday we'll begin to ease it off but look out we could get flooding in the bay area. >> not so good. there's a big sand dune dilemma in daly city. environmentalists, developers and residents are all at odds over a big sand hill near mill side park. as cbs 5 reporter joe vazquez shows us, it's all over a rare flower that's blooming there. >> i don't think building houses up here is progress. >> reporter: environmentalists ken macintyre with san bruno mountain watch shows me a rare flower in bloom. >> this is the endanger plant. about 50% of the total world population of this plant is on these dunes. the rest is in the presidio in san francisco. >> reporter: they grow in the ancient shifting dunes above daly city in particular they grow on the hillside above a neighborhood that just recently experienced a frightening mud slide a major pipe burst sending 48,000 gallons of water and sand down the hill burying more than a dozen cars, narrowly missing the houses. now some neighbors worry the hillside might be compromised so they are paying special attention to a development at the top to build 8 homes on an acre in the middle of the dunes. even before the mud slide ken had already been negotiating with the developer to change his mind. >> we hope to purchase it. we would like daly city to back our effort to purchase this and then accept it into their park system. >> we have to do all we can to make sure we maintain open space at san bruno mountain. >> reporter: a daly city councilman says the council will do due diligence before any approval or disapproval. >> you have to be sure any decision you make that those residents down below are safe and you can sure i'm going to make sure that happens. it is 5:20 right now. don't believe everything you read online. the latest facebook hoax going around. >> and a three bounce, a three- pointer. a lucky shot in our play of the day. >> what's cool about your school? submit your nomination on our website, cbssf.com/coolschool and we may feature school on our show. we'll be right back. p ♪ buy 5-hour energy pink lemonade and ♪ ♪ you can help others along the way. ♪ ♪ a portion of every bottle that they sell goes to fight ♪ ♪ breast cancer and i think that's swell. ♪ ♪ the more you take, the more they'll pay, ♪ ♪ so make them write a big check today. ♪ ♪ and if you're feeling a little slow, ♪ ♪ then 5-hour energy will help you go. ♪ ♪ so buy a bottle of pink lemonade and ♪ ♪ you can help fight breast cancer today. ♪ look at you guys with your fancy-schmancy u-verse high speed internet. you know, in my day you couldn't just start streaming six ways to sunday. you'd get knocked off. and sometimes, it took a minute to download a song. that's sixty seconds, for crying out loud. we know how long a minute is! sitting, waiting for an album to download. i still have back problems. you're only 14 and a half. he doesn't have back problems. you kids have got it too good if you ask me. [ male announcer ] now u-verse high speed internet has more speed options, reliability and ways to connect. rethink possible. carmelo anthony has less than a second to shoot. check out the bounce off the top of the play of the day coming from the new nba arena in brooklyn, new york's carmelo anthony, knicks and nets, there it goes. one bounce top of the backboard and -- [ sound effect ] >> -- right in the center of the net. >> you know. >> i like that sound effect. do it again. [ sound effect ] >> great shot, three bouncer right through. but brooklyn beat the knicks 96- 89 in overtime. >> how do you do that? >> what? make that sound effect? no, no. the sound effect more impressive. >> only twice. across the bay from the home of the world champion giants a group of young oakland athletes is also headed to a championship game. cbs 5 reporter christin ayers introduces us to a group of student athletes who soar on the field and in the classroom. >> reporter: the snap, the tackle, the whistle. take a close look. these kids playing pop warner on a soccer field in west oakland are some of the best child football players in the country. >> this whole year we only got scored on one time. >> when it gets to game time, we're ready and focused. >> this is the top of the echelon. this is where the rubber meets the road. >> reporter: vice president kenneth smith isn't just a proud coach talking up his team. the east bay warriors have beat the best to go to the national championship in florida three times. and this year, they did it undefeated. these kids are the cream of the crop. there are 1200 teams in each division and only 24 make it to nationals. that's just 2%. >> it takes hard work, pride and discipline. >> reporter: discipline that extends off the field. most of these players have grade point averages above 3.5. >> so not only are they athletic, they're smart. >> reporter: and they're being cheered on by a squad that's also going national. the girls cheer squad placed first in regionals this year. they say it's not just stunts they're learning. >> team work. confident because i think my team has what it takes to win first. >> reporter: the kind of determination that their coaches know won't end with pop warner. >> everything that my coaches have taught me shows me what to do, and believe in me and just going to follow me everywhere i go. >> reporter: in oakland, christin ayers, cbs 5. >> good luck to them of the they're a great group of kids. >> i believe they go to orlando and a number of all the other teams play there, as well. it's really in a big football field like the whole shabang. >> all right. >> we're pulling for them. 5:25. some developing news out of the south bay. shots fired and now the search for a gunman in milpitas. >> and a tough story here. hands tied and a noose around her neck. how bay area police say they stopped a man from hanging his girlfriend. >> one person is dead on treasure island. the island is closed to the public. some people haven't been able to go home since last night. i'll have more details and we'll show you exclusive video from the scene. this holiday, share everything. share "not even close." share "you owe me..." share "just right." the share everything plan. sharable data across 10 devices with unlimited talk and text. get a droid razr m by motorola for $49.99. car chase has just ended on treasure island. >> a standoff between police and a gunman shuts down access to treasure island. >> a bay area man is under arrest after police tell us that he tried to hang his girlfriend from a backyard tree. >> the woman on the phone had her hands tied behind her back, noose around her neck and her angry boyfriend was coming back. >> he told her he was going to kill her and he was planning to hang her. >> a mellow monday night at the gym turned into some drama. somebody poured too much aromatic oil on the rocks in the steam room. >> we will be the bull's eye for a lot of tropical moisture. >> i was screaming, my child is being born, call 911. >> the baby was coming and there wasn't anytime to get to the hospital. >> the guy was yelling he's having a baby. >> i want to start. i think i should. but it's not my decision. >> from across the bay to around the world, the stories that matter on "eyewitness news this morning." and i'm michelle griego. time is 5- we c good morning, everyone. it's tuesday, november 27, very busy morning. i'm frank mallicoat. >> i'm michelle griego. time now is 5:30. we continue to follow a pair of developing news stories this morning. a standoff with an armed suspect has shut down treasure island. cbs 5 reporter elissa harrington is here in san francisco with new word from officers at the scene. >> reporter: good morning. we just found out that the suspect is dead. we have no more details aside from that fact but here's some live video from the scene. we just got that information minutes ago. this is following a standoff that lasted more than 6 hours and started last night. this shutdown of treasure island, nobody has been able to get on off or. here's video of the suspect holding a gun to his head surrounded by police. police tried to pull him over last night in downtown san francisco around 11:00 on mason and bush streets. >> suspect drove away, began running red lights. the officers initiated pursuit. at this point during the pursuit the suspect fired his weapon at least once at the officers. as the pursued wound up on the bay bridge, it terminated here on treasure island. >> reporter: the suspect finally stopped on the treasure island off ramped and police said he was threatening suicide. they had crisis negotiators trying to talk him into surrenders. officers fired two flash bags. police believe the man is 29- year-old duncan philips, also a suspect in a robbery in benicia on tuesday. police attempted to pull him over because they say he was in a stolen car. police were keeping people off of the island because they said it was too dangerous. so what's happening sense last night is people who live on treasure island have been meeting at the transbay bus terminal. red cross has been there to provide assistance. but again the latest development is that that suspect is dead. we are still trying to get more details on that. in san francisco, elissa harrington, cbs 5. >> thank you. another piece of developing news this in milpitas at this hour. a search is on right now for a man who reportedly was in a shootout with police officers. cbs 5 reporter cate caugiran is at the scene where streets are still shut down. cate. >> reporter: michelle, frank, that is exactly right. we are hearing that jacklin road between arizona and campbell shut down. you can see there's still quite a bit of police activity. milpitas police and fire trucks were here earlier still taking photos of the scene now and gathering evidence. we have some video of it earlier, as well. we heard reports of an officer- involved shooting but chp was able to confirm that shots were fired in this area and now police are on the lookout for a suspect. what is unconfirmed at this point is that milpitas police tried to pull over a man in a tan honda and then that man took off. we don't know if there was a chase involved but we can confirm shots were fired in the area. we don't know if the officer or suspect were hurt. right now a perimeter is set up, the roads in the area are blocked at jacqueline between arizona and campbell. to give you an idea of this area, this is a highly residential neighborhood. and we were able to pass about three schools in the area immediately just down the street from us milpitas high school and elementary school and middle school. so there is still quite a bit of activity going on. we are waiting for the public information if to show up on scene to get more details. we are live in milpitas, cate caugiran, cbs 5. >> thank you. both these breaking news stories are causing problems with traffic. liz, what's going on? >> thanks. the big question is, is this impacting the bay bridge commute, the treasure island police standoff? no. we are still seeing good traffic conditions across the upper deck. you may notice a few police cars blocking that treasure island off-ramp because again it remains shut down. you cannot access treasure island. there is no getting in and out. we'll go to the maps and show you still all green on the live drive time sensors. this is a live look past treasure island traffic coming into san francisco towards the skyway. metering lights haven't been turned on yet so no major delays behind the the pay gates. but they don't have an eto when they will reopen the off-ramps. we'll let you know if it causes problems a little later in the morning drive. a live look at sensors also in milpitas our other breaking news story jacklin road shut down, the latest location between arizona and campbell south of milpitas high. so the main lines of the freeway again in milpitas at 880/237 are fine. this is a situation, investigation continues just impacting city streets in that residential neighborhood. quick note, bart all trains on time always a good option and today is no exception. looks good in all directions. that is a check of "timesaver traffic." for more on your forecast, got big changes heading our way. >> as if all that weren't enough we have tropical moisture with a bull's eye on the bay area in the next 72 hours. today is going to be okay but tomorrow and the rest of the week looks wet. right now much less fog than yesterday with temperatures mostly in the mid-50s to mid- 40s. gale warnings already posted in advance of this. offshore waters, winds up to 55 miles an hour. today will be okay, clouds up top and the readings in the low to mid-60s. this is all by way of setting the stage. first clouds, then rain, and in the extended forecast today's cloudy and then by this time tomorrow. rain will begin to light up the echoes over the hi-def streaming radar at the north bay first then spreading south over the rest of the bay area in the later hours of wednesday morning. then we get hit hard on thursday and on friday and saturday. that's priming everything all the water sheds for the potential at least of flooding so you know where you are. now, guerneville along the russian river, napa river in the north bay. at least pay attention to the forecast for the next 72 hours to see how it all plays out. today is dry but it's not going to stay that way. >> thank you. investigators have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as 14 people at a san francisco party were sent to the hospital. the party-goers at a duplex on courtlandt avenue complained of scratchy throats sunday night. the fire department says only two people tested positive for low levels of carbon monoxide which could have been caused by heavy cigarette smoke in the unit. a simple mistake led to a hazmat material at a gym in san jose's evergreen area. about 150 people all evacuated from the silver creek sportsplex there after some complaints of shortness of breath. about 7:30 last night the fire department says the incident was caused by someone putting too much aromatic oil on rocks in the steam room in the gym. 5:37. a fremont woman suffered minor injuries when police say her boyfriend tried to hang her from a tree. the woman's hands were tied behind her back. a noose was placed around her neck. but police say when her boyfriend went inside, she managed to reach for her cell phone in her back pocket and called 911. >> he was intent on killing her? >> yes. he told hers of going to kill her and he was planning to hang her. >> police say 31-year-old daniel howard used the woman as a shield when they arrived. he made a run for it but was arrested for attempted murder shortly thereafter. his brother was at the home at the time and said he was probably high on drugs. the woman was not badly injured. san jose is asking the public for help in choosing the city's next police chief. the city is holding public hearings to talk about a replacement for chris moore, retiring at the end of january. moore has been chief for two years. the head of the police union says his successor will have some issues to deal with. >> our police department is falling apart. we have more people leaving. we just had two more going to los gatos, on top of three that just went to redwood city on top of another three or four huh went to santa cruz. >> the fresno and sacramento police chiefs are two of the people mentioned as possible candidates. a 15-year-old is expected to be tried as an adult for a deadly crime spree in san jose. the teenager could go to court today. he is accused along with 26- year-old jonathan wilbanks of a series of crimes that happened earlier this month. police say the two robbed four businesses, killed a man during a carjacking attempt, and had a shootout with police 10 days ago. and a holiday gift for oakland shoppers, free saturday parking. the idea is to bolster business for local businesses. the offer runs through december 29 and applies to any metered space and city-owned garages. that is a gift. >> yeah, it brings you into town, it's good for everybody. are you looking to charge this christmas holiday? which credit card offers the best deals? >> he is the half man in "two and a half men." why does he want people to stop watching the show? >> mother nature puts on a display. why scientists are excited to see this lava flow? where is it? we'll tell you when we come back. lava coming from kilaeuea is reaching t in hawaii, lava is flowing from a well-known volcano on the big island. quite a sight. lava coming from kileaua reaching the pacific for the first time in a year. the lava is three to five feet wide pouring down the cliff. gas emissions are elevated in the area but seismic tremors levels are low. still a pretty sight. >> it is. >> it is. unless you're right below it. consumers have started the holiday season with a bang ringing up over $60 billion worth of merchandise in just five days. >> with the shopping season in full swing, jill schlesinger, editor at large for cbsmoneywatch.com is here with the best credit cards for the season. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. >> with credit card offers on the rise again where should holiday shoppers start? >> reporter: well, let's start with the a good kind of credit card consumer not carrying extra debt. if you want a really good short-term bang for your buck the chase sapphire offers the most valuable initial bonus on the market. you have to charge a bunch of money. cardholders who charge at least $3,000 during the first three months earn bonus points that can be redeemed for a $400 credit towards your balance or $500 in travel accommodations. sweet deal. and the card doesn't charge an annual fee during the first year. you're looking for a longer term benefit check the blue cash preferred card from american express. it offers 6% cash back on supermarket purchases. that's a big number. 3% on gas and department store purchases 1% on everything. there is a $75 annual fee but if you spend $1,000 in the first three months the bonus will cover that annual fee for two years. >> you better pay it back quick, too, right? >> reporter: that's right. >> what if you want to avoid those high interest charges? you'll get nailed eventually, right? >> right. and so we're really talking about two different kinds of borrowers. you pay your card off every month. the second person is concerned with interest rates and the charges on these cards. the citi diamond preferred no interest on purchases for 18 months no annual fee. from you carrying a balance on a card and that interest rate is popping up and you want to transfer the balance, check the slate card from chase a zero percent balance on transfers for 15 months. >> wow. >> it doesn't charge a balance transfer fee nor does it charge an annual fee. so two really good options there. i know a lot of people are putting a certain type of plastic on plastic. they are giving gift cards. and here's what you need to know. gift cards can contain really high fees. on moneywatch.com we have a great blog post called beware of gift card fees. they are really insidious. >> oh, no. i love gift cards, jill. >> sorry. >> how about cash? that works, too, right? >> cash is good. little bills in an envelope. very unromantic, right? >> jill schlesinger of cbsmarketwatch.com, thank you. another post-thanksgiving day has a special name. today is declared giving tuesday. this is a good one. it's part of an effort to encourage people across the nation to help nonprofits in their communities. hundreds of malls are taking part including stoneridge in pleasanton. >> we hope that it grows but just to get people to start talking about how to give back. >> you're encouraged to donate to groups like the american red cross and hope hospice. yesterday cyber monday appears to have been a success. the research firm com score estimates that consumers spent $1.5 billion yesterday shopping online. that's 20% more than last year. there you go. >> were you part of that party? i was not. >> were you part of that party? >> i was not. spent too much on black friday. >> speak of black friday, black tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday -- it's going to get ugly. >> it is going to get wet and in a hurry. there could be problems in the bay area by the weekend because we have rain coming in a subtropical source that's being tapped reminds us of some of the great floods in the past of the bay area and i'm not suggesting there's going to be flooding but there is the potential for that so folks in the flood-prone areas, you know, around the napa river and the russian river and the guerneville area and the places that historically flood over the guadalupe in san jose you remember that during the new year's eve storm of 1997, flooded. so we have to be on the lookout for all that because it's going to get wet for the next five days beginning tomorrow. out the door today, less fog, just patchy dense fog here and there. around bay the bay and inland mostly cloudy skies to start off with. in the headlines, increasing clouds, winds picking up, gale warnings posted for the offshore waters. wind gusts will be a factor that could bring power outages and tree limbs down out through parts of the bay area and the rain will spread south beginning late tonight and here's where it's all coming from. low pressure in the eastern pacific is winding up and when it does it's going to deliver a pitch to the bay area. clouds, rain, wind tomorrow. today, we simply set the stage. we'll get a little bit of a peek of the sunshine and enjoy it while you can. it's the last we'll see of it for a while. as you look at the -- we roll ahead the forecast of how much rain we are going to get in the next 24 hours, you can see that this first system coming through on wednesday simply saturates the ground. it's on thursday and friday and saturday that we get hit by more powerful storms that will bring more abundant rainfall and powerful winds, as well. heading out to the airport okay mostly cloudy southwest winds to 20. down in the southland today the numbers will be in the 70s. los angeles looks nice. new york is getting a mix of rain and snow and 37 degrees. forecast highs for the bay area today under mostly cloudy skies, we'll have numbers ranging from 61 at napa in san francisco 62, and san jose will hit 63 degrees. 64 at fairfield. in the extended forecast increasing clouds today, rain tomorrow, about two-thirds of an inch to an inch and a half on thursday. another more powerful system comes in on friday and saturday. we'll finally begin to ease up on sunday. monday we'll begin to exhale. between now and then, stay tuned. we have the bay area's best radar, we really do, up atop mount vaca. and we are the only ones who have access to that data. paul deanno will be in tonight. lawrence karnow will be back tomorrow morning. stay tuned. in terms of how all this the news of the morning and the patchy, dense fog is affecting the traffic, you know who we turn to. elizabeth? >> unfortunately, fog is not an issue this morning as we thought blanketing all our bridges yesterday. you won't have to contend with that. here's a live look, cars this morning across the san mateo bridge. the cars, the taillights, that's westbound 92. 15 minutes is that drive time now between hayward and foster city. some other roads, here's a live look at the westbound 580 drive. getting busy you can see some of that fog in this camera. a little bit of fog right there making it hard to see that eastbound 580 commute but in the commute direction of westbound 580 so far looks good through livermore and near the dublin interchange. let's go to our maps. we have been following a number of breaking news incidents overnight. and at this hour, the off-ramp to treasure island remains shut down eastbound and westbound from interstate 80. there's been a police standoff since late last night. this is not impacting the main lines of the free. you can use the bay bridge. it's not causing delays from the pay gates to the skyway. they have not turned on the metering lights so no big delays behind the metering lights and the pay gates. police activity continues in milpitas. there was an officer-involved shooting. suspect on the loose. blocked off a stretch of jacklin road between arizona and campbell. main lines in milpitas, 880, 237, everything else looks good. flight to catch at sfo, here's 101 looks good all the way down along the peninsula. and it continues to move well down towards san mateo. by the way, 280 is still moving at top speeds, as well. we have a few brake lights now through the altamont pass. the drive time is in the yellow 20 minutes between the altamont pass and the dublin interchange. highway 4 also your usual slowing right now through antioch. that is traffic and weather together every 10 minutes. back to you guys. >> thank you. a big hoax on facebook is playing on people's desires for privacy. a message is being passed around urging others to copy and paste the post or else facebook will use their content for commercial use without their permission. the message is false. if you get one, just delete it. the youngest star of "two and a half men" is making disparaging remarks about his own show. >> if you watch "two and a half men," please stop watching "two and a half men." i'm on "two and a half men." i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. please stop filling your head with filth. >> that is angus jones who plays jake harper on the cbs sitcom. he made these comments to a christian website reporter. he says the show conflicts with religious views. the video was posted by the forerunner christian church in fremont but he is still on the show. >> getting paid. >> he has been on the show for 10 years. >> a long time. 5:52. coming up is brian wilson on the way out of san francisco? >> plus, a birth that couldn't wait. how some good samaritans at a bart station helped deliver this little newborn. ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] those who look to fuel body and mind with the simplest of grains, they are not hard to find. just four ingredients, it all starts here. just as it was back 100 years. from the seed to the spoon simple things go into every flake, every bite, genuine, true. the simple grains cereals from kellogg's. start simple. start right. recognizable players. pitcher brian wilson... the one with the big black beard... remains unsigned. friday is the de the san francisco giants could be days away from losing brian wilson. he and that big blackbeard remain unsigned. friday is the deadline for major league baseball teams to tender contracts to all their unsigned players. "san francisco chronicle" says wilson and the team are far apart on salary issue and after romo's performance in the play-offs he could be moving on. a dramatic birth of a baby at a bart station in the east bay. she couldn't wait. jasmine osborne's contractions were five minutes apart just before 6:00 yesterday morning. her husband drove her towards alta bates hospital in berkeley. they didn't make it. jasmine's water broke in the front seat of the car. they sped off the freeway pulled up to a bart station. >> the guy got out of the car and was yelling she is having the baby. >> i was screaming my child is being born, call 911! >> he hit the floor a little bit. i was in so muc pain. i pushed her out. >> she wrapped her third child in a coat from a taxi driver. the family spent the night at kaiser in antioch. the baby is healthy. they can all go home probably sometime today. it is 5:56. treasure island closed. how a standoff with a suspected gunman ended just a short time ago. >> plus, dramatic video out of australia. how the driver of this crane escaped the flames. >> reporter: live in milpitas, where roads are blocked and police are on scene. chp confirmed shots are fired in the area. we'll have a live report when we return. >> your realtime captioner: linda marie macdonald a police standoff on treasure island. we have cbs 5 exclusive video of the standoff and how it all ended. >> and some developing news out of santa clara county. milpitas police were responding to shots fired. now they are searching for the gunman. we'll have a