Transcripts For WBAL Today 20120123

all roads lead to indianapolis agony of defeat. all roads lead to indianapolis today, monday, january 23, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> good morning. i'm savannah guthrie. i'll pass the coffee. i know you were up late watching the pats. >> didn't you hear me yell? >> the thrill of victory for you. >> the giants game ended late but it was thrilling. i felt terrible for the kicker on baltimore. >> i'm crying for the ravens kicker. imagine the plane ride heeome. >> something else fans are talking about this morning. steven tyler's national anthem. can i say it? i love steven tyler. he's a buddy, but people are questioning this performance. >> dogs were barking there at the pats game. a dangerous start from mississippi to ohio as severe storms batter the region. >> we are hearing dramatic reports of widespread damage in paradise valley, alabama. we'll get to al roker with the latest on that coming up straight ahead. >> also ahead, "30 rock" star tracy morgan was rushed to the hospital overnight after falling unconscious at the sundance film festival. we'll have the latest on his condition. >> and a race against time to save a texas family of three on a sight-seeing plane when it crashed into the ocean. good samaritans who just happened to be right there immediately dove in to action. coming up, the dramatic rescue and one of the survivors will speak out in a live interview. >> amaze aing story. >> let's get to breakin iing in. strong storms in the south. al roker? >> we have an area of severe weather from central alabama into parts of georgia. this was last night in fordice, arkansas, where they had a massive amount of damage reported. of course the storms have made their way into alabama and are on their way into georgia. let's show you what's happening right now. there's the risk of severe weather. as far as our radar is concerned, as you look you can see a tornado watch in effect for central alabama until 10:00 a.m. tuscaloosa, montgomery, birmingham reported. as matt mentioned, paradise valley, alabama, in between birmingham and tuscaloosa, we had ham radio reports of the town being wiped off the map. we are going to have to update this. but, again, it is really bad there. we're looking at the storms continuing. we are looking not at heavy rainfall amounts but the big problem going to be the winds out of the tornadoes. hail, damaging winds and we'll continue to update this for you. matt? >> al, thank you very much. we'll get your forecast in a few minutes. for now, to the battle for florida as the gop presidential race heats up on the heels of newt gingrich's big win in south carolina. nbc's peter alexander is in tampa this morning. peter, good morning to you. >> reporter: matt, good morning to you. after being badly beaten in south carolina mitt romney hustled to florida to get a head start. having spent millions in this state already since the beginning of the month. romney's senior advisers say you can expect him to ramp up the rhetoric against newt gingrich going forward, that we'll begin to see a more confrontational mitt romney and we are already beginning to see it on the campaign trail. looking to capitalize on his resounding south carolina win, newt gingrich arrives in florida today, focused on momentum and money. >> in florida my case is simple. you have a clear establishment candidate in mitt romney. you have somebody whose entire career has been a reagan populist conservative going all the way back to the 1970s. >> reporter: on twitter, gingrich boasted he raised more than $1 million in less than 24 hours and asked supporters to donate more to help him deliver a knockout punch. >> this is a decision point. >> reporter: mitt romney is looking to the sunshine state for a comeback. >> what's he been doing for 15 years? he's been working as a lobbyist and selling influence around washington. >> reporter: appearing on "meet the press" earlier, gingrich denied that. >> i was not a lobbyist. i was never a lobbyist. don't mix these things up. the fact was i was an adviser stroo teenagecally. >> reporter: during our interview romney ridiculed that. >> if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck. >> reporter: what makes him unfit to be president of the united states? >> he was speaker of the house for four years and then was investigated by an ethics panel. those who knew him rejected him, reprimanded him and he left in shame. >> reporter: after weeks of being coy about whether he'll release tax returns. >> maybe. >> reporter: he said he'll release his 2010 returns and an estimate for 2011. >> there are no surprises. nothing in the financial disclosure forms. we said, get it out there soon. >> reporter: romney's son put out this photo of his father doing laundry. do you see images like that and say, maybe i'm trying too hard to look like an average guy. >> everybody knows i'm not an average guy. >> reporter: are you doing your laundry on primary day? >> we'll be on the road 30 days. who else does our laundry? >> reporter: this state doesn't vote until january 31 is. romney said something new yesterday, ann romney referring to statements about the family's personal wealth saying they measure wealth and riches in the strength of the family. also worth noting, nearly 200,000 people in the state have already voted either by absentee or early voting. >> peter alexander in tampa, thank you so much. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press" and chuck todd is the political director and chief white house correspondent in tampa at the site of tonight's republican debate. good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> david, in that piece we hear newt gingrich saying he raised more than $1 million in less than 24 hours following the win in south carolina. i know that money will come in handy. do we have any idea how much it will cost the candidates now that the campaign has taken a dramatic turn? how much they will spend in the state of florida? >> it's what they will spend and what a the super pacs on their behalf will spend as well. if you're newt gingrich you're relying on debates. paid advertising has got to play a role. he's got to rely on momentum taking him in to florida at this point. i don't think he can go toe to toe with mitt romney's funds from his own campaign and his own super pac to make an impact in such a tv-rich state. >> chuck, i watched you on the roundtable yesterday. one thing that struck me is how few people seemed to give newt gingrich a realistic chance of winning the nomination. i know the pundits counted the guy out on a couple of occasions. >> right. >> is that risky? >> i think you're right. it is risky. when you look at where the republican electorate is, they are looking for a conservative. not the most electable candidate but a conservative. mitt romney hasn't successfully made the case. with gingrich, you hear all of the back room chatter that there will be this whatever it takes to, quote, stop gingrich. you have members of the house leadership who think, look what gingrich did when he was and '98.lly on the ballot in '96 he helped re-elect a democratic president and almost cost them the house when he was in charge. there is panic he could lose the presidency, lose control of the house and blow their chances at picking up the senate. that's why a panic that the establishment will do whatever it takes to stop him. even find a new candidate. >> because of momentum the debate takes on more significance. it's safe to say mitt romney is wounded after south carolina. what do you expect to hear from him in the debate? >> peter alexander's report and interview were quite telling. this is a different mitt romney. mike murphy, republican strategist, said to me yesterday romney is in a corner with a broken bottle in his hand. he has to decide if he'll fight or be overtaken by gingrich. this is not a candidate who's been defined by that willingness to really fight in the course of a campaign. he's not in fighting shape. he has to be soon. he has to draw bright contrasts. he's up against something powerful here. he's running as a populist with a lot of insider credentials. that's the calling card of the grief-stricken right right now. the element of the conservative party. that's what he's going to have to contend with in these debates and in florida. >> the issue of tax returns, mitt romney will release them tomorrow. does that take it off the table as a subject during the debate tonight? >> a tiny bit. you heard gingrich himself to david on "meet the press" saying it may take it off the table. let's see what's in there. what is it that was in these tax returns that made mitt romney say at a debate, hey, you know, i'm worried about beating president obama. what's he worried about? what's in there? there is something to that. and when you go even by the president bush standard when he was candidate bush he released ten years before taking the oath of office. this isn't fully going away but it sounds like gingrich is willing to have it go away for a little while, at least from what he told david. >> guys, thank you very much. just a reminder, you can see the nbc news republican debate tonight on a special edition of "rock center" with brian williams on nbc. it's now 11 after the hour. savannah savannah? there are new developments in the cruise ship off the coast of italy. a woman's body was recovered raising the death toll to 13. michelle kosinski is at the scene with the latest this morning. good morning to you. hi, savannah. since it happened more than a week ago searchers have recovered 13 victims but only identify eight. there are around 20 missing and a possibility of more people on board whose names weren't registered. divers are determined to keep going, even removing all the fuel on board. you can see the ship there. it could start as early as tomorrow. what happened in those last moments on board the concordia become more evident with each victim found. on sunday, a woman wearing a life jacket was recovered from a deck just above where passengers were told to gather to board lifeboats. searchers say she may have tried to run up higher on the ship as it tilted into the water. saturday another was found near the same area, also in a life vest. but a surprise to officials, she may be a hungarian woman whose name doesn't appear on a list of passengers or crew. how many others there may be, unnamed, is unknown. the families of the unaccounted for, including the son and daughter of americans barbara and jerry heil gathered together on this island. their distress evident on their faces as they comforted one another. there was a church service in the same place where survivors came that night. the families met with rescuers, thanked them personally. the ceo of costa cruises was here. >> he came to see the families. he met the french families, american families, other families mostly to express his compassion. [ speang in a foreign language ] >> reporter: in italy, the concordia disaster is debated. we are asking if captain schettino is the only one to blame. they talk about italian bravado and work ethic. one says it's not schettino himself who worries me. it's the schettino in me. media said they persuaded schettino to talk the morning after the accident by suggesting he saved lives in his maneuvering of the ship. he agreed. you need to make a decision in a moment under pressure with cool-headedness adding, we were the last ones to leave the ship which we now know was not the case. and the search for victims goes on. where we are now on giglio, this has been inhabited since the stone age. later it was an important roman trading point and the site of many roman ship wrecks. technology changes things uh but some risks stay exactly the same. savannah? >> michelle kosinski at the scene in italy this morning. thank you. >> let's get a check of other headlines from natalie standing by at the news desk. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt and savannah. good morning, everyone. we begin with an outpouring of emotion on the penn state campus after the death of legendary coach joe paterno who lost his battle to lung cancer. nbc's ron allen is in state college, pennsylvania, with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. we are outside the football stadium where joe paterno and penn state enjoyed so much glory. his statue is over there and has become a shrine with people stopping by to light candles, leave flowers. everyone is trying to focus on what paterno accomplished rather than the sexual abuse scandal that led to his downfall. thousands from the penn state community gathered in the heart of campus to honor a man who, perhaps more than any other individual, made this university what it is. >> we are not just athletes. we're not just students. we are a reflection of who joe paterno was. >> reporter: joe paterno was here for 60 years, with a record 409 victories while putting academics before athletics. >> people ask me why i stayed here so long. you know what? look around. >> reporter: the legacy of greatness. >> joe paterno with the light he was blessed with blessed each of us. >> reporter: tarnished by the sexual abuse scandal around his long-time assistant jerry sandusky that led to paterno getting fired. with hindsight he said he wished he had done more to intervene. >> after 61 years he deserved the benefit of the doubt. the circumstances at the end which happened, sad for everybody. >> reporter: the official cause of death is lung cancer but many people will tell you a contributing factor was that paterno was heartbroken by everything that happened the last few months. we expect to hear from the family and the university about funeral arrangements and the memorial service. natalie? >> thank you, ron. arizona representative gabrielle giffords will resign from congress this week. she made the announcement sunday in a video posted by her campaign saying she needs to focus on her recovery. >> i don't remember much from that horrible day. but i will never forget the trust you placed in me to be your voice. >> giffords will meet with supporters at a public event in tucson today and attend tomorrow's state of the union. it now costs more to mail a letter. the u.s. postal service raised the cost of a first class stamp by a penny to 45 cents. now to wall street and mary thompson at the new york stock exchange for us this morning. what are we watching? >> this week investors are awaiting a decision on interest rates from the federal reserve as well as earnings from oil giant exxon mobile. today attention is on canada where the co-ceos of research in motion stepped down. this as the maker of the blackberry lost its once dominant grip on the cell phone market to iphone. >> mary thompson, thank you. "30 rock" actor tracy morgan was rushed to the hospital. tmz had a photograph affidavit ambulance arriving after morgan fell unconscious at the sundance film festival. he was suffering exhaustion and problems with altitude. no word on his condition. and the super bowl matchup is set. it will be giants and patriots again four years later. lawrence tine kicked the field goal in overtime to cinch the title over the 49ers. it was a field goal miss that dashed the super bowl dreams of the baltimore ravens. losing to the new england patriots 23-20 in the afc. a lot of us are bleary-eyed but it was worth it. back to matt, savannah and al. great matchups. >> and condiff is a really good field goal kicker. she's shown great skill under pressure. >> i think that's why the other players were stunned. >> stunned. >> i feel terrible. >> let's never play that video again. i can't bear it. >> natalie, thank you very much. how are you, mr. roker? >> tired but happy. weather played a big role in the game with the 49ers and giants. you can see the front. that's the one triggering severe weather through the southeast. snow behind it. rain moving into the pacific northwest. northern california with snow through the rockies. freezing rain in upstate new york into new england. also some freezing rain as well through the virginias. >> good morning, everyone. there could be minor icing in some of the neighborhoods north and west of baltimore to start the day today. temperatures will climb above freezing in most areas. we should make it up to 44. best and that's your latest weather. matt? >> now the alleged mastermind behind one of the internet's biggest and most lucrative schemes. kim.com appeared in court as new details emerged about his li lifestyle. stephanie gosk is in london with details on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. with controversial legislation that hopes to cut down on internet piracy, supported by nbc universal, the fbi is cracking down. federal prosecutors have arrested one of the information superhighway's biggest criminals. kim schmidt, a computer master mind best known by one of his other names, kim dot com. the world wide web made kim dot com a wealthy man. addicted to cars and everything else in the fast lane the 37-year-old likes to call himself dr. evil. >> if you're happy -- >> reporter: he founded the most popular file sharing website mega upload. but the u.s. government says most of what was shared on the hong kong-based site -- movies, music and books -- was pirated. even though the company was promoted by music superstars who were among those it was allegedly stealing from. >> this is kanye. i like mega upload. it's the fastest, safest way to send files. >> reporter: thickering a legal battle with the music group which represents west. the fbi shut down mega uploads and asked new zealand authorities to arrest dot com who was living lavishly in a sprawling mansion. police say it wasn't easy. >> they found him huddling in a panic room clutching a sawed off shotgun. they had to cut him out of the room. >> reporter: prosecutors believe he has illegally earned $175 million and caused a half a billion dollars in damages to copy right owners. a charge that the defendants vigorously deny saying most of the content uploaded was legitimate. this isn't the hacker's first run-in with the law. he was found guilty of insider trading and embezzlement in his native germany. far from a low profile the married father of three had in your face decadence with yachts, fast cars and women. >> the photos on his website are ridiculous. crazy photos of him doing things. >> reporter: over the weekend the bank accounts were froze and cars seized including a pink cadillac and a $400,000 rolls royce phantom. now the man who likes to boast he's smarter than bill gates faces extradition to the u.s. in one of the biggest criminal copy right cases of all time. the defendants were in court today for a bail hearing in auckland. defense lawyers say he doesn't pose a flight risk. one of their arguments at 6'7" weighing over 280 pounds how could he flee undetected? matt? >> stephanie, thank you. just ahead, the daring rescue of a texas family caught on tape after their sight-seeing plane crashed into the ocean. their story in an exclusive live interview first, this is "today" on nbc. still ahead, seven things you think you're doing to save money that could cost you more over time. >> and the woman acquitted of murdering her husband after claiming she suffered years of abuse. we'll talk to her after your local news. >> this is wbal tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning, i am stand stovall. a real roller-coaster ride last night for ravens fans as they watched the ravens trade lead to the new england patriots but a missed field goal sealed their defeat, they lost the afc title game to the new england patriots by 23-23 the team returned to baltimore last night but not to better fans. the team will not going to the superbowl but most fans say they are proud of the team and having a great season time for a check of the morning commute. >> good morning, it is tough to see out there causing some delays. there are some icy spot to watch for. dogwood road and old court, we have an accident to watch for and fulton avenue was closed at pratt street due to ongoing fire department activity. on the west side, you are down to 19 miles per hour parad. are is a delight and southbound 795. -- here is a delay at southbound 795. no delays from harford county but when you get toward white marsh, that is where it will slow. that is the latest on traffic. >> good morning, everyone. we have some fog and mist out there to start the day. temperatures are below freezing in some of the northern suburbs. there could still be a thin glaze of life is going on. now near the water is warmer, 38 degrees at the inner harbor. a better chance for rain showers as to go into the afternoon with the high temperature around 44 degrees and it will get nicer tomorrow and wednesday with sunshine coming back, maybe 7:30 now on a monday morning, january 23, 2012. a little warmer weather on tap for the northeast after a chilly and snowy weekend in the new york, new england area. just what the doctor ordered for our friends on rockefeller plaza. meanwhile inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside savannah guthrie who's in while ann is taking time off today. just ahead, are you a sucker for a buy one get one free deal? >> every time. >> really? they get you? >> free refills, too. >> maybe you skip your yearly check-up to avoid a costly deductible. a lot of people do things thinking they are saving money and what they are doing could cost them money in the long run. so we'll have advice on how to avoid those things coming up. >> i will be listening. and a rather surprising celebrity split. heidi klum and seal will be separating after seven years of marriage. details on that. >> they have three or four children? >> four, three biological. >> if it seems like tv is getting raunchier that see's bee it is. curse words are on the rise in television shows catching the attention of parents. what should you tell your kids if they copy the language they hear on television and at home. pop culture in general, music, movies, et cetera. >> the whole society. we begin this half hour with a tropical getaway for a family from texas that turned into a fight for survival when their sight-seeing plane crashed into the ocean. we'll talk to a survivor coming up. first, their harrowing story. >> the texas couple was flying with their 4-year-old son when the plane crashed. miraculously, kind strangers were in the right place at the right time to pull off an amazing rescue. a plane ride through paradise for the atkins family. they were hoping to enjoy the sights along the coast of roatan in the caribbean off honduras. andy atkins had flown in the same plane just months before. >> it was an awesome, fun ride. great views, great pictures. a low flying plane that felt very stable. >> reporter: last week, with his wife generaljenny and 4-year-ol logan along, something went wrong. >> we lost an engine and crashed into the ocean, flipped over. we were stuck under water. >> they're all out. >> reporter: larry forsyth was on a nearby boat when he saw the crash. >> holy -- >> reporter: his son paul captured video of the dramatic rescue. >> we all dove in and swam just as quickly as we could. the timing was impeccable. we were just at the right place at the right time. >> reporter: only moments before, the plane's pilot helped andy get to the surface but there was no sign of andy's wife or son. >> i dove back under looking for them. didn't find them the first time. came back, got air, went immediately back down. i just came up and had logan in my arms and by the time i got to the surface, jenny was also at the surface with the pilot holding her. we were all still in shock at that point. you know, we knew we had survived the initial crash. but we didn't know where it was going to go from there. >> reporter: remarkably, a u.s. navy doctor and another physician were among the divers who risked their lives to save the family. >> they screamed there were two doctors on board. they got them on the back of the boat, got them oxygen, treated them with all their skill. >> reporter: the entire family spent days in a hospital before returning home thursday night. >> it reaffirms your faith in people and humanity that so many people stepped in to help that didn't have to. >> reporter: the atkins are already planning another trip to roatan and said the accident brought them closer to the island and the people there. savannah a? >> amy, thank you. andy atkins is with us now exclusively. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> i know you just returned from honduras. you and your family spent time in the hospital. how are you all feeling today? >> we're out of the hospital. we're getting better day by day. >> this was a low flying plane. as you mentioned it was for the purpose of sight-seeing. as i understand it, this happened really fast. what do you remember about the crash? >> really, all i remember is i didn't know we were going to crash before it happened. i looked out the window, out the side of the plane and could see the ocean and the reef. i guess part of me thought it looked a little close. then really the next thing i knew i was upside down in the water, still strapped in. wondering what happened. it took me a second of talking to my brain, you know, to realize, wow, we really crashed. you're not dead. but you've got to get out of here before you drown. >> you say the pilot actually helped you get free of your seat belt. you came up for air and then what was your first thought? >> well, i want to point out that mr. brown, our pilot was in the accident, too. he did everything he could to get us out of the plane. he helped me out. when i was fumbling with the straps and got me to the surface first. as soon as i got there i asked what happened. he said, we lost an engine. he said, where's my wife and kid. he and i started diving down. the first time i couldn't find anything. quickly came back up, dove down again. by that time i think he had helped my wife get out. she pushed the baby with her last bit of consciousness to me. as i brought him to the surface there she was, too, at the surface almost at exactly the same time. >> there you are in the water. already miraculous you survived the crash and you get another lucky break. some people in the area came over with a boat and rescued you, right? >> people from a parasailing boat raced to the scene as fast as they could get there. they were the first boat there. larry forsyth, retired air canada pilot of vancouver, canada, and tranquility bay resort in honduras dived in to save us. his cousin of cold lake, canada, dived in. but the first one in the water was a man named cooney, a local man from honduras. he was the first one in the water. he's the one that took my boy from me and got him out of the water. >> andy, you are blessed indeed. >> i love you, cooney. >> another boat had doctors on it. is there any doubt in your mind that the care helped save your lives? >> my wife and son, i'm not sure what the outcome would have been without the doctors. i shudder to think. they were the second boat that came up. their captain and crew were outstanding. fortunately they had two doctors -- a doctor from montreal, canada, dr. mark arsenault. [speaking french]. >> and a united states navy doctor who asked to be named as a u.s. navy physician. they treated them the whole way. >> you're blessed indeed. what an ordeal for you. we're glad your family is okay. thanks for being with us, sir. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> today's weather is brought to you by robitussi, n. relief made simple. >> good morning. we have friends here from florida. you flew here for $98? where from? >> milwaukee. >> wow! thanks for coming. >> they are getting slammed in california, the pacific northwest. blue mountain, california, they need chains on to get into the mountain passes. they have snow plows out and there is more winter weather where that came from. as far as today is concerned and the week ahead, going to be rainy, above normal temperatures in the east. below normal out west. seeing more snow in the mountains, rain along the coast. midweek period, things warm up there. much above normal to above normal conditions in the east. above normal in the pacific northwest where it will be wet. as we get to the ladder part of the week rain continuing in the east with lake effect snowshowers below normal in the pacific northwest throughout texas. >> good morning, everyone. there could be icing in some neighborhoods this morning. temperatures will warm into the 40's this afternoon. the chance for rain increasing as we head through the day. the best chance for we got a newly minted 13-year-old here and a sweet 16 over here. but you're holding the sign. very good. all right. let's go back to weather.com and weather channel for anything you need weatherwise, 24 hours a day. >> thank you so much. up next, seven things people do to save money that can end up costing them more over the long haul. plus, heidi klum and seal separate after seven years of marriage. we'll have details. first, these messages. -i love this card. -with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card, we earn more cash back for the things we buy most. it's 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% on groceries. 3% on gas. automatically. no hoops to jump through. that's 1% cash back on oscar. ...tony. oscar! 2% back on whatever she'll eat. 3% back on filling up this baby. 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"today" financial editor jean chatzky is here with ways to avoid being penny wise and pound foolish. people think they are making a decision that will save them money and it comes back to haunt them later. let's start with insurance deductibles. they can be expensive so people say, i will avoid going to the doctor for regular check-ups so i don't pay that little bit every time. >> absolutely. as co-pays and deductibles have gone up we have seen it happening more and more. with the eye doctor, the veterinarian and the dentist which is worrying. that's the window. >> you save money now but -- >> you cost yourself in bigger procedures later. >> you mentioned something at the veterinarian. don't forget. that's the same thing with your pets. once they have big problems that's a big expense. >> it absolutely is. >> when you go to credit cards and get these offers and see them all the time. i get them a lot in the mail. they give you a thing saying if you sign up for this credit card we'll give you a discount early on. >> it sounds great. but the minute you don't pay that bill immediately, you're going to start pag interest. interest on store credit cards is high. it can go up to 30%. so you immediately give that discount right back and it can ding your credit score. >> if you're a person who pays your bills in full, is it worth it? >> i don't think so. again, adding those credit cards to your wallet can take your credit score down a notch which can cost you more money for everything that you borrow. >> this next one is important. let's spend time on this. when times are tough, people have to make choices. they prioritize. they allocate where their money goes. you have beaten it down a number of times over the year. you've got to have an emergency fund. people are not a having an emergency fund at the sake of something else. >> at the sake of the retirement fund. when we put money in the emergency fund we are learning less than 1% interest. the money in the retirement account grows for the future. plus if your company offers matching dollars and you are not getting them you're leaving free money on the table. you've got to do both. >> you say if you have a choice, plan for the thing you know is coming and that's old age. >> right. retirement is coming. we have talked so many times about the fact that most people aren't going to have enough for retirement. you need a little bit in the emergency fund but you've got to put the pedal to the metal for retirement. >> you have the same item at different price points. a lot of people to save money get the cheapest item. >> and they get the expensive one when the cheaper one fails them. be careful. >> when is a sale a good idea to take advantage of and when is it a bad idea? >> if you would have bought the item if it were not on sale you're in smooth waters. otherwise, make sure you're going to use it up. >> buy one get one free? >> any of those sales do a number on our brain. they sucker us in. be careful you are buying things you need anyway. >> what about people who drive miles out of their way to buy cheaper gas. >> the folks at wisebread.com did this calculation. it costs us a dollar for every seven miles we drive on average. keep that number in your mind. if you're going out of your way and not saving more than a couple of bucks it's not worth it. >> jean, good advice. up next, a surprising split for seal and heidi klum after this. so i do qualify for that deduction. thanks, man. that's what i'm here for. man: do your simple return with the turbo tax federal free edition, and now get our free one-on-one expert advice live by phone or chat. get the federal free edition at turbotax.com. 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[ male announcer ] the simple joy of being smart. it's not always shocking to hear about a celebrity break-up but a lot of people were surprised to hear about the end of seal and heidi klum's marriage. >> they have four children together including klum's daughter from a previous relationship. they have renewed their views every year on their an verse isry in may. in a joint statement sunday they said they have grown apart, decided to separate after much soul searching. >> apparently it's amicable. one little complicating factor is she does have a seal tattoo on her arm which she's taking steps to adjust and she'll be a spokesperson for posturpedic mattresses. sealy? get it. >> that was a long time to get to it. >> it wasted time so we don't have to talk about the marriage. his stimulant medicine was helping, but some symptoms were still in his way. so the doctor kept eric on his current medicine and added nonstimulant intuniv to his treatment plan. 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[ female announcer ] aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. and for healthy, beautiful hair, try nourish plus haircare. only from aveeno. ." >> this is wbal tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> morning, it is 7:56 in time to check on the morning commute. >> good morning, everyone. we have been dealing with freezing fog out there. as a result, the lais of the biggest problem but there are a few accidents, joppa road and the disabled vehicle at i-70 that may create problems. you can see a lot of volume on the north and west side around bellaire road tour the harrisburg expressway. once you get on to the jfx, average 25 miles per hour down to 28 straight. -- 28th street. the harrisburg expressway is jammed. this is in the area of 295 and coming toward us as southbound traffic. it is not too bad going toward the 32 per and we are seeing delays on 95 coming out of a white marsh. that is the latest. >> good morning, everyone, we still have fog and drizzle this morning grid temperatures are still below freezing in the northwest suburbs. there is still some ice as yet north and west of baltimore. it is warmer downtown and near the water, 35 degrees in annapolis. we should be able to sneak into the 40's this afternoon and a chance for rental increase as we go through the day. the best chance will be this afternoon and rain showers should end tonight. over the next couple of days, 52 degrees to more with sunshine and 47 on wednesday and the next chance for rain thursday into friday and if we see snow, it would be over the weekend with ties we're back now at 8:00 on a monday morning. it is the 23rd day of january, 2012. getting jabbed in the head with this umbrella savannah is holding here. >> do you know how this works? >> i'm not holding the umbrella. what are you talking about? >> it's not raining. it's nice. if these people can be here without umbrellas we can do the same. >> i'm sorry. >> that's all right. i have another eye. it's a little blurry. matt lauer along with savannah guthrie and al roker. coming up, a dramatic story that made a lot of headlines in this area. >> it did. barbara sheehan shot her husband 11 times in their home in queens, new york. she said she had no other choice after suffering years of abuse at his hands she said she feared for her life. she was acquitted of murder, but she still faces jail time. we'll talk to her about that exclusively in a few minutes. >> also we'll talk about the new rules when it comes to cursing, especially on television. a lot of people have children watching television. it seems more and more these days you're hearing some of the words you never would have heard in years past. for example, when you get jabbed in the eye with an umbrella. >> yeah. >> how do you deal with this when your kids are watching? what do you tell them and what should people programming television do about it? >> you showed self-restraint. >> and you have a relationship with your pediatrician and it's gone for a while. >> it's important. >> it is. what if after a while it's not working and you have to break up with your pediatrician? we'll tell you what you need to do and how to go about it. >> it's hard, especially if you have the pediatrician's name tattooed on you somewhere. >> don't bring it up again. that joke was terrible. >> i keep trying. natalie standing by with a check of the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. newt gingrich is campaigning in florida ahead of tonight's republican debate. backed by a surge of momentum from saturday's south carolina primary victory. gingrich appealed on twitter for donations so he can deliver what he calls a knockout punch to mitt romney in next week's florida primary. meantime romney agreed to release his tax returns tomorrow and is accusing gingrich of selling his influence around washington. you can watch the republican debate tonight at 9:00/8:00 central on a special edition of "rock center" with brian williams on nbc. one day after announcing she'll resign this week arizona congresswoman gabrielle giffords attends her final official event today. she'll finish the tucson meet and greet that erupted in gunfire last year. tomorrow night giffords will attend president obama's state of the union address. it's been more than two months since florida mother michelle parker vanished after an appearance on "the people's court." now video may offer more clues. kerry sanders is in fern park, florida, with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. detectives are following multiple leads, none of which so far has solved the in eexplicab disappearance of michelle parker. they believe they may be getting closer now with the new videotape. in this newly released security camera video, the last known image of michelle parker, just three hours before she disappeared. >> i have been doing pretty good. you know? but when i saw that, it makes me cry. >> reporter: you see parker viflting an orlando fast food restaurant. police released the video friday. her 34th birthday. it was last november when the mother of three appeared in a taped episode of "the people's court" with ex-fiance dale smith. >> he said he wanted his ring. so i took it off and i threw it at him. >> reporter: the day the show aired she pulled into this drive-thru. the next day her vehicle was found in a parking lot with the decals removed. police called dale smith the primary and only suspect. smith hasn't commented. his lawyers say he's not involved in parker's disappearance. >> if he's so innocence, take the lie detector test. what do you have to hide? >> reporter: as the search continues, parker's family hopes this latest video leads to a break in the case. detectives believe it will now be somebody who knows something that gives them a tip that ultimately helps them solve this crime. natalie? >> kerry sanders in fern park, florida. thank you. now for a look at what's trending today, our quick round-up of what has you talking online. legendary penn state coach joe paterno is a top search on yahoo and facebook as fans debate his legacy. paterno died sunday from the lung cancer that was diagnosed just days after he was fired over the child sex scandal involving a former assistant. paterno was 85 years old. a story we mentioned earlier also trending on twitter. users are tweeting surprise over the break-up of "project runway" host heidi klum and singer seal after seven years of marriage. in a statement the couple say ises they have grown apart. on friday seal tweeted the message "the end." and facebook posters either love or hate steven tyler's version of the american anthem. ♪ and the rockets red glare ♪ as bombs bursting in air >> the aerosmith frontman with ties to the boston area was cheered by the new england crowd. it is now 8:06. now back outside to matt. i like it. >> i love steven tyler. natalie, thank you very much. now over to al for an update on serious weather down south. al? >> at the top of the program we told everybody about severe storms rolling through alabama. we have been talking to emergency management officials and in jefferson county, alabama, we have at least two confirmed fatalities. a lot of damage down there. we'll continue to watch the situation. tornado watch in effect in central alabama until 10:00 a.m. as we go to the wide view of the u.s. satellite and radar, you can see the long line of showers and thunderstorms stretching from the great lakes down into the gulf coast. back behind it, we have snow developing. rain, mountain snows in the pacific northwest. rain down to california today. freezing rain in pennsylvania. new york into new england. we have the risk of strong storms down through the southeast. >> good morning, everyone. there could be minor icing in some of the neighborhoods north and west of baltimore to start the day today. temperatures will climb above freezing in most areas. we should make it up to 44. be and that's your latest weather. matt? >> coming up next, a woman facing five years behind bars though she was acquitted of murdering her husband. she'll speak out in an exclusive live interview right after these messages. . i am so glad to get rid of it. just to be able to wake up in the morning on your own. that's a big accomplishment to me. i don't know how much money i need. but i know that whatever i have that's what i'm going to live within. ♪ ♪ ♪ you don't disappear at midnight. and now, you've met your match. new revlon® colorstay™ 16 hour eyeshadow. 64 colors that will take you from night to day without smudging, creasing or fading away. this is mary. who has a million things to pick up each month on top of her prescriptions. thankfully, her walgreens pharmacist recommended a 3-month supply. now, mary gets 3 refills in one and for 3 months she's done. ask your pharmacist about a 90 day supply and how to save with the prescription savings club. individual memberships are just 5 dollars. enroll today. walgreens. there's a way to stay well. this is harvest day, the time where all the hard work is paying off. my name is ed pines, and i've been growing oranges for tropicana for 15 years. we nurture the trees all year long to harvest the fruit at the right moment. this is perfect for tropicana. at tropicana, we pick the oranges at the peak of freshness. it's all about growing the best orange to get the best juice. i love growing oranges. ♪ might seem... ♪ ...impossible. no, no... well how about the purp? 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[ male announcer ] eggo® waffles. simply delicious. back now at 8:10 with a controversial murder case. barbara sheehan admitted to killing her husband but said it was done in self-defense after suffering years of abuse, and a jury agreed. in a moment barbara will speak out for the first time since her trial. natalie has the story. >> reporter: barbara sheehan used two guns to shoot her husband 11 times, killing him in the couple's queens, new york, home in february of 2008. she says though that fateful day came after relentless abuse in their 24-year marriage. while sheehan was acquitted, she still faces time behind bars. in a trial that lasted exactly one month, barbara sheehan's defense team painted a picture of endless abuse at the hands of sheehan's husband, raymond, a former new york city police sergeant. barbara sheehan claims she finally tried to escape one day, taking one of raymond's guns for protection. but when raymond reached for another gun to stop her, sheehan said she shot her husband 11 times, using both guns. barbara sheehan's sister called 911. >> what's the emergency? >> i don't know. someone has a gun. her husband -- he hit her. >> he has a gun? >> no, no. he's gone. >> reporter: barbara sheehan testified that the evening before the killing raymond sheehan threw boiling pasta sauce on her and punched her in the face, a story supported by her children who also testified on her behalf. >> he was going to kill her. she acted in self-defense. >> she had no other choice. she protected her life and mine and my sister's as well. >> reporter: after three days of deliberation a jury of nine women and three men found barbara not guilty of murder. >> barbara's defense artfully created a case of self-defense, of battered woman's defense through the history of abuse in this case because they believe she's the victim. >> i thank god they believed in me. i'm going to spend time with my family. >> reporter: sheehan who has already spent time in prison during trial may face more time behind bars. while she was acquitted of murder and one gun possession charge the jury found sheehan was guilty of a second gun possession charge. >> barbara was convicted because she took raymond's gun and continued to shoot him while he was on the ground, while that imminent danger was now gone and therefore that was an illegal act. >> reporter: a judge sentenced sheehan to five years in prison, more than the mandatory minimum sentence. her family and defense team are outraged. >> i think if you're a battered woman, move some place else if you expect to get help. because you're not going to get it here. >> sheehan's husband had supporters in the courtroom. raymond's twin brother vincent called the decision a bad verdict. in a victim impact statement raymond's sister-in-law said the jury lost sight of the victim in the crime. it was not barbara sheehan. it was raymond sheehan. barbara is appealing the five-year sentence for gun possession. >> barbara sheehan is here with her children. good morning to you all. >> good morning. >> you are out on bail right now while your appeal is pending. the judge sentenced you to five years. are you concerned that you are going to have to go back to jail? >> is yes, of course, that's a major concern. i also believe that we have a good appeal, a good appeal team and i'm just hoping for that. >> when we talk about what happened here, i know you think for people to understand what happened on that day, february 2008, when you shot your husband they have to understand your marriage and the years you spent in that marriage. what was the abuse you claim you suffered at the hands of your husband? >> various types of abuse. psychological, emotional abuse, physical abuse, black eyes, scars on my face, stitches, hospitalizations. it's just unbelievable. >> you know there are people listening who might say, well, why didn't you leave? >> well, it's very difficult to leave. first they manipulate you. so at first it starts with a push or a shove and they apologize, bring you gifts. before you know it you're involved. also it's difficult in my situation because he would tell me all the time, who are you going to call -- the police? he was the police. >> let's talk about that day in february 2008. you say he was angry because he wanted you to go with him on a trip to florida and you didn't want to. you say he pointed a gun at you. what happened next? >> i had come upstairs. he had taken one of his guns and had pointed it at me and said he was going to kill me if i didn't go to florida with him. i had been in contact with a domestic violence group. they told me the only way out, because the situation i was in was so dangerous i had to save money and disappear. what i was doing at that point was trying to save money. i had the money in my bedroom. when he pointed the gun at me, i went to my room to get the money and his other gun was there. >> when you walked past him in the bathroom he was shaving. you say he then pointed the gun at you again? >> i do believe he was shaving. i'm not 100% sure he was. he pointed the gun at me again. i ran down the hall, got the money and i got the gun that was laying there, his gun. >> the issue in the trial seemed to be the jury believed you. they said it was self-defense when you shot him the first few times but the issue was you then grabbed the gun he had ethics to him and shot him again. a total of 11 times. what's your response to the prosecutor's allegation that you were still shooting him long after the danger had passed? >> no. that's not true. it wasn't after the danger had passed. he was attempting to get up. he was still cursing at me, telling me he was going to ef f'ing kill me. evidence trying to get up and any time he chased me -- he was a lot bigger than i am. he always caught me. the danger was still there when i picked up the second gun. >> i will bring in jennifer and ray. you grew up in the household. do you have any doubt about the story your mom tells? >> no. absolutely not. she'll telling the truth. if anything, it was worse than anybody could imagine. it's worse than what people see. >> did you witness, ray, this abuse growing up? >> primarily it was my father abusing my mother. my whole life was witnessing this happening. >> did you fear for your mother's safety? did you fear for her life? >> definitely. >> every day. >> ray, i know when you went off to school you were worried something like this might happen. >> definitely. i always thought it would happen the other way around. but i never thought it would happen like this. >> i wonder how your life is now. you are back at home. you're in the same home that you have this marriage in. is it hard to be there? >> at first i thought it would be hard. but it's actually no longer a house. it's now a home. that's very important. >> i know you can't turn back time. if you could do you wish there had been a different outcome? do you wish you would have been able to leave as opposed to what happened here which is he died? >> oh, absolutely. i'm very sorry for what happened. i do wish i would have been able to leave. unfortunately a couple members of his family did know what was going on and they never even came in to help out. >> very quickly, jennifer and ray, your father's family says he's the victim here. do you agree with that? >> i would like to say something about that. i think we are the only ones that know what happened in that house. for anyone to say that we're lying is a total guess. so that's the worst thing someone can do. they're guessing that we're lying. that's a terrible thing. >> barbara, jennifer and ray, we appreciate your time. we know it's not easy. >> thank you. >> we'll be right back after this. here because he hangs here. because you don't see this everyday. 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well, yeah, but it keeps leading me back to my old office. i think it might be broken. or maybe it's trying to tell you something. yeah, but what could it be try-- oh, i left my 401(k) at my old job. and i left a jacket on the back of my door. but i think the line's talking about my 401(k). leave a 401(k) behind? roll it over with a company that's helping more people reach retirement than anyone else. call or come in for a free portfolio review today. ♪ we're back at 8:21. this morning on today's travel, new rules for airline travel. the department of transportation is implementing change this is week designed to protect you when it comes to tickets, baggage and service. here with details, features director for travel & leisure magazine. nice to see you. >> good morning, matt. >> this is the second phase of a set of rules. the first phase went into effect in august. what do they entail? >> the first set of rules were important ones as well. there were three main rules. the first was there was the maximum four-hour tarmac delay allowed for international carries. prior to that the controls were not used for the international ones. >> right. >> the second one was an increase in compensation for passengers who were getting involuntarily bumped, up to $1,300 which is a substantial amount, more than what was happening beforehand. third and also importantly, international and domestic carriers would be held to the same standards when it came to customer p ser is vis. >> now we are talking about airfares, baggage and service. say you go to book a domestic flight after the new rules go into effect. what's the big difference you will see? >> you will get a little sticker shock. but the thing that's important is transparency doesn't mean highway robbery in this case. the airlines aren't charging you more money. they are being more transparent about what they are charging you. if you're going to book a flight from new york to l.a., today the flight would cost you $278. in a couple of days on thursday the same flight will come up as $299. >> they haven't raised the fare. they are including taxes and extras. >> the reason is the d.o.t. has the new rules and the administration hopes this means airlines and passengers will have better relationships. >> when i look at an international flight, for example, in new york to london today it's advertised at $572. this one jumps a lot. >> it jumps $190. now that's substantial if you're thinking about a family of four traveling. in fact, these mandatory fees account for as much as 20% to 30% of an international flight. when you think about it, it's big numbers but the important thing is you're not being overcharged. this is what you were being charged already. you're just clear on it when you're booking. >> and another involves how long you can hold a reservation without paying for the ticket. >> the airlines made over $1 billion just in the first half of 2011 on just these cancellation fees. this is important. you're able to not only hold for 24 hours without paying but also a cancel without paying. as long as your flight is a week or more in advance of when you're booking you have flexibility which is huge for passengers. >> what's huge for airlines is baggage fees. they made $1.5 billion on baggage fees in the first half of 2011. what are the changes here? >> the changes are you are still going to be charged baggage fees. however, it has to be clearly stipulated on the airline's website. and the main point is that you are not surprised when you get to the airport and you have last-minute additional fees you weren't expecting to pay. >> finally there will be changes in terms of what airlines have in terms of service. what are the changes? >> we all feel we don't get treated well by the airlines. nothing worse than showing up on the day of your flight, realizing the flight has been cancelled or delayed and you weren't notified. this happened to me and a lot of people last winter. in the case of delays, after 30 minutes you have to be notified. if the flight will be changed or there is a deviation you have to be notified within 30 minutes. >> the bottom line is starting the end of the week, the consumer will have much more information at his or her disposal before making choices in air travel. >> absolutely. it's all about empowerment, transparency and protection. >> all right. thank you very much. good to see you. just ahead, whern and how t fire your child's pediatrician. after your local news. >> live, local, late-breaking - this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> good morning, it is 6:26. -- it is 8:26. >> we are dealing with icy conditions in many spots and fog is an issue in many spots print owings road at mills is want to avoid watch for closers at pratt street due to fire activity. at bellaire avenue and the beltway, there's an accident. we are slow around the area where we are 8 miles per hour toward that harrisburg expressway on the outer loop. beginning at 75, down the west side, 13 miles per hour. south than 83 approaching "your crudup to mark -- mount carmel, it is tough to see in that area. you can see reduced to jet visibility on the jfx from the beltway to 28. this is in the white marsh area. down toward the 895 split, we are holding onto jammed conditions. >> we indeed have a flawed, missed, and drizzle this morning for the temperatures have not climbed above 32 in many of the northwest suburbs. if you live there, you still have to be careful, there could be icy spots on the road. from baltimore on south and east, temperatures are in the mid to upper 30's per it off and on rain showers today with areas of fog this morning. we should be able to sneak into the low 40's. nice weather coming up on tuesday and wednesday. >> thank you joining us and we'll have another update at we'll have another update at we know everyone's looking for ways to save. why not save on car insurance? 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[ normal voice ] you're welcome. get a free quote at progressive.com. yeah. the spectrum is from lg. and the r2 unit is from... from naboo. naboo. yeah. the spectrum's got a 4.5" screen, fits nicely in your hand. r2-d2 needs a starfighter. starfighter ? that's like a million dollars in gas. yeah, it's pricey. it's got verizon's 4g lte for lightspeed downloads and a true hd screen to watch movies. i'm going to go with the... it's a good choice. ... phone. the lg spectrum powered by verizon 4g lte, for true hd mobile entertainment. ♪imy mom makes any day sunny.he sun♪ sunnyd does, too. with 40% fewer calories than most regular soda brands. ♪ we are back now at 8:30 on a monday morning, the 23rd day of january 2012. kind of a mess here in rockefeller plaza. we have overcast skies. it's been drizzling off and on for the last many hours. thanks to those folks for braving the weather on a chilly monday morning. i'm matt lauer here with savannah guthrie who's here while ann takes some time off. natalie morales and al roker join us as well. coming up, how to deal with the breaking off of a very important relationship for parents. >> a relationship you have with your pediatrician. of course it's important but are there occasions when you should consider severing that relationship? if so, how should you go about it? dr. nancy is here with good advice for parents. >> also speaking of good advice for parents a lot of us have dealt with the bad language we are hearing in movies, tv, songs. how has cursing crept into society and what impact is it having on kids? we'll talk about that as well. >> also to protect yourself from identity theft. we'll let you know what documents and bills you should shred. not just tear up, but shred every month to keep your identity safe. >> before that can we please say good morning to monica potter, one of the stars of nbc's "parenthood." >> we feel like we know you. >> nice to see you. hi. hi, al. nice to see you. i have my hand warmer. you guys are smart. >> where are your gloves? >> in l.a. >> we apologize because you wanted to do this interview on the couch with everybody on the sofa. what was the deal with that? >> i just like you. >> we know it's about matt. >> we brought you out in the rain. >> i'm from cleveland. this remind mess of home. it's good. >> cleveland. >> yeah. >> "parenthood" is so popular and people relate to the bravermans. it feels like a reality show. >> sometimes we go off book, you know. we all relate to each other as a family in real life. it's a blessing. >> in this show, a lot of people also relate to the fact that your son has as berger's. dealing with a special needs child a lot of folks relate to. >> more than i -- it's overwhelming. it's such a joy to bring this awareness because it's out there and it's prevalent and so many families deal with it. >> are you hearing from those families? >> oh, yeah. i have a lot of friends with autistic children. just to see how they interact with each other, it's just touching and i hear about it every day. it's just, i'm lucky. >> a lot of responsibility then as well. the show deals with real life issues. we saw this past season dealing with the stresses on the marriage that you get through. >> oh, yeah. >> dealing with financial sha hardship which you're getting through. is that to be as real and true to life? >> as true to life as possible. our writers have families. they deal with this themselves. i don't know about the infidelity -- not to say anything. >> is that coming up? >> no! >> we hear you have the perfect talent for this which is the ability to cry on cue. you're crying all the time in the show. >> i know. my kids are like -- i'm really jovial in real life. i like to have fun, make jokes. so i cry. >> she's crying because she doesn't get to sit on the couch with matt. >> good to have you here. let me remind our viewers to catch "parenthood" tuesdays at 10:00/9:00 central time on nbc. >> let's check your weather. again we are talking about rough stuff down for our friends in the southeast where we have had deadly tornados striking. also a lot of rain in california, southern california into the pacific northwest with mountain snows there. freezing rain sections of new york, new england into pennsylvania. tomorrow, still lake effect snow. more rain in the pacific northwest. sunny and mild in the southwest with mountain snows in the central rockies.ra >> good morning, everyone. there could be icing in some neighborhoods this morning. temperatures will warm into the 40's this afternoon. the chance for rain increasing as we head through the day. the best chance for and don't forget you can get your weather day or night on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. shut the front door, savannah! >> the perfect segue. we are talking about all the curse words in our pop culture. first, this is "today" on nbc. back now at 8:37. back in the 1970s george carlin told us there were seven words you could not use on television. four-letter words are popping up on everything from reality shows to sit comes. what are the new rules of cursing? >> because you [ bleep ] to mexico [ bleep ]. >> you had to -- >> when you turn on the tv these days don't be surprised to hear this. >> i don't give a [ bleep ]. >> reporter: or this. last week at the golden globes even meryl streep let one sleep. [ bleep ]. >> oh, my glasses! i'm going to have to remember my speech. i can't believe i said [ bleep ] on tv. >> reporter: it's not just tv. one of the hottest songs of 2011. ♪ [ bleep ] you >> reporter: people are watching what's in a viral video whose title we can't say. >> shut up! >> the language is more explicit than it's been since the '60s. we have a more casual lifestyle than we have had. i think the language use reflects it. >> [ bleep ] nothing. >> look here. i don't like that kind of talk. >> reporter: we may not like it but language once reserved for cable shows like "the sopranos" has gone primetime. in fact, the major networks including nbc have taken the issue to the supreme court asking for more lenient fcc rules. a recent episode of "modern family" caused an uproar when 3-year-old lily used a certain four-letter word. >> daddy! [ bleep ]. [ gasps ] >> reporter: the parents television council accused the story line of being in poor taste in just the latest example of obscenities used on network tv. according to their research, use of a bleeped f word during primetime has increased from 11 instances in 2005 to 276 in 2010. parents are split. >> i think it's tough as the parent of a 7-year-old. i have to watch what he's watching. >> honestly, i have two kids. i don't think it's bad. it desensitizes them. >> how do children learn the language? they learn it in the backyard. little kids are language vacuum cleaners, especially emotional language. responsibility falls on the parents to monitor what their children are watching. >> an entertainment journalist and "today" contributor. jennifer hartstein is a family psychologist. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> is pop culture driving this or is pop culture mirroring society as it is today? >> it's a symbiotic relationship. you see cursing in music, cable, on the reality shows but it's a reflection of what's going on in the real world and in the '60s and '70s we wanted an idealized version of a modern family. now we want a realistic version and in reality little kids curse. >> on television when someone curses it gets attention. is it about attention, ratings, dollars and cents? >> it's all about ratings and telegraphs that you're with it, edgy. you don't want somebody saying "oh, fudge" when they're going to murder somebody. you want the f-bomb. >> as a parent of three kids when you want to download music they are requesting and look to see how times the word "explicit" is next to a song. it's unbelievable. >> it is. you're more likely to see the word explicit than not these days. >> is the horse out of the barn in terms of pop culture in television, music and movies? is there a way to reverse the trend? >> the box is open. no way to put the lid back on. i think in 10, 15 years it may be worse on television. >> as parents, our kids are watching the shows, listening to music and hearing the words on a routine basis. how do you deal with it? >> it's important to model at home. you have to model what you want them to do. they don't learn it as much from tv if they are watching age appropriate television. by 11 or 12 they know how to use the words in an adult way. you have to start 2, 3, 4 modeling what's appropriate. as a parent you can't say those words. if you slip, keep moving because as soon as your kid knows it's a problem they will keep saying it. >> i'm lucky because my kids do not use them as a course of normal language. when they hear someone else use it it gets a giggle. they put their hands over their mouths. in that situation, what do i say? >> it's a perfect opportunity to say, yeah, that was a word we don't always like to say. let it go. don't make it a big deal. >> when we tell kids that polite people don't speak that way and they look -- >> they look at you and say, yes, you do, dad. >> or they see a movie star come out and say that it seems like a mixed message. >> it is. this is part of the problem. there is a hypocrisy involved here. we have to say, you know, everybody slips sometimes. this isn't something we want to do all the time. let's come up with alternatives. >> in terms of where you have a choice and your kids are watching television and listening to music you have to be a police officer. >> you have to be vigilant about what your kids are consuming pop culturewise. it's a dirty world out there. it won't get cleaner soon. >> change the channel, say no to the music. you can only protect them in your house because you don't know what they're doing in other houses but do the best you can. >> ladies, thank you very much. >> that was a clean segment. >> i appreciate it. >> we kept it clean. >> up next, unhappy with your child's medical care? dr. nancy explains when and how to fire your pediatrician. we'll talk about that. first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ it's the way you bring out the sun. ♪ sunny d! ♪ it's the way you make it all fun. ♪ know who makes the day sunny? my mom and sunny d! i love the taste. mom loves the vitamin c. and now it has 40% fewer calories than most regular soda brands! sunny d! ♪ make today a sunny day! find out more at sunnyd.com ♪ back now at 8:46 with parenting today. choosing the right doctor for your kids is one of the most important decision parents make. what should you do if you're not satisfied with the care you're receiving. here with advice on when and how to switch pediatricians is dr. nancy snyderman. >> hey, savannah. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> this could be awkward. is it common where parents feel they have to fire the pediatrician? >> probably not enough. things can happen including hurting your pediatrician's feelings. there is something about being blackballed in the community. >> in the doctor community? >> maybe doctors will say, don't take savannah guthrie. she's a pain. >> is there a doctor meeting? >> no, they don't. but there is a paranoia that it will happen. i don't care if you're a doctor patient or a regular patient. there is this intimidation of the physician so too many times we don't separate when we should. >> what's the most common reason people part ways with their pediatrician? >> a real screw-up. if a pediatrician misses a diagnosis and a family loses faith in the doctor and they move on. too many times people enter into relationships with pediatricians without doing their homework. i say to young people if you're thinking about getting pregnant look for your pediatrician first. figure out if you like that person. if the doctor you're looking for isn't around who will cover? is the front office staff nice? does the whole place feel right to you? use your gut. too many times we get into relationships and it's like anything else. you think, oh, why didn't i check it out? >> or listen to my gut. i will throw scenarios with you. say the pediatrician isn't listening to your questions or is putting down your questions or acting like they are not important. is that a fire-able offense? >> big red flag. or did you not pay attention to what the doctor said? most physician offices has call centers in the morning. are you calling at 4:00 when you should call between 7:00 and 10:00? have the parameters right. time to get a divorce. >> what if you feel your child is seeing the physician's assistant much more than the doctor. is that acceptable? >> doesn't bother me at all. as health care changes nurses and physician assistants are increasingly important for well baby care. if there is a concern you have a right to see the doctor. >> what about the front office staff? if you feel the nurses in the front office are gate keepers. is that understandable given the demands on a doctor's time? >> my pet peeve in a doctor's office are the sliding glass windows that separate you from the physician and office staff. i think they are a real barrier. whether that person is nice, whether your call is answered or you are put on hold, can you get in reasonably, the front office staff is a reflection of the physician. too many times the doctor doesn't know if the front office staff isn't nice. let your doctor know. too many times they don't know. >> say you are going to break up with your physician. should you say something to the doctor or do you avoid the confrontation? >> depends on your personality. some people slink away in the night. other people want to sit down and an explanation why. you have a right to the medical records. have a plan b. know where you will go afterward. have a pediatrician lined up for a good exit strategy. >> what's the questions to ask the new pediatrician? >> everything you didn't like about the old one, ask those questions first. >> all right. dr. nancy snyderman, thank you very much. >> you bet. >> still ahead, steps to take to protect yourself from identity theft. first, this is "today" on nbc. on my journey across america, i've learned that when you ask someone in texas if they want "big" savings on car insurance, it's a bit like asking if they want a big hat... ...'scuse me... ...or a big steak... ...or big hair... i think we have our answer. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. this morning on leonard's look mike leonard takes us on a trip down memory lane to an old school inci school institution that's still going strong. >> reporter: behold this grand entrance to another era. this battered back door portal to a time when shop keepers serviced what they sold, when telephones were answered by humans, and when paperwork was done on paper. some of it kept on spikes, some in time-worn cardboard file boxes, and some -- my goodness, what a curious way to keep and sort phone numbers. >> it works! >> reporter: just as well today as it did 80 years ago when jim and john first opened the wilmette bicycle shop. their sons al, jim and larry now run the business in the same fashion out of the same very old-fashioned freestanding destination store. the type of retail establishment that wasn't supposed to make it in this internet shopping big box age. >> that's correct, yeah. on paper this should not work. >> reporter: not only is it working it's thriving. the funky back door repair room entranceway, a glowing, unpretentious signal that this place is not only about selling stuff. >> we gain trust that way. >> reporter: some people come just for advice. some for a small favor. >> thanks! >> reporter: some to reminisce about their days as one of the hundreds and hundreds of young boys and girls who worked their way through school in a shop that taught them how to work with people. really work with people. a lesson not often emphasized in newer, bigger stores. >> the personal service, you can't beat. >> it's all about service. customers are number one. >> reporter: yes, this bicycle and sports shop is cramped and crowded but nobody's complaining. >> it's easier for me. there are always people to help you. >> reporter: sure, the low ceiling in the basement, bicycle showroom calls for awkward crouching but -- >> i don't mind. the information and service you get makes it worth it. >> reporter: as for the supposed hassle of climbing the creaky stores to the second floor attic stock room, nobody seems hassled. >> no. it's terrific. >> i love it. i go up there all the time just to do it. >> you live with what you have at times, keep the costs down. >> reporter: they have made efforts to address some of the building's cosmetic issues, but even in that regard when it comes to change they don't like to rush things. >> until last year we had 100-year-old wallpaper going up the stairs. we finally decided to paint it. seriously. >> why change if it works? >> reporter: now if only more places worked this way. >> such a throwback. >> reporter: this doorway into the past, a pleasantly disorienting sight for a newcomer stepping inside. >> people say, ooh, it's the wrong entrance. no, no. that's our best entrance. >> reporter: for "today," mike leonard, nbc news, wilmette, illinois. >> as we were watching that each of us said, i know a store like that. >> my town is full of them. mom and pop shops. it's great. i love supporting them. >> too often people think of progress and think, okay, we're doing well we have to move into a bigger location, spanking new. it loses something. >> it absolutely does. it's a throwback. >> a monument to organization. i bet if you asked the owners where anything is they could find it in five seconds. amazing. >> pretty cool. like your dressing room. cluttered but you can still find stuff. we had a place in connecticut, bruce park sports that was in a tiny space. they got bigger. still cool. >> it's steiner sports in new york. >> good old fashioned hardware stores. up next, the difference between the cold and the flu. >> don't worry, matt. we don't have it. up next your local news and weather.

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