to rescue a pair of golden retrievers from the side of a pretty steep cliff. the dogs' owners say when the dogs heard the sound of the ocean they jumped out of her truck, apparently not reaching the beach was hundreds of feet below. fire crews had to rig a pulley to bring them back up to the road. the dogs, named lily and marcy, were a little shaken up, but amazingly not hurt. >> the lucky pups. here's your wednesday weather. drenching rain and flooding from seattle to portland. up to two feet of snow in the north yoio c-lw fo p>>ve i 56 here in new york. 77 in atlanta. 76 in new orleans. dallas hit 78. kansas city 61. fargo 33. 70s in phoenix and sacramento. 50s from portland to billings. >> and just in case you didn't get it, "i'm the map" is the song. >> hard lyric. when you think of healthy eating, of course you think of chocolate. right? >> i like the way you said that. it may seem odd, but that is exactly the message behind the world's largest chocolate bar, currently on tour across the u.s. this baby weighs in at more than 12,000 pounds and contains more than 5,000 pounds of sugar. >> six tons of chocolate. that's what i'm talking about. students at an oklahoma city school were able to get a close-up look after learning that as long as they stay fit treats are okay in moderation. i don't really think a huge chocolate bar's moderation. >> just a little crumble of it maybe would be okay. all right. we'll be back with more "world news now" after this. ♪ i want candy ♪ i want candy ♪ i want candy attention - americans living with limited mobility. what do you do when you can no longer get around like you used to? when you fear losing your independence? who do you call? call hoveround now, to see if you qualify for america's premier power chair. hi, i'm tom kruse, inventor and founder of hoveround. now you can do more, see more, enjoy life more. here's why hoveround makes it easier than any other power chair. hoveround is more maneuverable to get you through the tightest doors and hallways. more reliable. hoveround employees build your chair, deliver your chair, and will service your chair for as long as you own your chair. and most importantly, 9 out of 10 people got their hoveround for little or no cost. call now for your free dvd and information kit. and now every hoveround comes with this tote bag and cup holder for handy access to your favorite items. you don't really have to give up living because you don't have your legs. call now for your free consultation. and right now, get this limited edition hoveround america travel mug free with your hoveround delivery. call or log onto hoveround.com right now! have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. hd 3 ♪ hit me with your best shot ♪ why don't you hit me with your best shot ♪ ♪ hit me with your best shot ♪ fire away and now to the dad who had simply had enough and then sparked a viral sensation and a pretty heated debate as well about his way of parenting. he posted a video of himself shooting his daughter's laptop to pieces. >> his critics say he crossed the line, but now he's speaking out defending himself. here's abc's andrea canning. >> reporter: 28 million people have now watched this video of tommy jordan shooting his daughter's laptop. after discovering this rant on his teenage daughter's facebook page -- >> "to my parents. i'm not your damn slave. it's not my responsibility to clean up your [ bleep ]." i love this part. "you could just pay me for all the [ bleep ] that i do around the house." seriously? are you kidding me? >> reporter: this father fired back. >> pay you for chores? are you out of your mind? kid, you've got it easy. way easy. it's about to get harder. >> reporter: and decided to take action. >> that right there is your laptop. this right here is my .45. >> reporter: online jordan has generated strong reactions. some say his lesson missed the mark. "disgusted with how he dealt with the situation," writes one critic. "over the top," comments another. others cheering him on, saying the tough love was right on target. "i salute you, tommy jordan." "tommy should run for president." now jordan is speaking out. in an e-mail to abc news he writes, "to those who support the decision, we sincerely thank you and appreciate it. when the crap hit the fan on the net, it was really awesome to be able to fall back on your comments and e-mails. i believe everything i did was appropriate. however, i also believe the freak occurrence that made the video go viral means the punishment accidentally outweighed the crime." but he also takes aim at his critics. "hey you, raise your children however you want. mine don't have criminal records, don't fail classes, and they're polite, most of the time." yet many wonder why jordan didn't just take the laptop away. he said he's tried that before. "i said, if this happens again, i'll put a bullet through it. it happened again." >> tough love. >> don't mess with your daddy if he's got a colt .45. >> it obviously didn't go unnoticed. police came there. child protective services came there. you know. >> the police said hey, dad, good job. >> right. different tone. everyone raise your kids your own way. coming up next, the meaning of mardi gras in new orleans. >> the big celebration that ended just a few hours ago. we'll take you to the big easy -- or has it ended? >> no. we'll take you to the big easy -- or has it ended? owowowow ♪ ♪ walking to new orleans ♪ i'm walking to new orleans fats domino classic. "walking to new orleans." yes. >> fat tuesday wrapped up early this morning. or was supposed to wrap up. might still be going. >> a few more hours. >> to see if people celebrated in the french quarter in the long-standing tradition. >> wgno's darian trotter gives us a look at the history, the partying, and the great costumes you may have missed in my all-time favorite city. >> the costumes are beautiful. >> reporter: they are two of the biggest mardi gras traditions. >> this is new orleans. this is mardi gras. >> reporter: a sea of costumes on frenchman street. >> this is my 25th mardi gras, and it always happens like this all day, all night. nothing like frenchman street. >> reporter: and a parade of mardi gras indians along the claiborne underpass. >> it's culture, man. family. family history. >> all the people. the energy. all the love. >> reporter: as always, throngs of spectators rallied to pay homage and celebrate a bit of african-american history. >> during slavery times when slaves was able to run away from slave holders they ran to native americans. native americans took them in. and when slave holders came for them, the indians refused to surrender them to them. >> reporter: the culture was passed along to the youth. >> if we don't teach the younger generation, the tradition will die. so we have to keep it going. it has to be a continuous thing ongoing every year. every year a new suit. >> reporter: a short distance away revelers told us why this party has gotten larger every year. >> it's just wanting to revel. it's ancient. it's revelry before everybody gives it all up. even if you don't give it up, you still want to come out and party and it's a spectacle and it's only here in new orleans like this. >> it's exciting. it's creative. it's celebrating. it's fun. >> reporter: costumes are a big part of both traditions. ♪ got to sew, sew, sew all night long ♪ >> you need to come see it at least once in your life. >> not just a party but a lot of history there. absolutely. mardi gras, great time of year. hope y'all enjoyed it. we'll be back. ♪ walking to new orleans as, great time of year. hope y'all enjoyed it. we'll be back. ♪ walking to new orleans [ male announcer ] new vicks nature fusion cold & flu syrup. flavored with real honey. powerful cold medicine that leaves out artificial flavors and dyes and instead uses something more natural, honey. new nature fusion cold & flu from vicks. "world news now" delivers your "morning papers foechlt." so there is this guy named jean marie louret who died back in 1985 believing he was the only son of the one and only adolf hitler. not necessarily a proud distinction. but now there's some renewed attention to some evidence out there. they've looked at blood type. they've looked at handwriting. and they believe this guy really could be the one and only son of hitler, who died back in 1945 at the age of 56. it's inconclusive just yet but certainly fascinating to look into. we had to wonder a little bit what that moment must have been like if indeed you found out your dad was hitler. take a look. >> no. i am the father. >> no. no. it's not true! that's impossible! >> search your feelings. you know it to be true. >> no! no! >> pretty accurate description? >> may have gone something like that. i'm just hypothesizing here. but the guy died in '85. anyway, interesting family tree there. >> he wrote a book about it. they're going it try to rerelease it, too. >> interesting. okay. so "wall street journal" has proof that being a woman is more than just a pain in the butt. it's like literally a pain in your whole body. they're saying that a lot of the apparel and accessories that we wear are too tight, too loose, and it really can wreak havoc on our health. such as spanx. which is why i deserted mine today. if they're too tight or too long, spanx and other body containers can cause nerve compression and other issues, not to mention painful welts where the fabric ends and the flesh begins. it can also prevent the lungs from inflating, reducing oxygen intake. tight jeans, skinny jeans, lesions, lower back pain. and for men, too, collars and neck ties can reduce circulation. did you know 67% of men buy shirts that are smaller than their necks? >> really? i hate that feeling. >> health issues. >> your beauty's pain. what are you going to do here? we also have some breaking news this morning, paula. despite my better judgment but encouragement from you, encouragement from jackie, one of our producers here, i have finally, 20 years after everybody else, joined twitter. >> yay. >> i am no longer in the technological stone age here. tv rob nelson is my handle. is that what they call it? i've resisted this thing. i'm a facebook addict but i'm just getting on the twitter bandwagon now. >> you're no longer a twirgin. >> i'm tweeting live for the first time on the air. no longer a twitter virgin. hoping to connect with all of you insomniacs out there. and a good mardi gras story's always welcome. i'm going to tweet this out right now. follow me, follow paula, follow the show on twitter. this morning on "world news now" -- economic optimism. for the first time since the this morning on "world news now" -- economic optimism. for the first time since the economy tanked back in 2008, wall street has hit a very important benchmark. >> as the dow crossed 13,000. but the celebration lasted just moments as the world's economic worries hit home. it's wednesday february 22nd. good morning, everybody. on this hump day. i'm rob nelson. >> hope you all recovered from fat tuesday. i'm paula faris. i'm not sure you did. >> yeah. >> how are you feeling today? >> it's a long show. let's just get rolling. >> it is wednesday, though. >> yes. it was a good moment for investors and the president, who credits lower unemployment for a turnaround. but when you look at what's happening at the gas pump and overseas, you have to wonder if the economy is truly recovering. because when it starts impacting you in the pocketbook and your bank account gets a little fatter -- >> it's a big deal. >> then we can say it's impacting us. >> there are stations already in the orlando area where gas is six bucks a gallon. crazy. also this morning, should colleges consider a student's race and economic background when they're deciding if that student should be involved or not? the supreme court actually is going to take up again affirmative action. the decision could hit home on campus and even your workplace could be. another benchmark decision coming down next year. and later this half hour, high-tech oscar fever before this sunday's awards. we're going to show you smartphone apps that will give you hollywood's inside scoop. >> and who are the highest paid athletes of all time? i'll show you a new list and you're going to be in for a few surprises here. >> jeremy lin is not in on that. he's not on the newscast. >> not yet. we begin with the dow beginning that symbolic mark much 13,000. >> and the optimism from yesterday's action on wall street seems to have fizzled on asian markets this morning. the major indexes there were mixed. >> still, though, it was an important milestone here at home. abc's scott goldberg has all the details. good morning to you, scott. >> reporter: good morning, rob and paula. today we'll see if the dow can close above 13,000. it spent about 30 seconds there yesterday. the first time stocks have been in that territory in nearly four years. the trading day was two hours old when the dow jones industrial average crossed 13,000 for the first time since may 2008. it's what they call a psychological milestone, not economically significant, but still. >> it's simply good enough to keep a smile on everyone's face and a song in their heart. >> reporter: it came after european leaders agreed on a deal to prevent greece from defaulting. it also put an extra bounce in the president's step. >> now my message to congress is don't stop here. keep going. keep taking the action that people are calling for to keep this economy growing. >> reporter: mr. obama said congress did the right thing by voting to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits. and he couldn't help mentioning job growth has been steady for 23 months now. manufacturers are hiring again. and the auto industry is back. the only thing the president didn't mention, high gas prices are back, too. almost $5 a gallon in some places. but even that might not matter, says yahoo's jeff mackey. >> that really boils down to whether or not people can get hired. and if people are paying more per gallon to get to work, it's the part about them getting to work that matters more than what they're paying to get there. >> reporter: in the end the dow finished yesterday a few points below 13,000. but what's important to remember here is the last time stocks were in that neighborhood no one had heard of the great recession, the unemployment rate was 5.4%, and in this market that's driven by perception those happy memories matter. rob and paula? >> psychologically, they've said now for years consumer confidence has been the main issue. now it's back at 13,000 it's a psychological lift that hopefully will be the first in a string of good things to come. >> perception. >> it's huge. and so many reasons. good to see that. the president's plan to overhaul the corporate tax code should be released sometime later today. the top corporate tax rate is about 35%. it's actually the second highest rate in the world behind only japan. few companies pay that rate, though, due to federal tax breaks. the obama administration wants to cut tax breaks to companies that move jobs overseas while lowering the overall tax rate for corporations. again, that plan released later today. on to the other story we're following this morning. the supreme court has decided to take a new look at the contentious issue of affirmative action. the question is should race continue to be a factor in college admissions? here's abc's terry moran. >> reporter: in 2008 abigail fisher, like thousands of young americans, applied to college. specifically the university of texas at austin. but texas turned her down. and for only one reason, she and her supporters claim. because she is white. >> your skin color or your ethnic heritage should not be used as something that you benefit from, nor should it be used as something that harms you. >> reporter: the university of texas uses a student's race as a factor in some admissions, giving minorities an advantage, all in the name of achieving greater diversity in the classroom. it's something colleges across the country do. >> we do not want this to be the generation in which america's leading universities became both whiter and richer. >> reporter: at the supreme court affirmative action hangs by a thread. in 2003 the justices by the narrowest 5-4 vote upheld the university of michigan law school's affirmative action policy with just sandra day o'connor casting the crucial vote. o'connor's gone now, replaced by conservative justice samuel alito, who's a lot more skeptical of racial preferences like justice clarence thomas, who has long believed those preferences do more harm than good, stigmatizing people like him, telling abc news, "once it is assumed that everything you do achieve is because of your race, there is no way out." and while this case focuses only on affirmative action in higher education, it could affect affirmative action in hiring, in government contracting and other areas. because just as that great case of brown versus the board of education desegregated only the public schools, it had such a moral and legal effect it changed the country back in the 1950s. this case could, too. terry moran, abc news, the supreme court. >> walking a fine line. and arguments could begin this fall with the decision maybe as yerl a as next year. >> it's one of those hot debates that the country has had for many years now. and you've heard terry mention the most important part is since the last decision in '03 justice o'connor is off the bench and justice alito who obviously leans right is on there. so the court itself could make a significant step here. but what a busy docket they have. they're going to tackle a lot. the health care issue later this year. arizona's controversial immigration law. and now affirmative action. they have a full docket over the next 18 months or so. they have a lot of bit hot topics to say the least. stay tuned for that. a couple criminal trials to tell but that. first the hate crime against a former student at rutgers university in new jersey. opening statements could begin today in the case against dharun ravi. he's accused of using a web cam to spy on his gay roommate's sexual encounter with another man. that roommate, tyler clementi, then committed suicide after learning that he'd been caught on camera. ravi now faces 15 criminal counts. and deliberations begin today in the murder trial of former university of virginia lacrosse player george huguely. he's accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, yeardley love who also also played lacrosse at uva. a defense attorney blames huguely's role in love's death on youthful indiscretion and the couple's volatile relationship. prosecutors, though, say huguely killed love in a drunken rage. and a sad passing from the sports world. a man named tom martinez has died. he was the long-time mentor of new england patriots quarterback tom brady. the two met when brady signed up for martinez's quarterback clinic at age 13 out in california. they stayed close ever since. martinez passed away after suffering a heart attack during a dialysis session. he was in need of a kidney transplant after suffering complications from diabetes. tom martinez was 66 years old. and tom brady recently, he'd just taken it upon himself to try to find a donor just get the word out that he wanted to find a donor for his mentor. >> and he was featured on diane sawyer's evening show as the person of the week a few weeks ago. sorry to hear about his passing for sure, not to mention how tom brady must feel right now as well. in other news, the people of new zealand are holding a day of remembrances to mark one year since the city of christchurch was devastated by a powerful earthquake. a crowd of more than 10,000 paused to listen as police and firefighters read the names of all 185 people killed in that tragedy. and many of them shed tears as they observed two minutes of silence at the same moment that quake struck a year ago. >> february 22nd will forever be one of the darkest days in this proud nation's history. it will also be a day when in the worst of times the best of human spirit was on display. that spirit is something that no earthquake can ever take away. >> that earthquake destroyed thousands of homes and caused $25 billion in damage. the mayor of christchurch is vowing that the city will once again be a great place to live and work. well, traffic is moving again in parts of the cascades after avalanche warnings shut down a major highway for 11 hours. drivers were forced to turn around or wait to cross snoqualmie pass while a 70-mile stretch of i-90 was closed. meantime, crews set off controlled avalanches to loosen more than 30 inches of snow compacted by heavy rain. >> look at that. here's a look at your wednesday weather. some gusty winds, hail, and the chance of tornadoes from nashville up to the carolinas. thunderstorms from new orleans to jacksonville. some evening showers in the northeast. up to two feet of mountain snow in the colorado and northern rockies. and some heavy rain and flooding in the pacific northwest. >> 49 in seattle. 57 in salt lake city. 75 in phoenix. 37 in minneapolis. 61 in kansas city. it's 67 in atlanta. and 56 here in new york. and love that song, "i'm the map," from "dora the explorer." which is not in your wheelhouse yet. be thankful. >> spoken like a true mom. it is looking more and more like president obama is honing his chops for a possible post-white house career as a singer. >> listen to what happened at the white house east room last night. ♪ come on ♪ baby, don't you want to go >> loving that. how about it? belting out some blues in front of an all-star line-up, too, that included b.b. king buddy guy, jeff beck, and mick jagger. the president was a little hesitant at first but couldn't say no when mick jagger handed him the mike. >> mick hands you the mike you've got to go. the concert was actually part of a black history month tribute called "in performance at the white house," which is set to air on pbs. we heard the president do al green, a little blues last night. >> he's got a nice voice. >> yeah, he actually can sing. >> i guess he serenades michelle every now and then. >> hey, you know. first husband, too. more world news coming up after this. ♪ baby, don't you want to go ♪ ♪ ain't no place ♪ sweet home chicago ♪ place ♪ ♪ sweet home chicago [ male announcer ] indulge all you want. now there's no need to hold back. new revolutionary scope dualblast obliterates strong food odors leaving your breath minty fresh. hey. [ male announcer ] so there's no trace of evidence... new scope dualblast. well, how muchoes yo well, how much does your favorite athlete make? we're going to play a little numbers game this morning. a newly released list by "sports illustrated" looks at the highest paid athletes of all time. some of the names will actually surprise you. >> starting at number 11, drum roll. a-rod. new york yankees. of course he signed that $275 million contract with the yankees. in 2009 he earned 33 mill. since he began playing with the mariners in '94, a lot of people forget that he started in seattle. he's hit more than 600 homers. >> we know one thing about a-rod. he does like to score. >> yes. >> and babe ruth, most famous baseball player of all time. $80,000 back in 1930. >> bobby hull. he played for the chicago blackhawks. 1973 made $270,000, when the average player salary was 25 grand. >> and moving on here, we have sergei fedorov, made the highest salary at 14 million back there in '99. the average player's salary then just about 1.3 million. >> and the great one, wayne gretzky, his highest salary was in 1991. believe it or not, he never eclipsed 3 mill. he is a very large name. but the average player salary in '91, 271 grand in the nhl. >> back to baseball now, the one and only ted williams, left fielder, highest salary back in 1954 was just 100,000 bucks. but back then the average player's salary was just $9,000. >> let's go to the novel. joe montana. highest salary, 4 million in 1990, when the average player salary was 356. of course, he spent 16 years in the nfl. last two years were with the chiefs, but of course everyone remembers him in that jersey right there. >> jerry rice, joe montana. who can forget that? number 4, mario lemieux coming in at $11.32 million. this was back in 1997. the average player salary then was $984,000. >> ty cobb. this is what i love about baseball. ty cobb played 24 years beginning in 1905 and 1928. he made $85,000, his highest salary in 1927. >> interesting. and of course you know this guy was going to be on the list. the one and only air jordan. michael jordan, chicago bulls legend. highest salary, get this, y'all. $33 million back in 1998 when the average salary was just under $2.5 million. >> and his ex-wife, juanita, has all his money now. well, not all of it. joe sakic. >> number 1. >> this is surprising and rare because he's the highest paid player in one of the four major sports. he played his entire career with the quebec nordiques franchise, which became the colorado avalanche. and for one player, especially in this day and age, to stay with one organization, that's very, very rare. but his highest salary was 17 mill in 1998. >> i really thought michael jordan would be the top of the list. i'm very surprised here. >> joe sakic, ladies and gentlemen. >> you knew at the end of the day none of those guys are starving. that's for sure. more news coming up. that's for sure. controversial story of the iy. controversial story of the day. >> i'm glad i have toddlers and not teenagers. i wouldn't want to deal with this. here's a question for parents of teenagers out there. how do you feel about your kids being able to get free condoms online? they can in california under a state-sponsored program that launched this week. >> needless to say of course this has smarkd sparked a lot of debate out there. lilian kim reports from san francisco. >> reporter: teens can easily buy condoms at the store or get them for free at certain health clinics. but now they have another option. 12 to 19-year-olds can go online at teensource.org and place an order for condoms to come straight to their home at no cost. >> well, research shows that barriers such as embarrassment or concerns around confidentiality or affordability are present for teens. so we want to be able to break down those barriers. >> reporter: the teen pregnancy rate is down in california, but the number of cases of stds like chlamydia and gonorrhea is up among 15 to 19-year-olds. which is why the mail condom program is targeting the counties with the highest rated stds. so at this point only teens in san francisco, alameda, sacramento, san joaquin, and kern counties are able to place an online order. >> the best way to prevent stds and unintended pregnancy is abstinence. but if young people are going to be sexually active, this project seems to help them be safe and responsible. >> reporter: in addition to condoms, teens who place an order online will receive lubricant and an educational pamphlet, all in a non-descript yellow envelope. parent we talked to have a wide range of opinions. >> if you've done your job as a parent and taught them what's right and wrong, that's part of a good choice for teenagers i think. >> that's not something you should be able to get in the mail. it should be something that your parents would want you to get. and then they should get it for you. >> well, another debate the country will not settle anytime soon. but it is our facebook question of the day. >> definitely. so do you think states should be supporting a program that allows kids as young as 12 to get condoms? hop on and let us know what you feel about this. >> log on safely and let us know. we'll be back. ndoms? hop on and let us know what you feel about this. >> log on safely and let us know. we'll be back. yield to restful sleep. ghts and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. it doesn't cover everything. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement plans can help pay some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save up to thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about the only medicare supplement plans endorsed by aarp; see if one's right for you. all medicare supplement plans let you choose any doctor or hospital, that accepts medicare patients... and could help you save up to thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses. plus, 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medicare guide you don't need to be an aarp member to call. don't wait. call now for free information about the additional coverage you may need. ♪ hey, pau hey, paula. happy anniversary. >> rob, i'm a little busy right now. >> i'm talking about the 20th anniversary. >> can't you see i'm busy? we've got a newscast to do in a bit. >> come on. 20 years live, overnight news. fun, smart, a little attitude. >> now i know what you're talking about. the 20th anniversary of "world news now." and we should do a promo. >> now you're seeing the whole picture. >> and that's a great line to use in the promo. >> we need a promo. >> we do need a promo. >> hey. promo! >> announcer: this has been the "world news now" 20th anniversary promo. sleep is overrated. ♪ if i could read your mind, love ♪ ♪ what your thoughts could tell ♪ ♪ just like a paperback novel ♪ the kind the drugstores sell you just saw two great performances. let's talk about some others. why not? >> we have to figure out what we're wearing. >> to the oscars. >> to accept our -- >> we'll figure it out. well, the act mi awards just five days away right here on abc. and if you want the inside scoop look no further than your smartphone. >> we have all the hot new and free apps to download to take you behind the scenes. abc's diana alvear has more. >> reporter: if just watching the academy awards is not enough for you, there's an app for that. it's called backstage pass. designed to give diehard oscar fans the ultimate hollywood insider's experience. you get trailers for the films and interviews with the nominees. view memorable moments from past shows and timelines to test yourself on oscar trivia. and for those of you fans who fancy yourselves pretty good prognosticators, check out my picks. it's where you can compete with your friends to see who wins best predictor. come oscar sunday, sherri shepherd, cameron mathisen, and others will serve as your hosts. they'll guide you through 12 different camera angles, give you a glimpse of the action backstage, and the all-important arrivals on the most famous red carpet in the world, where fashionista stars are made or shamed. if tweeting's your thing, oscar wants to you share your favorite memories with the twitterverse. fashionblogger.com is already running best and worst dressed previews. and bloggers around the world are preparing to praise or pan what people are wearing, from the second they set foot on the premises. and the action doesn't end when the show does. several post-oscar parties will be live-streamed. diana alvear, abc news, çó hollywood. >> i'm downloading right now. >> you're into it, aren't you? >> i'm downloading the official app from abc, which has trailers, nominee backstories, and host billy crystal's past performances. downloading it right now. >> i think i speak for a lot of people. i am happy to see billy back in the saddle again. he'll never compare to the hosting job we did, you know, in fantasyland. but i'm happy to see billy backb this morning on "world news now" -- teacher's plea. the veteran los angeles elementary school teacher facing a long list of unspeakable child sex abuse allegations appears in court. >> while pleading not guilty, mark berndt claims he's the one being mistreated. it's wednesday february 22nd. good wednesday morning, everyone. it's ash wednesday. >> yes. >> i'm paula faris. >> and i'm rob nelson. good morning, everybody. that teacher, mark berndt, remains in custody this morning. his bail set at $23 million. that is 1 million for each of the 23 children he's accused of molesting. the scandal of course sent shock waves through the city of l.a. and really around the world. >> you won't believe what he's trying to claim now, too. also this morning the high-profile blame game involving a stage collapse at last summer's indiana state fair. attorneys for the country duo sugarland now say some of the fans are at fault for the fatal tragedy. you hate to see the finger pointing at this point. i mean, nothing's going to bring those people back. but it just -- you hate to see it come to that. >> with that much on the line, the finger blame game was probably inevitable at some point. also later this half hour, could we be getting the inside story on whitney houston's final days? is bobby brown really going to write a tell-all book? we'll have details on that coming up later in "the skinny." but first, new controversy surrounding that former los angeles teacher accused of committing horrific acts against children. >> his lawyer now says jailers have put a bullseye on his client, placing him in mortal danger behind bars. kabc's robert holguin reports now from l.a. >> reporter: looking gaunt and disheveled, mark berndt was led into an l.a. county courtroom, where he entered a plea of not guilty. the 61-year-old berndt is charged with 23 counts of lewd acts with his former students at miramonte elementary school. but moments after entering the plea, berndt's public defender lashed out at deputies who work at the downtown jail, saying they've been harassing his client. >> the sheriff's department in twin towers, which is where my client is currently housed, has essentially used the speaker system, the loudspeaker system to identify him as a child molester to other inmates. >> reporter: public defender victor acevedo says the jail staff is purposely trying to make his client look haggard by denying him a razor and haircut. and he says jailers named berndt's specific dorm to other inmates. >> we cannot have the sheriff's department deputies acting in such a way to essentially put a bullseye on his head, so to speak. >> reporter: a spokesman for the l.a. county sheriff's department denied acevedo's claims. berndt is accused of taking hundreds of lewd photographs with at least 23 students at miramonte over the past several years. in some cases prosecutors say berndt fed some of his students his semen. since his arrest last month a second teacher at miramonte was arrested and charged with fondling a student. the school district replaced the entire staff at the school and is conducting its own internal investigation. attorney gloria allred represents one of the 23 victims named in the criminal complaint against berndt. she would not comment on the status of the investigation, only to say that her client is still in contact with law enforcement. >> we are doing everything to make sure that the parents' concerns are being taken care of and the child's needs are being met. >> reporter: robert holguin, abc news. >> no surprise here, several former students have now sued for damages. as you can imagine, the legalities of this will probably spill on for quite some time. but this is a disturbing case all the way around. but it's well known i think on the street that in jail there's always a certain -- there's law enforcement justice but then there's jail justice. >> yes. >> rightfully or wrongfully, for rapists and child molesters, and what this guy's accused of certainly puts him on that list. >> of all the sins pedophilia is one of those in jail where the other inmates will try to take care of it themselves. >> rightfully or wrongfully but that's the reality. authorities in suburban atlanta are investigating an apparent murder-suicide at a health spa. five people were found dead last night. police say just one firearm was recovered. that leads them to believe the person who did the shooting also took his or her own life. dominique strauss-kahn is at the center of yet another sex scandal. this time the former head of the international monetary fund is being questioned by french police about a hotel prostitution ring. now, strauss-kahn's attorney says his client never knew the women at the orgies he attended were prostitutes. interesting. last year charges against strauss-kahn were dropped after a hotel maid in new york accused him of sexual assault. >> dsk is a busy guy. all kinds of extracurriculars. >> he didn't know. he didn't know they were prostitutes. >> no. well, a legal setback for michael jackson's father. his wrongful death suit is now pretty much worthless. concert promoter aeg was dismissed from the lawsuit. an l.a. judge said jackson should have joined the suit filed by his wife katherine to avoid multiple suits by individual heirs. dr. conrad murray was also named in that suit, but he says he is broke. and the country music duo sugarland is taking heat this morning after its attorney suggested that fans may hold some blame for last summer's fatal stage collapse. seven people of course were killed, dozens injured at the indiana state fair. wrtv's tanya spencer reports now from indianapolis. >> reporter: 8-year-old kyla brummet is still in counseling for what she saw and went through on august 13th. her grandmother, lisa height, has missed six months of work. >> my incision goes from here to here. >> reporter: both also needed staples in their heads after the stage rigging came crashing down on top of them. they are two of the 51 victims named in this mass action lawsuit against sugarland and others for the tragedy at the state fair concert. in a response to the lawsuit sugarland's attorneys deny any wrongdoing by the country duo. it blames state fair executives, stage builders, and even the victims themselves, saying some or all of the plaintiffs failed to exercise due care for their own safety. >> pushing and shoving is probably the only thing that we should have had to worry about. and for what happened, you know, they need to take the responsibility. they could have postponed. they could have delayed. >> reporter: a deposition shows the executive director of the state fair commission asked the band twice to delay the show until the weather passed. they refused. >> the two things that they were concerned about is that she looks good and money. >> reporter: height's attorney mario masalamani says he expected this kind of finger pointing. as medical bills mount, height is frustrated with the band her granddaughter adores. >> they have gone on and lived their lives. and probably -- i don't know what they think about it. but i know we live with it every day. >> what a complicated case that's going to be. and probably the truth, you know, as it always is, is the blame should be shared by multiple parties. no one person or one party you think is really to blame. interesting, you know, ripple effect, though. all of this summer's concerts at the state fair will be indoors, not outdoors. >> and indiana state lawmakers want new guidelines on how they inspect outdoor venues as well. >> covering their own tracks as well. >> mm-hmm. turning overseas, iran has failed to reach an agreement with the u.n. nuclear agency. u.n. nuclear experts returned to vienna after tehran refused access to a site where they believe nuclear weapons testing may be taking place. the investigation has been stalled for nearly four years. iran insists it's not working on nuclear weapons but enriching uranium for peaceful energy production. the civilian death toll is climbing in syria as the government continues to shell rebel strongholds. activists say more than 60 people were killed yesterday in the besieged city of homs and other towns. shells reportedly raining down at a rate of 10 per minute. and the red cross calling for a daily cease-fire to deliver emergency aid to the wounded and the hungry. >> unbelievable scene over there. it really is. also overseas right now, asian stock markets made very little progress today in their first trading session after the dow crossed that coveted 13,000 mark for the first time in nearly four years yesterday. concerns over china's economy and of course the ongoing european financial crisis were to blame. as we said, wall street hovered around that 13,000 mark all day yesterday. and the dow actually crossed that psychologically important milestone a few times, if only briefly. at its close the dow had gained nearly 16 points. it is up 6% so far this year. good news for everybody's 401(k). well, a long-time ohio fixture is no more. gone in a puff of smoke. the fort steuben bridge was demolished in a matter of seconds yesterday in steubenville after standing since 1928. explosives, look at, that sent the span crashing into the ohio river. route 22 used to run over the bridge, but it changed course in 1990 when the veterans memorial bridge opened a short distance away. >> why do you think we all like to see things blow up? you ever notice that? buildings, old stadiums, casinos, we love blowup footage. >> i don't know why. it's messed up. >> we get out our aggression that way by watching something just disintegrate. who knows? here's a look at your forecast. another day of flooding downpours in the pacific northwest. heavy mountain snow in the northern rockies. showers from the gulf coast and southeast. severe storms from tennessee into the carolinas. showers a little later today from d.c. up to new york and also from cleveland to pittsburgh. >> i'm learning so much about you, rob nelson. 53 in boston. 80 in miami. 40s in detroit. 50 omaha. sacramento 71. albuquerque 61. and boise 55. i actually preferred like burning things when i grew up instead of like watching them blow up. like burning spiders and insects. >> that sounds peaceful and life affirming. all righty, then. learning something about you, dr. doolittle. >> crazy. i'll admit it. technically, mardi gras ended at midnight, a few hours ago, but on the streets of new orleans it ain't over till that last string of beads is tossed, till the last person gets picked up out of the gutter. >> the party started shortly after dawn with colorfully bedazzled costumes. joining the annual parades. by sundown the celebrating at least at the city's famous french quarter turned a little more adult, shall we say, with more drinking, a little less clothing, particularly on top. >> indeed. for christians the end of mardi gras, today ash wednesday, marks the beginning of lent, and that is of course a period of fasting and repentance and possibly rehab before easter sunday. >> repentance is the key word. sorry we have sinned. >> there is much to repent for after a good party scene down there. another good year, new orleans, congratulations. and around the world. we'll be back after this. ♪ watching people sashay ♪ pass my steps ♪ by my porch ♪ in front of my door t of my door ♪ [ amy ] mr. greene? mr. greene? yeah? want my downy unstopables? laundry smells good for a long time. nmm mmn. really, you can have it! take it joe. ♪ downy unstopables [ sniffs ] see you around. hey kid, catch! wow! no thanks, mean joe. ♪ downy last time i'm doing this. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. welcome back. now to a groundbreaking study by the national institute of health. researchers challenged the common perception that heart attacks are a problem mainly for older men. >> heart attacks are the leading cause of death among women. and get this, more and more younger women are becoming victims. abc's dr. richard besser has more. >> reporter: she's not having chest pain. that's the point. >> are you okay, mom? >> i'm fine. >> reporter: it's an american heart association public service message aimed at younger women who could easily miss the warning signs of a heart attack. >> are you sure you're okay? >> i'm fine, sweetie. >> reporter: like the psa the study hammers home critical points about women and heart attacks. a woman is less likely than a man to experience that classic warning sign, chest pain. she's less likely than a man to get immediate treatment. and more likely to die. >> are you okay? >> yeah, i'm fine. >> reporter: that's because a woman's symptoms can be jaw pain, shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue, heavy sweating, and nausea, signs easily mistaken by women and their doctors as indigestion, flu, even stress. >> mom. i think you're having a heart attack. >> honey, do i look like the type of person who has a heart attack? >> reporter: at age 43 gale harris barry lived that psa. heading to the e.r. after tingling in her arm. she was having a heart attack. >> after four trips to two different hospitals i was turned away and they began to treat me as if i was having mental problems. >> sorry to bother you. i think i might be having a little heart attack. >> reporter: for women this is literally something that could save your life. you know what to do if you find a lump in your breast, but you may not know how to recognize some of the symptoms of a heart attack. but a heart attack is more likely to kill you than breast cancer. we put the symptoms on abcnews.com/worldnews. learn them. dr. richard besser, abc news, new york. >> i had no idea. don't ignore the warning signs. wow. that's the moral of that story. >> definitely. coming up next, to lighten the mood, is bobby brown getting ready to tell all about his ex-wife whitney houston? >> and charlie sheen finds another reason to apologize. it's all next in "the skinny." the mood, is bobby brown getting ready to tell all about his ex-wife whitney houston? >> and charlie sheen finds another reason to apologize. it's all next in "the skinny." cc ♪ skinny ♪ so skinny you know one thing that charlie sheen's really good at? >> there's a few things he apparently is really good at. >> backpedaling. foot in his mouth. so last week you probably heard on tmz where he called out ashton kutcher. this was in a phone conversation with tmz. he says, "i'm tired of pretending the show doesn't suck. i'm tired of pretending ashton doesn't suck. i'm tired of pretending they're not completely adrift." he also said ashton's just a victim of bad writing. well, backpedaling on tuesday. he took some of it back on his website and kind of issued a little bit of an apology to ashton. he says, "dear ashton, my bad. i was disrespectful to a man doing his best. i got excited and threw you into the crossfire. the rest of my statement i stand behind. however, you deserve better. safety in your travels, good sir." signed the late charlie harper. >> referring to his character on the show. charlie just needs to be quiet and chill out and relax so he doesn't have to -- >> and shut up? >> putting something out there and taking it back and all that. it's over. you had your -- >> but it's entertaining. >> it's entertaining. you had your drama last year all over the news. enough. let you move on, the show move on, ashton move on. enough with it. shut up, charlie. all right. adele, of course the darling of the music world right now, her big night at the grammys, and she was at kind of britain's version of the grammys on tuesday. so she wins best album, and her producer gets up there and gives kind of a long rambling acceptance speech. so much so that when it was her turn to get to the mike she didn't have a lot of time left. so in the middle of her speech or a few lines into her speech i should say the host kind of comes in and cuts her off. and she did not like that. so she flips the birds to the folks. and she said later, "sorry if i offended anyone but the people in suits offended me. i wasn't swearing at the fans, so she had some defenderompowity didn't you her ish er speech? she's the big star tese days know o long and we throw the time way off. as i'm sure we're doing right now. so adele didn't mean it. she just had a little moment of frustration because she got cut off. it's all right, adele. we can relate. >> and then there's what's going on with bobby brown. >> bobby brown back in the news again. obviously more fallout from the whitney houston funeral. four years ago he actually tried to shop a book about his -- about his wife. whitney had fallen off the radar at that point, but obviously since her death she's been dominating the headlines. so word is according to the huffington post that he is trying to go back out there and sell a book, kind of a tell-all book about his life with whitney, things that he knew. however, he did have a confidentiality agreement when his divorce was finalized. plus he has to deal with the impact possibly on his daughter. so you don't know whether he's going to do it or not. seemed to be in bad taste so soon after her death. >> but then again he walked out of the funeral. that was a little in bad taste, too. >> because he was maybe disrespected by folks there. >> it's not about him at that point. >> he wanted to be with his daughter. you can't fault a man for wanting to be with his daughter. but lastly. >> chris brown. he doesn't have a filter, apparently. so c.m. punk, who is a wwe champion, is calling him out. of course this is all because of the domestic abuse on rihanna. and c.m. punk tweeted, "i would like chris brown to fight somebody that can defend themselves," he wrote on monday. "me curb stomping that turd would be a wrestlemania moment." brown responded, "he needs more followers, he's such a leader, not to mention the roids he's on has made it utterly impossible for him to pleasure a woman." of course he said it wasn't me and he took it down. but he did the same thing last week. come on, say what you mean and mean what you say, chris. >> anger management. come on, say what you mean and mean what you say, chris. >> anger management. come on, say what you mean and mean what you say, chris. >> anger management. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to " 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying .up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. put their trust in aarp p medicare supplement insuranc. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive. i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a referral o see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare r supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits r your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans, there are virtually p no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep that accepts medicare. p your own doctor and hospital and best of all, these plans are... when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare, call this toll-free number now. ♪ ♪ ♪ ain't nobody humping around bobby brown, ain't nobody humping around on this hump day. all right. now we turn to our, boom, favorite -- >> ouch. >> there we go. a little slow but all right. favorite story of the day. no doubt you've heard about jeremy lin. the story's not about him, thank god. he is a benchwarmer, though, who of course showed the nba and the world just what he is capable of. >> have you had enough of lin -- >> i've had lin-nuff of that story for a few days. >> there's another young basketball player in memphis who's facing more challenges than most can imagine. but he's proving over and over that he's worth cheering for. abc's steve osunsami has his story. >> reporter: from the three-point line david andrews can't be beat. 40% of the time he makes the shot. statistically better than lebron james and most of the nba. >> you're pretty good. >> i am good. i'm the best player. >> reporter: at his high school outside memphis the coach of his freshman team wasn't so sure david should play at first because he has down's syndrome and they were trying to hold on to a near-perfect record this season. >> i would have kids come to me and saying coach, when can we get david in the game? >> reporter: this was the game where the team had a good enough lead and the coach finally put david in. he gets the ball and takes a shot from the corner and scores. and just as the crowd is losing its mind, the kid who had planned on warming the bench all year long scores again. he was now playing in every game. a few nights later he was starting the game. >> we have always been an incredible believer that god doesn't make any mistakes. >> reporter: david and his team went on to win the county championship. and they were honored at their school for their excellence. >> the inspiration by him coming in the game and scoring, it's just good for the whole team. >> our team won the county championship and that's all great. but keeping david on my team was the best decision i made. all year. >> you did good, my man. absolutely. >> thank you. >> reporter: steve osunsami, abc news, germantown, tennessee. >> mind over matter. that's incredible. i love stories like that. that is so good. interesting stat, too. down's syndrome, it affects about 400,000 people in the u.s. that's about 1 out of every 700 births. >> and it's good to hear that the life expectancy, at one point it was 25 years of age in 1983. it's all the way up to 60 today. so just goes to show you the strides. and you know what? 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