good morning. breaking news. al qaeda's leader announces his terror group is holding a 70-year-old american aid worker who was kidnapped in pakistan and he's warning the man won't be released until the u.s. meets specific demands. a wind storm leaves extensive damage from california to colorado. schools in los angeles are closed for a second day. thousands are without power and they are braced for more high winds today. and custody standoff. country singer mindy mccredie defies a court order to return her boy to florida. she says she's trying to protect

him from abuse. what does the boy's father have to say? he'll speak out in an exclusive live interview today, friday, he'll speak out in an exclusive live interview today, friday, december 2, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a friday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> good morning. i'm savannah guthrie here for ann. warren winestein was the first american working privately in pakistan to be kidnapped since the abduction and killing in 2002. >> weinstein was just days from moving back to the united states when he was taken from his home in august. this new statement from ayman al zawahiri is the first claim of responsibility. we're going to get the latest on the developing story ahead. >> and in politics, herman cain is scheduled to meet with his

wife face to face for the first time since being accused of having an extramarital affair. this comes one day after cain admitted he never told his wife about his 13-year relationship with the woman which he dubbed a friendship but acknowledged he gave money to the woman to help her out financially. >> on a lighter note, it's been 40 years since the waltons premiered on television. >> good night john, b-boy. >> save it. >> they were one of the most beloved television families and we are reuniting the cast live in studio. >> let's begin on this friday morning with al qaeda allegedly holding an american kidnapped in pakistan. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel joins us with the latest on this. i think the first question is why did they wait so long to claim responsibility? >> well, there are indications that weinstein was being passed up through different kidnappers. he was sold from small

organizations to bigger organizations. they also released a statement from ayman al zawahiri with a message to the arab world, to the egyptian people. egypt has been in the headlines because of the elections which islamic groups are doing well. it seems zawahri wanted in on the action and to tell his fighters and other al qaeda prisoners, don't worry, we haven't forgotten you. that was the main demand. >> he's talking to prisoners of al qaeda and the taliban saying, quote, in order to release you allah guided us to capture the american jew. he said mr. weinstein is neck deep in american aid to pakistan since the 1970s. then there is a serious list of demands. >> an impossible list. they want the united states to stop all drone strikes in pakistan, afghanistan, yemen, somalia, gaza. they want the release of all al qaeda and taliban prisoners. it is interesting that they are asking for both, clearly linking the two groups together.

it's almost like him saying, come get me, i'm in pakistan. >> they want guantanamo empty. >> and the release of obdar rahman who is in prison for the world trade center bombings. >> powerful winds are hammering the west again but nothing like the gusts felt on thursday. those winds caused widespread damage, especially in california. nbc's miguel almaguer is in pasadena for us this morning. good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. this area was pounded by winds for days. take a look at a this 60-year-old tree. neighbors say it was snapped in seconds and toppled over. much of the area is without power while they assess the damage. in los angeles county, a state of emergency. whipping winds uprooted hundreds

of trees, brought down power lines and damaged countless homes. across pasadena, houses are split in two. thursday, 340,000 in southern california lost power. some neighborhoods are still in the dark. >> it's been a a disaster. lights are still off. everything in the refrigerator is kind of dead. >> reporter: these santa ana winds, the most powerful in a decade. gusts clocked at nearly 100 miles an hour. brush fires sparked by transformers threatened to become massive wind-driven blazes. in l.a., first responders were dispatched to a new call every 12 seconds. schools are closed today for the second day. the damage is in the millions. the cleanup will take weeks. >> it was frightening. the noise was unbelievable. i have lived here 25 years. this is the worst it's been. >> reporter: california isn't

the only state hammered by wicked weather. in utah, hurricane-strength winds toppled big rigs and shut down i-15. cars pelted by debris. windshields smashed by flying rocks. >> i didn't e know what to think. the explosion of the window was so loud i couldn't hear for a second. it blew up by my ear. >> reporter: in steam boat springs, colorado, wind speeds topped 120 miles an hour. roofs peeled back. this ski town shut down. back in los angeles, sunset boulevard a was littered with two of southern california's palm trees. nearby in beverly hills, actor eric dane's home damaged by trees. >> any time you have 82 miles per hour winds, it's a significant event. it's almost like the atmosphere took a ball of cold air and dumped it over southern california all a at once. >> reporter: the forecast calls for the wild western winds to calm today, but the cleanup is far from over.

most cities hope to have these trees cleared out of roads in the next day. on private property it could take weeks. the forecast calls for another round of wind this weekend. it's not supposed to be nearly as strong. savannah? >> miguel almaguer in pasadena, thank you. here's matt. >> now to the presidential race. we could know later today if gop presidential hopeful herman cain will drop out or stay in. that's because he has an important meeting on his schedule with his wife. nbc's political director and chief white house correspondent chuck todd has details on that. good morning. >> good morning, matt. as you noted, herman cain today for the first time meets face to face with his wife gloria down in georgia. it's the first time since the allegations that surfaced monday. cain said he will determine whether he decides by this monday to continue with the campaign. >> reporter: herman cain met with the union leader newspaper

in manchester admitting he never told his wife about a 13-year friendship or the money he gave to ginger white who says she and cain had an affair. cain denied that allegation all week. still, he did acknowledge white sent him 70 text messages between october and november but insisted they contained nothing inappropriate. >> she wasn't the only friend i helped in these tough economic times. so her messages to me were relating to, you know, needed money for rent or whatever the case may be. i don't remember the specifics. >> reporter: as for white, she continues to insist the two are more than just friends. >> it wasn't a love affair. it was a sexual affair. as hard as that is for me to say and as hard as it is for people to hear it, you know, it pretty much is what it is. >> reporter: white said she never met gloria cain but adds -- >> i would be surprised if she

is surprised by this. honestly speaking. i would be surprised. >> reporter: and what would white say to gloria cain? >> i am not a cold-hearted person. i am a mother of two kids. and of course my heart bleeds for this woman because i am a woman and being in a situation like this cannot be fun. i am deeply, deeply sorry if i have caused any hurt to her and to his kids, to his family. >> reporter: as for cain's future as a candidate, if actions speak louder than words it appears he plans to stay in the race. his sooup pac has an unusual tv ad quoting a lie detector expert. >> it's time for the truth. the media won't tell you what one of the foremost lie detector experts said. >> it withe allegations of her g

she was sexually assaulted by him didn't occur. >> reporter: newt gingrich was quintessential newt making broad assertions while trying to explain how he'd teach young kids a work ethic. >> really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and have nobody around them who works. so they literally have no habit of showing up on monday. they have no habit of staying all day. they have no habit of i do this and you give me cash. unless it's illegal. what if you paid them part-time in the afternoon to sit at the clerical office? greet people when they came in? what if you paid them to work as the assistant librarian? i'd pay them as early as is reasonable and practical. >> reporter: meanwhile the other front runner mitt romney

flaunted his establishment credentials yesterday. he paid a visit to former president george h.w. bush and first lady barbara bush. the entire first family is staying on the sidelines. >> thank you. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." let's start with herman cain. he acknowledged giving money to ginger white. he says his wife didn't know. unlike the sexual harassment allegations no one is leaping to his defense here. do you think voters moved on? >> i think he has a problem with women and social conservatives who are important in iowa. as you see newt gingrich rise it's a sign herman cain is suffering damage. he can't raise money and that's a problem. he's reassessing. he doesn't have people rallying around him. >> have you ever seen a political ad where he says a lie detector has examined him? >> i haven't.

i don't need to check with my wife to know not telling your wife that you are financially supporting another woman is not a good idea in politics or generally. >> thanks for the relationship add a vice. let's go to newt gingrich. the polls show he's the new front runner. we hear according to reports that romney is preparing a strategic offensive against romney. he'd blown off other front runners. >> he recognizes and his team recognizes something dangerous here. gingrich has the potential to run the table a little bit and be the anti-romney candidate. this is a right for the right. it's gingrich and romney. gingrich says, i will be the nominee. i'm the real conservative in the race by any rational standard. romney wants to keep his fire trained on president obama. that helps with the base because he's certainly more conservative than obama. in this case he knows gingrich will come after him and he'll start to go after gingrich. >> do you think the matchup has the potential to be the epic

prolonged battle we saw for example in 2008 with hillary clinton and then senator obama? >> much too early to say. one, newt gingrich has a history of saying things like his comments about children working. 17 years ago he talked about kids going into orphanages and talked about boys town. 17 years to the day almost. he can be undisciplined and gets in trouble. romney has money and they think that helps him. makes it a longer affair. the kind of support gingrich doesn't have right now. >> romney did an interview. he hasn't done a ton of national interviews and there were moments he seemed irritated by the questioning. what does it say about romney? does it go to the likability issues he may have with voters? >> it does. and he doesn't want to do one on one interviews now. he's been debating effectively.

he'll have to answer questions about you said this and this. the question about authenticity, these are issues within the primary. >> what's on "meet the press" this weekend? >> we'll talk about the presidency. david axelrod and reince preibus will be with me. >> here's matt. >> thank you. secretary of state hillary clinton is on a visit to myanmar and pledging to help bring democracy there. ian williams has the latest on her trip. ian, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt, from the lakeside home of ang san suu kyi. today she played host to the secretary of state. a stroll in the garden of a house that's also been a prison for 15 of the last 21 years during which suu kyi was kept in

almost total isolation. this meeting comes a year after a her release. today talk of working to hasten the pace of democratic change. >> we hold the dream you have represented to many of us around the world. we want to be a partner with you, with the new government and with all people of goodwill. >> reporter: behind myanmar's stunning facade lies grinding poverty. they spoke of stepping up if u.s. and others to a closed state. suu kyi said she was happy with the u.s. engablging burma. >> this will be the beginning of a new future for all of us providing we can maintain it and we hope to. >> reporter: they appeared at ease together and it seemed a momentous moment for both of them. a short distance away, we witnessed the scramble to distribute the day's newspapers.

with censorship eased there is a story worth reading. for two decades this lakeside home has been a symbol of resistance. now as myanmar begins to open up it's a symbol of hope for people hungry for change. secretary clinton is now on her way home, leaving a country at the beginning of a surprising reform process that's not just a challenge for myanmar but for u.s. policy in this region. matt? >> ian williams reporting for us. thank you very much. >> natalie morales is on assignment. tamron hall is at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning. the u.s. military handed over camp victory in baghdad to the iraqi government this morning. the former palace compound built by saddam hussein became the military headquarters throughout the war in iraq. it is now under the authority of the iraqi government as part of the effort to move troops out by year's end. the senators blocked obama's

plan for a tax cut which would have taxed wealthier americans to pay for the extension. a center piece of the jobs plan. in a rare move that broke party lines, more than half of senate republicans also voted to act a competing alternative plan by mitch mcconnell. capitol hill is demanding information from carrier iq. the software program discovered in smartphones that records information without user consent. senator al franken says the application may violate laws, and present security and privacy risk. now courtney reagan is at the new york stock exchange. all eyes on the jobs report out today. >> that's right. investors are looking to the government's november jobs report to provide some kind of direction to the market. economists had been ramping up their forecasts after a private sector employment report was better than expected earlier this week.

elsewhere, traders look forward to next week and a handful of meetings between european leaders as they work to solve the debt crisis. next week marks the first full week of december trading. many are hoping for a santa claus rally to close out the year. >> the new national christmas tree is bringing a holiday glow to the nation's capital. president obama and his family took part in the tree lighting ceremony last night with a little help from kermit the frog and santa. the tree was planted in march to replace one toppled by high winds. they don't call them dare devils for nothing. two motorcycles showing off their skills. one stuntman slammed head first into a car flying 80 feet into the air and rolling to the asphalt for another 40 feet. but all's well that ends well. somehow the biker escaped serious injury and, get this, was back at work the next day.

>> wow. >> wow is right. 7:18. now back to matt, savannah and al. i have a cold and i'm out for weeks. >> he didn't stretch it into an excuse. >> my kind of guy. >> the national christmas tree, savannah who lit the tree here with al said how puny it was compared to national one. >> i'm partial to our tree. >> now it's her tree. >> our tree. it's beautiful. the rockefeller center tree is breathtaking. >> they are all beautiful in their own way. >> which tree is better? vote on today.com. how about the weather? >> our friends out west pummelled by the santa ana winds. we'll get a repeat this weekend but not as bad. wind advisories will be up for the valleys and mountains of los angeles county. wind gusts 30 to 40 or 50 miles per hour. also we are looking at a lot of wet weather making its way into

texas today. snow back through the rockies and the central parts of the southwest. some areas in the rockies could see up to three to six inches of snow and rainfall in texas could approach two to three inches over the weekend. th >> we don't expect any rain today but there should be a front coming through. and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> thanks, al. coming up, a popular country singer defies a jundge's order o

return her son to florida. we'll hear what mindy mccready is saying and talk to t

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[ female announcer ] it's for bringing stories to life in a whole new way. jingle, stay. and jingle did. [ female announcer ] hallmark interactive story buddies. when you read key words, jingle responds. >> good morning. i'm jennifer franciotti. here is a look at one of our top stories. gary giordano maintains his innocence and the disappearance of robyn gardner. he sits down with his lawyer tonight to discuss the case on "dateline." you can tax the interview at 10:00 right here on wbal-tv 11. now for a check of the morning

commute. fedor with sarah caldwell. >> a nice start. just one accident, howard county, 216 and westfield boulevard. at other than that, one delay on the west side, outer loop 795 toward edmondson. a bit of a back up 795 toward owings mills. no backups out of white marsh area. not bad at the harbor tunnel tolls, but -- tunnel tolls, either. a the ramp from ritchie highway, was down 100, some construction. here is dogwood road west side. so far, so good on the envelope. toward the jfx, coming toward us. 795 at franklin, not bad. that is the latest from traffic pulse 11. tony has your forecast.

>> cold but client -- quiet start this friday morning the temperature is up for 20's and low 30's. a little freezing fog and you will have to scrape some false. 21 in frederick. 32 in jarrettsville. at sunshine and a few clouds but if one should come through but it still should stay dry. after the cold front, making it up to 55. sunshine tomorrow, a little cooler. and warms up sunday. pretty good chance for rain to nc

7:30 now on a friday morning. it's the second day of december 2011 as we take a look at the empire state building in lower manhattan from the top of the rock just above us here in rockefeller plaza. down at street level we have nice people there as well enjoying time with us before they head off for holiday shopping. we thank them for stopping by. we'll get out there in a few minutes. meanwhile inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside savannah guthrie. just ahead, your kid may not like this news. in one city toy giveaways no longer come with children's

meals that don't meet certain nutritional standards. >> two chains found a clever way around the law and not everyone is happy about it. we'll have details. >> then you want to save money and wrap up your holiday shopping? jill martin has great steals & deals. we are talking deep discounts up to 80% on clothing, jewelry and more. >> a couple of electronics, too. also we'll catch up with one of tv's most beloved families of all time. "the waltons" was a hit starting in 1971 and has gained new fans over the years. we have the family together for a special 40 ohth anniversary h in studio. >> we begin with country singer mindy mccready facing legal troubles after violating a judge's order to return her 5-year-old son to florida. tamron has details on this. >> reporter: matt, mccready was once nashville's darling and now

is in hiding with her son. the courts call it a case of parental abduction. mindy mccready exploded to the country scene in the late '90s, selling millions of records and burning up the charts. ♪ >> reporter: now the 36-year-old country singer is defying a court order to return her 5-year-old son zander. >> she was crying at several points in our conversation. she was clearly very upset. she also had a resolve that she was going to keep her child, fight for her child and not send her child back to florida. >> reporter: mccready's battled legal issues in the past. in 2007 her estranged mother was named zander's guardian. mccready is now pregnant with twins and said she was visiting zander around thanksgiving and decided to leave because she said he wasn't safe. >> she said her son has experienced abuse at her mother's house while living there over the last few years.

>> i can't explain it. >> reporter: nbc news spoke to mccready's mother who denies all allegations of abuse. as for mccready, her personal troubles have been well publicized. suicide attempts, dui arrests, a month in jail after resisting arrest after an altercation with her mother. >> she had a voice of honey and sold a lot of records. then her personal troubles seemed to spiral out of control. her life became like a bad country album. >> it was really scary. >> reporter: last year mccready was on celebrity rehab as she battled her addictions, even singing on the show "i'm still here "which she said she wrote in jail for zander. >> there is a full story i'm dying to tell. >> reporter: she spoke to "access hollywood". >> i may be in the lowest point but i am still here. don't count me out. >> reporter: she said she wanted to become a good mother for her son. >> i've got to do better. >> reporter: last year she talked about conversations she'd

had with zander about bringing him home with her. >> i said will you be excited to come back to nashville with mommy? he said, i'm scared. i said, what are you scared of? he said, i'm scared that i'm going to get my heart broke again. >> reporter: with zander now a missing person law experts say she could hurt her chances to regain custody of her son. >> she's justifying why she's not had custody. she's reinforcing the judge's decision. she thinks she knows best buzz bu the judge get it is last word. >> reporter: mccready's whereabouts are unknown. the ruling issued thursday is a take into custody order which mean law enforcement officials can get the boy and bring him back to florida no matter what state he's in. there is no arrest warrant out for mccready so far. >> billy mcknight is mccready's ex-boyfriend, the father of their 5 a-year-old son. he joins us exclusively. good morning to you. >> good morning.

>> i know you have spoken to min dand texted her. you did speak by phone after the judge's order went into effect. how did she sound? >> she sounded okay. she sounded upset wlith the situation. my son sounded well. >> he doesn't seem affected by the drama surrounding him? >> i don't know about that. i know that he sounded okay. i think he misses me. he's been down here for four years. i haven't seen him in a few weeks now. but he did sound healthy and okay. you know, he wasn't crying or scared. >> mindy is facing serious legal issues if she doesn't comply with this order. does she seem cognizant of that? does it faze her? >> i don't think so. i think she believes she has a case and doesn't realize that she's pushing her luck on this one. >> to say that she's had some trouble in the last couple of

years is an understatement. drug and dui arrests, suicide attempts. she spent a month in jail for violating probation. is she a fit mother? >> well, you know, i can only be accountable that we have gone through it in the past. there are people that can help you. if you take that help you can get back on track. that's what i can say. i have been through it. i got back on track. my life is in order. i'm doing things right now. she has the same opportunity. instead of taking it, she chooses to abut it. i wish she would do what's right, especially for our son. >> with all due respect, i'm not sure you answered the question. at this moment as she has control of her son do you think she's a fit mother? >> not until she completes the case plan. >> do you worry? we talked about suicide attempts. do you worry the longer this

goes on she might bring harm to either herself or your son? >> well, she has in the past. i pray to god that she doesn't. it does give me concern. i don't want her to hurt herself and i certainly don't want my son to live a life without his mother. >> i'm curious about your opinion also on another aspect of this case. she has now accused her mother, who has custody of your child, of abusing that child. do you agree with that? do you think that's possibly true? >> i do not agree with that at all. he's a very healthy, happy kid. i have a great relationship with her mother. it's unfortunate that they don't between themselves. but i have never seen anything that would lead me to believe that at all. >> you alluded to this a second ago. in 2005 you were charged with attempted murder after an assault on mindy. you talked about your history with drugs and alcohol. but you have been dpranted by a court unsupervised visitation four nights a week with your

son. they do not think you are in a bad place now. is there a lesson in that a for mindy? >> yeah, there is. there's help. i went ahead and re-evaluated my life, did what was right, listened to the people that can get you through programs, got myself back on track. i'm out there pushing our record and raising our kids and doing well for myself. she can do the same thing, too. it's there if she submits to it. >> thanks for your time. >> thanks for having me. >> now a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. >> as we look at high temperatures around the country we have chilly weather in new england and the northeast. warming into the midatlantic states, gulf coast. the western plains, 20s and 30s there. 20s in the northern plains as well. we have sunshine though from minnesota all the way down into

the midwest. icy conditions through the panhandle of texas. arctic air making its way into -- air stagnation in the pacific northwest. sunshine up and down the eastern seaboard. >> you will see cloud cover drifting in from time to time. drifting in from time to time. the high of course today's friday. that means you're two days away from the best night of the week. sunday night. football night in america. the lions of de-twah make their

way to the super dome to take on the saints. we will play football in your general direction on sunday night, football night in america. >> i have no idea what you're doing. but that's okay. up next, mcdonald's finds a way to skirt a law against toy giveaways in kids' meals. and the waltons reunion live in studio. first, these messages. - neil lane's jewelry designs are uniquely beautiful. one look, and it's easy to see why his rings are worn by hollywood's biggest stars. now you can have a neil lane ring for the star in your life.

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back now at 7:43. a controversial ordinance in san francisco is in effect. it bans free toys with fast food kids' meals, but some chains have a plan that critics say violate it is spirit of the law. george lewis has details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. if you're a parent or

grandparent of children, this happy meal and the toy inside need no introduction. in san francisco these toys will no longer be free thanks to a new law that bans such giveaways in the name of public health. >> who is that? >> hello kitty. >> they first think about the toy. >> reporter: san francisco stirred audiotape national debate last year when it passed a law designed to keep fast food chains from using toy giveaways to sell the type of high fat meals that nutritionists say kids should avoid. >> low in nutrients, high in calories. and the toy is an attraction to get the kid to eat the food. that's not a good connection. >> reporter: now that the law has taken effect, mcdonald's found a way for kids to have their toys and eat happy meals, too. the solution? selling the toys for ten cents apiece with the purchase of a happy meal, of course. the company says that proceeds will be donated to the ronald mcdonald house charity. burger king says it's planning

to do something similar. supervisor eric maar who drafted the ordinance said it is a cynical way around a law designed to fight childhood obesity. >> they are being sneaky and manipulative about getting around a local law. >> reporter: franchise owner scott roderick who has ten mcdonald's locations in the city says the new system is driven by what customers want. >> they wanted us to provide choice on our menu. they wanted us to follow the letter of the law. >> reporter: roderick call it is law misplaced saying that mcdonald's added a variety of healthier options to its menu in recent years. >> customers want lower fat items, more nutritious items. >> we have healthier options but we want them to meet basic standards. >> reporter: some say they are by passing the spirit of the law but there is an important message. >> we have raised childhood obesity and the connection of big fast food to a national

level. >> reporter: mcdonald's announced it is moving to make the happy meals more healthful adding things like apple slices and downsizing french fries but san francisco says the toy giveaways are still banned. savannah? >> george lewis in los angeles. thank you. still ahead, a waltons family reunion 40 years in the making. we catch up with the cast. first, these messages. e . heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough. now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor. numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems.

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these days we can't seem to get anywhere without the help of gps. what if you were lost in the wilderness without the help of technology? one man is now teaching people a very old way of getting around. here's nbc's michelle kosinski. >> reporter: don't woyou hate i when this happens? suddenly lost in the english countryside? no phone, map, gps, only your wits to guide you. thank goodness for tristan goolie who wrote the book on

natural navigation. we are lost. what would be the first thing you would do? >> i encourage people to have a good look up. >> that's the sun. >> as the sun moves into the southern part of the sky. >> reporter: think mid-day sun, south. if it's cloudy -- >> feel the wind on each cheek. >> reporter: remember the prevailing winds are generally from the southwest. >> spot on. you're within ten degrees there. >> reporter: if that fails, hug a random country gravestone. >> the southern side will be warmer. this is sloping down. >> reporter: consult the trees. >> like a giant hand has combed the top branches. >> reporter: and in the direction of grass, all from the prevailing wind. why don't they teach us this in kindergarten? >> good question. >> reporter: when you see a stump the heart will be closer to the sunny side in the south. the sun fades paint on the southern side.

>> another clue. >> reporter: what have we here? >> here we have horse poo. the southern sun is drying the southern side. >> you are way too close to it. >> now it's your turn. >> reporter: then the test. blindfolded. led astray. >> i'm going to ask you to head northeast for one mile. >> reporter: and deserted. >> good luck! >> reporter: okay. the wind is definitely coming from here. if that's southwest. okay. if that's southwest. okay. wait. now i'm confused. okay. so that's southeast. um. once you find the sun, the wind -- the northeast would be that way. ♪ you can go your own way >> reporter: clues everywhere. that has to be the sunny side. that's south.

that's north. that's northeast. i made it! one more success story from the natural navigator who now teaches this. >> the horns of the crescent moon are in a line. that gives you a rough idea of south. this church is aligned west to east like most churches. >> reporter: in the city, satellite dishes, south. >> it bring the environment to life in a fun way. >> reporter: how would one navigate to the nearest pub? for "today" michelle kosinski, nbc news, sussex, england. >> you show me. >> i'm worried about those two actually. just ahead, jill martin's steals & deals. we are talking about the holiday edition just to the north of us here. >> electronics, jewelry and maybe a gps device. you may need one. coming up after your local news and weather. two medium cappuccinos!

let's show 'em what a breakfast with wholegrain fiber can do. one coffee with room, one large mocha latte. medi macchiato, light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos, make one a double. she's full and focused! [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip and two espressos, one with a double shot. hehe, that's not the coffee talking. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. the 8 layers of whole grain fiber help keep you full so you can avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger. no thanks, i'm good. of mid-morning hunger. here's a little holiday secret. there's only one place that has the new kardashian kollection. apostrophe, uk style by french connection. structure and bongo... all under one roof. sears has all the styles they love, at prices you'll love. and all the money you save... well, that can be your little secret. right now, get an extra 15% off with your savings pass. that's real gifts. real joy. sears

dad. did you know it's 22 days, 11 hours and 2 minutes to christmas? [ mumbling ] ...enny days, 8 hours, 9 minutes... 18 days, 17 hours... [ mom ] let's go, young lady. [ female announcer ] they're for building excitement for christmas. 12 days, 18 hours... come on. it's no days! [ female announcer ] the hallmark countdown to christmas ornament. 5 hours and 59 minutes and 41... 40...39... 38...37...36...

>> good morning. i'm mindy basara. time for a check of your morning commute. here is sarah caldwell. a big problem in ellicott city. >> if you are traveling there a long frederick road, for all lanes are closed at the patapsco river, we are suggesting route 40 as your alternate. both the direction of frederick road blocked. west side, 15 miles an hour or so still very sluggish from reisterstown road down to edmondson.

north side both directions on the northeast corner. 59 on the southbound jfx. on the westbound side of 100 between rte. 10 and i 97. the dogwood road, the west side, pretty maxed out from reisterstown down to it edmondson. jfx going away from us, southbound not too bad but below ruxton road backing down toward 28 street. >> it is cold out there this morning but at least it is quiet. plenty of sunshine. temperatures starting to sneak up. 29 at the airport. if you have not left the house, you will probably have to scrape a little frost off of your windshield, especially north of town. the mixture of sun and clouds heading into the afternoon. we will make it up to 55,

slightly above average this time of year. seven-day forecast, chilly tomorrow with plenty of sunshine. it winds turning to the south sun. and warms up at the tail end of the weekend. end of the weekend. hey, what are you drinkin'? i'm drinkin' dunkin'.

coffee -- black, straight up. extra cream, three sugars. iced coffee french vanilla. for me. iced coffee with a turbo shot. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. drinkin' dunkin'. america runs on dunkin' coffee.

8:00 now on a friday morning, the second day of december 2011. it's a beautiful day here in new york city. moderate temperature, about 40 degrees. and we have a big crowd for a friday morning. i guess a lot of people -- no, you're here. we thank them for stopping by. there's the tree in the background. savannah guthrie, al roker and i'm matt lauer in the foreground. coming up, great deals for the holiday season.

>> jill martin's steals & deals and we have electronics, accessories, jewels. what doesn't she have? exclusive deals up to 80% off. >> can you believe it's been 40 years since the premiere of "the waltons"? they remain one of the most beloved television families of all time. we are going to catch up with the cast live in our studio. >> i am looking forward to talking to them. also, a programming note. back in october e news host revealed to us that during fertility treatment she found she had breast cancer. coming up monday she'll be back telling us how her treatment is going. we look forward to talking with her. >> let's get a check of the news with tamron at the news desk. good morning. >> hey there. an american aid worker kidnapped in pakistan is being held as an al qaeda hostage. ayman al zawahiri said the group

is holding 70-year-old warren weinstein and will release him if the u.s. stops air strikes in ak stan and afghanistan and releases the world trade center bombers. he's the first american civilian kidnapped since daniel pearl was abducted in 2002 and eventually executed. western states are bracing for more strong winds today. but nothing like the powerful santa anas that left a trail of destruction on thursday. hundreds of thousands of people throughout california lost power as winds toppled hundreds of trees. some splitting homes in half as they fell. some wind gusts topped 100 miles per hour in colorado and in utah, hurricane-strength winds toppled big rigs and blew debris across highways into windshields. herman cain heads to atlanta to see if he'll stay in the race for the republican nomination. he'll have his first face to face meeting with his wife since

he was accused of a long-term affair. he acknowledges giving the woman money without his wife's knowledge. ginger white said she's deeply sorry if she caused harm to cain's wife and children. honda is recalling more than 300,000 vehicles because of air bags that may inflate with too much force sending metal and plastic pieces flying. honda said there have been 20 accidents related to the problem including two deaths in 2009. 2001 and 2002 civics and accords are affected. now a quick roundup of what's got you talking online. the huntsman girls used the internet to boost their father's internet bid. now they have a parody of justin timberlake's "sexy back." ♪ this video upset some

staffers because it wasn't authorized and mocked other candidates by name. the new coke can is a hot debate online. coke said the white design was to raise money for endangered polar bears but customers said the white can looks too much like diet coke and others thought a holiday can should be red. and lady gaga's new video for "marry the night" is all the talk. gaga directed the 14-minute epic which she said was inspired by the worst day of her life. now back to matt and savannah. she's had a lot of good days since that one bad one syst. >> she certainly has. >> let's get a check of the weather with al. >> thank you very much. she's erin and she's 30. where are you from? >> knoxville, tennessee. >> wbir. >> that's right! >> good to see you. let's see what's going on. my wife worked there.

eau claire, wisconsin, sunny and cold, 32 degrees. plenty of sunshine. we have rain and snow back through the eastern great lakes. low pressure spinning in the southwest bringing storms and rain. air stagnation in the pacific northwest. snowshowers through the western plains. we have rain in texas. unusual for this time of year. they will pick up two to four inches and the sunshine up and down the east coast. you're 30! what's your name? >> erin! >> kiss me -- mwa! happy birthday. >> we don't expect any rain today but there should be a front coming through. front coming through.

look, some sort of bear, animal thing there. i'm not sure what they are. but they're cute. matt? >> al, thanks. when we come back, a special holiday edition of jill martin's steals & deals. we'll save you big money. and then, yes, they are in studio 40 years after they captured our hearts. the waltons in a reunion. first, these messages. how are we going to make this season better than the last? how about making it brighter. more colorful. ♪ and putting all our helpers to work? so we can build on our favorite traditions by adding a few new ones. we've all got garlands and budgets to stretch. and this year, we can keep them both evergreen. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. can you smell those savings?

fresh cut christmas trees are arriving weekly. ♪ i think i'm falling ♪ i think i'm falling [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ for you [ male announcer ] this is zales, the diamond store. take up to an extra 15 percent off storewide now through tuesday. with less chronic low back pain. imagine living your life with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help.

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holiday edition of jill martin's steals & deals. from jewelry to shaving kits we've got something for everyone on your list at exclusive discount. today us weekly contributor jill martin is here to take us through the deals. good morning. >> good morning. >> how does it work? >> i feel like everyone's been doing this because we sell so much but go to today.com now and we'll link you to these retailers up to 80% off. i want to start with with the basics so you can get a lot of holiday shopping done in less than five minutes. >> these are beautiful love scarfs. i like the sound of that. >> feel this. 100% cashmere. retail $132. this is one of the best sellers, 100% cashmere. celeb fans include julianna margulies and there is free shipping. this is the biggest discount. the deal is $39. that's 70% off for a cashmere

scarf. >> it passes the softness test. >> we are telling you it beyond passes the test. >> next, kenneth cole wallets. >> this is another item people buy to start the new year. available in three styles, all faux leather. the wristlet and organizer wallet in black. sold at macy's, lord and taylor and dillard's. the deal is $14. 77% off. they are great for day to night. it's a wallet and a wristlet. >> great for parties and stuff. >> a lot of parties coming up for everybody. that's perfect. >> and we have the constellation necklace. >> i love them. retail is $145. great gift available in all 12 zodiac signs. 18 carat gold plated or silver plated. double sided. one side has the crystals on

kons stlags points and the other has your zodiac. celeb fans include eva longoria, jessica simpson and britney spears. retail is $145. the deal is $29. that's 80% off. >> incredible. where are the crystals or whatever? >> this is one side. right here. on the other side is your sign with "happiness" different sayings. choose between gold or silver. it hangs long. you can layer it. it's personal, too, because it's the zodiac. >> let's go to guy things. the shaving kits for the guys. >> i get e-mails. what about us? this is the guy's version of a facial. the only for us shaving set. give them the best shave ever. includes the short black handle shave brush, preshave oil, shave

cream, after shave soother, all part of the verbena lime collection. the retail is $129. the deal is $45. that's 65% off. >> and i love verbena. is it manly enough? it's very macho. okay. >> i did the test, too. i was letting you let everyone know, too. >> now we have electronics. maybe saving the best for last. >> the crew almost took it. the retail is the first. $119.99. it's an ipad 2 case with built in stereo speakers. can be configured as a stand to watch movies. built in lithium ion battery with a cable included. the retail is $119.99. the deal is $39.60. 67% off. >> over here, great for travel. >> this is cool.

sp the app enhanced rechargeable portable speaker system. $199.99. compatible with ipad, iphone and ipod. works with ihome sleep app for custom settings and ihome radio for global internet radio. you can personalize it to your sleep and radio likes. the retail is $199.99. the deal is $66. that's 67% off. >> jill martin, thank you very much. let's review what we have. the cashmere love scarf, women's faux leather wallets from kenneth cole reaction. zodiac necklaces from leila, a holiday gift grooming kit from e-shave and it's manly, and electronics from ihome. we'll have questions about them on twitter. use the hashtag # steeals and deals. thank you, jill. coming up, the waltons turn

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all right. here we go this morning on today's update, one of television's most cherished families. 40 years ago america fell in love with the waltons. a big family with seven kids growing up during the great depression and world war ii in the blue ridge mountains of virginia. we watched them face hardships they always seemed to overcome together. >> where'd you get the money? >> working for the baldwin ladies. >> somebody show me how this thing works. >> when we were living through them we called them bad times and thought we were poor. only after we had all grown up were we to realize what good times they add been and how very rich we were. often in memory, i returned to

that house and to the echoes of those voices. >> good night, john boy. >> good night. >> good night, daddy. >> good night, son. >> we're happy to say we are joined now by ma. richard thomas was john boy. the youngest walton played by kami cotler. eric scott was ben. mary beth mcdonough was erin. and jon walmsley was jason walton. okay. we're out of time. you haven't changed a bit. do you stay in contact? what's it like to stit in this group again? >> we get giddy. >> i was reading last night this material. do you know what jumped out at me? this all these years with all

the time you spent together on the set and all you know about each other, not one person went out and wrote a tell-all book. is that not true? >> my book is not a tell-all, but it does tell the loving, wonderful memories. >> that's not what i mean. you know what i mean. not one person said, yeah, let me tell you what was really going on. >> it wasn't like that. >> no arrests, no convictions. >> confidentiality agreement? >> gag orders all around. >> was it a happy set? >> it was. >> it really was. >> what was it like? >> just great fun. >> like family. >> practical jokes. >> this one and john ritter. >> ritter and i were naughty together. >> we had a great time, all of us. >> except me. >> you didn't love it? >> no. >> for those of you who were the kids on the show, raise your hands. what was it like being so famous

at such a young age? >> we were pretty isolated from the public a lot of the time. i don't think we had a real sense of the impact of the show. i think a lot until almost the show being over. >> it's also -- it was a different time to be famous. >> not like the all reality tv time we live in now. >> not at all. on the whole, when waltons fans meet you, they feel like you're family. so there isn't that kind of get you or gotcha intrusive thing. people want to give you a hug. >> so many of us. there were six of us so it wasn't like one star. and everybody in the world is focused on that. we all had each other and we became like siblings. >> the show was based in a time of depression and war. yet -- those aren't cheery subjects. why do you think so many people embraced it is this. >> family is family. >> community. >> you know, we really did have

a strong bond, all of us together. i think it came across on camera. people could relate. it was just family stories, family stuff. nowadays, i think it's on all the time. >> three different cable channels run reruns. do you check it out? >> every now and then. >> does it hold up or seem dated to you? >> it was dated when we did it. >> it was already a period show. so it holds up for that reason. >> i think the writing is so good at home. >> you have all heard it a thousand times. just tee off on this. what do you say when people say, it was just too sugary. >> you know, it wasn't. that's what annoys me because in the beginning it was not. toward the end it fell in love with itself but in the beginning we were dealing with book burning in germany, the dust bowl cousins, the hindenberg. we were dealing with segregation. we were dealing with real issues as well as the warmth of the

family. >> i think the criticism tends to come from people who really didn't watch the show and weren't aware of it. >> even nowadays with what we are going through as a country. you see people are still having good times laughing as a family. may not have anything to go and buy, but they are together. that's what we were doing then. having a good time. >> refresh my memory. who was part of the original movie "the homecoming"? you were not. michael, you took over for patricpa tri patricia neil. what was it like joining a cast? >> i said, please help me out. i haven't done television in a long time. i tested with richard and ralph what was a blessing because i was hung over and didn't know what i was doing. >> you pulled her through? >> there was always a dinner scene. did you like them? >> no! >> no!

they were awful. >> that was my favorite part. >> i was always in tears at the end. they went on forever with mashed potatoes getting shoved back in the bowl and rescooped out. >> it was one camera and a lot of people. >> the kids would be flinging peas. >> the breakfast scene, the dinner and maybe another dinner scene. you were at the table all day long. >> all i did was pour coffee. more coffee, jon? >> and people would laugh during the prayer. >> people were always visiting. you always had guest stars which had to keep it fun. >> i have heard that before. >> was it fun to have the visitors? >> always. >> a lot of people started out. sissy spacek started on our show. >> ritter. >> how many times have you heard over the years, richard -- >> good night, john boy?

countless. >> is it fun or does it haunt you? >> it's wonderful. the idea that 40 years later people will still shout it to me on the street is the most extraordinary thing. >> it haunts us because they ask us to say it. >> did someone say that in the middle of a play you were doing? >> yeah. >> every now and then. >> guys, a big thank you. great to have you back. happy holidays. because we must -- >> good night, john boy! we are back with much more right after your local news and weather. well done. nice job.

>> good morning. i'm mindy basara. let's get a final check on your morning commute with traffic pulse 11. >> still some problems in ellicott city. frederick road closed at the patapsco river. delays in place for a little while because it will take a while to clear. inner loop at harford road, a new crash taking up the left center lane. white marsh act -- boulevard, a crash, have the delays on the north and west side, heavy air from 795 toward edmondson.

slow going out of owings mills. an accident at eastern's and stemmers run. dogwood road, thinning out just a bit but still looking at the lays all the way down the west side outer loop. we will switch to a live in view of traffic at harford road. if an accident taking up the left center lane and a look like police are arriving at the scene. watch for delays on the inner loop and also jfx south from the belt way to 28. john has a look at the forecast. >> nice, sunny picture on the sky cameras. we have a weathers' disturbance to the north, combination of rain and snow, great lakes, ohio, a little bit of pennsylvania and new york state. as far south as the baltimore area of maryland, just a few scattered clouds but temperatures in little children. at the airport, 29 degrees right now. humidity is down and the

barometer is way high. at the moment, the winds are calm. mix of sun and clouds -- 52-57 for the high. a drive for the weekend. temperatures warmed to near 60 by sunday, but by monday, we have a chance for some rain. >> thank you for joining us. another live update at 8:55.

8:30 now on a friday morning, december 2, 2011. big crowd out on the plaza. a lot of people are donating to our 18th annual holiday toy drive. maya rudolph is here, former star of snl. current star of "up all night." she is doing the honors as an

elf. >> i'm holding savannah. >> i didn't know what you were doing there. we are going to talk to maya in a few minutes. meanwhile out on the plaza i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie who's here while ann is on assignment. al roker and tamron hall as well. good thing you're here tamron. it's meatball madness. >> i love meatballs. >> we have done the nationwide search and we have three finalists. bobby flay will judge the best. these are interesting types of heatballs. not your grandmother's meat balls. >> or mom's. >> or anybody's. >> or bill murray's meatballs. >> one of the most prestigious universities in the country, georgetown, has quite a class. it's all about jay-z. you know -- ♪ new york

never mind. i know all about jay-z because i took the class, in my head. we're going to take a look at the unique class that focuses on jay-z. >> thanks, beyonce. he was a movie and tv legend. do you know the real story behind rin tin tin? coming up, we're going to fill you in on his fascinating ride to fame. >> all right. before we get there, let's bring in maya rudolph, one of the stars of the nbc comedy hit "up all night." good to see you. a former alum of snl. so, eva, all right? >> yes. >> she's a talk show host. >> yes. >> a little bit demanding, needy. what else? >> fun-loving, ready for the party. she's definitely got some personal kinks to sort out, i think. she's got a great on-camera presence. >> did you pattern her after

anyone in particular? don't worry, she's on assignment. >> i definitely didn't. she's an amalgam of people i have played over the years and in terms of the on-camera persona. >> you played oprah. >> i did. there she is. we made up eva. she's needy and nuts. those are fun people to play. that's the made up part. >> this show "up all night," speak of fiction, you can draw on your experience with parents, little kids, juggling it all. you can relate. >> right. i have three kids at home. pretty crazy. i have a 5-month-old at the moment. and a 2-year-old and a big girl. >> you have your hands full. >> do you miss snl? >> i do. i was just saying to someone, that's my old office on the 17th floor. >> you're pointing at the whole

side of the building. >> we used to stay up writing the show and i would hear your audio staff saying, it's time to go home. >> you started the show called "up all night". >> i use that phrase a lot. how are you doing? oh, i was up all night. all the time. >> thanks for being our elf. nice to have you here. maya rudolph, everybody. happy holidays. >> happy holidays. >> and now, mr. roker will have a check of the weather. >> if you're up all weekend we have the forecast. starting with saturday, sunny skies along the coast. heavy rains texas to oklahoma. snow in the upper great lakes. sunshine but windy in southern california. sunday, sunny and mild along the coast. rain in the lower mississippi river valley. up into the mid plains we have plenty of frigid air coming into the western plains. sunny and cold in the pacific northwest. cool in southern california.

>> you will see cloud cover drifting in from time to time. drifting in from time to time. the high don't forget. check your weather any time day or night. especially this weekend. weather.com online or weather channel on cable. >> catch "up all night" weekends at 8:00/7:00 central time. coming up, a college course on jay-z and bobby flay judges our meatball madness competition.

back now at 8:37. jay-z is leaving his mark on the classroom. craig melvin is here to explain. good to see you. >> good to see you as well. jay-z inspired a course at georgetown. race, gender, culture, things that would be covered in most sociology classes. the issues are examined in a way that uniquely appealed to college students. ♪ >> reporter: the record-setting rapper and hip-hop icon has become a business tycoon and best selling author. but now jay-z's street rhymes are being taught at one of america's top schools.

>> i'm from the murder capital -- >> reporter: in the syllabus it's called the sociology of hip-hop, the odyssey of jay-z. for 140 students twice a week it's 90 minutes of head bouncing and dissecting. ♪ >> you have someone who perpetuates the same impediments imposed upon him. >> reporter: dr. eric die son has taught a hip-hop class for 15 years. jay-z gives him a fresh angle. >> this is a way for kids to explore the big ideas in sociology. >> god forgive me for my brash delivery but i remember vividly what these streets did to me. he's trying to make a connection and a link to the people who are similarly suffering. >> reporter: die son uses jay-z's memoir to break down lyrics but maintains a traditional classroom using guest speakers, articles, essays and exams. >> we'll have the tests back for you as well.

>> reporter: not surprising, the class is wildly popular. >> being somebody who grew up with second chances i'm allowed to explore. >> reporter: learning at georgetown isn't cheap. tuition costs are among the highest in the country. some students say their parents wonder whether the class is worth it. >> we are paying so much for this. we want you to take classes that will get you a great job. >> reporter: it's not just skeptical parents. critics knocked the class, in part because of jay-z's occasional celebration of miso gyn y like this video for big pimping. ♪ >> within hip-hop we are pointing this out to ridicule it, criticize it, ask where it comes from. >> reporter: old school themes being taught in a new school way. >> i want students to understand, look, learning doesn't have to be boring. i'm trying to make it sexy.

>> i'm trying to learn about a society i have never been exposed to, probably never will be. it's another way of thinking about things. >> reporter: jay-z is currently touring the country. at the concert in d.c. he gave a shoutout to dr. diyson which gae him more street cred with his students. we have more on today.com. >> interesting story. appreciate it. up next, our search for america's next top meatball. bobby flay helps to crown the winner. first, this is "today" on nb

we are back with our special series meatball madness. we have narrowed to field to three finalists. marcie from maryland, philip

from new jersey, anita from los angeles, california. here to crown the winner, famed chef bobby flay. good morning. nice to see you. >> good morning. >> are you looking for originality, classic taste? >> all of them. there is always, of course, the old school italian meatballs we all love. that's where meatballs get their fame. i'm looking for flavor and moisture. very important. >> these are three very different recipes. fan out, folks. i'll start with marcie here. first of all, where did you get the recipe? >> i got the recipe from my mom. she passed away last year. i'm doing it in honor of her. she never wrote anything down, so i had to kind of reconstruct and i turned them into meatballs because she made them in a patty. >> these are super meaty salmon meat balls. >> they are great for holiday parties coming up. the ingredients are ritz

crackers to give it a buttery feel, oatmeal for heft, flaxseed for nutrition. >> cook them in the pan and what oil? >> walnut oil. it's a delicate oil. so i try to be a little bit more unique. >> bold flavors. i like that and i like that you're putting in the oats and flaxseed. that's interesting. also, the key to these is not overcooking them. >> right. >> you want the moisture. >> you have an interesting dipping sauce. >> people like to dip. i thought it was fun to add it. they can be naked on their own. they're great, not fussy. you can have them out of the freezer, grill and fill. >> what's the sauce? >> spicy thai chili sauce from a bottle. >> these are papa's meatballs, philip? >> papa's meatball. this is a traditional meatball with some of his favorite ingredients. two types of cheese. romano and parmesan.

my grandfather put in two types because my grandmother liked that one and he likes that one. >> smart man. >> he kept it simple at home. some of the other ingredients are bread crumbs, onions, garlic. standards. >> classic, but most of the time in classic meatballs there are three kinds of meat -- veal, pork and beef. philip decided only to use beef. any reason? >> that's what my grandfather used. we bake them in the oven, finish them in the home made sauce which is very simple as well. this maleal is important becaus it was the last meal we shared before papa passed away. honoring him. >> very good. we appreciate it. the entire west coast resting on your shoulders, no pressure. yours are different. they are jamaican style. >> i add a little bit of orange zest and ginger beer which is a nonalcoholic beverage.

it has a nice bite of ginger. it's a strong ginger ale. you can do the dipping sauce or put them right in the sauce. >> you have plantains also? >> yes. green and yellow and then there's black. this might look rotten to you, but it's perfectly ripe. this is the one you want to use. >> that helps to bind it? >> it does. >> that's important. what you use to bind it without drying out the meatball and also delivering flavor. maintains is interesting. and she has jerk seasoning, ginger beer. >> where did you learn this? >> i made this up myself. >> i notice as we have been going along you have taken your first taste of all three meatballs. any initial responses before i puthe pressure on you for a winner? >> they are all interesting. philip, yours is the most traditional. you deliver on a traditional meatball in the best way. that's why you're in the finals. marcie, the salmon is a great way to make a fish meatball.

salmon is a good choice with all the natural fat to create moisture. >> thank you. >> these are incredibly flavorful and very interesting. >> take 30 seconds to talk to yourself, think about it. >> 30 second. this will be my favorite conversation of the day. >> like in the oscars, they can't all be winners but they are all happy to be here. is this the first annual? who's the winner of our first annual meatball madness competition? >> i'm a man of flavor and originality. i'm going with the jamaican meatball. [ applause ] >> lift that over your head. >> fantastic. >> exactly. >> congratulations. you must be happy about that. >> these are good. >> thank you so much. we appreciate that. i can't wait to try these. bobby, thank you. up next, the real story of one of hollywood's most famous dogs. we are talking about rin tin tin who loves meatballs, by the way.

first, this is "today" on nbc. [ cheers and applause ]

for those of a certain generation, no animal elicits the same love and adoration as rin tin tin, the heroic friend to all who fought for justice and saved the day.

♪ so brave ♪ is corporal rusty >> reporter: rin tin tin, three words that instantly capture the imagination. >> rin! sure, he knows it. >> reporter: for children around the world the german shepherd was a celebrity, hero and friend. back as a puppy on the battlefields of world war 1 he epitomized the scrappy determination of two generations. rinty, had star power from the beginning. in 1918 corporal lee duncan spotted the dog in a bombed kennel in france. after the war he brought rin tin tin to los angeles where he trained him for silent films. the dog soon became a marquee name starring in 23 blockbuster movies, outearning even his human costars. the original rin tin tin passed away in 1932 but his descendants

continued his legacy inspiring films, radio and a hit tv show. popularizing german shepherds and creating an enduring american icon that lives on. susan arlene is the author of the new york times bestseller "rin tin tin, the life and legend." good morning. >> great to be here. >> i know you spent seven years researching and reporting on the topic. the fact that you wanted to write about an actor dog surprised, most of all, you. >> absolutely. i grew up with rin tin tin, the television show. that seemed like there wasn't really a book to write about that. what got me interested was learning that he was a real dog who had been found in world war i by a young american g.i. and the story of that man, lee duncan, and his devotion to the dog and his conviction that he would make him into a star

became a wonderful story. >> we'll talk about that relationship in a moment. give us the gist. we know he was found in world war i and he came back and suddenly became a star. for people who may not remember him, what was so special about the dog that he had acting ability? >> he did. he had charisma. he was a great athlete. he was first filmed jumping over an 11-foot fence in a dog show. he was an amazing athlete and was phenomenally responsive to lee. he could kind of do anything. >> there was a time when rin tin tin was the most bankable star in hollywood. you argue that he saved warner brothers studio. >> he did. warner brothers was a small studio at the time. they began releasing rin tin tin films. they were huge hit, not only in this country but around the world. suddenly warner brothers became warner brothers, the big studio. >> what's compelling about this is the bond between rin tin tin's owner and rescuer, lee

duncan, and this dog. what was so special about it? >> they were both, i think, lonely and saw each other as each other's savior. lee found the puppy on a battlefield where he would have certainly died. lee himself was a pretty lonely guy who had been placed in an r orph orphanage as a kid. had a life that was always most connected to animals. he found this dog and they just found each other. they were never apart. they had a connection that if you take the usual connection we have with dogs which is very profound and just multiply it. that was their love. >> i love how your book jacket puts it, rinty was born in 1918 but never died. his descendants lived on. there was a television show. why do you think this character resonated through the ages? >> we love dogs.

we are able to look at a dog as a perfect hero. more even than we can look at a person that way. they are so selfless and they love us without expecting anything in return. so a dog becomes this wonderful embodiment of heroism, loyalty and love. >> fair to say you are an animal person. tell us what you have in up state new york because we have the time. >> it's a long list. a dog, three cats, nine chickens, four turkeys, three ducks, two geese, 13 black angus cattle, a couple of goldfish in there. >> show's over. thank you so much. great to have you. we're back after your local news.

>> good morning. i mindy basara. here is a look at one of our top stories. the search continues for two suspects who robbed a suntrust banks in howard county. police say one suspect walked into the bank and demanded

money, saying he had a gun. the other way to outside. no one was injured but police are reviewi

>> it is nice out there. again, lots of sunshine but chilly. a lot of areas with readings of the 20's. we will warm up a little bit today. a few scattered clouds. is still on the cool site. i only 52-57. >> thank you for joining us. >> thank you for joining us.