Morning!
I recently recorded a cover of a classic Beatles tune for the *next* version of my music.
So, if you've had it on your mind to get my debut album at Target, ya better hurry! It’s on the aisle near the greeting cards, NOT the CD section. Enjoy!
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On the show today:

We are taking you live to Alabama to witness the remarkable damage from yesterday’s storms. Bob Van Dillen is there.
200 homes were destroyed and 2 people were killed in the storms.
Watch to see what kind of help you may be able to provide or click on Impact Your World at HLNtv.com/Robin to make a difference right now.
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Mitt Romney went on the attack in last night's debate, accusing Newt Gingrich of "influence peddling."
Gingrich insists his work with Freddie Mac had nothing to do with lobbying.
Hear both sides.
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How would you like a major highway named after you? It could happen if one state's governor gets his way.
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Narcissism is bad for your health?
But wouldn't you be soooo all about yourself that you'd take care of yourself? Guess not, said self, after screaming "Look at me! I need attention!"
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This is so rotten:
One of the 49ers is getting death threats over his playoff performance.
Come on!

Posted by: Anchor Robin Meade
Filed under: Extras

Fifty Five thousand women who have served in the military are homeless, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It's a statistic you don't hear too much about... but it's one that's growing. In fact women are 4 times more likely than male veterans to end up homeless.

One woman is working to change that AND start lowering that number one woman at at time... and she is our "Breakthrough Woman."

Barbara Marshall served her country as a Chaplain in the Navy. She no longer wears that uniform, but she is still serving her country and supporting other female military members at Steps N Stages' Jubilee House. A home for homeless, female, military veterans and their children.

If you know a woman who is breaking through barriers to improve her community, we want to tell her story too... visit the "Breakthrough Woman" assignment page at iReport.com and tell us about her.

Filed under: Breakthrough Women

Morning bed head! I hope you got some rest over the weekend. Because if you're up right now...lawdy knows you need it:).
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Breaking news:
For many of your fellow viewers... it's a sleepless morning because of Tornado watches and warnings RIGHT NOW.
Where? Across the south.
And Alabama, still recovering from deadly tornadoes less than a year ago is hearing the haunting warning sirens today.
Says bob: some of these things look mean.
Do tune in to see where these supercells are headed.
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Fans, students, and alumni mourn the death of legendary coach Joe Paterno.
Their reaction today, after the passing of the 85 year old, whose legacy was tainted by an assistant coaches child sex abuse scandal.
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Did you hear? Congresswoman Gabby Giffords will step down this week. See the announcement she gave her constituents over the weekend.
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We now know who is going to the Super Bowl (our finned pickers from the Georgia Aquarium were right, right?) But WOW the games that 'gotem there!
(No wonder my hubby was yelling at the tv)
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The cruise company behind the Costa Concordia and the captain are in a war of words:
Get a load of what the captain says his bosses ORDERED him to do on the route.
Meanwhile: new info about the captains erratic behavior that night.
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More news but I gotta run!

Posted by: Anchor Robin Meade
Filed under: Extras

You know what's waiting for you on the other side of that snooze alarm? Friday!
So Morning Express is waiting to pick you up for your end-of-the-work-week whirlwind.
Ready?
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Did you see the GOP debate start off with a bang?
A fiery, finger-pointing Newt Gingrich took on CNN’s John King and the media… and got a standing ovation for it.

What do you think about Newt's former marriage becoming an issue? What else stuck out to you about the debate?

Tweet me @robinmeade or head to HLNtv.com to link to our Facebook or e-mail.
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Then came more fireworks as the remaining candidates sparred with each other, post Rick Perry.
Don't miss their statements about the economy and each other.
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You've gotta see this:
Brand new video to show you from on board the Italian cruise ship as it started taking on water.
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And you gotta hear this:
A cook on the ship says the captain ordered dinner for himself and a woman LATE on the night of the collision. Hmmmm.
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Heart patients:
New info on whether making whoopie is a threat to your thumper.
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Activist hackers disrupt the FBI, Justice Department and Universal Music Group websites.
That's after an antipiracy crackdown leads to a smack against megaupload.com. And mega's fans....were mega-ticked off.
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No more textbooks?
Check out one tech giant’s big announcement regarding the books weighing down your youngster’s backpack.
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See you soon.

Posted by: Anchor Robin Meade
Filed under: Extras

Dr. Nicholas Perricone's Three-Day Facelift Diet

Breakfast
3 egg white omelet cooked in olive oil – with mushrooms and avocado
2-inch wedge of cantaloupe
Handful of almonds (raw or dry roasted / no salt)
12 oz spring water*
Cup of green tea

Lunch
4 oz grilled salmon
2 cups watercress salad with a couple of sliced strawberries
Salad dressing: 1 tablespoon olive oil with freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
2-inch wedge of cantaloupe with 1/4 cup of berries
12 oz spring water*
Cup of green tea

Dinner
6 oz grilled salmon
2 cups watercress salad w/ sliced strawberries
Salad dressing: 1 tablespoon olive oil with freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
1/2 cup steamed broccoli - dressed with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2-inch wedge of cantaloupe with 1/4 cup of berries
12 oz spring water*

*note - must drink at least eight, 12 ounce glasses of water each day

Visit HLNtv.com for more news about your health.

Filed under: Dr. Nicholas Perricone • Live Better Now

The hits keep coming to the NW. As yesterday's titanic snow/rain maker extends eastward, a new storm will hit tomorrow afternoon, with a 3rd on Sunday afternoon. The end will result will be the steady rain and snow continuing through the weekend in OR/WA/CA/ID/MT/NV/CO and WY.

The snow in the Cascades is around 5' deep right now and more is on the way. Another 3-4" of rain is expected on the coast of WA/OR/CA this afternoon as well. Extreme cold is back for ND/SD and MN with temps around -30F to -50F this afternoon too.

All that energy is shifting to the MW and Great lakes, with a quick shot of snow rocketing into MI/IL/IN and OH now, working into PA and NY later. Looking for around 2-6" snow at the most today.

A little Ocean effect snow is possible for Boston too, as the cold air comes in from the N and NE over western MA.

Chicago to Milwaukee has just been put under a winter storm watch for tomorrow (Friday), with more of that PAC NW energy headed in. 6"+ for them.

*Follow HLN Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen on Twitter: @BobVanDillen

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Weather

If you're not on twitter you missed this gem from me yesterday:

I just realized after 4 hrs on air....my pants are on backward! BACKWARD people! Plz share ur own sleep-deprived dressing stories

— Robin Meade (@RobinMeade) January 18, 2012

Ya. It happens. Ha! Join the convo... I'm @robinmeade on twitter.
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He didn't abandon ship...
He "FELL"... right into a lifeboat??
According to an Italian newspaper, THAT'S the claim from the captain of the Concordia ship.
Oh boy.
This you gotta hear.
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Is it a rescue or a recovery now, days after more than twenty went missing from the ship.
the latest on that.
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winter slams the northwest where they don't see this kind of snow accumulation.
YOU'LL see the results, and where’s it headed now.
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I love this opportunity for someone:
A big box retailer has its own American Idol-style contest....for product ideas YOU may have. Tune in, entrepreneurs or just deep thinkers!
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Are you hungry? Maybe it’s because you didn’t get enough sleep – there's apparently an interesting link between how much shut-eye you get and a ravenous appetite!
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What would a new season of American Idol be without the good, bad and the ugly from auditions?
Honey, we have those.
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Posted by: Anchor Robin Meade
Filed under: Extras

Update on the NW storm. The pineapple express connection is in full swing this morning from what I can see on the satellite loop. That’s when the jet stream connects Hawaii with the West Coast (in this case the Pacific NW). This allows for tremendous amounts of Pacific moisture to be transported out of the Ocean and thrown onto the Coast. The rainfall alone in Northern CA will approach 7” in the next 24 hours alone, and it will be all snow in the NW Mountains. 3-4 feet total in the Cascades! Even the lower elevations will see the snow today, with around 2-4 inches more in Seattle before it mixes and turns to all rain tonight. ID, MT, UT and northern NV will all see the snow too and there are winter storm warnings and advisories for just about everybody up there, I’ll have the details on the program.

Getting away from there, the arctic air is back in the northern Plains with extreme cold warnings in ND/SD and MN. It’ll feel like -35F to -45F at times today.

The storm over the NE yesterday is moving away from ME now, but the winds have been screaming all night long up there. A high wind warning s and advisory is up for the first half of the day with gusts to 60 in Central NY to the New England coastline. I’ll have the latest delays wrapped up with that action at the airports too.

*Follow HLN Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen on Twitter: @BobVanDillen

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Weather

If you had Monday off for the observance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day....hey aren't you surprised it's Wednesday already?

Howdy, friend.
Here is what our team has waiting for you:
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Breaking news:
The search for any possible survivors in the wreck of the Italian cruise ship was put on hold this morning..
They say the thing was moving again!

New info from the captain's calls that day with the Italian coast guard:
The guard couldn't have been more insistent that he go back to the boat to coordinate a rescue.
This you gotta see. Even in another language, the frustration is palpable.

New stories from passengers:
some say they never got an evacuation drill.
We've got the cruise company's response to that

And lifejackets. You'd think lifejackets would be in every nook and cranny on a boat holding 42-hundred people. And maybe there were.
But tune in for a passenger who says he had to clutch his, while his wife's flotation device was ripped in half by another passenger!
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Seattle is about to get the worst snowfall it's seen since... World War II times.
And this is a city where an inch or so can shut it down.
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More websites than first thought have gone dark today in protest.
Jen Westhoven will explain.
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To save money... one school system is canceling lunch?
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Political candidates come out swinging – one candidate's asking two of his competitors to just quit now!
Our Country Votes
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We're not getting thinner. But we're not getting fatter. So... we ask, what does that say about our health?
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I say... join us when you get outta the bed!

Posted by: Anchor Robin Meade
Filed under: Extras

Active weather continues all across the U.S. A major storm is sliding across the MW this morning with lots of rain, wind, snow and even thunderstorms. I’ve seen tornado warnings in IN and S Il this morning early ahead of the front, and the severe weather threat should switch to MS and AL by this afternoon as the strong cold front settles southward today. The steady stream, of rain is moving through the Mid South and SE too, with some freezing rain and snow pockets trapped in the NE valleys. I’ll show you the latest radar on the show.

The conga-line of storms is set for the NW starting today. There will be one storm a day for the next 4-5 days in OR/WA/ID with heavy mountain snow and valley rain. Some of the totals will get to 3’ in the Cascades of snow, I’ll have the forecast.

Air travel will be slammed this afternoon with all the weather, watch Morning Express with Robin Meade for the details.

*Follow HLN meteorologist Bob Van Dillen on Twitter: @BobVanDillen

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Weather