Transcripts For WBAL Today 20100101

good morning and happy new year. hundreds of thousands of people revelers jammed into new york city's times square to say good-bye to the old and ring in the new. and we're celebrating right along with them today, iday, january 1st, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to this special new year's day edition of "today." i'm matt lauer alongside meredith vieira, ann and al roker. are you sorry you're you weren't in times square? >> no. >> have you ever done that? >> i used to do it because i used to cover it for wnbc. and, wow! >> you did it as a professional. >> as a job. you had to pay me to go there. >> you know, it's funny, you saw all the smiling faces last night. yet, considering all that happened in the last year -- the recession, swine flu, two wars, away from home. i would imagine there are a lot of people who are not real sorry to put 2009 behind them. >> i think -- the president may northbound that category as well. in 2009 he learned firsthand but the challenges that come with that title of president. and there are sure to be more trying times now that the calendar has flipped to 2010. we're going to get into all of that in a moment. also ahead, as matt mentioned, the economy certainly not worth celebrating in 2009. millions of americans still are struggling to find work. what does the new year hold? cnbc's jim cramer shares his outlook. also having some fun looking back at the lighter moments of 2009 and looking ahead to what we might expect this year out of the hollywood industry and also the music industry. what to look forward to. >> i tell you one thing we can look forward to. great food. one of the hottest chefs here to whip up a delicious new year's meal. let's begin with a check of the top stories. ann is sitting here. amy roebuck over at the news desk. good morning. >> thank you and happy new year to everyone. from coast to coast americans welcomed in 2010 with parties and fireworks. hundreds of thousands of people jammed new york's times square for the annual ball drop. fireworks lit up the night sky in seattle to usher in the new year. well, president obama is beginning the new year studying reports on the failures that led to the christmas day attempted plane bombing. nbc's justice correspondent pete williams has more on that story. pete, good morning. >> federal officials say they're already making some changes, adding dozens of people to the no-fly and terror watch list. the department of homeland security says it's sending a team to airports around the world starting monday to push for improvements in airline security overseas. and another change will result from the renewed focus on yemen, where investigators say the man accused of the attempted bombing prepared for his attacks. an indefinite hold on releasing any more detainees from yemen now held at guantanamo bay. amy. >> nbc's pete williams, thank you. in afghanistan, the bomber who killed seven cia employees wednesday reportedly was being considered as an informant, was invited on to the base and was not searched. flags flying at half staff at cia headquarters today. radio talk show host rush limbaugh remains hospitalized in hawaii after suffering chest pains. the hospital says he is in good spirits. looking at the national weather, bitter cold today in much of the u.s. with snow around the great lakes and northern new england. some parts of the northern plains won't even make it above zero. dallas will be cold. sunshine, 50 degrees. houston a thank you. a year ago today barack obama was preparing to become the 44th president of the united states. hope was in the air. 365 days later, he now knows the reality of being the leader of the free world. nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd takes a look at the challenges facing the obama administration in the coming year. >> reporter: on day one for president obama, everything seemed possible. >> on this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. >> reporter: but nearly one year later, thanks to a weak economy and expansive legislative agenda that's still largely unfinished, most polling shows the country is less united, less hopeful and more conflicted. and with an election on the horizon, the president enters 2010 with a tough political mission. >> midterm elections always reflect the political standing of the president. >> reporter: right now, the president's political standing is tenuous. though he entered the white house with a sky-shy 60% approval. that number has steadily declined throughout the first year, now sitting at 47%. it won't get easier in the coming year. in addition to health care coming to a head before the end of january, mr. obama will also tackle financial regulatory reform, some sort of energy bill which will deal with climate change, and possibly immigration reform. then of course there's afghanistan. but because it's an election year, congress not likely to have the stomach for a lot of big fights. so the president will have to push even harder. >> the one thing hopefully that obama can learn from the first year in office is how to do everything he can to court the congress. >> what do we want? >> health care. >> reporter: but will anger or disappointment in the president and the democrats automatically translate into republican gains? >> to recapture the majority, would i think require very bad times and some restoration of republican party image as a party of doing something. >> reporter: but everything will keep coming back to the economy, which may not be on the brink of collapse, but -- >> the coast isn't quite clear. the recession is over. a recovery has begun. but it's a fragile recovery. >> reporter: and of course the president's political prospects are tied to one number, the nation's unemployment rate. >> if the country doesn't seem to be in good shape, then you have to lash out. and you lash out at the party in power. >> reporter: for "today," chuck todd, nbc news, the white house. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." david, good morning. happy new year. let's talk about what president obama faces in 2010. basically the same problems, the same laundry list -- iraq, afghanistan, economy, unemployment, health care reform. but he faces them now with less popularity than he did a year ago. how big a hurdle? >> it's a big hurdle because it's also an election year. so all of that opposition to him is really starting to gel. republicans who weren't with him in the first year are really not going to be with him in this next year. and there are more and more democrats who might have been with him who are in a lot more political trouble as they face elections. >> i want to ask you about that, because i think he came to office understanding he was going to do battle with the republicans. they had just lost a national election. do you think that he fully understood, and does he understand now that some of his toughest fights are going to be from within his own party? >> he may have understood that in some way, but the degree to which became so much more painful because there was so much expectation projected on to him by the left. and i think what the left didn't fully realize is that he was a much more pragmatic, compromise-oriented politician, who wanted to be a transformational leader. and to do that, he couldn't pick up all of the fights that the left may have wanted to have taken on. that's going to be an issue this year. >> when he dealt with the biggest issues over the last 12 months, the only support he got from across the aisle was a lone republican vote on occasion. can he continue with that lack of support from the republicans and accomplish any of the major goals he has? >> it's very difficult. the war in afghanistan is the big troubling issue. he's got the support for the right on that. that will help him. but it makes for strange bed fellows politically. that's why they drove health care in that first year, because they knew that you couldn't take it on in an election year and with diminishing returns from the republican. that bid is too hard. >> you mentioned afghanistan. with the 30,000 troops additional troops either there now or on their way, this is his war now. he's as much as said that. how long are the american people going to give him before they see concrete results and if they don't they take it out on him? >> presidents have a lot more leeway than we sometimes give them credit for in the media culture in terms of how much patience the public has. but this is tough. we're now moving in to, later this year, ten years. the soviet union was there for a decade and got out. the question is what is worth dying for in afghanistan? what do americans -- how do they answer that question? the president has has a high hurdle in that regard. the other key, the same for president bush, when more and more americans start dying in afghanistan, then he's really going to have this come home to roost. >> when you talk to military commanders, they'll tell you because we're sending these additional 30,000 troops, you probably are going to see more casualties at least in the near term. he's going to have to deal with that. >> absolutely. yet you traveled at the end of last year with secretary gates over to afghanistan, who knows what happens when you abandon the region. but can you really get the american people focused on how troubling that area is, that region is? it's a question that tom friedman raises all the time, which is we can't want it more than they want it for themselves. >> you mentioned earlier in the interview it's a midterm election year. so if the election were held right now, based on what's happened to the president and the waning support he's seen over the last 12 months, how do you think it would play out in terms of the balance of power in the house and the senate? >> very poorly for democrats. we have seen building since this special election last year, a huge anti-incumbent mood in the country, anti-establishment fervor, anti-government feeling in the country. that's going to hurt the incumbent party to a huge degree. >> interesting because 16 months ago at the election time, we had the same feeling and helped the democratic party. >> the sentiment hasn't changed. ultimately it's got to be morning again for the democrats to benefit. that's what the president is counting on. the question is, is that going to happen? >> what's the biggest challenge, the biggest hurdle you see president obama facing in the first part of this year? >> jobs. ultimately, the jobs have to come back for people to think that the country is headed in a different direction. those have not shown up yet and it may be a while, a good long while before they do. >> david gregory. happy new year again. matt, thanks. the economy was one of the biggest stories of 2009. and while things did start to turn around late in the year, will that trend continue in 2010? jim cramer, host of "mad money" and cnbc is here to gaze into his crystal ball. good morning to you. even the last couple of weeks of 2009 we kept hearing differing answers to the question is the recession over. so is it or isn't it? >> no, it's not. 18% unemployment is the real number. until we see that come down to 5%, 6%, that's when i'm willing to call the recession over. >> do you think that's going to happen in 2010? >> too many jobs need to be created in order to be able to get there. i think this will be recession for much of the country in 2010. there will be other people who thrive. but until we start putting more people to work, i can't feel that the worst is over. >> okay. federal reserve chairman ben bernanke recently gave a speech in which he said, quoting here, there is significant economic challenges that remain. do you agree with him? >> totally. the man has the pulse on the economy. he recognizes that housing, autos, retail sales still under a lot of pressure. until he's happy, i can't be happy. >> what about that $787 billion stimulus package last year? >> too much of it went to government workers versus private industry and not enough of it was spent. still a lot bottlenecked in washington for no reason. >> so we don't need another stimulus package? >> no. we need that money freed. if they would let that money come to the american people and we had a transportation bill, which was sat on all 2009, we'd do fine. >> so many people suffered last year -- no jobs, double-digit unemployment. do you expect to see that come down significantly this year? >> i think that over time it will. nothing is being done right now to put a lot of people to work. how about this. the firings are done. that's about as hopeful as i can be. >> you think the firings are done? >> the firings are done. >> but we're talking unemployment now, people getting back to work. there are no jobs as you -- >> i do not see that happening for the first half of 2010. i do believe the second half we will start seeing numbers go down in unemployment. i know that doesn't sound hopeful enough for most people, but it is realistic. >> is there any chance that 2010 or 2010, whatever we're going to call it, that this is going to be kind of a quiet year and would that not be bad after the roller coaster ride we've been on? >> i think we'll be quiet if washington is quiet. most of the ceos i speak to off camera, their biggest worry is not china. their biggest worry is not unemployment. their biggest worry is total uncertainty coming from washington. they don't want to hire until they know how much it will cost to bring in a new employee. once they have that, i think by the second half of this year they will feel more confident. >> it's new year's. you have resolutions starting with start lending. by that you refer to the banks, resolution of the banks. >> what a great thing if you're a banker? they're paying us nothing, right on the checking and savings account. they place us really close to zero. they can invest it or lend it. they're choosing to invest it in risk-free treasuries. we need them to start giving it to people who want to start businesses. they don't want to do it. they're afraid. >> you say the consumers start spending as a resolution. >> i think if you realize that the firings are over, you don't need to squirrel away as much -- you should still be putting some away. but you can feel confident enough to at least treat yourself to something you might have deferred. >> you also advise people, resolution, to start putting money back in the market. that's scary. >> well, it would be -- cds, certificates of deposit weren't so low and your savings rate, the money you by keeping it at the bank weren't so low. plenty of companies, utility companies that offer five times the yield, five times the income of what you get in your bank. i think it's prudent to try to get more income. >> jim cramer, happy new year. thanks for joining us. you can catch jim at "mad money" week nights at 6:00 and 11:00 eastern time on cnbc. here's ann. this morning on leonard's look, our mike leonard takes us to a town where they're preparing for the future even though some think there's not much of a future left. >> reporter: the streets aren't paved with gold, and it's the heavenly sound of goss i ammers, not harps that soothe them when our time on earth comes to a fiery kalcalamitous end. the end date is december it it 1st, 2012, the last day noted on the ancient mayan calendar and a day that promises to be somewhat of a bummer if it's ng like the current movie "2012" imagines. a troubling. at a world removed from all the worries associated with our date with doom, a date that's captured the imagination of a lot of people, including author lawrence joseph, who noted in a book he wrote on the subject that berea, kentucky, is the place to be when this happens. his reasoning touches on seismic, cosmic and cultural factors to which the residents of berea have added a host of other notions. >> i've forgotten who it was who said he wanted -- maybe irving cob -- he would want to be in kentucky when the end of time came because we were always about ten years behind. >> reporter: or just the opposite. >> i think it's because of our thought and our mission and our goals here are things that you would need to start a world again. >> reporter: concepts that were way ahead of their time back in 1855 when john g. fee an ardent abolitionist bravely opened his one room school to both blacks and whites, men and women. eventually berea college, the first co-racial and an institution noted for the quality of education, diversity of student body and its mission as the beacon of hope for the appalachian community. >> a great financial need but also great academic potential. the ones that really deserve a college education and probably wouldn't get it otherwise. >> reporter: the 1500 or so students pay no tuition but must work between 10 and 15 hours per week to do whatever needs to be done on the grounds, in the offices, on the school farm, in the places of business. the town of berea, with its wide assortment of entrepreneurs, musicians and preservationists stand as a testament to the powerful influence of a college that teaches its students the value of traditional customs, of good craftsmanship, of solving basic needs with time tested techniques, of sustainability in a world running out of resources. >> i think we're coming to the point where we have to look backward in order to see those lost, many times lost traditions and lost knowledges as progressive and really the key to our future. >> reporter: a bright future? >> i'm actually hoping to get my ph.d. one day in physics. >> reporter: but why bother if -- >> you know, take care of what is ahead, worry about the future when it comes. >> reporter: and until it comes, why not share a laugh or two. >> humor keeps us humble. i think that's the purpose of it. i tell the story, when i first moved to berea, we had only five digits to dial. but then we got seven. and people started making mistakes, you know. so somebody called me one night and said, who's this? and so i had been to school. so i said, with whom did you wish to speak? and there was a long pause. and he said, i can tell you right now, but the way you're talking it's not who, it's a wanting. >> reporter: as for the folks wanting to move to this town of 13 p,000 or so, well. >> get a ticket now. >> reporter: might as well enjoy the little time you have left. the end of the world is going to have a good sound track. >> you betcha. >> reporter: for "today," mike leonard, nbc news, berea, kentucky. >> what do you say we all chip in for some property there? >> top of the charts, banjo music. i love it. get ready. >> do you think something will happen in 2012? >> no, much sooner. much sooner. >> if i were you, i wouldn't worry about paying those bills. still ahead, believing four little letters -- not those four little letters, can change the world in 2010. first, this is "today" on nbc. well, it wouldn't be a new year's party without good food and drink. >> we're delighted mr. ed brown from downtown ed brown is with us. happy new year. 81 restaurant and the chef collaborative ed's chowder house both here in new york. happy new year. >> happy new year. >> what is on the menu, ed? >> we're doing holiday entertaining. this is a lazy day. nobody wants to be working too hard. so the theme of all the stuff we're going to be doing today is really simple. you could run out to the store and get it anywhere and make it fast starting with cocktails. this is the 81 signature bloody mary. >> who wants to taste one of these real quick? let's make this different from a regular bloody mary. >> it's pretty similar to your usual ingredients. horse radish, et cetera. we have a big shrimp in there. let it marinade for awhile. >> take us through these. >> mimosa. sparkling wine using conseco. then let's do more than talk about it. let's turn picturing it into planning it, thinking it over into making it happen. let's say out with the old and in with the new. let's create some wall-to-wall "wow." 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" good morning. happen new year. i am stan stovall. the police commissioner is hoping the new year will help crack down on violence and homicides in this city. fred bealefeld was out on patrol with his officers of last night. he talked about keeping homicide numbers down per he said 2010 will be more than just about going after bad guys with guns. >> however processed intelligence information and how we prioritize who we are after in terms of violent offenders and moving that out of the process and the command level process right down into the line level. >> 2009 started with 11 murders in 11 days and a huge seizure of illegal guns. they hope for a better start for 2010. police are investigating an incident at a hotel in hanover. one person was stabbed and another person was shot. both victims were taken to shock trauma. no word of a suspect or possible motive. let's get a check on the forecast with meteorologist tony pann. >> happy new year. we do have a little bit of fog and the temperatures have dropped close to freezing in some neighborhoods. if the temperature is near a 32 and you have some fog, there could be some icy spots on the pros. the fog will burn off and we have the chance for a rain or snow shower. this will be the warmest day for a while as we head into the beginning of next week. we will struggle to get out of the 20's. >> thank you. and thank you for joining us. when you're living with bipolar depression... ...it's easy to feel like you're fading into the background. that's because bipolar depression doesn't just affect you. it can consume you. one option proven effective to treat bipolar depression... is seroquel xr. for many, it's one pill, once a day. here is some important safety information you should be aware of. call your doctor if you have unusual changes in mood, behavior... ...or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children... ...teens and young adults. elderly dementia patients taking seroquel xr have an increased risk of death. call your doctor if you develop fever... ...stiff muscles, and confusion as these may be signs of a life-threatening reaction... ...or if you have uncontrollable muscle movements as these could become permanent. high blood sugar has been reported with seroquel xr and medicines like it... ...and in extreme cases can lead to coma or death. tell your doctor if you have a history of low white blood cell count... ...or seizures. your doctor should check for cataracts. other risks include increased cholesterol and triglycerides, weight gain... ...dizziness on standing, drowsiness, impaired judgment, and trouble swallowing. use caution before driving or operating machinery. learn more about bipolar depression and questions to ask your doctor at seroquelxr.com bipolar depression... ...doesn't have to consume you. take the step today and ask your doctor... ...whether seroquel xr is... ...right for you. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. 7:30 now on this friday morning. 1st day of january, 2010 or 2010. and you're looking at the celebrations held around the world to ring in the new year. and here is wishing you and yours a happy and healthy year to come. i'm mv alongside matt lauer, ann curry and al roker. >> we're 7 1/2 hours into 2010. how is it going so far? >> i like the beginning -- >> starting to lose its spot for you? >> all right. meanwhile, just ahead in this half hour, 2009 brought us not one but two swine flu outbreaks, not to mention a lot of questions and confusion about those controversial breast cancer screening guidelines. so what do we need to know about our health in the new year? just ahead, dr. nancy snyderman comes by to tell us. also coming up, this is something unusual, the artist who inspired the beatles to sing about love. that artist is now sharing a new message with the world. we're going to tell you what that is. for better or worse, they became punch lines in 2009, people like those white house party crashers. coming up, america's top roast masters, jack ross, gives us his take on the comedy gifts that kept on giving in the past year. first let us welcome in ed brown, master chef, who is feeding us today. we've already had his drink concoctions. now we're moving on to the appetizers. takes it away. what have you got? >> simple stuff. olives, citrus marinaded. these are dorito crusted. dorito crusted fried olives. >> you have to go to spain to get this? >> it was their idea. i have to give them credit. >> brings something nice and meredith smacks him. >> coconut fried shrimp, grilled crab and crowder, one of our signature dishes at the chowder house. sauce. >> all finger food? >> you want to be able to put it out, eat it, relax. we kind of try to recover from last night. >> exactly. >> what goes well with this also is a woman in aluminum foil. >> for those just tuning in -- >> you actually struck me as a saran type guy. >> happy new year. >> mixing the citrus with the olives here, it looks beautiful. >> this is a nice refreshing sort of light thing to eat. and the pumpkin chowder is a nice -- a little toasted pumpkin seed in there. >> ed, we cannot wait for our next section of the meal. thank you very much. we appreciate it. okay. first we have a legendary artist who believes that four little letters can change the world. we have his story now from nbc's kerry sanders. >> reporter: the journey to meet a living legend begins in coastal maine. due east about an hour and a half from the mainland, to a granite rock called vinyl haven. most of the 1200 residents on this weather-worn island are fifth or sixth generation lobstermen. >> i'm not terribly interested in lobsters. they're not one of my favorite food. >> reporter: but there's one newcomer who arrived 40 years ago and never left. >> when we got to the moon, i got here. >> reporter: he's robert indiana. and if you don't recognize his name you most likely know his work. he's the artist that asked a nation of war to think about love. ♪ you want somebody to love it was the '60s. vietnam, woodstock. >> what was it about the '60s that made that love sculpture click? >> had nothing to do with me. it was for those four guys called beatles. ♪ all you need is love >> reporter: john lennon was so inspired by the love sculpture, he wrote that song. today, love is on display in more than 140 cities worldwide. an iconic image of the times that survives today. >> the '60s was a very vibrant time to be alive. it's when i did my most important and exciting paintings. >> reporter: but those works may face a new challenge. at '81, as a decade ends, robert indiana says his gut tells him that times are ripe for a new message. it's been a rough decade. terrorism, wars, unemployment at 10%. and now comes artist robert indiana again with four simple letters. h-o-p-e, hope. and just like love in the '60s, simple, provocative, powerful. >> it's both a noun and a verb. everybody has got to hope. >> reporter: what is the hope, though? >> i want to cover the world with love. i'd like to cover the world with hope. >> reporter: robert indiana, who says he relishes life's coincidences, lives in a 200-year-old mansion long ago named the star of hope. he unveiled his work when candidate barack obama's book "the audacity of hope" just happened to be reaching its largest audience. today at the rosenbaum contemporary in boca raton, florida, hope many sculptures are on back order. at the farnsworth museum in rockland, maine -- >> i can't think of any other artist who has done what he has done. >> reporter: the largest ever collection of robert indiana's lifetime works is on display until january 10th. at the centers of it all, hope. >> bob's made words into sculpture that have a meaning far greater than the word of the sculpture. >> are you surprised that just four simple letters can be so powerful? >> it's the way they're constructed. you see, l-o-v-e has been around a long time. h-o-p-e has been around a long time. but bob arranged them in a way that one can't escape them, you see. >> reporter: so as we begin a new decade and again promise to go to the gym more often, stick to the diet, spend more time with the kids, as we go through that ritual, artist robert indiana believes, like the "o" leading forward in his sculptures, we will all look forward and hope for a better, more peaceful world. for today, kerry sanders, nbc news on vinyl haven island in maine. . >> imagine maybe the beatles would want to write a song about that as well. it's a powerful message especially in this time. >> if only. that's cool. robert indiana, cool guy. >> very cool day. now let's get a check of the morning's top stories and weather from amy roebuck in for ann at the news desk. >> thank you, meredith. good morning. a dazzling start to 2010 during the night. from times square in new york, where hundreds of thousands of people celebrated, to las vegas on the west coast and americans welcomed in the new year. health officials say the current wave of swine flu keeps easing. it's considered widespread now in only four states -- delaware, maine, new jersey and virginia. they caution there could be another wave this winter. and an alley-oop pass turned into an alley-oops last night when it shattered the backboard against gonzaga. 200 pounds, anything but tiny, was showered with falling glass but was not injured. looking at the national weather it will be bitterly cold in much of the united states. higher elevations in the northwest could see up to two nippon >> good morning. happy new year. things are pretty quiet. there is a little bit of fog out there. there is a 30% chance it's 7:38. now back to meredith. >> amy, thanks. still ahead on this new year's day morning, the year ahead in music. the hitmakers coming out with hot new music in 2010. but up next, how the biggest medical stories of 2009 will change the way you manage your health this year. our natural sweetener comes with zero calories and a clean sweet taste. it won't insult your intelligence or make your butt look fat. it's the sweetness of the stevia plant served straight up, honest, uncomplicated. enjoy. try the first great-tasting, zero-calorie natural sweetener born from nature. truvia. honestly sweet. find it at your grocery store. the thrill of the save. that secret high from stretching a dollar. that little rush in finding what you need for less. now walmart has unbeatable dollar days. extra savings on everyday things, all over the store. it's a new way to conquer budgets. and another great day for the savers. save money. live better. walmart. hey college girl. hey mom. i just got your package. great. yea, mom you're the best. i thought you would like it. so, how are your classes, are you enjoying them? 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"today's health" is brought to you by kellogg's special k products. this morning on "today's health," a look back and ahead. from the swine flu to the push for health care reform, 2009 was a big year for medical news. what can we expect now that it is 2010? dr. nancy snyderman is nbc's chief medical editor. good morning. >> happy new year. >> i have to learn how to say the date. biggest health news i think this year had to be the swine flu or the h1n1 pandemic. really, it's kind of a scary roller coaster ride. >> it caught us off guard. >> 47 million americans infected. >> almost 10,000 people died. >> exactly. then problems with the vaccines getting to people, not enough. you said this is the first time they were able to follow and witness in realtime. what do you mean by that and what difference did that make? >> we had people on cell phones in mexican villages talking to the world health organization and the cdc, bloggers, international scientists all watching this extraordinarily efficient virus skip around the world. and we realized early on this was a pandemic, that this involved the entire planet. fortunately, so far, not a huge killer. out of 47 million americans, 10,000 people unfortunately lost their lives, but not an ebola kind of big plague. nonetheless, we've seen a spring spike, an early fall spike, dribble of vaccine getting out. and the real question for 2010 will be will there be a third spike in january or february. and that, i think, is a prediction a lot of the scientists are holding to. >> you're leaning that way as well? >> enough that if you haven't been vaccinated yet, children under the age of 10, pregnant women, health care workers, if you have someone small at home, yes, i still think you should get your vaccine. >> another one of the guidelines took people by surprise. >> unfortunately controversial because they hit right when the house and the senate were debating health care reform. this is an independent task force assigned to look at screening, for colon cancer, skin cancer. but the minutes they said there's no proof that routine screening mammography starting at the age of 40 equals lives saved, people attached the word rationing to it and politics sort of blew it up. i think it's a perfect example of science really being thrown under the political bus. >> what do you expect in 2010 in terms of screening and health care in america? >> well, right now, the senate -- immediately, i think it overreacted and said women can get reimbursement for any kind of screening mammography in the new year. i think the real question is what will health care reform look like, if we have it at all. >> finally nadia sulman octomom raised a lot of questions. >> awful story if you're a physician with medical,ethical and social mores guiding you. this is a woman who already had children, had six embryos implanted, all took. the uterus is not big enough to accommodate six developing babies. they were born premature. i'm not convinced all healthy. the doctor who implanted six embryos, i believe, shouldn't be allowed to practice anymore. it really opens the question about infertility treatments and clinics that fly under the radar. in europe, some countries only allow two embryos to be implanted max. in this country, frankly, i think you might see legislation saying the same thing. >> will we see more regulation? >> doctors never like regulation, but this is a case where you might say, look, is this a time where the science and responsible physicians and their academic societies and, frankly, law of the land should all come together. you'd be hard pressed to say there's any reason ever to put in more than two embryos. >> are we going to see more advanced fertility technology and a shift towards designer babies? >> we're already seeing it. in fact, one of the big things we'll see more of, parents going in and doing sex selection. interestingly, in other countries, as you know, male babies are more highly prized because they can go out and make a living. in this country, people are asking for girls. and a lot of people suspect it's because people who are aging want a daughter to take care of them. >> all right, dr. nancy. thank you so much. >> you bet, meredith. just ahead, a humorous look ahead to what 2010 holds. i've been a long-time smoker. i'm a guy who had given up quitting. what caused me to be interested was, chantix is not a nicotine product and that intrigued me. the doctor said while you're taking it you can continue to smoke during the first week. 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(announcer) talk to your doctor to find out if prescription chantix is right for you. the sparkly flakes. the honey-baked bunches! the magic's in the mix. my favorite part? eating it. honey bunches of oats. taste the joy we put in every spoonful. comedian jeffrey ross known as the roast master general, which means he has a free pass to insult everyone, including me. the fact is he's written a book on it called "i only roast the ones i love." we hope that's true. happy new year. >> happy new year. >> you have been thinking. you've been toiling away thinking about what you want to see happen in 2010. what are your hopes and dreams? >> i wrote up some new year's resolutions. can i show them? >> absolutely. >> wow, handouts. >> i'm going to work harder to be a better person. >> thank you. >> by the way, you guys look great. i hope you had fun last night. al is still hung over. he's wearing two different suits tonight. >> but they go together. >> these events, you want to stop procrastinating? >> yes. i'm going to start february 1st. i love your outfit. did you get that at forever 41? >> yes, i did, actually. thank you. >> i'm going to save you. you want to crash a white house state dinner. >> it looks so fun, doesn't it? i mean, this is not the first time people have crashed the white house. in 2000, the year 2000, a couple from texas crashed and stayed eight years. >> they loved it when ty showed it on the scene, didn't you? >> i do sort of support their charity, guests without borders. >> you don't want to reduce your own carbon emissions? >> just when i'm in an elevator. >> good idea. >> my little part for the environment. . >> here's the line. here's jeff ross. >> you also want to -- you say one of your resolutions is to forgive tiger woods. >> i feel like eventually, we're all going to have to. it will take a while maybe. this guy right now has shaken up every couple in the country. every couple had the tiger talk this month. let's face it, tiger is probably the greatest player of all time, and a pretty good golfer. >> you know what, the truth is, i think eventually america will forgive him. his wife beat him with a 9 iron on the front lawn. that's paying your debt to society. let's face it, if -- what's her name? >> switzer -- >> if she had done that, her husband would still be governor. remember at the press conference, tune in to 6:00 where my wife will rearrange my face with a who canny stick. >> i'm looking at you in your three-piece suit, looking dapper. one of the things you want to do in 2010 is continue with the intense physical workout regime you've been keeping. >> look at these abs. look at that. my doctor told me i'm not getting enough cheesecake after 3:00 a.m. you heard of wash board abs? these are smorgasbord abs. actually, i want to find courtney love. she took my wallet. she's a household name in halfway houses. >> now, jeff. >> is that cutting too deep? >> you want to be better taking a joke. >> this is porp because i dish it out. but i need to learn to take a little better because i'm from new jersey. you remember early in 2009, the very beginning, jersey was a recipient of perhaps the cruelest joke of all time when those geese hit the engine of that plane remember, captain chesley "sully" sullenberger. remember the radio call. we have an open runway at teterboro, new jersey. he's like, um, brace for impact. the water is cold, but at least we're not in new jersey. >> happy new year. >> happy new year to my nephews in became bridge, island and all my family in new mexico. and abe, if you're watching, we love you. >> thanks. still ahead, the stars to watch. the movies, everything for 2010. plus a new year's day concert from rob thomas. all of that after your local news and weather. quilted northern ultra plush ® it's so luxurious, it may inspire you to make all the things you touch ultra plush. quilted northern ultra plush ®. luxury you can see and feel. i'll call someone in the morning. how about i hook it up with my mind? alright, it's show time. 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[ female announcer ] we'll take over your computer and your problems. get 24/7 geek squad online support. only from best buy. men don't merge. the woman will sit there and wait. this is what men do. you see where i am over here? and, ka-blam, and then we're all an hour late. depend brand. for women and men. ♪ (announcer) right now, all over the country, discover customers are getting five percent cashback bonus on travel. it pays to get more, it pays to discover. - ( whirring ) - oh, you know what? let me call you back. announcer: you don't drink every time you smoke. yet you smoke every time you drink. drinking and smoking don't have to go together. re-learn life without cigarettes, free, at becomeanex.org. a new way to think about quitting. cracked this is wbal today. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. a 9-year-old boy has died. officials say noah asid died yesterday morning at johns hopkins. he was among the fourth-and fifth graders who were attending. the campers were getting ready for a hike when the tree fell. a girl was also hurt but not seriously injured. there were wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour. police say a man who went missing two days ago has been found safe. he has dementia and was sitting inside his daughter's car when she went inside a hospital to visit a patient. when she returned, he was gone and so was her father. he turned up at franklin square hospital. let's get a check on the forecast with tony pann. >> thank you and happy new year. the fog should be dissipating. we'll get a peek at the sun. there is a 30% chance for a rain shower. the high of 42 degrees. it will turn colder tonight. partly cloudy skies with temperatures of around 23 degrees to buy. it will be called for the next couple of days. upper 20's and bloat 30's and it will be windy. when everybody heads back to work, a low temperature of about 16 degrees with a high temperature in the low 30's. we might be close to 40 by the end of the week. >> thank you. ♪ can now on a friday morning. new year's day. that makes it january 1st, 2010. that of course is carrie underwood, a woman ha has come a very long way in her career. from one time "american idol" hopeful to really one of the hottest stars in country music. music in general in a lot of ways. ms. underwood just one of the artists to keep an eye on in the year ahead. we're going to take a lot more about that. some people think she's really going to explode this year. i don't mean in a bad way. in a good way. >> like taylor swift did last year. >> matt lauer ajongside meredith vieira, ann curry and natalie morales joins us. >> good to see you. i hope it's a great one. >> al is upstairs doing a little cooking. we'll check in a bit. we're all over this morning, everything that you can expect in the world of music in 2010. we're also going to dive into the much anticipated movies set to fill the screens in the next few months. one of the more memorable stories we've had in the past year, the legacy of this man. he can sell ice to anesque esk. also later, on a special new year's day concert from grammy winner rob thomas. a lot to get to including more food. upstairs to al. >> here with chef ed brown of 81 restaurant and ed's chowder house both located in new york city. hard at work. what is on the menu? >> we're up to the main course. boneless chicken breast. tripled off. we're going to cull little scaloppinis, then slices, okay. we've got some already prepared there. seasoned flour. salt and pepper. that'sal all we have in there. we'll saute blond. >> i prefer broiled brunette. >> in foil, i know. these are sauteed lightly, no color. and the chicken is going to stay super tender, okay. we let them cook. we flip them over. i happen to have some flipped over. you see we have no color. this chicken is super tender. i'm going to squeeze in fresh lemon. add a little white wine. turn up my fire. >> all right. so we're adding a little liquid now. >> this is like super simple stuff. i'm just going to let this simmer a little bit. after that lemon comes together with the chicken, we're going to add a little chicken juice, parsley, finish with -- >> it's making its own sauce. >> going to make its own sauce. the whole dish is in one pan unless you're doing tv stuff. >> all right. we're going to check in with you in a little bit and get the whole thing -- >> finish it off. right now let's head down to the news desk and get the latest news and weather from amy roebuck. >> thanks so much and happy new year. former u.s. officials say the suicide bomber who killed seven cia employees in afghanistan on wednesday had been invited to the base where he set off his explosives. they said the man was not searched because he was being courted as an informant. the american flag outside the cia headquarters is flying half-staff to honor the victims. a federal judge dismissed all charges against five private blackwater security guards accused of killing 17 unarmed iraqi civilians. he said prosecutors were wrong to rely on statements the defendants made after the 2007 shootings. well, the new year brought fresh hope from new york city where hundreds of thousands watched the ball drop in times square, to the west coast where 2010 was greeted with fireworks off the top of israel's space needle. and boston's fenway park is on ice. transformed from baseball field to outdoor hockey rink for today's bridgestone nhl winner classic between the bruins and philadelphia flyers. coverage at 1:00 p.m. eastern time here on nbc. looking at the national weather, bitter cold today in much of the >> good morning, everyone. the weather should be pretty quiet. there is some fog out there this morning. it's 8:04. here's matt. >> amy, thank you very much. up next, the hottest movies and music to watch for in 2010. but first, these messages. it has more cargo space than pilot, and traverse beats honda on highway gas mileage too. more fuel efficient and 30% more room. maybe traverse can carry that stuff too. now get 0% apr for 72 months, or during the chevy red tag event, use $1,000 holiday cash to get $4,500 total cash back on select 09 traverse ltz vehicles in stock we call the bunches in honey bunches of oats the prize in the box. well, now there's a prize inside the prize. pecans! pecans! baked into crunchy oat bunches. taste the delicious surprise in every spoonful. new honey bunches of oats with pecan bunches. beautiful. i felt this deep lingering pain that was a complete mystery to me. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia muscle pain and then he recommended lyrica. fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is fda-approved to help relieve the unique pain of fibromyalgia. and with less pain, i can do more during my day. how sweet is that? lyrica is not for everyone. tell you doctor about any serious allergic reaction that causes swelling or affects breathing or skin, or changes eyesight including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. lyrica may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people. some of the most common side effects of lyrica are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands and feet. do not drink alcohol while taking lyrica. you should never drive or operate machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. if you think you might have fibromyalgia, ask your doctor about lyrica. this morning on "today's entertainment," everything you need to know about movies and music in the new year. we'll start with the big screen. joe levy is the editor and chief of "maxim" magazine. happy new year. 2010, does it look like a good year for movies? >> it does. 2009 was a record-setting year at the box office. amazingly enough. tough time in the economy. profits at the box office up over 8%. so what's going to happen in 2010? more movies, bigger movies. and, i think we're going to have some fun. >> you have four movies for us to look out for, four different categories, starting with action films. >> a lot of good action films in 2010. i'm looking forward to "iron man ii" in the summer but early in february martin scorsese's next movie "shutter island." teamed up with leonardo dicaprio again. in the departed. won an oscar for "the departed." based on a novel, mystic river which won oscars for clint eastwood. i smell a pattern here. >> is it a scary movie, too? >> it's a murder mystery with some occult undertones. leonardo dicaprio goes to a prison for the mentally insanes. something is up. we haven't seen scorsese in this big action movie crowd-pleasing film since the good fella. >> you said this is for people ho thought hangover was too complicated. >> if you found it a little hard to follow, here's one for you called "hot tub time machine." it comes out in march. the premise is summed up by the time. four guys get into a hot tub which turns out to be a time machine. >> and that was good? >> this looks like it's going to be ridiculous. but it's guy fun. it's good guy fun. "the hangover" was one of the biggest movies of the year, like number five at the box office. this one is for that audience. it's got john cusick and chevy chase who is currently undergoing a bit of a renaissance on nbc's community. a great sitcom. >> i love a date movie and you've chosen "valentine's day." a lot of stars. >> the big date movie of the year, of course, the super bowl of date movies is "sex and the city 23." first up before february valentine's day. this is the all-star game of date movies. julia robertson, jessica alba, jessica biel, anne hathaway. >> that cutie right there. >> well, now, we have a few guys to look at, too. a little guy candy in this one as well. this is a story of a bunch of couples making up and breaking up around valentine's day. the pressure causes all sorts of wonderful and horrible things to happen. >> a family movie starring someone kind of famous. >> that's right. this is the remake of the karate kid renamed "the kung fu" kid and stars will smith's son. jackie chan is the kung fu man who teaches him to wax on wax off. >> remakes can be dangerous because of comparison. >> that's right. we're going to see a lot. a remake of "nightmare on elm street," the old horror movie. this one, i have some faith they can pull it off. >> looking back at 2009, your favorite film? >> i'm easy to please and i am a guy. i like "the hangover." the only thing better is the longer version that just came out on dvd. >> did you find it a little complicated in. >> it is a little hard for me to follow. there's some flashbacks and it gets confusing. how did he lose those teeth? i still am not sure. >> sounds like a very good year. i'll start popping the popcorn. joe levy. 2010 also promises to be a great year in music. bill werty the editorial director of billboard magazine. happy new year. we're going to look ahead but before we completely kiss off 2009, what do you think was the highlight in terms of music? >> in this year? >> yeah. >> a couple pf the year of taylor swift, o doubt. she's everyone. susan boyle, what agreat feel-good story to come out of nowhere and sell so many records. >> does she have legs, so to speak? >> i think so. this album definitely rode the ground swell of christmas retail but it's not a christmas album. >> let's look ahead to 2010. i know you get a lot of music festivals on your radar. i think the one that jumps out at me is lola fairis coming back. >> it really defines sort of this part of music ten years ago. after a decade making a concern. sarah mclachlan is back in "driving it. mary j. blige. >> meredith is excited about ozzfest. are we going to see it this year? >> i believe we will. i'm sure meredith will be in the front row. >> so happy. you think this is going to be 2010, this could be an enormous year for carrie underpood. >> she has great new album out. she sort of has continually built and built on her career. the first artist in the nielsen sell scan era p. she sort of established herself with a tv presence with the holiday show she did. i think you're really going to see her kind of cement herself as just like a blockbuster star. >> other names we're probably going to see on the road, you stop me when you think there's one you want to comment on. fish is going to be out there. dave matthews. bon jovi. >> the thing about bon jovi, they sometimes aren't appreciated the way they should be maybe by the critics. but the fans come out again and again and again. they went out on the road last year. they sold something like every show basically. >> and been doing it 25 years. >> and keep making good new music. they're out there. >> billy joel and elton john getting back together? >> i think so. that's what i'm hearing. always a blockbuster. >> when i was looking at the research material for your segment, i had to do a double take. are we going to have a performance from led zeppelin? >> tongues are wagging. it's a little bit of a pipe dream. robert clint gave an interview where he said he was in negotiations to play a huge festival in the uk. what he said was i'm not sure who i'm going to play with. that of course -- they reunited for a concert a year ago and everyone is speculating it could be the big comeback again. >> another name that jumps out at me because i love this lady is sade. >> i was lucky enough to hear her upcoming album. it's beautiful. >> she's been gone for ten years. >> she sounds great. i saw her in person. she looks amazing. she's so graceful. the album is right down the center which fans will look for. >> another name, i'm not as familiar with her music but you think great things about her. >> i had the opportunity to see her play at a downtown theater a week or so ago. beautiful songs. broke out as an r&b artist out of the uk. in the interim, tragically, her husband died of a suspected drug overdose. she went ahead for a couple of years and coming back with this album. it's a beautiful album. >> is there a name that will jump out in the world of hip-hop? >> the thing everyone is wondering about is dre' going to put out his album. once guns and roses put out their album 1314 years in the making. dr. dre' and his detox album is the new democracy. >> kanye, good year, bad year in 2010 in. >> i think he'll rebound. he's too talent and good not to. he's a real artist. he's going to put out a dvd, a story tellers dvd for vh1 in january. he's crazy, with you that's why we watch him. >> he and taylor probably not going on tour? >> probably not. up next, an unforgettable gift from an unforgettable man. an update on one of our most popular stories from 2009. right after this. really looking. without wait. 310 calories? 340? 8 grams of fat? compare that to select harvest light soups. wow. 80 calories. 60 calories and no fat. with the first two light soups ever that are 100% natural. you get lots of satisfaction without lots of calories. select harvest light soups. from campbell's. but my doctor told me that most calcium supplements... aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, so it can be absorbed with or without food. citracal. are still on the road today. uh hum. no. uh-uh. - which means, someday, - ( dings ) this camry could be his. ( car wash whirring ) reliability, to move you forward. ♪ this morning on "today's american story" with bob dotson, a man who touched countless live. this man had the work ethic that would make the face on mt. rushmore grin. he passed away and left behind a very unusual estate. joe could starving dog off a meat truck. the man in the thousand dollars suit sold $5 potato peelers. lots of them. >> there you go. >> reporter: his warehouse was his park avenue apartment. where do you keep the potato peelers? >> right in here. >> reporter: boxes and boxes stacked in what was once the maid's room. >> really? >> reporter: yep. park avenue. >> never underestimate a small amount of money. >> reporter: by hand, six days a week for 60 years. joe's business made him something of a mystery man in this posh neighborhood. >> some people suspected that he might be sean connery. >> just pull the handle, just try it. >> he's probably from mobile, alabama. who knows. >> reporter: the accent was as real as the bombs in his boyhood backyard. joe grew up in britain during world war ii, learning from pitch men who set up in the rubble. >> joe squinters, they were brilliant. >> reporter: so, it turned out, was joe. >> big crowd. >> reporter: what's the most unusual thing you've sold? >> christmas trees in february. i'm not kidding. >> reporter: joe lived the kind of lifestyle most of us only see in movies. but he had no savings. spent all of his money every month. that paid for his park avenue apartment and lavish lifestyle. so when he died last february, what did he leave his daughter? >> he left me 40 boxes of peelers and a bag of carrots. >> reporter: with instructions on how to gather a crowd. >> you start working as if you already have a crowd. >> just come in the yard. you have to see this close-up. it gets quiet, there's a tendency to surrender. >> that's the best $5 you ever spent. >> my father taught me that you should keep going, even if there are just three people. >> reporter: customers are attracted to people who enjoy what they do. >> liking what you do. >> reporter: joe first taught ruth how to hawk children's books on the streets so she could put herself through columbia university. before he died, he was determined to do the same for his granddaughters. >> me and my friend went to a river and we caught minnows. >> minnows? i want my kids to go to the best colleges it's possible to go to and i want to pay for it. >> reporter: that's why joe was up before dawn every day pushing potato peelers down park avenue. that's why his granddaughter, nina, is up early, too, helping her mom buy potatoes before school. >> here's a big one. >> reporter: ruth remembers her dad like the lines from a cherished song. ♪ unforgettable ♪ in every way he taught her to savor the glorious uncertainty of starting every day with nothing. >> you get one for $5, you get five for $10. >> reporter: if she sells all those peelers, she'll have $96,000 for her daughter's fund. >> it wasn't just the peelers, really. it was the life lesson for me and the lesson of how to earn a living. >> reporter: a lasting wealth. >> why would you buy four peelers if it lasts a lifetime? >> you've got four friends. that's why. >> reporter: with a chance of making many, many more. for "today," bob dotson, nbc news with an american story in new york city. now let's head back upstairs to al. >> thanks a lot, ann. we've moved on to our main course with chef ed brown. we're talking lemon chicken. we had started her off blond chicken and we've kind of had the sauce. >> yes. so we sauteed the chicken without any color. what it actually does is leaves the chicken really super tender. we cooked it slow in butter. by the way, butter is your friend many times. >> that's right, butter is your friend. >> a little is good, more is better. so i take the chicken out. >> by the way, would you call my wife and tell her that? >> so what's happened is the juice of the chicken, the lemon and the wine are starting to come together with the flour and make a sauce. i put a little chicken stock in there just to sort of bring it all together. and then, of course, we're going to finish the sauce. a ril bit more butter. >> of course. >> you don't mind, do you? >> no, no, no. it was there. you had to use it. don't want it to go to waste. >> while that's cooking, got some really thin slices of lemon we're just going to put over the chicken. it looks nice, but they're also adding flavor to the dish. and some rough chopped parsley. again, this is for flavor. >> right. and color. >> nice color as well. sauce is just coming together nicely here. the flour is helping to thicken it up, but it's also the reduction of all the juices of the chicken. >> flavor. >> a lot of flavor. >> and butter. >> this is almost like a chicken chowder. >> it's chowder house, baby, 61s and broadway. >> that sauce comes together nice. right over the chicken. >> it looks good, huh? >> we cooked this live. this is realtime cooking. >> forgot something. >> pour it on there. >> there you go. >> pour it on there. >> shall we taste some. >> i think we have to, because that's with a we're here for. oh, wow, good. . >> tender, right? >> like velvet. chicken velvet. thanks so much. first your local news and weather crux of this is wbal to the 11 news today in baltimore. >> it is a 20 6:00 a.m. and here is a look at some of our top stories this morning. baltimore city police commissioner is hoping a new strategy will help crack dined on violence -- crack down on violence in the city. he held a press cupboards and spoke of the great progress in keeping homicide numbers down. looking ahead, he said 2010 will be more than just about going after bad guys. >> how we process information, how we prioritize who we are after in terms of violent offenders and moving that out of the comsat process and the command level process down the line. >> you may recall, 2009 started with 11 murders in 11 days. officials are hoping that their new strategy will mean a better start for 2010. baltimore county police are investigating a shooting in woodlawn. it happened around 4:00 p.m. yesterday. a teenage boy was shot several times. he was taken to shock trauma. no word on his condition this morning. now let's take a look at the forecast. >> good morning and happy new year. the weather should be pretty quiet today. the fog will be burning off over the next couple of hours. there's still a 30% chance for a rain or social work, but generally dry with a lull in the 40's. shooting for a low temperature tonight around 22 or 23. died temperatures on saturday and sunday will be in the upper 20's and the 30's -- the high temperatures on saturday and sunday will be in the upper 20's and low 30's. and low 30's. ♪ ♪ i don't want to be lonely no more ♪ ♪ i don't want to have to pay for this ♪ we are back at 8:30 on this friday morning, the 1st of january, 2010. what better way to start up the new year than with a concert by grammy winning singer and songwriter rob thomas. much more from him in just a little bit. i'm meredith vieira here with matt lauer and ann curry and al roker. chef ed brown has been putting together a fantastic new year's day meal for us. we've been having a great time. thank you. also ahead, chances are your bottom line took a pretty severe hit back in 2009 and even 2008, so a lot of people this year looking to get finances back in order. going to share six ways you can begin to do just that. plus, we have a special holiday performance over on the rock center rink from the most successful ice dancing team in u.s. history. and how to actually keep your new year's resolution in 2010. we've got some good ideas. first chef ed brown of 81 restaurant just finished the lemon chicken. now he's made some delicious fry dishes as well we can all make. . >> grade sides. everything was simply to make roasted carrots. beautiful carrots. wash them, not peel them. all of that flavor, nutrition in the peel. olive oil salt in the oven, maybe 40 minutes or so until caramelized. that's it. simple. smashed potatoes. again nothing too perfect or hard. just boil them, smash them, olive oil, parsley and salt. >> you want one? these are amazing. >> unbelievable. so good. >> salad, baby watercress or regular watercress. pomegranate seeds, olive oil, pinch of sherry vinegar and salt. this is that holiday look. >> so beautiful. >> this is now called al's lemon chicken. then of course, my signature portobello fries i make at 81 and at chowder house. >> try some of that, because those are great. >> i can't get over the carrots. >> can i tell you something? they're so simple. are they heirloom carrots? >> they're not necessarily heirloom carrots. they could be. i didn't buy heirloom carrots. fresh farm carrots. really the difference is amazing versus just abc carrots. roasting them caramelizing them. you guys should try some of this great 81 wine. this is our signature blended red wine that we made out in california. >> oh, you made this yourself? >> yes. >> he stomped on the grapes himself. >> drink for me. >> we made the wine together. >> cheers. >> happy new year. >> congratulations on the chowder house. >> we're going to get to the main course later. first another check of the morning's news and weather from amy roebuck. good morning once again. >> good morning, everyone. a suicide bomber who killed seven cia employees in afghanistan was reportedly invited to their outpost as a potential informant. flags at cia headquarters are flying at half-staff to honor the victims of wednesday's attack. pope benedict urged followers to recognize men are nippon >> good morning.d happy new year. things are pretty quiet. there is a little bit of fog out there. there is a 30% chance it's 8:34. now back to matt. >> all right, amy. thank you very much. up next, a special new year's day performance from rob thomas. but first, this is "today" on nbc. the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. toyota, moving forward. grammy winner rob thomas is out with his second solo album. it's called "cradle song." and "rolling stone" has declared its music is infectious. rob, good morning to you. >> how are you? good to see you. >> happy new year. did you make any resolutions? >> i did, but have already forgotten them. >> then you can't break them. >> i made them last night. now they're over. >> "cradle song" i know this is a album influenced by paul simon's "rhythm of the saints." >> that's where it started. the opening song, the first single "her diamond is kind of the first one i wrote that showed me where the record would go. immediately it had that vibe, '80s, paul simon kind of feel. i started with that, but somewhere along the way, i think i abandoned it and made kind of an 'its record. i took influences from durran durran and influences from peter gabriel and paul simon, all of the stuff i listened to in the '80s. >> that was my decade. i love that. great. you spent a lot of time this past year touring and here across the country. now you're going on tour in australia, getting ready practicing your aussie? >> it's pretty easy. it's the most easy to assimilate other countries. it's so far away like a bizarro america. you go there, kind of an england vibe that's even more american. >> what's it like being on the road connecting with fans again? >> i love it. i'm one of the people who feel like the reason i write music and make records is so i can play it live. there's something about that realtime interaction. when you see someone who has been living with your record and they come to a show and you're kind of sharing that moment with them. on a good night, you and your band and everybody in that room are kind of on the same page in the same moment. it feels perfect. >> speaking of realtime interaction, you're a huge twitter guy. what do you talk about? >> i tweeted about this interview. >> what are you saying, anything good? >> all good things. >> again, the album "cradle song" you're going to sing the title song. ♪ you can go. you can start all over again ♪ ♪ you can try to find a way to make another take ♪ ♪ you can hide ♪ you want all your feelings ♪ you can try to carry on but all you want to do is cry ♪ ♪ well maybe someday we'll figure all this out ♪ ♪ and try to put a lid to all our doubt ♪ ♪ try to find a way to make things better now ♪ ♪ maybe someday we'll live our lives out loud ♪ ♪ we'll be better off somehow someday ♪ ♪ now wait, try to find another mistake ♪ ♪ maybe you could change your mind ♪ ♪ you can run, oh, yeah ♪ and when everything is over and done ♪ ♪ you can shine a little light on everything around you ♪ ♪ maybe someday we'll figure all this out ♪ ♪ try to put an end to all our doubt ♪ ♪ try to find a way to make things better now ♪ ♪ maybe someday we'll live our lives out loud ♪ ♪ we'll be better off somehow someday ♪ ♪ but i don't want to wait ♪ i just want to know ♪ i just want to hear you tell me so sfoet ♪ give it to me straight, tell it to me slow ♪ ♪ because maybe someday we'll figure all this out ♪ ♪ we'll put an end to all our doubt, try to find a way to just feel better now ♪ ♪ maybe someday we'll live our lives out loud ♪ ♪ we'll be better off somehow someday ♪ ♪ well sometimes we don't really notice just how good it can get ♪ ♪ so maybe we should start all over ♪ ♪ we'll start all over again ♪ well, sometimes we don't really notice ♪ ♪ just how good it can get >> oh, oh, so maybe we should start all over ♪ ♪ we'll start all over again ♪ again ♪ oh, someday >> excellent job. again, the song is "cradle song." thank you guys so much. you guys are awesome to be with us on new year's day. rob will be back with another performance in a little bit as we continue our new year's day celebration. but first this is "today" on nbc. woman: i don't know. dealer: you know, volkswagen takes care of the scheduled maintenance at no cost. and during the sign then drive event, you can get a cc, jetta, or top safety rated tiguan for practally just your signature. it's that easy. woman: i can't believe it. woman: i can believe it. yep. "today's money" is brought to you by fidelity investments. turn here. this morning on "day's money," getting your financial house in order for 2010. our financial editor, jean chatzky is here with opportunities you can't afford to miss. jean, good morning. happy new year to you. let's start with jobs. we're hovering at around 10% unemployment right now. are there opportunities coming in the new year in terms of people actually hiring? >> in fact, it looks like about one third of businesses in the service sector as well as in finance, insurance and real estate say that they will gear up their hiring as soon as the year turns. we'll also see continued hiring in health care and education. >> so people need to -- who have been looking or are about to look need to really focus their search. >> right. and you want to ask yourself, what skills do i have that i could then turn around and apply to those industries. so maybe you're a lawyer who has found yourself out of work. ask yourself, could i find a job with an insurance company? could i find a job in a hospital. and when they write their want ads, what key words are appearing in those want ads that i can put in my resume so it will fly to the top of all those electronic searches. >> separate yourself from everybody else. 2009 was the year of the salary cutbacks. i guess the good news according to you is 2010 we could start to see salary increases. >> small increases, about 2.7% according to the folks at hewitt. but those people who are thought of as the best and the brightest in their company should see about 5% wisconsin against argues for making yourself invaluable. >> but if your company is not announcing they'll pay more, is this the case where the squeaky wheel gets the grease? do you go to the boss and say is money freer? >> you should absolutely go. don't just say i want a raise because i need a raise. go and make the case that you actually contributed something to the bottom line. if you put a new idea in place that boosted sales, they need to know it and see it on paper. >> let's say you're one of the fortunate people who will see a salary increase. then you have to decide what to do with the increase. >> we don't want people to lock up their short-term savings. because if you look at rates, for example, on cds and money market accounts -- >> 1.7% on a one-year cd. >> they have nowhere to go but up. so if you want to keep the money very, very liquid, look at an interest-bearing checking account. citizens bank, prove dent bank. they're offering checking at 4% interest rates. you have to use your debit card ten times a month which most people do. >> let's talk about something else. it's still confusing to me. the opportunity for people convert an i.r.a. to a roth i.r.a. why? >> it's different from a traditional i.r.a. because once you pay the taxes when you put the money in, it can grow forever tax free. you never have to pull the money out, which means you can pass this on to your kids if you don't need the distributions when you're retired. and if you want to pull out money to pay for a first house or pay for education, you can do that, too. very flexible. but normally people who make more than $100,000 a year cannot convert. in 2010, they can and they have two years to pay the taxes. >> you mentioned first-time home buyers. there was a bump in home sales at the end of 2009. one of the reasons these tax credits that were out there from the federal government, they're going to last until april. who exactly qualifies? >> anybody who's buying their first home qualifies for an $8,000 tax credit. you have to go to contract by april and close by june. or if you have been in your home for five years, you can actually qualify for $6500 credit and mortgage rates, i have to point out, they're 4.5%. they're so low -- >> how long can that last? >> the forecasts look like they, too, have nowhere to go but up. you don't want to be a betting person in this arena. if you get into a mortgage rate that works for you, take it. >> good advice. jean cat chatzky. i think we should lift our glasses and row pose a toast. >> you always say that. >> lift our glasses. >> why not? >> have a wonderful new year with four wonderful people. and me, that's five. . >> and health, good health to everybody, too. >> happiness. cheers. >> cheers. >> it was a tough year. >> and to everybody out there as well. >> for surviving 2009 and on to 2010. >> yes. to a happy new decade. >> watching us at this time of the morning going, oh, i can't think. they're drinking again. >> very nice. >> if you don't drink on our toasts, that's bad luck, isn't it? >> aren't you supposed to look in somebody's eye as you toast them? >> you're supposed to hop on one foot, too. >> and eat tamales. >> before we get to your local news and weather, i'm going to end this on a nice note. time for one more song from rob thomas. that's nice. >> that sounded threatening. ♪ if you want to go for a ride, keep your hands inside and make the most out of life ♪ ♪ now don't you take it for granted ♪ ♪ life is like a mean machine made a mess out of me ♪ ♪ like an angry dream i was stranded ♪ ♪ i was stranded ♪ and i'm steady but i'm starting to shake ♪ ♪ and i don't know how much more i can take ♪ ♪ everybody get down ♪ this is all i can take ♪ this is how a heart breaks ♪ take our hit now, your favorite break down ♪ ♪ stay wide awake this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ you want to go for a ride down to the other side ♪ ♪ feels so good to cry ♪ won't you do what i told you i've been living you, you used to be shy ♪ ♪ we were so fine, you and i ♪ why you got to make it so hard on me ♪ ♪ man, it's hard on me ♪ and i'm sorry but it's not a mistake ♪ ♪ i keep running but you're getting away ♪ ♪ this is it now ♪ everybody get down ♪ this is all i can take, this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ take our hit now, break down ♪ wide awake, this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ oh, yeah ♪ i said this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ you're not the best thing that i knew there was, never cared so much for all this hanging around ♪ ♪ it's just the same thing all the time ♪ ♪ what i want, get you close to the line ♪ ♪ you're just the same thing that i knew ♪ ♪ ♪ this is it now ♪ everybody get down ♪ this is all i can take, this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ take our hit now, you feel the break down ♪ ♪ stay wide awake this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ this is it now, everybody get down ♪ ♪ this is all i can take, this is a heart breaks ♪ ♪ we take our hit now ♪ you feel the break down ♪ stay wide awake, this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ i said this is how a heart breaks ♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh, ♪ this is how a heart breaks ♪ i can't take it, i can't take it ♪ ♪ i can't take this, no, no ♪ oh, no, this is a heart breaks ♪ >> live, local, late breaking, this is wbal tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning, i'm sarah caldwell, and your is it that one of our top stories this morning. new year's celebrations bring in the nude -- the new year all over the world. the cold weather kept a lot indoors, but many braved the wet weather for entertainment. now let's take a look at the new year's day forecast with meteorologist tony pann. >> the fog should be bring off over the next couple of hours. you will probably get a peek at the sun. we will call into variable clouds. fairly dry this new year's day with a high temperature around 42 degrees. cold temperatures this evening, down into the 20's by early tomorrow morning. and saturday and sunday will struggle to get out of the 20's. the high-temperature will be in the 20's and low 30's both days and windy. as we all had back to work and school monday morning, low temperature of 16 degrees. there will be some snow flurries on tuesday as well. it gets warmer by the end of the week. >> milak another update by 9:25 a.m.

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