exclusive live interview early this wednesday morning, december 22nd, 2010. captioning funded by cbs good wednesday morning as we look over fifth avenue. we've complained a lot on the east coast because of the cold weather but is nothing at all compared to what folks are dealing with outwest. >> a really good point. we see out west things have reached as they were forecasting epic proportions. >> the national weather service is predicting a three-ring circus they call it the next three days. the governor has state a state of emergency in six counties in california, as flood-weary residents prefair for the worst of the monster storms to hit this morning. cbs news correspondent bill whitaker is in la canada-flintridge with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, wes. above me is a hill side recently scorched by fire, now saturated by rain and is threatening to turn into a river of mud. last night, residents were forced to evacuate. this new system coming through rain is expected to fall at a rate of about half an inch an hour. if that doesn't sound like much, just take a look at what this storm system has done already. this week's relentless rain traveling from california to arizona turned a house into a houseboat. in just seconds, floodwaters crumbled this house in little field, arizona not far from las vegas and carry it away. many others are threatened from massive storm plaguing the west. and here in the foothills above los angeles, police went door to door evacuating hundreds of homes. officials warned residents they don't have a choice. >> the evacuation orders that are taking place now are mandatory. >> if you fail to comply, it could result in death. >> reporter: while the fear in la canada flintridge is hillsides giving way throughout southern california, the concern is flooding. both man and beast found themselves trapped by surging water and there were several close calls. >> we made nine rescues in 14 hours. and luckily they all turned out okay. but, those could have been nine fatalities just as easy. >> reporter: four days of virtually non-stop rain has also loosened rocks, closed roads, weakened trees and this is the result. >> the ground's saturated and will have a lot of trees falling over. >> reporter: one silver line sergeant record amount of snow, more than 12 feet of powder in just five days at california's ma'am mot mountain. it may be a skier's paradise but down below, the rain remains a nightmare and it keeps getting worse. >> i cannot overemphasize the magnitude of this storm that is bearing down upon us right now. >> reporter: and it's not just rain. it's wind, thunder, lightning, and a possible tornado all in the forecast this morning and it's headed towards southern california right now. all residents can do is hope that these skies clear before these hills possibly come down and they're hoping their houses can remain safe. russ? >> bill whitaker from california, thank you very much. joining us from the heart of the evacuation zone the player of la canned na flinted ridge donald voss. mayor, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> your town has been through a rough patch of late. how are residents holding up? >> things are holding up very well. it's been raining for several days our debris basins are performing as designed and we learned a lot of lessons from last year's storms put to good use and application so far. the storm approaching today is said to be historic, perhaps a ten-year event and we're very concerned about it. >> i understand. let's talk about evacuations. i understand about 150 homes were evacuated overnight. did that process go smoothly and are some people refusing to leave? >> yes, there were about 150 homes identified for evacuation. of those approximately 100 did not evacuate. that is their right. they must sign a waiver assuming rick and assuming the responsibilities of staying behind. it is their right to remain. >> i was going to ask if you could people to those people right now watching, what would you say to those folks who have not evacuated? >> we wish them the best of luck. the risk they undertake they may not be able to evacuate if the storm is sufficiently strong. >> i know since the devastating fires last year the threat of mud slides has been on the mind of you and others there. what has the city done to prepare for the possibility of these slides? >> the debris basins, five in la canned na-flintridge -- have been expanded, that's helped a lot. we have, you can see the k-rails behind me. the ka-rails channel water and mud down the streets away from homes as well as we possibly can. residents have been advised and informed and educated. we've had workshops. people know what to expect. this storm may be beyond those expect takings. we'll see. >> what are the experts telling you? is there a chance the hills will hol hold? >> there is a chance of significant damage. we had significant damage last year. the first year after the fire. much of the debris has already washed down the hills. boulders, charred timber, and mud. but, this is the second year and really a five-year process before the hills return to their normal state. >> okay. mayor, thank you so much for joining us and good luck to you, sir. >> you're welcome. thank you. >> you take care. >> wishing him and his communities the best. here is now betty nguyen at the news desk. good morning, betty. >> good morning, rebecca, russ. good morning, everybody. this morning president obama signs a repeal of don't ask, don't tell, one of several recent legislative victories for mr. obama. later today, the senate is expected to ratify the new s.t.a.r.t. treaty reducing stockpiles of nuclear weapons. our senior white house correspondent bill plante with the latest. good morning, bill. >> reporter: good morning. the white house is happily pointing out this president by his own account took a shellacking in november is now pulling out a string of victories from the post-election lame duck session of congress. >> the motion is agreed to. >> reporter: the s.t.a.r.t. treaty which passed a crucial vote tuesday and signed in april has been a hard-fought victory for the president only after a top-secret briefing to reassure doubting republicans. the agreement between russia -- another win for the president, the repeal of don't ask, don't tell. a ban on gays serving in the military. a promise he made in the 2008 campaign and reiterated in this year's state of the union. >> this year, i will work with congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay americans the right to serve the country they love. >> reporter: the repeal was a victory for president obama's liberal base, many of them still angry about another white house win, the extension of the bush-era tax cuts. but compromise bill not only extended unemployment benefits and tax breaks for the middle class but for the wealthy, as well, at a cost of $868 billion. >> amazingly, he may be the first president ever to be restored by a lame duck session. >> reporter: the congress also passed a stop gap funding bill last night allowing the federal government to continue operating at current levels until next march. so, the president didn't get everything he wanted. notably, the dream act providing a path to citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants but says he try again on that and other priorities like reforming the tax code, even though the numbers in the next congress are going to be heavily stacked against him. betty? >> cbs's bill plante at the white house, thank you. >> also today the senate faces a key test vote on a plan to compensate 9-11 first responders committing up to $6 billion to pay medical bills and lost wages for tens of thousands of people who got sick because of toxic gasses at ground zero. americans now have more safe cars to choose from. the insurance institute for highway safety says 66 cars made it to their highest level for 2011. for the protection and front, side and rear crash tests. last year, there were only 27. the winning automakers hyundai, kia and volkswagen aud i had, each with nine in the safest category. ford and gm also did well with eight models each. in korea's ongoing border dispute south korea is beginning its biggest military exercise ever today. one general promises to punish north korea if it retaliates. last month north korea shelled a disputed island killing four people. the results of the 2010 census have redrawn the u.s. political map. a population shift to the south and west means texas will gain four house seats. florida will gain two. new york and ohio will each lose two seats. the new figures are expected to impact the 2012 presidential election. the make-up of the electoral college will change to reflect republican-leaning states gaining more influence. 89 and counting. the university of connecticut women's basketball team now has the new record for a winning streak. last night, moore scored 41 as uconn than beat florida state 93-62, their 89th victory in a row going back to the start of the 2008-2009 season. they broke the 88-game win streak by the ucla men's team back in the 1970s. congratulations to them! a check of the weather now, john marshal of wcbs tv joins us. good morning. >> how are you? >> great so. excited for the uconn team. >> doing great. rockin' and rollin', betty. right now rockin' and rolling' in a bad way in the west. the storm system is the big news of the last couple days and weeks, actually, very stormy. that's what we'll focus on, the southwestern portion of the country right now. unfortunately, more rain is in the forecast. a last plume of moisture is working in. that cold front will work through the tristate area and hit portions of >> now here's rebecca. >> thank you, john. turning to the economy stocks have surged to their highest level in two years as retail sales for the critical holiday shopping season are predicted to show their biggest gains since before the recession hit. chief investments strategist at charles scwab to tell us what it will mean for you in the coming year. great to have you. >> thanks for having me. >> we've seen this surge in retail sales because of the holiday shopping season and looks like consumers are getting more optimistic. the stock market looks like it is getting a bit more optimistic. what's driving all that? >> i tell you a relationship between the two and i'm not sure if a lot of people realize this. there is about a 90% correlation between what the stock market does in the fourth quarter of the year and holiday sales. so, that is a big boost to confidence. i think the other factor is what i've been calling frugality fatigue. i think after two years of consumers being incredibly frau gal, paying down debt, boosting the savings rate, i think they got tired of being frugal. >> of course, one of the reasons people have been frugal, because of unemployment. so many people in this country are without jobs, 9.8% unemployment it's been stuck there for some time now. in 2011, how does the jobs picture look to you? >> i think it's starting to look better. i don't expect to see a big move down in the unemployment rate. i think it will be a fairly slow slog but all of the leading indicators point to better job growth in place, initial unemployment claims really trending down again, a lot of companies increasing the use of temporary workers and now converting them to permanent help. the number of hours work has expanded. all of those tell you the business conditions are there to justify hiring. i think some of the uncertainty that existed prior to year-end is starting to wane and i think we'll see better jobs numbers. >> when you talk about that uncertainty, we now know the tax law is going to be sended into next year, unemployment benefits will be extended for 13 months. how significant are those actions? >> i think the extension of the tax cuts was largely built into expectations but the two pieces of that package that were not would be the additional payroll tax deduction and also the alt for businesses to fully expense investment. i think those two are particularly additive to economic growth in 2011, those were pleasant surprises on top of now knowing we are not going to see a tax hike. >> i want to make sure we get to the stock market next year and your prediction. if someone is thinking about putting money into the market next year, what do you recommend. >> i think you have to look at who you are as an individual incestor and figure out where you sit on the risk spectrum. there is not one right answer for every investor. moyer conservative investors ought to be more careful. a younger more risk-tal rant probably want to have exposure, absolutely. >> thanks so much for joining us. happy holidays. >> you, too. cbs news correspondents elaine quijano is in times square with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the musical resumes tonight as investigators continue their work trying to determine what went wrong earlier this week. on the heels of monday's terrify ing accident, when stuntman christopher tierney playing spiderman plunged 30 feet, powers have agreed to implement new safety measures. the additional precautions after a meeting with federal and state labor officials tuesday. in the video of the incident, it appears his safety line is not anchored to anything. he reportedly suffered broken ribs and internal bleeding. his accident was the fourth since the "spider-man" musical began last month. >> all the actors now are going to be so cautious and tentative and so afraid to perform the show. >> reporter: in a written statement the director said an accident like this is obviously heartbreaking for our entire team and, of course, to me personally. nothing is more important than the safety of our family. the high-flying $65 million production fuses intricate fast-paced aerial sequences with music from u 2's bono and guitarist the edge. these brothers were in the audience monday night and witnessed the fall. >> we were expecting something to go wrong because they had so many problems before but no one really expected this to happen. >> >> reporter: now, producers are postponing today's matinee but plan to resume the reg gar show schedule starting tonight. one theater critic says the show's problems appear to be sparking more interest. >> ironically, because people are fascinated by a train wreck, the injuries have led to a boom at the box office. you cannot get a ticket for it the coming week. >> reporter: safety inspector with the labor department are set to meet with the show producers today and expected to discuss the additional safety precautions the show is expected to take. russ? >> elaine quijano in times square, thank you very much. you wonder how long the show can go on, probably insurance issues coming up now prominent broadway actors saying they should cloe it it is too dangerous. >> but on the other side all these people saying i want to see this because it has gotten so muchples, it is scary. >> sold out this week. coming up lindsay lohan may be in trouble again accused of being drunk at rehab and attacking a staffer at the clinic. we'll talk to her father about the investigation that could send her back to jail. >> a major credit card company accused of misleading customers and costing them big money. our correspondent susan koeppen will show you how to protect yourself. >> in an sclufr oprah winfrey opens up to julie chen. you're watching "the early show" on cb is s. ♪ daisy, do a dollop ♪ daisy, do-do a dollop our family-owned company makes daisy... with 100% natural farm-fresh cream. no artificial ingredients. no preservatives. and no added hormones. ♪ better with a dollop here ♪ fresher with a dollop there ♪ ♪ wholesome in every way ♪ daisy, do a dollop ♪ daisy, do-do a dollop hey! wait up! ♪ [ female announcer ] you see a mud stain. but new wisk sees a particulate stain. with our breakthrough stain spectrum technology, wisk is engineered to fight all the major stain groups like particulates and oils. 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[ female announcer ] you'll never look at stains the same way again. for a powerful clean against a full range of stains, use new wisk. fight stains with science. use new wisk. coming up we'll take a look at the latest controversy surrounding lindsay lohan accused of assaulting a worker at the betty ford center in california, in rehab. we'll talk exclusively to her father, there he is, michael, to get his side of his daughter's story. >> on a financial note a major credit card company out there a number of you probably have one now they've been accused of overcharging customers without their knowledge. we're going to show you what you need to do to protect yourself right here on "the early show." that's coming up soon. >> announcer: this portion of "the early show" sponsored by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. - behind every open heart is a story. - it's beautiful. - tell yours with my open heart collection at kay jewelers. keep your heart open, and love will always find its way in. 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west sides of the beltway, 12 and 13-minute drive times. live look at the west side at old court road and some of the brake lights you see there. there's a look at the top side. this traffic report brought to you by lexus, december to remember sales event. it's here for a limited time. we're celebrating some of the greatest offers of the year. visit your lexus dealer today. back to you. a grim-looking future for the preakness. wjz and andrea are live at pimlico with the latest on this debate. >> reporter: track owners say they keep losing money. they and the horsemen association met last night but didn't come up with an agreement. they disagree on many things including the length of the racing season, if horsemen should pay money to the track owners and if the horsemen should lobby annapolis for legislation that benefits the tracks. we'll have to wait to hear another offer but not clear when it could happen. governor o'malley released a statement saying he's ready to exercise eminent domain but wants both sides to work it out. >> thank you. miami police make an arrest in the hit-and-run of a university of miami student from baltimore. 45-year-old valentina hopjis charged with leaving the scene of a crash including death. 21-year-old jared paul jones was hit november 13th and died from his injuries 10 days later. dna samples tied her to the accident. six family members killed in an east baltimore house fire laid to rest today. last week eleanor satterfield and her husband richard were killed along with their granddaughter, 26-year-old tiara gholston and her three children. today's funeral will take place at the empowerment temple church on primrose avenue at 11:00. the ravens preparing to go head-to-head with the familiar opponent, cleveland browns. in september the ravens beat them but despite their losing record they've beaten big playoff teams like the patriots and saints. no doubt looking to add the ravens to the list of upsets. stay with us, up next, how to avoid being signed up for unwanted offers by your credit card company, and lohan's card company, and lohan's ,,,,,, it's that time of year. time for campbell's green bean casserole. you'll find the recipe at campbellskitchen.com. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can ..™ to stay fit, you might also want to try lifting one of these. a unique sea salt added to over 40 campbell's condensed soups. helps us reduce sodium, but not flavor. so do a few lifts. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ a frosty wednesday morning in new york city. the dog came out this morning, we appreciate that. >> always. >> welcome back to "the early show." coming up this morning, raised in poverty to become one of the most powerful celebrities in the world oprah winfrey talked exclusively with julie chen about what it means to be one of this year's kennedy center honorees and share the stage with an idoll, paul mccartney. >> if you are one of millions of americans with a discover card you might want to take a close look at your statement. the credit card giant is accused of midleading customers costing them big money and susan koeppen will show you how to fight the fees because they show up on your bill. she'll show you how to find them and fight them again. >> all coming up but first lindsay lohan may be in trouble aagain accused of setting a worker at the betty ford center. we'll speak exclusively to her father in a moment. but first our nas kors didn't ben tracy has the latest. >> reporter: during her stint here she's been mostly out of the public eye especially for the pap razzirazzie's telephoto lenses but all that changed. december 12th, dawn holland called police to report a physical altercation with the troubled actress. the staffer tells tmz.com she confronted lohan about breaking her curfew, trying to administer a breathalyzer test when the alleged incident occurred. >> she pushed me when i had told her to take her hands off of another patient. >> reporter: holland claims she smelled alcohol on lindsay's breath and when she was on the phone with police lohan wrenched phone from her injuring her hand. lohan says holland touched her first and will file a formal complaint. no arrests have been made in the case but in a statement to cbs news police said, quote, lohan has been reported as the suspect in an investigation and the victim desires prosecution. the incident could be found to be a violation of her probation from her 2007 arrest for drunk driving. under the terms of her probation, lohan must follow all laws. >> if lindsay is found to have committed this crime, she could go immediately to jail as a probation violation. >> i'm not taking this as a joke. it's my life. and it's my career and something i've worked for my entire life. >> reporter: her current state at betty ford is her fifth time in rehab and second this year. recent pictures show her healthier looking. as the talented young actress continues in her recovery and tries to get her career back on track. ben tracy, cbs news, los angeles. >> and joining us exclusively from los angeles is lindsay's father, michael lohan. mr. lohan, good mornin apparently drinking. i know you have spoken with lindsay. are these charges true at all. >> absolutely not. i've been -- i've been with lindsay from the beginning of this and seen how it's twisted and turned and to be quite honest with you, i don't know how this kind of a thing can happen and be twisted the way it has. listen, i know it does, it happens inside of a rehab but for it to be made public like this and made into something it's not, it's really -- it's not -- it's very trying on lindsay and i'm very disturbed by it. >> your daughter is scheduled to leave rehab next month. how concerned are you the latest incident will mean she actually will go to jail for six months. >> well, i know -- i have a lot of confidence in shawn chap pan holly and and in god and know the truth will come out. even on "celebrity rehab" with dr. drew or the program i work with, it would have been handled differently. i do give betty ford a lot of credit for helping my daughter. she's made an 180-degree turn. she's doing extremely well. she's healthy, she's more -- she has more clarity than i've seen in a long, long time. it's just, you know, it's very hard for her to deal with this type of thing. if lindsay's wrong, i'll say it and i'll tell her but when she's right, i will stand behind her 100% and go to the end for her and she's right, this was all -- >> i read one interview i want to ask you this, i read one interview where you said your daughter is struggling. what do you mean by that, exactly? >> well, struggling with all these things she has to go through. when you are in recovery and going through this process you don't need the stress put on you like she has inside of a program. this should have never gotten out. she shouldn't be -- i mean, it's ridiculous because it wasn't the truth. i was there. i heard it. lindsay did not -- how can you smell alcohol on someone's breath when they weren't drinking? she tested negative when she took the breathalyzer. lindsay did not -- the woman grabbed her arm and tried to get her to take a breathalyzer and lindsay said let go of me and pushed away but submitted to it. lindsay called the police. she didn't call the police. miss holland didn't call the police. >> i know you and your daughter, mr. lohan, have had a rocky yep in the past. >> yeah. >> how you would describe that relationship now? >> oh, it's stronger than ever. you have to understand something, too and i understand the distance between lindsay and when i -- when things were happening and when she was in the place she was before. i'm not the type of person to give candy to a baby. when something does something wrong, i'll say it. when someone lies, i will call them out on it. this is my daughter and i'm a father first and i wanted to put her in her place and i wanted her to understand that nothing's going -- as long as you tell the truth and you live by the truth, things will work out. and that's why i know this will work out for lindsay. i have a lot of faith in sean. >> her attorney, correct? >> yes. yes. >> it is hard for many of us, sir, to remember she's actually only 24 years old. how optimistic are you she's going to someday put this behind her and have a successful acting career again? >> well, you know, addiction goes far deeper than just drinking and alcohol. you can never put all of this stuff behind you. it'll always be there. it's something that we have to battle and i say we, because i do, too, every single day of our lives. it's a disease, like someone having cancer or heart disease. that's the sad part because people beat people up when they have a drinking or alcohol, gambling or sex problem but at the same time do they do that to people with cancer? no. lindsay has a disease and she's beating it. she's fighting it. there's no cure for it but she has all the tools she needs to live with it and get better and better. >> lindsay is expected to go back to court early next year. what's the best that you hope to get from that hearing? >> you know what, whatever's best for lindsay. whatever the judge thinks is best, whatever her lawyer thinks is best and whatever god thinks is best. i don't know what the answer s. i don't have the answers. i just rely on the people that are -- that are in power in this case. and in power in lindsay's life. i want to be there to guide her and advise her. i hope she takes my advice from here on in. when she didn't in the past. you saw what happened. when she did, only the best came out of it. you know, for 16, 17 years of her life, when her mother and i were together, you didn't see any problems like this. it was after the divorce and it's unfortunate but i home tina gets on up next this wednesday morning, a credit card giant is accused of misleading its customers. some advice that can save you money and lots of headaches. that's when we return. this is "the early show" on cbs. dad put me in time out for a very minor dinner table infraction. and while i'm up here he's helping himself to my unguarded kraft macaroni and cheese. have you had enough? [ male announcer ] kraft macaroni and cheese. you know you love it. - [in chinese] "will you marry me?" - [in spanish] "will you marry me?" - will you marry me? - before saying those words, there's one word every man should know. - leo. - leo. - leo. - the leo diamond at kay jewelers, a fire, sparkle, and brilliance so intense, it is the first diamond ever certified to be visibly brighter, one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. - [in chinese] "yes." - [in spanish] "yes." - yes. because it was different than any other toothpaste i'd ever seen before. i have sensitive teeth as well, so i want to make sure that i can deal with that problem. i love the fact that the gel turns into a foam. it spread all over my mouth and was able to get all areas of my teeth -- in the back and around. you just feel like it's really working. my mouth and breath felt really fresh and clean. not only does sensodyne iso-active make my mouth feel fresh, but it also has that ability to help me with my sensitive teeth... and it's totally working. more than 176 million people own at least one credit card. one of the big giants in the industry is now being sued for allegedly misleading its customers. consumer correspondents susan koeppen is here with the story and what you need to watch out for. susan, good morning. >> good morning, rebecca. experts say credit card companies are trying to make money any way they can, so if you don't do it already, it's time to start reading your statements, looking for hidden fees. in a country where credit is king, it's the hidden fees that get people charged up. she's been a devoted discover card customer since 1990 but was surprised when she discovered charges for a payment protection plan she never signed up for. >> i was looking at my discover bill and happened to see a charge that i hadn't ever noticed before. two years ago company telemarketers called her at home to offer financial services for a fee. she declined and in a phone call obtained by cbs news she double-checks she won't be bill. >> i want to verify that i'll fill out paperwork if i want to enroll. you don't automatically enroll me. >> reporter: but, she was enrolled and it took her six months before she noticed $180 in charges. >> they took what i had said as enrollment even though i blatantly said, you are not going to auto enroll me. >> discover played gotcha with consumers instead of playing fair. >> now the minnesota attorney general is taking action. earlier this month, she filed suit, demanding discover card stop misleading consumers and refund fees to customers sold unwanted identity theft protection, wallet protection, payment protection, and credit score protection. >> if they're going to sell these optional financial products she should do so through a square deal, fairly, not through fraud. >> one out of every four households has a discover credit card. the company earned more than $300 million last year from selling financial protection products, up # preponderance% since 2007. >> all of the financial services institutions are looking for extremely creative ways to increase fees, we're in the midst of a fee frenzy. >> discover is also facing a class-action lawsuit accusing the credit card giant of selling unwanted services to consumers across the country and bilking them, in some cases, out of thousands of dollars. jill says, from now on, she's reading her bill more carefully. >> i think a lot of people are like myself. you get the bill, kind of look at the total amount. sometimes you scan it but might not look at it line item by line item and i think you really need to make sure you are missing anything. >> jill was given a full refund by discover after she complained. in a statement to cbs news discover says they don't comment on pending litigation but they, quote, take any customer complaint seriously and have worked with millions of americans for 25 years to maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty in our industry. rebecca? >> it is really creepy when you listen to that phone conversation between jill and the customer service representative where she is saying, i don't want this. and then she got it. how does someone protect themselves? >> first thing you should do, always read your credit card statement very carefully. so, go line by line. it might be a pain, but you're going to see a charge that might look suspicious and feel free to dispute it. also, choose your words carefully. if you get a phone call like this, don't say, okay let me think about it because they may take that okay as an affirmative, yes, she wants to be signed up for this. so, if you know that you don't want it or you know you just want to think about it, don't say okay. don't say, yes, send me some information. just say, let me think about it. >> absolutely no affirmative statements. >> no affirmative statements. >> susan koeppen, thank you so much for being with us. this is "the early show." we'll be right back. ♪ if you've had a coke in the last 20 years, ( screams ) you've had a hand in giving college scholarships... and support to thousands of our nation's... most promising students. ♪ ( coca-cola 5-note mnemonic ) that saves you hundreds of dollars a year. it's called the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. ♪ it's a breakthrough in medicare prescription drug plans... hey buddy! hey grandpa! ...with monthly plan premiums less than $15 and copays as low as $2. but for savings this big, visit walmart.com or call 1-800-808-4003. introducing the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. a medicare prescription drug plan that's a step forward in health care... and a step forward in affording the things that really matter. but don't forget, you can only save if you enroll by december 31st. ♪ call humana to take advantage of the medicare prescription drug plan with the lowest national premium in the country. go to walmart.com for more details. ♪ go to walmart.com for more details. if you live for performance, upgrade to castrol edge advanced synthetic oil. with eight times better wear protection than mobil 1. castrol edge. it's more than just oil. it's liquid engineering. they are enduring the cold this morning. >> yes, they are. >> good reason. we have a big treat coming up in just a few moments julie chen sat down exclusively with oprah winfrey to talk about her life, her childhood, her meteoric rise one of the kennedy center honorees this year. we now have a five-part profile series that kicks off with oprah winfrey today. >> great. >> and julie chen sitting down exclusively together. a huge treat. >> it must be a great life if you are oprah winfrey. i'm just guessing. >> yeah, i can imagine. just a little taste of that. >> oprah, if you are listening, hook us up. we're coming back. this is "the early show" on cbs. 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[ female announcer ] stay jolly with walgreens. ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] every day thousands of people are switching from tylenol® to advil. to learn more and get your special offer, go to takeadvil.com. take action. take advil®. save ten to forty percent on our entire stock of small kitchen appliances. kitchenaid artisan stand mixers are only two ninety-nine, ninety-nine. get a cuisinart twelve-cup coffee maker or an extra large griddler, only ninety-nine ninety-nine each. and all kenmore and elite small kitchen appliances are twenty percent off. sears. on the inner loop at providence road possibly involving a tractor-trailer, it's on the right shoulder. minor delays in that area. watch for a wreck in gwynn oak, another one in the city, eastern avenue at ponka street. fire activity on baker street at poplar grove. watch for a disabled vehicle, debris 95 northbound approaching moravia road blocking the right lane. 39 miles an hour is your slowest spot in between 83 and 95. a live look outside at the top side at maryland 41, not bad there. a little heavier at 146. this traffic report brought to you by hhg. they have over 100 flat panel tvs. watch the most exciting games of the year on their tv. price and advice guaranteed. back to marty. it's shaping up to be a pretty nice day considering it's winter. >> once we get out of the clouds we get sun, it will be relatively nice. 39 degrees, partly sunny skies this day. again, that is with no wind chill. seems like forever since it's been close to 40. 21, patchy clouds overnight. calm through the close of business friday. the preakness, will it be coming back to maryland next year? a big question still up for debate. >> reporter: track openers say they -- owners say they keep losing money. they met last night but didn't come to agreement. the two sides disagree on many things including the length of the racing season, if the horsemen should pay more money to track owners and if they should lobby annapolis for legislation that benefits the tracks. the maryland state racing commission referees these talks and will have to wait to hear another offer but not clear when it could happen. o'malley says he's ready to exercise eminent domain but wants both sides to work it out. a former anne arundel county police lieutenant sentenced to five years in prison on a child porn charge. james siffle of edgewater pleaded guilty to receiving child porn after caught sexting with a 17-year-old girl. prosecutors say he asked her to send him sexually explicit pictures of herself using a cell phone he bought her. stay with us. up next, an exclusive interview with oprah on receiving a a ,,,, a wednesday morning, people here from north carolina, here in new york. florida, all over the place. >> south carolina. ohio and canols behind it, which i love. >> a nice bakery from the village brought some. what's the name? >> vinarao's. >> leave the gun. leave the canoli. coming up it's cold out here. >> really is. >> what's better for treating a cold and what role does exercise play in keeping you healthy? questions we'll address with our dr. jennifer ashton helps us deal with coughs and sniffles this time of year gimplts to have someone on staff who knows those answers. >> that's true. >> very good. also another question, who is the most powerful celebrity in the world, russ. >> let me guess, wouldn't be oprah win tree, would it? >> it would absolutely be oprah winfrey according to "forbes" now the little girl who once had a crush on paul mccart ree in person is getting a kennedy center honor alongside the legendary beatle. we'll see her exclusive conversation with jewelry chen. >> very night. except for you -- besides you. >> except for you, russ . >> very nice. >> first betty nguyen has a check of the headlines. good morning again. >> good morning. the fifth straight day of stormy weather in california is expected to be the worst yet. forecasters say two or more inches of rain could fall today around los angeles, where hundreds of homeowners have already been told to evacuate because of the fear of mud slides. earlier, the mayor of one l.a. suburb told russ two-thirds of potential evacuees in his town decided to stay. >> well, we wish them the best of luck. the risk that they undertake is that they may not be able to evacuate if the storm is sufficiently strong. >> parts of california have seen up to a foot of rain since saturday. six counties have been declared disaster areas. some of the worst damage is far from the pacific coast. floodwaters have destroyed at least four homes in little field, arizona near the utah and nevada borders. luckily, no one was inside this house as it was washed away yesterday. wow. look at that. in the sierra nevadas, though, the mammoth mountain ski resort reports about 13 feet of new snow. to europe, more planes, trains, automobile running on time this morning but london's heathrow airport is still canceling up to 30% of flights today, several days after a snowstorm crippled operations and stranded thousands of passengers. on capitol hill today, president obama gets another boost if, as expected, the senate approves the new s.t.a.r.t. tube collar arms treaty with russia. in a test vote tuesday # 1 republican senators voted yes even though gop leaders o poles the treaty calling in big cuts for nuclear stockpiles. last night congress passed a stop gap budget bill to keep the federal government operating until mar har 2011. it will freeze all agency budgets at current levels. republicans plan to try next year to cut budgets for most dpes stick agencies by as much as 20%. a violent prison riot in chile. about 100 prisoners demonstrated on the roof yesterday. 34 inmates and six security guards were injured. the inmates were protesting the death of 81 prisoners in a fire at a different jail two weeks ago. if you like your drinks on the rocks, check out this lounge made of ice in northern minnesota. the drinks are served in ice glasses and you can get comfortable on the benches made of ice blocks and there's even a fireplace if it gets too chilly. i have a feeling that's probably going to be a popular spot in the lounge. katie couric now with a preview of tonight's "cbs evening news." >> good morning. the greatest terror threat now comes from inside this country. so, what does a home-grown terrorist look like? we'll examine why they're harder to recognize than ever before, as we put this latest danger in focus tonight, only on the "cbs evening news." now, back to "the early show." >> john marshall with another check of the weather outside. sdplourns this weather report sponsored by macy's. >> now, russ. >> thank you very much. up next, winters is officially here. and so is the common cold. we have tips for you that you could say are nothing to sneeze at, so don't go away. this is "the early show" on cbs. a simply orange orange. you soak up some rays in the morning, grab a cool drink around noon, and sleep soundly at night... knowing no one looking to freeze or concentrate you... will ever set foot in this paradise. simply orange. honestly simple. 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'tis the season for snuffy notices and scratchy throats, i've got one myself today. dr. medical ashton is here to separate cold facts from fiction. >> our health iq. >> fact or fiction cold weather brings on colds. >> what do you think? >> initially i thought fact because so many get them this time of year but maybe not. >> not true, it is fiction. tell your mom and grandma being in cold weather does not predispose you to get a cold. what happens, more people tend to be inside in close proximity to each other and easier to pass the germs. they are still around in the summer, the cold has nothing to do with it. >> number two, ek thash yeah, a popular herb remedy can stop a cold thinchs is fiction, russ, a big one. a very popular herbal remedy found no more effective than dummy pills stopping a cold or reducing its severity, at most there are studies that show it can shorten the duration of symptoms by about seven or eight hours but again when you talk about risk-benefit it is a relatively low risk herb. if it makes you feel better taking it, go ahead. >> okay exercising can wash away a cold. >> what do you think? >> i'm going to say no. actually, i'm going to say, yes, exercise -- let me clarify that. exercise can build up your resistance to colds but actually having a cold and doing exercise not a good idea. >> well, actually it's true for both. this is actually a fact. you know i'm a big proponent and advocate of exercise. studies have shown people who exercise moderately taking a brisk walk five times a week are 46% more likely to suffer a common cold than those who don't exercise. and the thinking is that exercise even mild or moderate exercise can stimulate your immune system and make you less susceptible to colds and if you actually have one go ahead and exercise because it shortens duration of symptoms and make you feel better. >> if you are not feeling well, exercise is okay. >> as long as you don't have a high fever. >> antibiotics can treat a cold fact or fiction. >> big fiction russ, i go through this almost every day in my office with patients. people get sick, feel awful maybe coughing or sneezing up green stuff. the first thing they do is call their doctor and say i need antibiotics. the fact is the common cold is a virus and antibiotics treat a -- when you give someone an antibiotic and they don't need it you are potentially building up resistance and later on when you give it to them it might not work, as well. let the cold run its symptoms. >> something everybody's mom tells them chicken soup can stop cold symptoms. >> this is a fact. actually chicken soup, hot lickeds in general can make you feel better and there may be a substance in it that fights the inflammation with a common cold, drink your liquids and chicken soup and feel better. >> moms all over america. >> don't go to work sick! >> thousand you tell me. dr. jennifer ashton see you next time. up next, oprah winfrey tells jewel le chen about her life, her career and the end of her talk show an exclusive and revealing conversation when we return. this is "the early show" on cbs. there's the life you live... and the life you want to live. fortunately there's enbrel, the #1 most doctor-prescribed biologic medicine for ra. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, fatigue, and stop joint damage. because enbrel suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal, events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, and other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis. ask your doctor if you live or have lived in an area where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. and help bridge the gap between the life you live... and the life you want to live. ,,,, the kennedy center honors the quints essential award for a lifetime of artistic excellence. this morning we kick off our series profiling the honorees profiling the mega star oprah winfrey who sat down with julie chen with this exclusive interview. >> named the world's most powerful celebrity four times. now oprah win tree is a kennedy center honoree. >> an amazing feeling to look up and see the most powerful person in the world and right next to her, barack obama. [ laughter ] >> i, you know, understood deeply what it meant to get this award. it is huge when i think of myself on welfare, being raised by a single mother, living in this two-room flat, the only decoration on the walls were posters of paul mccartney and me dreaming of one day being able to actually see the beatles and get to say hello to paul. i then i went to maybe once he sees me he'll want to marry me. so, it's completely full circle. you can't even imagine for me what it means to be in the paul mccartney class of kennedy center. >> reporter: that circle began in the back woods of mississippi where she was raised in poverty by her beloved grandmother, hatti mae. >> i have my grandmother to thank for me being the essence of who i am, a belief that if you worked hard and showed -- proved yourself to be excellent that excellence would follow you. >> reporter: it was when were you a little girl in church that you were first told that you were gifted. >> uh-huh. >> reporter: did you even know what that meant? >> no, i didn't know what that meant. but, you know, my grandmother raised me in the church and i always say that my broadcasting career began there. and so, as i'm speaking out of the night that covers me black as a pit from pole to pole, i thank whatever gods there be for my unconquerable soul. i'm 6 years old. i don't know what the hell i'm saying but it sounded good. >> reporter: but it's called gifted. >> people would say this child is gifted, this child can talk that. was the beginning of me really feeling comfortable speaking in front of people. >> reporter: sadly, her grandmother passed away a short time later and 6-year-old oprah was sent to live with her mother in milwaukee. years of pain and abuse followed. her last chance was a father she hardly knew in nashville. he taught her the importance of an education and gave her the confidence to flourish. you were still in college while working in radio and you got offered a television job in local tv and you turned it down. >> oh, yeah. >> reporter: why. >> you know what, julie, i was in my owe i was in sign class with mr. cox, w.dewey cox and gotten a phone call for the third time for the local cbs affiliate. i went back to class and mr. cox said, who was that. oh, chris clark, the third time they called me from cbs and wondering if i wanted to do this tv job. and mr. cox said i told them yes and i go, no because i had to finish all my classes. and he said i'll never forget. he said that is why you are going to class, fool, so that cbs can call you, fool! >> reporter: oprah found a job at the anchor's desk, but not her passion. >> what i realized in all of those years of preparation in news is that wasn't the -- that wasn't what made my heart sing. what made my heart sing was being able to be myself. my interests and my energy flowed better from the time they got fired as a news person and was put on the local talk show in baltimore. that was freedom for me. >> welcome to the very first national oprah winfrey show. >> reporter: that freedom led to a phenomenon. >> i realized it was big. i always believed it would be successful. >> reporter: but, did you ever think it would get as big as it got? >> i feel like that, um, that show became bigger than me, it became and is as big as every audience member who ever decided that i'm going to go back to school. everyone whoever watch ad show about battering and said i will no longer allow myself to be beaten, every person who ever hit their kid who said, i won't hit my children anymore, it'll be everybody who ever lost weight. >> 67 pounds. >> i'm happiest when i'm doing shows that i know people are going to be brought some light into their lives, where there's going to be a sense of, i never thought of it that way before. that makes me really happy. and i'm happiest on movie set. movie set feels like a vacation to me. >> reporter: you grew up wanting to be an actress. >> uh-huh, i wanted to be an actress and wanted nothing in my life more than i wanted "the color purple". >> all my life, i had to fight. i had to fight my daddy, i had to fight my uncles. i had to fight my brothers. girl, child ain't safe in a family of mens. >> not wanting anything as much since. i won't let myself want anything as much as "the color pu pler" i wanted that more than anything i wanted in my life. >> reporter: eventually she opened harpo studios, telling stories she believed in. and after 25 years as a pioneer, america's best friend, i inspiration and favorite thing, she is about to bring an end to the oprah winfrey show. >> when i return in january, i will have 67 shows remaining. but, who's counting? i've been counting since two years. so, i have 67 shows left. >> reporter: does that sound like a drop in the bucket at this point or does that sound like you still have that many? >> no, it sounds like, ooooo! not only do i see a light at the end of the tunnel, the light is coming all the way through the tunnel and there is a little hula dance at the end although i think i'm going to have to comfort my best friend gayle, who calls me every now and then and goes it's so sad. it's so sad. i go what are you talking about? i've been doing it for 25 years, what's sad about that. she goes, it's so sad. aren't you sad? no, i'm not. i'm not sad. >> reporter: how are you then? >> i am -- oh, this is how i am. i feel like, well done. well done! >> wow. >> such a powerful story and especially in the backdrop those powerful influences her grandmother, her father. really, really great stuff. >> an amazing story and the thing about it, even though she is leaving her talk show, the story is not over. >> yes. >> she's starting this new network which starts next year. the sky -- she's already got the sky. >> continue to take more. >> ka she do. >> beyond the universe. >> congratulations to her. >> absolutely. you can see the kennedy center honors next tuesday december 28th at 9:00 p.m., 8:00 central on cbs. >> still ahead this morning it is called rap rage. not what you think but it is ruin any holiday. we'll show you how to take care of the packaging issues this christmas, h h,,,,,,,,,,,,,, good morning. 8:25. you won't have to scrape the windows today. wjz has weather and traffic together. marty bass? >> no frost this morning. temperatures actually in the mid-30s. no wind chill. not a harsh day start. today we'll go for a high of 39, almost 40. no wind chill. when was the last time it felt that mild? weather will cooperate with all the last-minute running around through christmas eve. now let's send it to sharon gibala in traffic control. >> if you have to do any running around today you shouldn't have problems, at least not many. we have one accident working in gwynn oak on dog wood road and gwynn oak road and one at eastern avenue and ponka street. there's debris approaching moravia road blocking the right lane but to there is -- delays there. no delays on the beltway either. top side at perring parkway, there is a look at the top side at dulaney valley and york road, all looking nice. this traffic report brought to you by len the plumber. have it done today. back to you. with no agreement reached for next year's horse racing season the fate of the preakness remains unknown. andrea has the latest. >> reporter: track owners say they keep losing money. they and the association met last night but didn't come to agreement. the two sides disagree on many things including the length of the racing season, if the horsemen should pay more money to the track owners and if they should lobby annapolis for legislation that benefits the track. it's not clear when the other offer could happen. governor o'malley released a statement saying he's ready to exercise eminent domain but wants both sides to work it out. more questions surrounding a missing las vegas showgirl from baltimore. police now saying that deborah florez-navarez may have been pregnant. she has not been heard from since december 12th after visiting her former boyfriend, jason omar griffith. he faces a domestic violence charge from a previous incident. police say he's cooperating in the investigation. anne arundel county police arrest a man accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl he met on myspace. police say they found 22-year-old lawrence king partially clothed with the girl in a parked car on ritchie highway. he's charged with third degree and fourth degree sex offenses. wine lovers may soon be able to get favorite bottles of wine mailed directly to their homes. 37 other states and the district already allow it. yesterday the state comptroller released a report detailing how the laws work in other states. lawmakers will review the report. a debate could take place in the upcoming general assembly. stay with us. up next, actors jack black and jason siegel tuck about their jason siegel tuck about their new movie "gull ,,,,,, it's that time of year. time for campbell's green bean casserole. you'll find the recipe at campbellskitchen.com. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can ..™ to stay fit, you might also want to try lifting one of these. a unique sea salt added to over 40 campbell's condensed soups. helps us reduce sodium, but not flavor. so do a few lifts. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ check it out, the crowd still out here on a wednesday morning. they've been here all morning. >> that's how you do it. >> that's how you do it. >> i love this guy's sign, i love you mom. can we get a shot of that? >> was there a doubt in mom's mind you didn't love her? >> he says he wants santa to come by with lots of gifts. >> ohh. >> all right. welcome back to "the early show." i'm russ mitchell with rebecca jarvis along with betty chen, texas and minnesota and broth freezing. >> i'm not used to this weather. >> cold either way no matter how you cut it. >> coming up the definition of two wild and crazy guys jack black and jeff se gel here to tell us about their new film the 3d feature "gulliver's travels" and basically to make us laugh anyway che choose. >> basically amusing themselves. >> also a nuisance the holiday season unwrapping gifts and pock kajs not the pretty but the shells, the clam shells and shrink wraps can be nearly impossible to open. in fact, 200,000 injuries are reported every year from trying to rip apart these packages. so, we're going to learn some easy and safe ways to do it. i've had problems. sometimes the package has won. >> never a good sign. it is a christmas eve tradition in many italian homes, the feast of the seven fishes, celebrity fish michael simon with all the ingredients for a spectacular seafood menu. the studio smells delicious. i know it is early in the morning but still smells great. >> we'll be digging in soon. first mr. john marshall of wcbs has a fine check of the weather. you have a pal there. >> a huge friend, city best picked the best bake kree now the best pet shop. turn around, big guy. how are you. >> good, thanks. >> and the appetite of this dog must be tremendous. >> not as bad as you would think but that's why i had to open a store to afford it. >> he runs the shop. >> tie russ runs the shop, grooms dog, behind the cash register. >> absolutely gorgeous dog. >> thank you. >> keep warm, big guy. let's take aclook the at forecast, two areas of low pressure one over newfoundland giving us a chilly floor over most of the easternful the country, the other over los angeles giving them what you've heard about all week long tremendous rain and snow. all and all the forecast is dry conditions out >> now, here's russ. >> two of com''s biggest stars so it makes sense they're in a new film about an oversized hero, jack blank and jason segel teamed up on a 3d movie based on "gulliver's travels" with a modern prince. >> how sees it going? >> if things go well, within two to four years she may dare to speak to me. >> whoa, whoa, whoa, hold your horses. >> thank god, hold you. >> you can't woo a lady hoping to dane she will speak to you. you have to plan grade acortage. >> speak to me, this courtage that you speak. >> yeah, i could teach you some of my moves. >> yes! thank you. >> if you beat me back home. >> give me a head start. >> on your mark, get set, go. >> good morning, thanks for coming in. >> top of the morning to you. >> you guys are pals from way back, right, back when were you "heroes" jason. >> jack was very kind to me, he gave me my first writing job when i was like 19 years old. >> yeah? you can't really take credit for discovering the brilliant young jason segel. it was [ inaudible ] that gave you your first acting gig. >> gave me my first acting gig. >> your mentor, tu mentor. >> both of you and jack swooped in with the writing job. >> that's right. i put him under this wing, squashed him and turned into a diamond. >> looks like you are having a great time in the movie. jack, obviously this is a different take on "gulliver's travels" hour important was it for you to make it different from the classic book. >> i didn't think anyone really wanted to see me in like a period costume talking in an accent, you know, in 1743 version of "gulliver's travels". >> right. >> i wanted to update it, freshen it up and put in new bells and whistles. >> jason, you play horaciot, his best pal. >> yes. >> what did you like about this part. >> again working with jack was an honor and i got to dot period piece, the costumes and accent. as you saw from the clip i got to show off some of my athleticism and offered me every opportunities i wanted and i got to woo emily blunt, kind of a dream come true. >> not bad. >> it was pretty fantastic. >> you didn't do badly, either, jack, amanda peetz. >> amazing. we hit the jackpot on the actresses. >> really dinchts you did a duet of "the little drummer boy" ala bing crosby and -- let's take a look. ♪ can it be ♪ every child [ laughter ] >> frankenstein in makeup. >> extra forehead. >> what do you think of your likenesses there? >> i think we may a very entertaining cartoon duo. >> look at those two. i want to see them. >> i was going to say i'd watch that series, saturday morning. >> this was available on irdz tunes is that correct? >> yes, all goes to blue star families an organization made up of military families, supporting other military families. >> where did this idea come from to do that clip sthimplts to be honest, it came from us thinking of ways to promote "gulliver's travels" we're like let's make a holiday jam. this was an old gem, david bowie and bing crosby dying to be rock-ified i like to say. we put our spin on it and said let's give the money to charity that's what you have to do during the holiday, holiday times. >> jason, making "the muppet mov movie". >> i am. >> what's that like. >> fantastic, totally real. i cried like a baby the first time they brought kermit out, it was embarrassing but jack and emily blunts have agreed to little parts, so the cast is pretty insane. >> in addition to kermit the frog and all those guys. >> they were my first comic influence. when you're a kid, kermit the frog is tom hanks, you know what i? or jimmy stewart or something like. this he sort of set the bar for who i wanted to be as an actor. >> jack two, kids? >> spending time with my boys and having a holiday feast with the family. >> sounds fantastic. jason. >> same, see my family and try to spread joy throughout the world. >> all right. there you go. guys, good luck. thank you so much for coming in pleasure. >> pleasure was mine. >> you went up against "king kong" a few years ago and this year kind of like it. >> that's right. christmas day. "gulliver's" will be unleashed. >> greatest family fill m of all time. >> well said. >> thank you, gentleman. it makes its way to a theater near you christmas day. rebecca? >> thank you, russ. always cited as one of the biggest annoyances of the holiday season, no, for the the crowds or in-laws i'm talking about the hard-to-open packages that drive us all crazy. ♪ ♪ >> opening the toys, some of the packaging is almost impossible to get into. >> you have the zip ties where everything is twisted in the back through cardboard. >> it's almost impossible. >> two nails broken today. >> cd packages, very difficult to find the toej get started on. >> you definitely need scissors for this one, with all the tape on it. >> oh, my god, what did you do, reinforce this stuff? >> right about now, i'm really -- i'd be starting to yell at my wife. >> i'm going to be afraid to cut her hair. >> tough to get in there. yeah. there we go, you wind up breaking the lid trying to get it open. >> here are your directions, hon. >> i got it. i feel like i've accomplished a lot. >> joining us with advice on avoiding wrap rage "early show" contributor shannon eis. great to have you with us. >> good morning. >> watching that video, clearly people think it's a problem but how big of a problem quantified is it. >> a pretty big problem, about 200,000 injuries reported, whether the device or the way you do it or rushing a lot of injuries can happen from this. we'll have tips to help solve them. >> why would retailers do it this way or companies package their things like this. >> a lot of things, theft prevention, harder to get out, the harder to see. they think consumers want to see what he with a they are getting, clearer visual but securing parts, the long distance a lot of the products make overseas so a lot of different reasons but ends up with a lot of frustration for consumers. >> it really does. we'll try to cut some of that out today. let's begin with these clam shells and how you open them. >> three culprits and one is the clam shell packages, the plastic, sealed, almost impossible. >> a lot of people use scissors and devices. one thing we found work is actually a can opener. it was surprising to me as i saw it. you really snap it along the seam and twist the dial and go around the edges of the package. one tip, don cut directly across the package cutting instructions, warranties, information for the product itself. use something safe, take your time and go around the seam best you can. >> what else do we have to show for tips and advice. >> a bit of advancements in the category. thing we found ironic, the sciss scissors themselves are sealed in a package that requires scissors to get them out. this has a tab you can pull and moves easily. one thing it produces rough injuries, where a lot of injuries are coming from. another innovation, the cardboard back, the bubble front and cardboard back and peels off. also, retailers say that causes a theft ish sue but still a better experience for consumers. >> it s. i get excited when i flip it over and see it will be a much easier thing. >> instant reward. scissors are a good handy tool but something with a blade a little more hidden and secure. >> i like this idea of the can hoper, something i never thought of. >> and everyone has one in their house so it works. >> also shrink rap. >> in the piece you saw the guy with the teeth, we go there first. not a good idea. recently a san diego pitcher stabbed himself in the stomach trying to use an exact-o nice. use a retractible blade, along the seams, peel that off and the sticker. once you open them, you can't return them, that's another reason why some of the packaging is the way it is, retailers want to try to control -- >> you can't really make it back once they see you've made a mess of it. >> for sure. next we have what's really infamous in the toy and electronic industry the ties and bindings that trap you from the product and keep you from the bliss christmas morning. she has traveled six weeks on a ship or train she wants to look beautiful when she hits shelves and this is what that takes, it is glue. >> hold it in place. >> bindings, all parts of her body are attached to the back. it could take literally minutes, 10 to 20, it took me to get mine out of its package, even my daughter is standing there frustrated wanting to brush her hair. with the twist ties especially in the toy products, we recommend something like an aviation snips a formidable tool but really can save frustrating minutes off your life and be careful with the snipping, you see glue on here. there's a lot for a parent to get through here to give a product to their child. as much as you can do in ad vens of the holiday morning we definitely recommend. >> thank you so much, shannon eis. we really appreciate it. >> thank you. >> now russ. >> thank you very much. one holiday tradition in many italian homes the feast of the seven fishes christmas eve. food network star michael simon with his delicious and easy-to-prepare version of the dinner. good to see you. >> you, too. one of my favorite traditions. i have a sis sillian and greek mother. we always do the seven fish growing up a great way to get together as a family and celebrate. >> i've had the pleasure of having this meal a few times in my life. it is fantastic. explain the feast of the seven fishes. >> a lot of people say it's the seven sacraments, you know, all different things, some do 13 fish for the 12 aawfuls and jesus. seven, you can do as many as you want but a good rustic feast, the last day of fast. usually the big seafood feast, go to midnight mass then you proshuitte when you get back. >> i have garlics sweating in extra virgin olive oil and adding littleneck clams. if they open before, no good. to that i'll add chili flake. >> spice it up. >> a bite, a punch. >> and some white wine. >> you don't add the great white wine doing this right. >> no, safe the really great stuff but a nice drinkable wine is good. you don't want the box stuff but a good drink of wine. cover this up. >> how long approximately would you cook it? >> it will take three to five minutes until the clams open. i have one going. >> the traditional rule, if it doesn't open, toss it. >> let's see, here go. we got one that didn't pop. no good. we'll discard that one. >> all right. >> for this we have the chilis, garlic, oil. >> smells great. >> i'll add a little bit of butter. italian secret, you add butter. and my pasta, right from the water right in. let some of the pasta water go in there, too because, you know, it adds a little bit of thickness and body to the sauce. >> al dente, of course. >> a dent sdae, of course. >> how long does it take to get the pasta the way you want it. >> about four minutes, extra virgin oil, a bit of flat-leaf parsley, so italian passa, so no cheese. >> no cheese. >> i've heard that in italian restaurants, you get dirty looks in italian restaurants. >> italian grandmothers will lose their marbles. >> don't do it. >> you can't. >> toss it out, bring it up and you see that beautiful broth on the bottom, the oil, the clams. come on, you smell it? >> looks fantastic and smaels great, too. >> something i have more as a main but i lay out the food for the whole dinner. >> i see sgru want snacky stuff, too. a lot of times a lot of fried things, smeltz, different fish, shrimp in this case we have oil about 350 degrees. >> shrimp frito, what you are making. >> shrimp it frommo, all-purpose flour and corn starch which makes it extra crispy and salt in there. give ate whirl. >> these shrimp are huge. >> they call it a 16/20, meaning there are 16 to a pound. >> okay. >> this is just, you know, dip the scrimps -- more than one. >> does the size impact the flavor at all? >> yeah, i mean, you could do this with the rock shrimp and they'll be sweeter but i like these size because they are sweet but also there's substantial people can grab them and feel they are getting something special. you know, it is the holiday time. but, you know, at the end of the day. this kind of meal is a russ stick meal. you want it more on the husband stick side. you don't have to get lobster and shrimp and high-end ingredients. cod, whole roasted salmon, baked oyster, swordfish, muscles. kudo it more on the inexpensive side. >> we talked about this earlier. initially it was a peasant dish, right. >> italian food in general is peasant food you sit around with the table with your family and have a gnoch, doesn't have to be this big expensive feast. >> linguini and clams doesn't have to cost you a lot. >> how long do you cook this shrimp. >> just a bit. i'll put fresh rosemary, it flavors the oil. >> looks delicious. >> not a batter, just nice and soft, nice and crispy, right on top. a little bit of -- oh, man, i dropped. >> let me have some of that sea salt. >> the five-second rule. it's been seven seconds we'll leave it down there. >> a bit of sea salt on top, you know, nice sliced lemon, you could fry the lemon, too. >> can i try one of these? >> absolutely. dig in. >> oh, my goodness. >> are you happy? >> aim very happy. >> happy is good. you see you get a bit of that rosemary, the punch of lemon, nice and crunchy on the outside and simple, simple, simple. >> awesome. one more time around the table, muscles, swordfish? >> the baked oysters, a bit of breading on top with fresh herbs and lemon, linguini and clam sauce. whole-roasted stharp. just, you know, put some fresh mint, fresh lemon, shallots, garlic. >> this over here i shouldn't try to pick this up. >> beautiful bay scallops, sliced rad dishes, sliced fennel, dill, italian food is simple, clean, delicious. that's what it is all about. >> thank you. merry christmas to you. >> absolutely. have a great holiday. >> for these recipes, you can go to our website earlyshow.cbsnews.com. we're coming right back. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, all this week we're looking at some of the impressive holiday light displays our affiliates and facebook friends have told us about. today instead of individual homes we're visiting two neighborhoods where they let it glow first let's go to decker heights, brooklyn known every year at this time at decker lights. our station here in new york, wcbs says this has been a neighborhood tradition some 25 years attracting around 150,000 visitors annually. the six-block area begins its transformation the day after thanksgiving. the results include a life-size reindeer, a 25-foot-tall talking saents, get this. >> i wonder what it says? >> and, of course, tens of you thiss of lights. look at that. that's amazing. >> and they blare christmas carols throughout the neighborhood. you can go and hear the carols to get you in the spirit. >> you can't miss it, as they say. >> goes on and on, as they say not just one house but a row and entire neighborhood. >> seems like people more and more are decorating? >> they are, in philadelphia, by the way, where we're going to next. we thank our affiliate kyw if the views of south smedley street, a 60-year tradition, every house on the block is decorated each window with a different theme. they start setting up the beginning of november and turn the lights on at thanksgiving. listen to this one, one homeowner moved to this block just to be a part of the display. >> are you serious? >> you know, listen, if you think your house or home in your neighborhood is worthy of national recognition tell us about it on our facebook page. friday we'll be live on the scene of our final fantastic light display. >> it's got to be ,,,,,,,,,,,,, good morning. now 8:55. shaping up to be a pretty nice winter day. marty bass has the updated conditions. >> thank you very much. i know it looks gray, but it won't be. just clouds passing by. we're in the mid-30s now, no wind chill. it's actually -- not a harsh morning. partly sunny, 39 degrees for the high. partly cloudy, 21 overnight. more and more calm weather, sunny with a high of 36 degrees. there's a grim outlook this morning for the future of the preakness. andrea fujihi has the details. >> reporter: track owners say they keep losing money. they and the horsemen association met last night but didn't come to agreement. they disagree on many things including the length of the season, if the horsemen should pay more money to the track owners and if they should lobby for legislation that benefits the talks. it's not clear when another offer could happen. governor o'malley released a statement saying he's ready to exercise eminent domain but wants both sides to work it out. back to you. a model has been arrested in the fatal hit-and-run of a university student. 45-year-oldd value valentina hobjis, her dna was used to tie her to the accident. she's out of jail after posting bond. six family members killed in a house fire will be laid to rest today. last week eleanor satterfield and her husband richard were killed, along with her granddaughter, tiara gholston and three young children. the funeral is two hours from now on primrose avenue at 11:00. a former police lieutenant sent to prison officer a child porn charge. james siffila was arrested after caught sexting with a 17-year-old girl. prosecutors say he asked her to send explicit pictures of herself. the baltimore man accused of trying to blow up a local military recruitment center indicted. 21-year-old antonio martinez tried to set off a fake bomb at the recruitment center in catonsville. turns out the fbi was following him. he's charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, if convicted faces life in prison. good news for maryland wine lovers, don't pop the cork just yet. you may soon get wine delivered to your home. the law is already in place in 37 other states. stay with us, we have complete first and first warning weather coming up at noon. stay with us. we'll see you again inin,,,,,,,,