Transcripts For WRC Today 20110226

permanently? today saturday, september 26th, permanently? today saturday, september 26th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning and welcome to "today" on this saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm jenna wolf sitting in for amy. nice to see you on a saturday. >> nice to see you. a moment ago when i said saturday, today, january 26th, you got all excited because today is your birthday. and you came in on your day off. >> i did, just because you wanted to. i could have slept, but why not come in and work. >> because they called you and asked you to work. >> also they called me and asked me to work at 5:30 this morning. but that's another reason why. >> that's how we show the love around here. anyway, happy birthday. >> thank you. >> coming this morning, a shift in strategy in washington. president obama said the sanctions are designed to target ga caffey's government and protect the assets of libya's people from being lewded by the regime. this comes after the last of the american vak's are safely taken out by plane and ferry to malta. we'll bring you more in a few minutes. and back here at help, the fate of a prominent plastic surgeon is in the hands of a north carolina jury. prosecutors say dr. raymond cook plowed his mercedes into an aspiring 20-year-old ballerina's car after a day of drinking. the jury will continue deliberations on monday. we will have that story in our next half hour. and the question why are there so many dolphin deaths in the gulf of mexico. scientists are baffled. could there be a link to the bp oil spill? we'll pill yfill you in with th latest. >> and it is oscar weekend. while we all focus on best actor and actress and best film, we'll take a look at the unsung heros, the stunt men and women and hester apparently -- >> did you see what they just did? >> i am in shock because that looked like it was not rehearsed in the least. like you walked in, you had a grip and you took it out on that poor woman. >> 30 minutes of stunt man training and went right at it. but want to get started with the latest in libya. bill neely is inside the capital city and he filed this report. >> reporter: in the heart of his capital, a dictator defiant. moammar gadhafi ever the show man determined to rally what's left of his support. it's the first time he's dared take to the streets since the rebellion against him began. and here he was in green square where his men have killed protesters threatening more violence. i will open my arsenal, he told them. you'll have all the guns you'll they'd. the time has come. libya will become a red flame. words that spell more trouble. not far from where he spoke, the sound of gunfire. his people scattering. the video is shaky, the crackdown is not. across tripoli, there were many reports of police or men in plain clothes confronting demonstrators. they say many died, but it's impossible to confirm how many. the clashes began hundreds of thousands left friday prayers in mosquing across tripoli. there have been calls to merge a massive protest demonstration. gadhafi's men were determined not to allow this and they struck with brutal force. it's a regime that looks confident at least judging by the wing of gadhafi jr. this is seif and once his heir apparent. here spelling out his vision, his future. >> plan b is to live and die. plan c, to live and die. >> reporter: the gadhafis appear determined not to back down. colonel gadhafi has been defiant and isolated before, but never like this. never cornered in his own country. bill neely, nbc news, tripoli. and now here is jenna. >> less t the last of the american citizens arrived in malta friday by plane and ferry. martin fletcher joins us with the latest. >> reporter: good morning p tmo. xt owe did you say of foreigners from libya is well under way. 167 american, 180 other nationalities came on the ferry which the reason it's not here is because it's gone back to libya to pick up more vevacuees. those that came last night came tired but happy. as the 200 foot chattered by the u.s. government docked, could you feel the sigh of relief. first off the sick and the elderly and the children p. they had been stuck on the boat for 60 hours. the seas were too rough to sail. no beds, nowhere to go, barely enough food. but not a word of complaint. >> we're happy to be here. we are beyond words happy to be here. >> reporter: donald from peoria escaped from libya a week ago. he came to greet his colleagues. >> at least on the boat they were safe and had food and water. >> reporter: there was humor, too. >> i spent life waiting for the ship to come in. >> reporter: but what they escaped from wasn't so funny. >> we were stopped with ak-47s, ro rocket grenades. >> reporter: another 100 or so flu to turkey. >> it was impossible for anyone but really a handful of people to reach our plane. >> reporter: that leaves about 300 more americans still in libya among more than 100,000 foreigners trying to leave. children were tired, no surprise. this boy had one word to describe his ordeal. >> rough. >> reporter: and this young mother summed it up best of all. >> we're fine. we're very grateful to be here. >> yeah. >> reporter: there is still tens of thousands of foreigners who want to get out. one woman told us she's still scared for her libyan friends left behind. there are boats being built up, private charter, warships belonging to different nations, and he weres. those tens of thousands of foreigners who are very scared at the moment who want to get out, people from different nations working together to bring them out. but of course the more the battle rages, the more in danger their position is. >> indeed. martin, thank you. and now once again here is lester. late friday a dramatic shift? u.s. strategy. the white house imposed sanctions against libya. will the increased pressure from washington work in the coming days? we're joined by michael sing, a fellow at the washington smut for near east policy and former senior director for middle east affairs. michael, good morning. thanks so much for joining us. >> good morning. >> we think of economic sanctions, we position of a long term approach to putting pressure on a regime. there is an imminent threat against the civilian population. how will the sanctions work? >> there are two objectives right now especially now that quite a few of the american citizens are out. one is to address what appears to be an impending humanitarian crisis in will i be kra. the asset freezes don't really get at that and we'll wait to see what the u.s. intends to do about that, whether there will be a no fly zone decided at the u.n. security council or humanitarian aid convoys coming in from eequipment, for exampgys to start to peel off the remaining loyalists and that's what the asset freeze gets at. it's trying to force essentially gadhafi's children, the high ra ranking officials, to choose between their future and gadhafi. >> you mentioned the no fly zone. we've heard a lot about that option in the last several days. do you think the u.s. really wants to project more military force in the middle east under any circumstances? >> well, it's obviously a momentous decision. we had a no fly zone in iraq and it lasted for a decade. so it's not a decision to be taken lightly. however, at the same time, i think there is also potential cost to be seen in simply standing on the sidelines given the brutal tactics that moammar gadhafi is using. remember he has quite an advantage over the opposition here with his helicopters and warplanes and anti-aircraft artille artillery. and for the western countries to stand aside and not do anything while people are knowed down in that way, that also carries a cost i think in the future in terms of the way we'll be seen by people in the region, the way we'll be seen by people in libya should gadhafi fall. >> we use the term middle east generically fast all the countries are the same. libya very different than egypt in terms of what's left there to resurrect a new government should cagadhafi fall. what are the chances this becomes split up into a tribal land and what would that mean for the rest of the world? >> an excellent point. remember that egypt had thousands of years of history as a country. it has long lasting national institutions like the military. libya has only been one country, a single country, for about 70 or 80 years. before that, it was these different provinces. and it really has no national institutions to speak of. it's collection of tribes and moammar gadhafi has used a divide and rule approach to his leadership there. and so we don't really know what the prospects are that this will country will hang together once gadhafi falls. what you could see is some kind of tribal council that ends up ruling. or you could see those tribes turn on one another and fight out old feuds and rivalries. >> michael, thanks so much. and now we'll head over to melissa francis at the news desk. good morning, everyone. we begin with wild weather around the country. northern california is digging out today from friday's blast of winter which dumped two feet of snow in some parts. in the northeast, areas in upstate new york saw near whiteout conditions and tennessee, they were cleaning up after a tornado. the confirmed twister thursday night near nashville came with 100-miles-per-hour winds that torn roof, uprooted trees and damaged dozens of homes. now to shocking police dash cam video of a kid p napping suspect ramming his van on to a squad car right of a her his car dragged his ex-wife. woai reports. >> reporter: video captured the moment the flees suspension rammed his van on top of an approaching officer's patrol car. video from a second patrol car just seconds before caught him fleeing the house and dragging his ex-wife down the street along the driver's side. >> she had been driving the vehicle at gunpoint, had tried to bail out once she saw the officers. and the suspect was able to gain control of the vehicle and drive it as they went past that first officer. >> reporter: police say he threatened her with a govern un tried to shoot her, but it jammed. then he gets back into the van and tried to drive it away, but it wasn't going anywhere. he then took off up a nearby hill and you can see the three officers firing eight shots, fatally striking him five times. after officers say he pointed his pistol at them. >> it was clear that the female victim in this case was definitely in danger, as well as the officers on the scene. and their actions were justified. >> the victim is okay and the officers were cleared in the shooting. well, call him mr. secretary before the white house has hired jeremy bernard as the new social secretary. he's current lay senior adviser to the u.s. ambassador to france. bernard is not on the first man in his new job, he's also the first openly gay person to hold the position. and finally, a thrilling overtime whip wasn't all they were talking about at the trailblazer victory over the nuggets. the star at halftime was from port land. he hit an amazing half-court shot into the net with just a one handed throw. the crowd went wild for collier who gets to take home a brand new car. jenna will do that on the plaza in just a few minutes. now back over to you. >> do you know why? because he didn't try so hard. these nba players spend so much time friing timing. maybe if they just didn't try so hard. why not? i'm just going to not try and see how many great things happen to me, too. >> you'll did come verbal half-court shots today. >> bill karins is here for our first the weather. >> i might remind you of that. >> be nice for the next couple of hours. we are going to give you a decent day for your birthday. that's my minigift to you. let's talk about this forecast. overnight, heavy rain in los angeles shifting down to oceanside in san diego, areas that don't get heavy rain are seeing it. snow in the hills outside of l.a. middle of the country, quiet today. snow flurries and showers out there minnesota into chicago heading to new england later on tonight. a quick look at our national forecast. p now, a look at the weather outside your window. good saturday morning to you. i'm news 4 chuck bell, more clouds coming through, a mixture of the clouds and sunshine for your saturday. current temperatures are in the low to mid-30s around much of the area. 35 degrees right now in annapolis, 36, downtown, 32, fairfax county. not much of a breeze, especially when you compare to yesterday. highs today, mid to upper 40s for a time with increasing numbers of clouds. mostly cloudy tomorrow but milder, that's your weekend forecast. lester. the wisconsin standoff between public labor unions and the state legislature took a dramatic turn friday. the state's assembly passed a highly contested bill, but the tug of war is far from over. mike tie's bireports. >> reporter: at 1:00 friday morning it really was all over but the shouts. democrat s shouting in anger after republicans used an obscure rule allowing them to end all debate and vote yes. but that vote doesn't make governor scott walker's bill law. the state senate has to pass it and walker kept the pressure on the 14 awol democrats. 11 of whom were on the ed show last night did their job. >> enough time has passed. it's time to come back and have a vote on this pleasure. >> reporter: senate republicans have tried other means of persuasion, suspending direct deposit of the democrats' paychecks, even sending state police to several of their local homes to try and collect them. >> until they take this backwards budget bill off the table, there is nothing to really go back to. >> reporter: inside the statehouse meanwhile, the crowds of overnight campers and protesters keep up their vigils. a weary resolve still evident. >> i think we're getting worn out, but we're stronger than ever. >> reporter: within what's primarily a numbers game, it is organized labor that's taking the hits. some madison teachers getting their pay back for the days they were protesting instead of teaching, but the practical deadline for both the governor and his opponents is next tuesday. that's when the governor gives his budget address and that's when his threat to order what ioffs becomes reality if his bill has not been voted on and passed. for today, mike taibbi, madison, wisconsin. now new zealand where rescue efforts continue days after the earthquake. but there is some glimmer of hope and joy. george lewis joins us from christchurch with the latest. good morning, george. >> reporter: good morning, jenna. with the death toll at 145 and climbing higher, you might think it would be hard to keep hope alive. but there are a number of people here doing that. chief among them, the mayor of christchurch. mayor bob parker has been going nonstop in the four days since the quake hit. encouraging the rescue workers, updating the public, and granting endless press interviews. he's been called the earthquake mayor, former tv host bob parker has used his communications skills to rally his people the way rudy ghoulian any did this new york after 9/11. trying to keep hope alive here amid the ruins. a quarter of downtown christchurch may have to be demolished. >> what keeps you going is that this city is my home, this is where we live, this is everything to us. >> reporter: and to anyone who calls him a hero, he has this response. >> the real heros are actually out there, so it's very embarrassing to be talked about in those terms. >> reporter: among the real heros he cites, the international teams of rescue workers who have come here to help out. including a team from the los angeles county fire department. they say they're still hoping to find survivors. >> we had some long survival times in buildings in haiti and so we're looking for the same thing here. >> reporter: and if you're looking for survivor story, here's a great one. emma howard trapped in the wreckage of this office building. >> everything happened at once. my eyes must have shot, but when they opened again, i was on the floor. >> reporter: she sent a phone text to her fiance telling him where she was. he responded. >> his message said i'm with your parents. i love you. there are lots of men trying to get you out. >> reporter: and emma was rescued rushing to chris' arms. and three days after the quake, they walked down the aisle together, love triumphing over tragedy. the mayor thinks their story is a great lesson for all of us. >> they motivate ourselves by believing in ourselves. and we believe in our future. we love this place. >> reporter: now, this city has been hit by a double whammy. they were just about finished repairing the damage from the september earthquake when this one struck. but the mayor says we will rebuild again. jenna? >> any souns of optimism is a good one. george rue irks thank you so much. and now here is lester. its bean just over two years since the miracle on the hudson emergency landing captivated the nation and the world. the plane bound for charlotte on that fateful day whether now be a permanent exhibit in north carolina this summer. we get more from michelle franzen. >> reporter: in a make shift new jersey hangar about, ten miles from the historic miracle on the hudson landing, the wreckage sits. a first look at the battered airbus 320 bearing all the scars from that cold january day when it collided with a flock of geese shortly after takeoff from that guard i can't. >> there is very prominent bird strikes. >> reporter: and eerie reminders ofs chaotic months when the 155 passengers and crew members rushed to evacuate the cabin. >> most of the people did not use their life vests on the plight. most people took the seat curb shons. >> reporter: sean is president of the carolina's aviation museum in charlotte where flight 1549 whether make its permanent home in the coming months. >> i see history. i see who and what we are. i see the best of humanity. >> reporter: a part of the miracle that goes hand in hand with the heroic efforts of sullen burger and skiles. >> not only was he able to do a great job flying, but it held up when it hit the water. >> reporter: those wings that buoyed passengers have since been removed, but will soon be reattached. the museum will reconstruct the plane as it was on the day of the emergency landing. that includes everything inside the cabin right down to the beverages that were on board. >> it's going to be frozen in time. just as it was when it came out of the water. >> reporter: the majority of survivors that day were from charlotte, including pam siegel, who says she will find comfort in being able to visit the aircraft. >> to see my seat again, to look out that window and remember, you know, what i was experiencing, i think there's a huge emotional connection to the aircraft as a passenger. >> reporter: an emotional connection to this dark cabin and shell of an aircraft still full of life. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, carney, new jersey. we were just talking we fry a lot out of laguardia and the other day took off that same route and you look down and you think what that must have been like. >> as a passenger what that's like, as pilot, as people down below. it's frightening and you're right there, you're really close to the water. but items really terrifying what they must have been lieu. >> we'll take a break and be back with more in a moment. but first, will is "today" on nbc. forty years ago, he wasn't worried about retirement. he'd yet to hear of mutual funds, iras, or annuities. back then, he had something more important to do. he wasn't focused on his future but fortunately, somebody else was. at usaa we provide retirement solutions for our military, veterans and their families. from investments... to life insurance... to health care options. learn more with our free usaa retirement guide. call 877-242-usaa. still to come, the doctor on trial for killing a ballerina while driving under the influence. was it murder. plus a teenaged beauty queen says she was stripped of her crown because she gained too much weight. we'll find out if she'll fight the case. but first these messages. good morning. 7:26 on this saturday, february 26th. i'm aaron gilcrest. in the news for today, prince george's county police need your help to find a brazen purse snatcher who left a 71-year-old woman in the hospital. take a look at this surveillance video. the guy walks up behind the woman at the cigarette discount store and snatched her purse and police say dragged her across the floor. the attack left her with a fractured knee, broken finger and bruised ribs. the thief got away in a gold-colored suv with tinted windows. d.c. congresswoman, eleanor holmes norton is holding her annual tax and information at the washington convention center. more than 120 tax professionals from the irs will be there to help you file your taxes. chuck has a look at your forecast when we come back. stay with us. good saturday morning. i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. we do have a partly cloudy sky overhead this morning, a little break of sunshine from time to time. on the whole, a mostly cloudy saturday, noticeably cooler than yesterday as well. current temperatures in the low to mid-30s early on our saturday morning. 36 downtown, 30, frederick, maryland, 30 degrees in the panhandle. the fierce winds of yesterday are gone. a much calmer day coming up today. more clouds and sunshine, cooler, highs today in the 40s. highs tomorrow, upper 50s to near 60. aaron? >> thank you, chuck. another update on your local news and weather coming up in 25 minutes. a full hour of "news4 today" coming up at 9:00, a full hour and a half, that is. we're back on this saturday morning, february 26th, 2011. it is the last full weekend of february. our thanks to everyone who has come to spend part of their morning with us. we'll head outside in a bit. but back inside studio 1a, i'm jenna wolf filling in for amy. and coming up, the latest saga surrounding charlie sheen. >> cbs and warner brothers have pulled the plug on the rest of that sitcom and they place the blame squarely -- what was that? >> i didn't know how high you were getting. >> putting the blame squarely on comments made by charlie sheen. what does this mean for the future of the troubled star in we'll find out. >> anything you want to tell me? >> no. >> okay, then ahead, a story that we brought to you a couple weeks ago. miss san antonio was stripped of her crown because pageant officials claimed she didn't live up to her duty. this past week a judge ruled against her and the runner up was crowned. so what happens next? we'll find out when we speak with her life. plus why are there so many dolphin deaths in the gulf of mexico. 60 baby calfs have been found on the shores and scientists are baffled. we'll find out what's behind the strange story coming up. and it's hollywood buzz this weekend surrounding a statue named oscar. >> coming up, we'll take a look at the controversy surrounding melissa leo. she's considered a shoe-in, but chances may have been knocked out after a self promoting ad campaign. >> we have a lot to get to, but we'll begin with a story out of north carolina. a jury is deciding the fate of a former doctor for their dui death of a young ballerina killed when he slammed in to her car at a speed upwards of 80 plus miles per hour. ron mott has more. >> reporter: in his closing plea to the jury friday, prosecutor argued for what might have been. what might have been had 20-year-old ballerina shapiro were still alive and not killed in a violent crash tahat left hr car a mangled mess. prosecutors say raymond cook, a popular former plastic surgeon, once the face of a thriving medical practice, father of two girls -- >> it shows you the extensive damage to the engine compartment. >> reporter: -- plowed his mercedes into her calf her ter dave boozing. he's pleaded not guilty. >> what was the blood alcohol re reading? >> objection. >> overruled. you may answer. >> 0.24. >> reporter: three times the legal limit for being considered drunk behind the wheel in north carolina. those prosecutors eventually accepted a reading of 0.20. >> literally i breathe ehe brea face and it was very strong. >> reporter: cook's attorneys countered that his actions admittedly illegal did not rise to that level. >> this man had too much to drink. he drove too fast. and there were tragic consequences for elena shapiro. but this is not murder. >> reporter: the jury began deliberations on friday. while lawyers for both sides debated the actual speed cook was traveling, crash witness described what she saw moments before impact. >> behind me i saw this car moving back and forth. came by me so fast that i cri e cringed because i feared for my life. >> reporter: of course it was the life of elena shapiro which was lost that night far from the stage where she dreamed of being a star. for "today," ron mott, nbc news, atlanta. the jury will continue deliberating monday morning. and how for a check of the weather with bill karins outside weather with bill karins outside on the plaza. >> good morning to you, jenna. the storm that hit new england is gone. let me take you through your day and let you know what to expect or how to dress yourself and the kids as we go through the afternoon. the cold air, pretty much a sure thing. the southern half of the country warming up. when you get this contrast, zeros in north dakota and 80s in texas, the storm will be moving through. that will be on sunday into monday. as of today, the worst of the weather is down there in the desert southwest. the desert is getting some rain. that's a look at your national forecast. here is a look at the weather outside your window. saturday, i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. plenty of clouds around. there is the jefferson memorial in downtown d.c., no shadows being cast just yet thanks to the overcast. 36, washington, 32, winchester and front royal. 46 degrees in silver spring and wheaton, not much of a breeze blowing. much cooler than yet, today's highs in the if you want your hour by hour forecast, you can always get that at weather.com. you guys were quick with this. the happy birthday jenna sign. back inside to you. >> wow, it looks like they spent so much time on that sign, too. thank you so much and we'll come out in a second to say thank you in person. bill, thank you. and still to come, could miss san antonio regain the crown? we'll find out when we speak to her life. sxwloo plus prince william and kate middleton step out in public this weekend. how is kate handling her new royal duties? we'll find out. but first these messages. 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>> i don't believe so. the jury will decide. >> what makes you think, though, a jury -- was there something that the judge didn't necessarily buy or hear that you think a jury will? >> i'm not exactly sure. i mean, the jury will -- they've seen the story. they know what is going on. and i mean, it's basically just up to them and i've been fighting and i've been doing my best and i wasn't actually there for the judge's decision. i was sick at home with pneumonia. >> and i know you were sick and not feeling well. we hope you're feeling better. but the pageant officials really made a big deal out of your reliability and you admitted that you were late to some events and they really down played the weight issue which you had talked about last time you were here. do you think that the reliability question is a legitimate one? >> no, i don't believe so. i mean, they really made weight a big thing in the beginning of this and i think they're really just trying to cover up for their mistake. my reliability, i've been reliable since i was 13 years old in high school graduating early. i mean, i've been a volunteer for many organizations and they are heaping me out with this trial. so we'll see how it goes. >> hows that been on you, though, to face this criticism if not over your weight over your reliability? i mean, it's an attack on your character you might say. >> yes, definitely something i'm not used to. but i'm learning a lot from this. and i'm just taking it as a learning experience and it's not hurting me at all. >> let me turn to your mom. as we noted, dominique missed the ruling because she was out sick with pneumonia. are you worried about how this is affecting her physically and emotionally? >> well, it is affecting her in school. she is having to get caught up with a lot of homework and staying up really ligate and th having to go to court. so it is affecting her in a way, yes. >> is this a battle worth fighting? the crown has now been placed on another young lady. what do you advise your daughter in this case? do you want her to continue to go forward? >> yes. one thing we did teach my daughter is to never give up. if she really wants something, she needs to fight for it. and just never to give up. >> we'll have to end our conversation here for now, but thanks again for coming on and talking to us. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> thank you for having us. up next here on "today," oscar and the controversial ad. we'll tell you more about it after these messages. for three hours a week, i'm a coach. but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn who helped us weigh and understand all our options. for me cancer was as scary as a fastball is to some of these kids. but my coach had hit that pitch before. turning data into useful answers. we're 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. and then a 3:15, with my guilt. 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[ female announcer ] what makes a moment last? what makes even the lightest touch linger? new smooth sensation from nivea. the light lotion with the breakthrough skin care technology. 24-hour-plus hydra iq. it works with your skin's hydration system to keep skin smooth. all day, all night. ♪ smooth sensation and the essentials collection. now with hydra iq. only from nivea. touch and be touched. on sunday all eyes will be on hollywood. one of this year's frontrunners is a veteran who has already picked up a s.a.g. and golden globe, but she's hardly a house hald name. melissa leo is up for oscar gold, but this week she was criticized for her self promoting ad campaign to help her oscar bid. miguel almaguer has a look at the actress, her work and what the critics are saying. >> reporter: a knockout performance. melissa leo in "the fighter" up for oscar gold. but the nominee for best supporting actress -- >> ask him if he would have won without his brother. >> reporter: didn't originally want the role as the foul mouthed chain smoking mother of two boston boxers. at 50, leo isn't much older than mark wahlberg and christian bale, her silver screen children. the movie's director had to convince leo. >> he had a very strong belief after not very long with me that i could play alice. i hesitated. i peel so close to their ages. >> reporter: leo seemed like a sure bet to win the oscar. >> melissa leo. >> reporter: she's already won nearly every other major award for her gritty performance, a shoe-in said critics, that was until she create and paid for this ad campaign simply entitled consider, it was seen by some as unnecessary and self promoting. now insiders say she may have koed her chance to win. >> i've also talked to voters who say that she lost their vote after putting those ads out that some people found them a little bit tacky. >> reporter: leo says the campaign was meant to be humorous, maybe remind folks here who she is. in the '80s, leo was on the television soap "all my children." the min but she captured hollywood's eye in 2003 for her performance in 21 grams. and later frozen river garnering leo's first oscar nod. >> she's one of the workhorse actors who has been plugging away for a long time but hasn't had that big a-list moment. >> reporter: that may change in the fighter oig t, the role of lifetime for an actress who has been performing all her life. >> i don't know who you are. >> reporter: but is her chance for oscar gold now on the ropes? for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, hollywood. >> i'll show my ignorance. you go hollywood and you see the big billboards and the ads, consider this, consider -- >> the movie companies actually put those up. they're saying that she -- >> it's bad to promote yourself? you want the award. >> i would love the award. believe me. if i could act, believe me, i would self promote. but i can't and so i won't. >> let's go holds on the plaza. >> please consider one of us. doesn't matter. we are back, but first, this is "today" on nbc. consider him. somewhere in america, a city comes to life. it moves effortlessly, breathes easily. it flows with clean water. it makes its skyline greener and its population healthier. all to become the kind of city people want to live and work in. somewhere in america, we've already answered some of the nation's toughest questions. and the over sixty thousand people of siemens are ready to do it again. siemens. answers. still to come, strong storms carrying snow, rain and wind ripped across the country. we'll have the latest. plus why are so many dolphins being found dead along the gulf coast? 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[ male announcer ] the simple joy of sweet harmony. ♪ takesing a live look outside, the high winds are gone but the cold temperatures are back. good morning, 7:56 on this saturday, february 26th. i'm kimberly suiters. u.s. park police say two officers were involved in a crash overnight. a drunk driver hit their cruisers on the baltimore washington parkway. authorities arrested the drunk driver. officers were not hurt. virginia will head into overtime. the lawmakers are trying to resolve differences. the 2011 session will most likely end tomorrow. a group that plans to shut down a popular attraction at the washington zoo is holding a demonstration today. residents are getting ready for a pet-in, in response to the kids' farm closing. the national zoo petting farm is losing federal funding. research projects are taking a priority over the kids farm. today's pet-in will take place from 10:00 chuck bell joins us live with the latest on the forecast. good saturday morning, everybody. weekend off to a good start, noticeably colder than yesterday. temperatures mostly in the mid-30s, 38, washington, 34, fairfax, 32 man as sis and 32, fredericksburg. temperatures warming in the mid and upper 40s. a light south breeze at 5-10 miles. tomorrow's highs, upper 50s to near 70 on monday. strong to severe thunderstorms. another local update in 25 minutes. for now, we are going to send you back up north to new york an the "today" show. aaron and i will see you for an hour and i ahalf starting at 9:00. welcome back to "today." a great crowd on the plaza. thanks to them for joining us. we're back inside studio 1a. >> coming up in this half hour, we're going to go live inside libya as the embattled leader moammar gadhafi and his regime take to the streets. this as the u.s. ups the ante imposing sang imposing sang s imposing sanganctions. and a string of dolphin deaths has scientists baffled. why are they die somethiying? we'll tell you. >> and we'll head out to hollywood as we hear this -- i can't even read this because i'm hoping that there is some fake -- >> yes, there were no tv reporters -- >> you were training to be a stunt man. >> i was training to be a stunt man. and this is a place with a lot of them train so we went there to find out some of the secrets. >> is that why you came back with a concussion? he really did, by the way, but we'll talk about that later. >> and the royal wedding is just two months away. william and kate returned to the university where they first met. how will kate's fashion sense play into the wedding plans? we'll have much more on that in our next half hour. but first we want to head to malta where americans have been arriving after being evacuated from libya. martin fletcher is live with more. this is a delayed arrival, isn't it? >> reporter: it was delayed somewhat. the poor mer it took 60 hours for them to arrive and they're safe and presumably happy now. and there's a lot of naval activity in the area as the buildup of the foreign exodus to help the foreign nationals, tens of thousands of people who want to leave libya. this british warship has just arrived right now, french warships, italian, german, turkish, all shuttling back and forth between malta and libya to bring out foreign nationals. the main thing now, the question for the americans, how many more americans are there in libya who want to get out. the state department did say yesterday that all the americans who wish to be evacuated have been evacuated, but there is some confusion, it turns out there are about 90 americans still in libya who were not able to make to the port in i'm to get the ferry or to the airport in i'm to get ttime to get the flight sorkts british and french say they will help. there is a french charter leaving today and a british ferry leaving today and they said they would take any american nationals that can make it to the port. but clearly because of the fighting especially in tripoli, it's been hard for all those foreigners to reach the areas from where they can be evacuated. so tens of thousands still trying to get out of libya before the fighting engulfs them. >> martin fletcher, hangs f tha the update. let's switch gears. people across this country are waking up this morning saying uncle. another batch of brutal winner weather clobbers several states. kevin tibbles has that story. >> reporter: here we go again. it will be officially march in lee d three days, but it is still winter. near whiteout conditions on interstate 5 near seattle. freezing temperatures and wind considered perilous conditions. in western oregon, snow covered roads made driving dangerous. >> i lost traction and didn't so that until i was in the ditch. >> reporter: nevada city, california was also hit with a snowstorm. >> it's fairly heavy, but it will get heavier. >> dangerous if you're driving. >> reporter: icy roads caused a messy morning in missouri. cars slid and skidded down kansas city streets. some spinning their wheels just trying to get around. and four tractor trailers got stick in the snow on i-35 near downtown kansas city. flash floods claimed the lives of four amish children in graves county, kentucky. they were traveling with four other children and a woman in a horse drawn buggy which flipped in a rain swollen creek. the sheriff spoke about how the tragedy has affected the community. >> it's brought the community very close. can't say enough. >> reporter: and in new york, heavy rains and winds called travel delays. >> disgusting out here. can't wait for it to be over. didn't the groundhog come out? nasty weather makes you want to stay inside. >> reporter: for "today," kevin continue he will, ns, nbc news, chicago. >> they had 40-mile-an-hour winds at the airport here and it low throwed things down. >> you see all the umbrellas inside out, and that's how you measure how bad the winds are. all of a sudden you're cool and then you're uncool in a matter of a split second and you throw that away and you'd rather just deal with the weather. mother nature has been brutal this season for us. we'll get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories once again from melissa francis. good morning. good morning, everyone. we begin in libya with the latest on the uprising. stephanie gosk joins us from benghazi with more. >> reporter: well, we talked today with opposition groups here in benghazi and they took control of the town on tuesday. i asked them their priorities and they said all eyes are on tripoli and the violence there just keeps getting worse. yesterday in green square, gadhafi address his supporters and he seemeded to i eto incite more vit lens. he said if necessary they would open up the arms stores and provide them with weapons. right now the death toll is estimated at about 1,000 people. there are estimates that go even higher than that. the opposition groups say they claim yet another city last night, 150 miles east of tripoli, putting even more pressure on gadhafi to step down. he continues to say he's not going anywhere. >> stefphanie gosk in libya. thank you so much. and in new zealand, fresh after shocks rattling nerving. grn george lewis is live in christchurch with more. >> reporter: good morning. the death toll stands at 145 now with homore than 200 missing. the death toll expected to go a lot higher as the search and rescue work continues. the downtown sector of christchurch is heavily damaged. officials say that a quarter of the buildings in downtown christchurch may have to be torn down and rebuilt. it's going to be a massive effort going on for many months. they say that they haven't recovered anyone alive since wednesday, but they are not giving up hope of finding more survivors. the experts say that the cool weather will help. one l.a. county fire department officer who we talked to said that in haiti it, their experience was they were still finding people a week or more after that quake. so they're very hopeful they will find more survivors here. >> george lewis, thanks so much. and a georgia toddler is recovering after being trapped in a bank vault for four hours. the 14 month old went missing on friday while visiting her grandmother who worked at a suburban atlanta wells fargo bank. rescuers had to pump fresh air into the vault while the crying toddler endured the sounds of machinery trying to get the door open. poor thing. and finally anheuser-busch taking a break from producing beer. oh, no, you might say. >> calm down, melissa. >> sorry. instead of beer, the company is now turning out canned drinking water. anheuser-busch says it wants to build up a reserve of 25,000 cases of water in case it's needed for flood relief this spring. that's the news. now back on jenna. no beer for your birthday, jenna. or no more beer, i should say. >> i'm here. amdid i not get up this morning? >> fabulous. >> i never saw melissa so outraged over a story before until i saw that one. >> football season is over. >> so you are good to go for another whole year and my birthday is not for another whole year. bill karins is out on the plaza. good morning to you. >> good morning tu. you waited 60 years to head to us and join us here in new york. where are have you been? >> monmouth, illinois. >> you just retired from teaching? congratulations and you two beautiful little ladies, you are sisters. where are you guys from? >> bedford, new hampshire. >> they are used to this cold weather. let's talk about what's going to happen over the next couple of days. our next storm system will move coast to coast, pushing through arizona with snow on the rim country and emerge on sunday to the central plains. this time of year, a big storm will spawn severe weather, watch out in st. louis, little rock, memphis and as we go into monday, we will have to watch atlanta and the carolina. today, the storm is in the southwest. that's a look at the national forecast. a look at the weather outside your window. >> reporter: good morning, everybody and welcome to your weekend. plenty of clouds outside on a saturday morning. no raindrops out there first thing. that is welcome news. it will be a completely dry day today. any rain chances for your sunday come in late in the day. probably not until sun down or there after. mid to upper 30s at this point in time. on the way up. near 60 tomorrow. 70 monday with thunderstorms. not a bad weekend forecast, right? we'll send to jenna. now to some troubling news out of the gulf coast. dead baby doll fins have been washing up on beaches all along the coast and scientists are scrambling to figure out why. care kerry sanders has more. almost every day for the past two month, seems have found dead dolphins along the gulf coast. more than 65 and counting. experts say it's unclear if there is any link to the bp oil spill, but the unusually high number of deaths are suspicious because 35 were either still born or infant calfs conceived shortly before the bp well began to gush. >> tguess tags period is betwee 11 and 13 months, so do you the math. >> reporter: the deepwater horizon sang in a fireball last april and spewed more than 200 million gallons of crude oil before it was finally capped. in just the two first months of this year, federal studies have documented an alarming ten fold mcthis deaths. doctor we're lo . >> we're looking at all possible causes. >> we're looking at all possible causes.>> we're looking at all e causes. but there is a chance we may not be able to determine the final cause. >> reporter: bp says it is aware of the discoveries and will work with the government agencies to further investigate the cause. at the dolphin research center, louie is thriving today, but last september, he was all but dead coated in oil when he was found on the beach in louisiana. experts said he had only a 5% chance of survival. since his rescue and eventual all move to florida, louie's gained 50 pounds and experts believe he may now offer a glimpse into saving others found barely alive in the gulf. >> louie's survival benefits his entire population. the fact that he survived after having less than a 5% chance to live on the beach tells us something and we need learn from it and we need to apply for the next louie that comings up on the beach, right? you're adorable. >> reporter: biologists say if the oil is killing the dolphins, then it could be a warning sign of what's to come. >> i think we're looking at the tip of the iceberg. it's not only dolphins, but what will be next. >> reporter: for "today," kerry sanders, nbc news, the florida keys. and still to come, charlie sheen continues his rant on the airways, but with his hit show now canceled for the rest of the season, what's next for the troubled star. but up next, inside the life of a hollywood stunt woman. eatue helps you save on innovative products from brands like gillette. try the gillette fusion proglide razor with thinner, finer blades. pick up the swiffer wetjet. it cleans better than a mop and bucket. and try the crest clinical strength pro-health collection for help in preventing gingivitis. look for your february 27th p&g brandsaver for over $130 in savings on these and other innovative products ♪ looks like it's time to stock up. so, save big at the petsmart stock up and save sale. right now, save up to 25% on over a thousand essentials! only at petsmart. that's what's incredible about quaker oatmeal squares. sheen continues his rant on the that's 96% of your minimum whole grain needs for the day. are you kidding me? 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[ male announcer ] at ragu, our mission is to pack two servings of vegetables into every half-cup of healthy, delicious sauce. new ragu has the taste your family will love, so, it's even easier to make every bite count. ♪ ragu. feed our kids well. this morning on secrets, we head to hollywood for an industry that often goes unnoticed. stunt performers have been the unsung heros on the big and small screens for decades. >> reporter: want the inside story of hollywood? ask stunt performers like tammy whose careers are built on taking the hard knocks. >> i want to get out there and hit the ground and do it. >> reporter: from the days of silent films to john wayne westerns, straight on to today's mega action flicks, stunt performers have been taking the fall for hollywood. seamlessly inserted into a sequence to make it look like the stars themselves are in jeopardy. >> hair, body type is most important, so if you have the same body type as the actress, should you never see my face and you should never know when it's myself or the actress. >> reporter: tammy has taken plenty of hard knocks in films like fast and furious, true blood, the office she was the one holding the tray. and even getting a face full of cake in the soap days of our lives. we recently caught up with tammy to learn some of the secrets of hollywood stunt work. number one, stay in tip top shape. her days off start at the beach for a killer workout. but it's here at this gym many stunt performers come to hone their skills. when i see a fight keen, i always assume they're doing this but not really making contact. are you making contact? >> no. >> reporter: you're not. >> smoke and mirrors, baby. it's just near misses. or give to me straight on. >> reporter: but it's not all smoenk a smoke and mirrors. like when she was hit by a car for one scene. >> the car was going about 15 miles an hour driving down the street and it hit me on my left side. >> reporter: really hit you. >> really hit me. and as it hit me, i just kind of shoulder rolled into it. >> reporter: what you don't see are the protective pads and other gear stunt performers discreetly wear sometimes. >> practicing outside would -- >> oh, my gosh. >> reporter: clearly she can hold her own. the key to good stunt work she says is knowing how to fall. wait, take my money. i'm about to find out with a harness contraption that would be digitally erased if this were a real movie scene. >> action. >> reporter: that was really cool. here in the gym and on the set, there's always a stunt coordinator. their job is to help movie directors safely push the stunt envelope. >> for us it's all about action design. so we look at what the script requires and then we try and figure out a few twist on the s same old fight sequence. >> reporter: after getting leveled by tammy, all i wanted to learn was pay back, maybe super human strength. when it's over, no hard feelings. and for tammy, thankfully a career with no close calls. but plenty of thrills for her and the audience. >> i love my job. >> wait, why was she laughing every time you threw her? oh, like a tissue. >> receivesshe was a good sport. >> that's incredible. >> she's great. and by the way, people are always curious what does a stunt person make. in terms of salary, she says the average stunt person only makes about $20,000 a year. but they may work only ten days. but there are stunt workers who work nonstop and make up on $200,000 a year. and i should point out, i did another story back in 2004 when i went to a stunt person school and that one i came back with a broken foot. >> did you really? >> i was on crutches for six weeks. will th it this one was all good. >> it did look like a lot of fun. >> it was. when you to that you watch movies very differently about that. >> and i'm actually going to try not to annoy you now. still ahead, if you need a spring break idea but you don't want to relive your youth in florida, we've got some exotic vacations that are affordable and fun. but first, this is "today" on nbc. still to come, we'll listen to charlie sheen's latest rant. >> and the countdown to the royal wedding. william and kate go on the town in a very public way. but first, these messages. 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[ female announcer ] kellogg's fiber plus cereal. positively delicious. good morning, everyone. it is 8:56 right now on this saturday, february 26th. i'm kimberly suiters. in the news for today, two of the officers involved in a crash overnight. investigators say a drunk driver hit their cruisers in the baltimore parkway. authorities arrested the suspected drunk driver. maryland could soon -- virginia's general assembly will likely head into overtime. the current session is supposed to adjourn today. lawmakers are trying to resolve differences in their version of the budget. this 2011 session will most likely end tomorrow. maryland could soon be the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriages. >> now, we are going to talk about this. d.c. residents can take advantage of getting their taxes done for free. d.c. congresswoman is holding her 11th tax and information fair from 10:00 to 1:00 today at the washington convention center and financial services and mortgage and credit counseling will be offered. chuck bell has your forecast. we will be back after this. it is a saturday morning here in the nation's capital. i am news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. we have a bright sky overhead. it does have plenty of clouds in it first thing this morning. these clouds are going to be a big part of our weekend forecast. expect more clouds and sunshine today and tomorrow. today, on the chilly side. temperatures in the mid to upper 30s on early on a saturday morning. luckily, there will be a light breeze out there as opposed to the tough winds of yesterday. tomorrow, mostly cloudy but milder. near 70 by monday. a risk of strong to severe thunderstorms monday afternoon. >> thank you, chuck. we will we're back on a saturday morning. february 26th, 2011. it is a cold morning. colder than it's been this week, but our thanks to the folks who have joined us on the plaza. waving hellos to friends and family back home who did not make the trip. i'm jenna wolf alongside lester holt. i'm filling in for amy. >> nice having you here. we have other birthdays here. >> it's a good day. >> and all are 21 today. >> including me. >> still to come, we'll talk about "two and a half men," the popular sitcom. it's been canceled for the rest -- not canceled, but pulled for the rest of the season. no telling what the future of the show holds after charlie sheen's latest public rant on friday. we'll let you hear what he said and let you decide whether this will pull the plug permanently. plus it's the count down to the royal wedding. on friday william and kate went back to the place where their romance started, saint andrews university. it is the couple's third public appearance since their engagement with another one later today. we'll have all the details of that and more. and then we'll talk about spring break for baby boomers. move over college kids. there's a whole bunch of adventure travel waiting for the boomer crowd. we'll tell you where you can go for cheap and exciting address sven adventures. >> but first if you think you have what it takes to be on the biggest loser, this is for but fpadventures. >> but first if you think you have what it takes to be on the biggest loser, this is for but fp. >> mark, you lost 213. more than half your body weight. we saw the line this morning, people lining up to audition. tell me about the home motivation factor of being on the show. not our show, "the biggest loser." >> right. i got to a point where i just had to change. once i got on, you saw the determination that i had there. nothing could change me, i had to do it for myself and my family. i always thought of my family back home, my father is a cancer survivor and i wanted to spend more time with him in a healthy manner. go out and do things rather than just sit there and watching tv. >> and you called this a life -- a make or break opportunity for you. life or death for real because you had health issues coming into the show. for people that want toed a decision but are afraid of getting rejected, what would you say to them? >> nbc is passing across 13 cities. and if you have an opportunity to do it, it will change your life. i was a type 2 diabetic, on four needles a day of since wherein. for me, it absolutely saved my life. doctors said five years you'll be dead. and i lost 162 pounds on the show. it's a lifestyle change. if you can't get somebody to get out there and give you the push, just get out there and try. >> you're such an inspiration. thanks for coming by. great to see you looking well. >> good luck to you both. bill karins has another r check check of the weather. >> good morning, everyone. headed into the weekend. what's your brother's name? >> adam. >> what's your name? >> adam. >> what's your barber's name? >> mom. >> looking good, guys. let's talk about this weekend forecast. we are going to continue, cold temperatures in the northern plains. big stories in the southwest, heavy rains moving through in san diego, getting ready for rain in phoenix. by the time we get into tomorrow, that's when that storm will come into the middle of the country and we will deal with severe weather and the possibility of isolated weather, little rock to memphis. that's a look at your sunday forecast. here is a look at your weather outside your window. >> good saturday morning outside of our window in northwest washington. a cloudy sky. news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. almost 40 degrees at the friendly peacock in northwest. a lot of spots in the 30s. people not taking their boats out just yet. temperatures are in the mid to upper 30s this morning climbing to the upper 40s to near 50. plenty of clouds around for today and tomorrow. today's high near 40, it wasn't that bad of a forecast, was it? what's her name? >> rory, 15 months. >> you're so cute. big smile if me at the end? no? look at that p. right on cu pechlt going to be a star one day. let's head inside to jenna. now to the latest trouble surrounding charlie sheen. thursday night cbs and warner brothers stopped production on "two and a half men" and on friday the troubled actor took to the airways again with another shocking rant filled with rage. >> reporter: for charlie sheen, the rants just keep on coming. >> they picked a fight with the wrong guy. defeat is not an option and they know it. >> reporter: a day after lashing out, he returned to the airways this time speaking to pat o'brien. >> they said change your life and i did in like an hour. and, you know, i guess they might be sort of missing the old guy that was just showing up sort of quietly and hitting his marks. >> reporter: and sheen didn't waste any time. again, attacking his bosses, including chuck lorre, the creator of "two and a half men." >> they know what they did was wrong. they're in absolute breach. i got the first amendment behind me and an army marching. >> reporter: that followed thursday's radio outburst when sheen slammed lorre and raised eyebrows by calling him by his hebrew name. >> last time i checked, i've spent at least close to the last decade magically converting your tin cans in to pure gold. and the gratitude i get is he chose not do his job, which is as to write. >> reporter: cbs responded quickly. in a same the network said based on the totality of charlie sheen's statements, conduct and condition, cbs and warner brothers television have skied to discontinue production of "two and a half men" for the remainder of the season. with production on hold, hundreds of people will be out of work. on friday, sheen had a message for them. >> be patient, get focused. we're at war and there are ways to deal with these clowns and take all their money. >> reporter: this are reports this morning that the actor who was in the bahamas with a porn star and model has returned to hollywood and insisted that his rehab worked and this he's clean and sober. >> if you can find a drug that will get me higher than i him i hate to say on life, but just living in the moment, finally enjoying this life, then present that drug. i don't think it exists. >> lola is a freelance entertainment reporter and pop culture expert and brad is an addiction interventionist who has worked with celebrities and the author of how to help the one you love. good morning to you both. thanks for being with us. brad, i want to start with you. charlie sheen has been telling anyone who will listen i'm okay, i'm ready to work, i want to go back to work. and then he goes on the airways with this rant. what do you make of all this? >> what's being televised is a high speed chase of somebody's destruction. we're seeing the rants of a mad man. it if we start to believe that it's anything his than drug related, i think we're all telling ourselves a story. families and friends, we all know somebody who struggled with drugs or alcohol and we've all wonder what had can we do to help them and i bet that that's what's happening behind the scenes, as well. they've certainly done something, but for the families and friends, too, they're saying what in the world can we do now to help him not die. that's my fear for him is that he dies. >> so when he says i'm clean and sober, you don't have to worry about me, you think otherwise. >> i would give him a drug test. it's like the guy that comes up from the tornado skrel lacellar everybody has seen massive destruction sxecht him and he looks away and says, hey, what a great day. and that's the rublg with addiction is the disconnect between what's really happening and what they think is happening is huge. i've been in recovery for a long time. i know what it's like to have cocaine induced psychosis, to be crazy and anding and have people around me not know wlag do. but family and friends can step in and help. >> i left the show a month ago go for what he calls a self imposed at home rehab stint. does something like this work? >> there's been lots of controversy over does that work or doesn't it. my own experience with folks who are going into rehab and looking at this as an alternative is it can be helpful. he's a celebrity. there is the possibility that when a celebrity goes in to rehab that those private secret moments that they'll share in public can be sold or shared in the tabloids. so i didn't think that in and of itself was a terrible decision. i think the decision clearly that he hasn't of ---he's not moved in to recover city the problem. quonk the choice to consider at home rehab is the terrible thing, but the results speak for themselves. he's not doing well. >> lola, how big a deal is to shut down production? >> the show generates more than $100 million in revenue. so they don't want to walk away from something like this. it generates about 10 million viewers. and that's just the reruns. p so the numbers are huge here and charlie sheen obviously is someone that they had previously enjoyed working with in the past, but the drugs got to him and this is a really volatile relationship now. and i don't know if it can be fixed actually. >> that's the relationship with the studios. what about his relationship with the production crew and with the actors and actresses on the show. does he get along with them? >> everyone says that he's loved on the set, that he shows up on time, that is he professional, but clearly what he does in his off time is self-destructive and not good for the show and 300 people now are out of work because of charlie sheen's antics off the set. he's one of those people i believe who needs to work. he gets in to trouble when he's on hiatus. the incident at the plaza happened over the christmas holidays when he allegedly held a knife to his ex-wife's neck happened last christmas. so when he has too much time on his hands, he gets himself into trouble. he's his own worst enemy. >> for years there were reports that he's been doing the drugs and alcohol and partying and yet he's shown up to work on time and he's been okay when it comes to actually working. so what do you do in a situation like this then? >> that's what cbs said initially, that's why they were allowing him to work because they couldn't reprimand him. what do you do when he shows up on time and hits their mark. but now it's gone too far. s they can't ignore it anymore. >> sheen's ex-wife moved back it this with him. they come have kids together. t >> sheen's ex-wife moved back it this with him. they come have kids together.th >> sheen's ex-wife moved back it this with him. e also was in rehab.together ha. how much of this is good at any level in. >> when i have an intervention, i try to get all the voice has matter and oftentimes the family will not want to include another person who is also difficulted but that's often the first person they want to call. they've built a life together and they've struggled together. charlie sheen said that we are at war here and i think that is the primary notion that we can all take away. this guy is at war and it's with an addiction. and i hope doesn't kill him. >> we'll leave it at that. thank you so much. up next, william and kate step out in style. the details next. but first, these messages. ♪ [ slap! ] [ slap! slap! slap! slap! ] ow, ow! [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you? fight back fast with tums. calcium rich tums goes to work in seconds. nothing works faster. ♪ tum ta tum tum tums that's why there's lubriderm® daily moisture. it contains the same nutrients naturally found in healthy skin. skin absorbs it better and it lasts for 24 hours. later gator. lubriderm. your moisture matched. this morning on today's royal count down, uwn all eyes continue to be on william and kate as they return to the place where their love affair first started. keith miller joins us from buckingham palace. >> reporter: good morning. well, the british don't have the expression hitting it out of the park, but it appears that kate middleton is batting 1,000 in her debut as a princess in waiting. the lady in red wowed the student body at saint andrew's university in scotland. it was the 600th anniversary of the university where kate and prince william met as undergraduates. the roman started here in 2001 when the future king was the most eligible bachelor on campus. >> this is a very special moment for katherine and me. it feels like coming home. >> reporter: but the crowds were here to see kate. a flip camera allowed us all to be on the receiving line. kate middleton once walked these street anonymously, but as the future queen to the king of england, she will now live her life in the celebrity glare of modern monarchy. royal watchers say middleton performed brilliantly. >> she looked really happy to be here. she's been smiling. she's looked beautiful. i think her outfits are really well chosen. and all in all, i think she's done very well for what is probably quite a nervous time for her. >> reporter: this was the scene outside new zealand's high commission friday where middleton and prince william along with prince harry signed a book of condolences for the victims of new zealand's devastating earthquake. the royal couple started their public coming out on the welsh island thursday. even here she managed to make a splash commissioning a rubber lifeboat, she poured champagne over the bow and managed to spill some bubbly on her prince, too. the body language said it all. the prince gently guiding his future princess through the protocol of a royal event. she will need his training in public appearances to avoid any surprises. on her first public appearance since the announcement of her engagement, it appears that kate middleton is a natural. >> keith, what is their immediate calendar look like? do they have anymore public appearances before their big day? >> reporter: i'm sure that the palace would like to get them out there if nothing more than to generate old the good will that they've achieved so far. there is nothing specific on hair calendar at the moment, but the palace says there will be at least one, perhaps two important public engagements and again i think we'll see a pretty spectacular reception for the golden couple. >> all right, keith miller, thank you so much. up next, from drag racing, trick ideas that will make you want to book that getaway. but first these messages. this morning on today's travel, spring breaks for boomers. we have some good ideas for what could be a trip of a life time. international editor of travel and leisure is here to take us through them. have the tour companies basically decided that boomers are really into more kind of out there adventure type vacations? >> a lot of boomers are at or approaching retirement, so they're creating their own bucket list, those things that they've always wanted to do, plus they're at the stage where they have the financial where with all to do these trips. >> you put together a pretty interesting list. let's start off with surfing. >> if you've ever had a chance to get up on a you asurf board, you'll be in big sur, beautiful mountains and red woods. spending the morning surfing, in the afternoon you can do a surf session or massage session or even wilderness survival training. only $350 for a three day trip with all your meals included. >> beautiful. let's talk about drag racing. >> it's the frank holly racing school out in florida. you'll spend a little bit of classroom time to learn how to drive one of these things, but then you'll get in the fire suit, get behind the wheel of an authentic big block chevy dragster, you'll be doing speeds of 150 miles an hour, a quarter of a mile track in just eight seconds. you can even get your drag racing license. >> these kind of things aren't cheap about. >> this is just about $2,000. >> if you can't afford that take a yellow cab and taxi in new york, you'll get the same experience. if you love biking, another great way it see yellowstone park. >> this is a way to see yellowstone in a way that most people don't get a chance to. you'll be on foot, river rafting, on bike, as well. you'll be going to a hidden hot spring, every night staying at a different lodge including order faithful. great way to see this beautiful, beautiful park. >> next on the list is whale watching. down in baja, there is a school package. >> this is one of the primary destinations for the gray whale migration. babies are born there. you can get out on a skiff, get right up close to these friendly creatures. lots of great bird watching. which airfare is included from san diego. all meals are included. it's a safari types set up. >> and last on the list, wine tasting and seeing medieval towns of italy. >> this is by bike going through the medieval villages, winery, vineyards. you'll get up close with the local people. cooking class with local chefs. you'll be staying in these luxury medieval villas that the company owns. and it this trip is on the expensive side. 3600 bucks. but six days in the most beautiful place in italy you can imagine. >> what a great list you've about put together. thanks for coming by. ♪ work, work all week long ♪ punching that clock from dusk till dawn ♪ ♪ countin' the days till friday night ♪ ♪ that's when all the conditions are right for a good time ♪ [ male announcer ] advanced technology that helps provide cleaner air, cleaner water, and helps make all of us more energy efficient is something the whole world can get in step with. 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[ female announcer ] lactaid®. the original lactose-free milk. that will do it for us. thank you so much. tomorrow morning on "today" -- >> count down to the oscars. i'll see you tonight on "nightly news." thanks for watching. good morning. i'm aaron gilcrest. i'm kimberly suter. straight ahead on "news4 today," blown away, cleaning up after powerful winds knocked down power lines, tree lines and roof tops. playing hardball, the tactics the u.s. is using to loosen moammar gadhafi's grip on libya. why one group is upset with members of congress working into the wee hours of the night. i'm news 4, meteorologist, chuck bell, we have plenty of clouds on a saturday morning. will they stick around all weekend long? i will have a complete check of your forecast coming up. >> all that and more when you join us for "news4 today" in less than two minutes. good morning, welcome to "news4 today." i'm kimberly suiters. i'm aaron gilcrest. its saturday, february 26th. a lot of folks are still standing but the same can't be said for trees and power lines. >> some are very busy, some are seeing roofs that have been peeled back like tin cans. the damage started early with gusts impacting the trip home. an enormous tree fell on the gw parkway. no one was hurt but it slowed drivers down and caused backups. >>

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