has salesmanship to do. if the election were held today, he could lose to mitt romney, polls say. so the race is on. the president held an official event in maryland. >> four more years! >> reporter: while the vice president headlined a campaign rally in ohio. but the events did not seem all that different. certainly not their tone about the republican candidates. >> mitt romney, rick santorum, and newt gingrich. these guys have a fundamentally different economic philosophy than we do. the economic theories of gingrich, santorum, and romney, they are bankrupt. >> if some of these folks were around when columbus set sail, they must have been founding members of the flat earth society. >> reporter: members of elite society were welcomed at a dinner for the british prime minister. richard branson. the cast of the hit british tv series downton abbey. and with a choice seat next to the first lady, george clooney. also there more than three dozen of president obama's top campaign fund-raisers. jake tapper, abc news, the white house. >> and george clooney was alone. i don't know where stacey keebler was. but i was available. real quick, there's something pretty controversial out there as well. the super pac that is trying to get obama re-elected. priorities usa took a $1 million donation from bill maher, who's of course the comedian, and used some disparaging language against sarah palin. starts with a c. rhymes with hunt. the obama senior adviser, it was in response to this. and said should they ask for that money to be returned, should they distance themselves. because of course they went on the defense with rush limbaugh and said we're pro women, you know, with the sandra fluke thing. and i just want to know what your -- how do you think they should handle this? >> well, i think overall that, you know, the first amendment needs to be respected on boeing sides. and and i think that it's when we're tested, when these despicable things are said on either side is when we're really tested. and i would say that with such big money now and, you know, the appearance that these super pacs are really not part of the campaigns but they really are, i'll leave it for folks out there to decide. but i think both sides should probably just -- >> it's ruffling a lot of feathers on the right because they're saying it's kind of hypocrisy. david axelrod said i'm not excusing anyone but think what limbaugh did was especially egregious and it was just once. >> i think both sides will end up holding on to the money. there has been a change in legal strategy for former senator john edwards. with less than a month to go before the start of his corruption trial edwards has hired a new lawyer. that's after a north carolina judge questioned him. edwards was asked if he was taking narcotics or other medications. edwards is accused of taking campaign funds to cover up an affair. a suburban atlanta man has been found guilty but mentally ill for the murder of a man outside a daycare center. hemy neuman had claimed an angel with the voice of olivia newton john and a demon with the voice of barry white encouraged him to kill. neuman apologized to the victim's family after the verdict. >> i am so, so, so sorry. i can't say it enough. the snydermans, rusty's dad, his mom, brother, andrea should not have had to bury him. they should not have had to undergo the pain, the anguish, the sorrow, the loss that goes on, and it will go on forever. >> hemy killing his alleged lover's husband. sxel spend the rest of his life in prison, where he will get mental health care. shifting gears now, a robber in oregon may be nursing a head injury after a run-in with a store owner with a killer swing. the suspect tried to spray a substance in a deli owner's face and reach for the cash register. but the victim pulled out a baseball bat and pummeled him so hard the bat broke. luckily for the robber he was using a motorcycle helmet as a mask. he got away but with no money. >> i think he hobbled away after that. >> that'll teach him. displaced homeowners in southeast michigan are waking up in shelters this morning after a tornado plowed through their neighborhood. the twister touched down last night in the town of dexter, which is right around ann arbor. the powerful winds flattened some homes while others lost their windows. the storms knocked over trees, started fires, and flooded roads. so far there are no reported injuries. but of course that's in southeast and south central michigan. and growing up there, i never, ever saw anything like that. so a lot of strange, strange weather patterns. >> great news, no injuries. >> yes. >> well, here is your friday forecast. thunderstorms and scattered showers from the midwest and ohio valley into the deep south and gulf coast. hail and gusty winds from amarillo to western oklahoma. pouring rain in the pacific northwest and northern california. more heavy snow from the cascades to lake tahoe. >> 60 in sacramento. 72 in albuquerque. 70s in the middle of the country. 61 in new york. 71 in baltimore. and 82 if you are in amiami. miami. well, auto dealer service departments got some strange problems to fix but a toyota dealership in florida on the scale, the removal of a python from a pilot's dashboards. the mechanics don't think it would be that difficult to kill the snake and remove it. >> the owner said no, the python in the prius was her pet, of course. so the mechanics removed the car's dashboard and rescued the reptile. i think it couples as a belt, too. the owner is thrilled and can now continue her drive cross-country with a living snakeskin belt. >> it's an accessory. >> yes, it is. >> we'll be right back with more "world news now." ♪ the snake is on the rise ♪ let me tell you about a very important phone call i made. when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement nsurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it 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[ moderator ] describe the smell. it's very pleasant. some kind of flower maybe? awww, oh yuck! [ male announcer ] febreze air effects doesn't mix, it actually removes odors. so you can breathe happy. ♪ ♪ green acres is the place to be ♪ that was new york city, not tampa, florida. but the folks in tampa have some major events on the calendar to look forward to. at the end of august the city will host the republican national convention. >> and presumably for that the tampa city council will -- and yes, we're being serious. they will decide whether to change the rules governing chickens being kept in residential back yards. this is an eggcellent story. jeff butera of wfts reports. >> reporter: i'm liggett and these are my chickens. >> reporter: there's effie, essie, and lynn's favorite, essi pechlt p. >> she's the tamest of the bunch. >> reporter: he keeps them in a coop in his back yard in tampa. >> you wouldn't believe it but they're just like pets. >> reporter: joey holloway built lynn's coop and others. >> an average size coop would be this one over here. >> reporter: he said having chickens and a coop in your back yard is fairly inexpensive, you can start for less than 300 bucks, and it's a great way to produce eggs. >> oh. we got -- this is from lucky. >> reporter: it's clearly growing in popularity in tampa right now. >> they're really friendly. i mean, it's like a pet. it's not hard to keep clean. it's not hard to take care of. >> reporter: now, tampa's laws say you can take care of five chickens for every 5,000 square feet. as long as they're 200 feet from your neighbors. >> what our staff will do is just explain to city council what's on the books right now. >> reporter: the council could then clarify that law and maybe add tougher restrictions based on complaints about noise or neighborhood impact. but lynn hopes they keep things the way they are. he's into this chicken thing. in fact, win has gotten so into his chickens he's actually set up a website where you can watch them 24/7. at the cluck crew cam.com you can get cyber proof this phenomenon is getting big. i'm jeff butera, abc news. >> so they had the council meeting yesterday. and not sure when they're going to make a final decision on the chicken. you're for it. >> there's pepe and myself. >> how do you like your eggs? over easy? scrambled? >> dropped. >> uncracked. >> i like a dropped egg. >> spoiled? >> no. firm. >> all right. on that note we're going to stick to some firm sports coming up. >> we're going straight back to the hardwood, actually-s where we're going. >> march madness day one's in the books. we've got the latest results and the first check on our picks of the "world news now" march madness competition. you won't believe who's out front. we're right back. come on dad! can i get winner? here you go kid. hey.aren't you. yep. koun and halalpern i think you need a box check. a box check? yeah, it's simple. always check the rating symbols on the front. read the content descriptors on the back. you know, yes! that's good solid checking. hey, thanks guys. son, i, i don't think this game's for us. maybe you should get this one. this kid got s some skills. for more information, visit esrb dot org. day two of march madness. that follows an opening day that pretty much went according to form. and we should stress pretty much, pretty much according to form. >> pretty much. the final game of the day served up one of the day's only upsets. colorado, an 11 seed, went out to a 20-point lead against unlv, which was a 6 seed. but then the running rebels started running and scoring. their furious second half comeback, it fell just short. colorado tops unlv 68-64. they take on baylor tomorrow. >> there will be a repeat national champion this year. iowa state guaranteed that last night. the cyclones had four players in double figures, and they dominated uconn on the glass. iowa state beating uconn 77-64. they play top-ranked kentucky tomorrow. it's the first time the defending champ has gone out of the tournament in the first round since 1996. so butler didn't even make the tournament. and uconn, last year's national champion, gone. >> here goes vcu again. the 12th seeded virginia commonwealth, afinal four team last year, just keeps causing march madness upsets. their latest victim last night was number 5 seeded wichita state. vcu was up as much as by 13 points, but they almost let it slip away. they hang on for a 62-59 victory, setting up a meeting with the indiana hoosiers. >> so now the big question. what does it all mean for the second annual "world news now" march madness competition? what does it mean? >> well, here's the leaderboard. that's what i can tell you. rob nelson is out in front again. he went 15-1 yesterday. wow. nice job. >> yeah. >> paula, you are in second place. >> i've got the silver. >> also a very respectable 12-437. >> jamesie "the sports guy" mccarty is one behind me 1:001-5. and my little ones, j.j. and caroline, are 8-8. but it is early in the competition. >> it certainly is. once again joining us this morning here at the picks commissioner jack sheehan. >> happy st. patrick's day eve. >> where did my hat go? >> hat went somewhere. >> put this on. just for the spirit. >> i'll go for that. the commish went 13-3 yesterday. that's pretty good. >> not bad. >> that's pretty good. >> couple of notes. higher seeds won 14 of the 16 games. yesterday. so that was -- >> like you said, it was according to form. >> we have that v.o. of baylor? look at these uniforms on baylor. >> loving it. >> those are from adidas. they say that they're 28% lighter than their previous uniforms. they just look horrible. >> and they glow in the dark if you -- >> what is that all about? >> well, it's easy to spot your pan. you can't ever say lost him. >> holy god. who knows what's up with that? anyway, the nation's longest winning streak could go by the boards today. belmont university has won 14 straight games. they are going to get a load of georgetown this afternoon. >> okay. hey, good luck this weekend. >> good luck to them. good luck to everybody. >> thank you, sir. >> coming up, the big scare -- 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. for over 10 years now,. i've been representing the colonial penn life insurance company. hi, alex. hi, everyone. i thought it'd be interesting to hear from you what your customers say are some of the things they like best about colonial penn's whole life insurance. who's gonna start? well, it's guaranteed acceptance for people over age 50. they don't have to take a physical or answer any health questions. and it gives them peace of mind knowing that their family has some insurance to help cover funeral costs. and other final expenses. great point, and that's something everybody needs to plan for, especially in this economy. it costs just $9.95 a month per unit. it's an affordable way to provide protection for loved ones. yes, and that rate never goes up. and their coverage never goes down because of their age. they can get permanent insurance at a price that fits into their budget. alex: do you want to help protect your loved ones from the burden of final expenses? if you're between 50 and 85, you should call colonial penn now. for just $9.95 a month per unit, you can get quality insurance that does not require any health questions or a medical exam. your rate will never increase and your coverage will never decrease. that's guaranteed. they're waiting to hear from you, so call now. >> announcer: "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." okay. a lesson to all of you that you should always look in the toilet before you sit down or at least make sure that the lights are on in the bathroom. okay, this example comes from staten island. and a guy was going into the bathroom about 6:30 in the morning, went to sit down, looked in the toilet. there was a four-foot-long california king snake. he said it was getting out on top of the rim ready to strike. he struck with a broom, wouldn't let go. he responded with some clorox green works. not sure why. called the plumber. the plumber, when he came, the snake had kind of retreated. so only 12 inches were shown. he said you're scared of a little snake like this? wound up realizing it was four feet long. and it's now in a cooler. so always look in the toilet. >> so you know, they have a reputation for being environmentally -- environmentally minded do-gooders. i'm not talking about snakes but i'm talking about young people. >> i'm not sure about snakes -- >> but an academic analysis actually spending more than 40 years has found that today's young americans are actually -- >> recycle -- we're recycling. >> are actually less likely to care about the environment. one 20-year-old actually said that they're fairly narcissistic and that they're fairly -- >> here's your polka on that note. >> and so -- ♪ politics and foreign wars ♪ all the weather, all the scores ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ around the world and down your street ♪ ♪ "the skinny" is your gossip sheet ♪ ♪ that's the "world news" polka. ♪ i have a brand new ipad and it's got some killer apps ♪ ♪ it's lighter than a squeezebox and it hasn't any straps ♪ ♪ hey ♪ i'm a lucky gizmo boy ♪ with my useless high-end toy ♪ that's the "world news" polka ♪ ♪ ♪ that's the world news polka ♪ ♪ that'the world news polka ♪ there's ipad was expensive, boy, it cost a lot of cash ♪ ♪ you'd think for all this money it would come with flash ♪ ♪ i'm not angry, i'm not mad ♪ the internet, it's just a fad ♪ ♪ that's the world news polka >> something i said? ♪ we buy the latest gizmos because we're geeky techie snobs ♪ ♪ the economy's still shaky while at apple they have jobs ♪ ♪ hey, have some fun, be a pal ♪ every anchor guy and gal ♪ do the world news polka ♪ hey >> when you go to heaven you get a harp. when you go to hell, you get an accordion. [ rim shot ] this morning on "world news now" -- tornado terror. a summer-like storm tears its way through a suburban detroit neighborhood, blowing homes apart. >> and that severe storm threat is on the move this morning, days before the official start of spring. it's friday march 16th. good morning. i'm t.j. winick in for rob nelson. >> tgif is what we always say on friday. and i'm paula faris. property owners in dexter, michigan will be out at daybreak to clean up the damage and deal with power outages. amateur photographers capturing the frightening scenes as a late winter tornado, look at that, posed a serious threat. dexter just about 20 miles from my hometown of jackson, michigan. so i hope all my family -- i haven't heard anything differently. but that they're all safe. >> scary stuff. >> thoughts and prayers with everybody back in my home state. >> that's right. also this morning, a beef distributor is responding to abc news reports about the hamburger product known as pink slime. it's a response customers have been waiting to hear. but is it enough? and later this half hour, st. patrick's day weekend is upon us. and america's chief entertaining officer shows us an unforgettable spread of food and drink to make your celebration memorable and your palate water. just some amazing stuff. but first, that destructive tornado that ripped through southeastern and south central michigan completely oeflg home after home. >> this is what the menacing twister looked like as it barreled through last night. by the time it was over the town of dexter was littered with downed trees, power lines, and shredded houses. but amazingly no one was injured. wxyz's tara edwards is there. >> reporter: walking through the subdivision you can see it's truly a disaster area. the tornado that tore through ripped off second levels of homes, even leveling a couple of homes. and the wind sent valuables and debris everywhere. >> a couple windows here that are knocked out. >> yeah. and it hit -- i thought it only hit on this side of the house from what i was listening to. till i walked out and saw the garage was missing. >> reporter: bob brickalton moved into his home in 1999, when it was brand new. he is amazed at the destruction the twister left behind. >> it just kept swirling and it didn't look like it was moving. >> reporter: many others here say they heard the warning on tv. within a matter of minutes the storm was here. >> we shut the door and prayed. and held hands and stuff. and we kept calling our husbands and telling them not to come home. >> i looked out of my patio door. we have a finished walk-out basement. and saw my swing set go by. so i took the kids, and we ran into the storage room. and i covered them up, grabbed our new puppy and our dog. and it was like a train. it's what you hear. >> reporter: when the storm cleared, for some words can't describe. >> i still -- yeah. it's -- >> like what you see on television. it's unreal. really, i can't believe this is happening. >> i called him, i'm like you'd better come home from work. >> reporter: and officials say luckily no one died. and amazingly, no one was injured. the cleanup is expected to take weeks. tara edwards, abc news, dexter. >> so thankfully, no injuries, no fatalities reported. but i know there's a lot of video, amateur video shot, and i though the fire chief said that they have funnel clouds spotted all around us. again, this is just around the corner from my hometown. >> right. and you said you never experienced anything like this growing up. >> nothing like this growing up. just a whole lot of snow. a lot of snow. but yeah, we've seen so many strange weather patterns. and they say it's unlikely to change according to the long-term forecast. >> i guess the up side is the beautifully unseasonably warm weather. the down side is, you know, crazy outbreaks like the one we saw last night in michigan. >> there's always a down side. >> yeah. >> here is your friday forecast. more thunderstorms across the midwest and chicago and southern wisconsin. scattered showers from new orleans to nashville and tallahassee. 70-mile-an-hour winds and hail and a chance for tornadoes in texas and oklahoma. another day of downpours and heavy snow in the northwest. >> 50 in seattle. 60 in sacramento. and 83 in phoenix. upper 70s from minneapolis to indianapolis. 61 here in new york. 81 in atlanta. well, we may learn later today the name of the u.s. soldier accused of killing 16 afghans. the suspect's newly hired defense attorney says the military may make his name public. high-profile seattle lawyer john henry browne says his client was reluctant to leave on his fourth deployment after suffering a concussion and losing part of a foot. just this morning a senior american official tells "the new york times" that the soldier snapped from a combination of stress, alcohol, and domestic issues. and in light of the massacre afghan president hamid karzai is demanding that nato pull out of rural areas and speed up the transfer of security responsibilities to afghan forces nationwide. karzai is known for making dramatic demands and then backing off under u.s. pressure. also, the taliban has cut off peace talks with the u.s., though it's unclear if much progress was being made. well, there could be relief in sight for high gasoline prices. president obama and british prime minister david cameron are looking into dipping into the national petroleum reserves. 9 white house will not confirm those talks or any timetable but has said in the past that the u.s. would tap those reserves without other countries doing so. gas prices now average $3.82 a gallon. that's 31 cents higher than a month ago. well, as a result of our exclusive report, the biggest maker of so-called pink slime beef is fighting back. the company, beef products incorporated, says that its boneless trimmings are 100% beef. in a statement issued last night it insists that it's safe, wholesome, even nutritious. but as we hear from abc's david kerley, that's not enough for most people. >> reporter: thousands of you posted questions. >> whichch retail chains carry ? >> reporter: demanding answers. >> which brands are not putting pink slime in their beef products? >> reporter: parents, schools, state officials insisting the government do something about pink slime. trimmings which are slightly cooked, spun down to remove fat, and then sprayed with ammonia and added back into ground beef. action. the usda stating that due to consumer demand they will offer choices to schools, they can buy patties with or without pink slime, also known as lean finely textured beef. for a year teacher sarah woo ate school lunches and blogged critically about the food. >> this is a phenomenal thing. this is a major improvement for the usda to give districts a choice. >> reporter: but only 1/4 of the food for school lunches is bought through the usda, and you the consumer is not getting any additional information. with 70% of the supermarket ground beef containing pink slime and only two chains admitting they use it, how are you to know what's in your beef? for a week abc news and jim avila have asked the beef industry that question. >> why not just put it on the label? >> it's beef. it's on the label. it's a beef product. it says beef. this is beef. so we are declaring it. it's beef. >> reporter: the usda is clear in saying pink slime is safe. but while the government is changing its policy for schools, it won't demand that supermarkets label what's in the beef you buy. david kerley, abc news, washington. >> what's the beef? pink slime's the beef. >> where is the beef? you know, you're never going to win with a name like pink slime. >> no. >> even if it is a beef by-product or it's something that can be used as fillinger, it's just -- it's not going to get people excited. pink slime. >> and if you do want an updated list of the supermarkets in your area that are using this, you can always go to our website, abcnews.com, for the latest. >> yes. well, a new little bundle of joy in arizona could not wait for mom and dad to get to the hospital. bennett robbins decided to make his appearance on the side of the freeway in suburban phoenix. we always hear stories like this. the freeway. >> his mom said she realized they weren't going to make it to the hospital and told her husband to pull over and call 911 because "i am having this baby right now." and by the time paramedics arrived on scene bennett was already delivered thanks to his great dad. >> every time i see those stories i'm like why can't i have an easy delivery like that? >> you'd rather have a delivery in a car? >> no. but i'd rather have an easy -- three days later the child comes. >> we'll be right back with "world news now." ♪ life is a highway ♪ i want to ride it all night long ♪ i'm the first licensed indycar driver with diabetes to finish the indy 500. i live in the fast lane. i need on-the-go insulin 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some nostalgia that goes along with this segment, t.j. you know why? because it's like another week has already passed? >> right. >> yes. >> and it's one that included plenty of politics and one that cast a long shadow on the u.s. effort in afghanistan. here is our friday rewind. >> we can say definitively that this was an individual acting alone, not with authority. we also have the individual, the suspect, in custody, u.s. custody. >> the killing of innocent civilians is outrageous, and it's not acceptable. it's not who we are as a country, and it does not represent our military. >> it's going to complicate missions most definitely. >> i'm learning to say y'all. good morning, y'all. like grits. a biscuit and some cheesy grits. >> for someone who thinks this race is inevitable, you spend a whole lot of money against me. >> senator santorum is at the desperate end of his campaign. >> if you're the front-runner and you keep coming in third, you're not much of a front-runner. >> we did it again. >> my expectation is it's going to be an open convention. >> i am proud as i leave and enter the next part of what is a dark and hard journey that i can take with me the sense of -- the sense of accomplishment. >> you weren't properly prepped because you wouldn't listen to us. you never listen to your advisers. >> because you're overwhelming me with too much information. >> the palin campaign didn't like it. how true to life? >> well, true enough to make me squirm. >> we also have some guests today. other special guests. >> we do. >> kermit? i didn't know you were a political reporter, kermit. >> yes. well, listen, george, even though i am now on a wild newt chase, i will keep searching. in the meantime i'm going to walk over to the baseball field, and maybe i can find a mitt. >> i knew it was going to be big, but this i could have never seen coming. >> the potential box office for this film is huge. much like the "twilight" saga, this is resonating with t this young audience. >> yeah. so "the hunger games." >> yeah. >> "the hunger games" -- >> i was just eating. >> a big flick. it's going to be opening up friday. >> it's my debut. it's my debut, too, t.j. >> ooh. >> that's my xena warrior princess pose. >> very sultry. yet very tough and rugged at the same time. >> illinois republican primaries tuesday. thursday sweet 16. and coming up, we're in for a st. paddy's day treat. >> that's right. we'll give you the celebrations with flair and amazing food and ♪ welcome back, everyone. as you may realize, st. paddy's day is saturday, and that means parades, the wearing of the green, and of course your choice of how to celebrate it all. and who better to help with some ideas for your st. paddy's day feast but tim laird. we know him, we love him. he's america's chief entertaining officer and author of "that's entertaining." it ain't easy being green. you brought up a good point. i've got my derby hat on. >> ready for derby as well as st. patrick's day. we had some great ideas for your st. patrick's day party, even a twist on the traditional corned beef and cabbage. so that's a wonderful thing i've got to show you there. but first, i've got to start out with our what i call the shamrock smash cocktail. we're going to shake it up. this is a green cocktail, very appropriate. and here's how you make this. very easy. i start out with a shaker of ice, about an houns aounce and of finlandia vodka. that's an ounce and a half. to that a little bit of lemonade goes in. about two ounces of lemonade. >> okay. >> an ounce of orange juice. that goes in. boom. and then about a half ounce of blue curacao, which is a blue liqueur. >> wondering how it turned green. >> exactly. none of these ingredients are green, but the magic you remember from art class. the primary colors. orange and blue make green. we'll see how this works. we'll shake it up a little bit. and i'm going to pour this into a nice rocks glass with ice. and there it is. magically turned green. look at that. >> i have to try it just to make sure that it is to standards. >> i'm going to garnish this with a little lemon -- or lime wedge. >> i get one that has no alcohol in it, right? >> you get the alcohol free version. the irish toast for cheers is slancha. wow. i tell you what. i'm sorry you can't have the one with the mango, but this is absolutely delicious. >> this is so yummy. >> isn't it great? >> mm-hmm. >> you know what it tastes like? another. >> another. what is it? slancha? >> there it is. the irish toast. >> we can just stop right now because i'm fine with this. >> we have a green cocktail. we're having fun. absolutely. >> now we have some potatoes as well. >> here's a traditional irish dish. i love this appetizer. basically, i take slices of potatoes, roast them in the oven five o'ten minutes on each side, and then put a little bit of smoked salmon on top way little dill weed. very easy for your guests to grab with the dill, the salmon, the potato. all irish. >> okay. >> hires a fun idea. i love this. it's what i call potato pops. it's a fun way to -- >> these are potatoes. >> yeah. these are boiled potatoes. then you can dunk them. your guests can dunk them in sour cream. bacon, cheese, chives. and i tell you what, i found this salt here, this bourbon smoked sea salt by williams sonoma. it's delicious. i'll try some of that, how that bourbon smoked salt goes. >> so good. i didn't take the chives because i know inevitably -- >> on the teeth. >> you need to wash it down with a little more -- >> you're right. that saltiness there. delicious. absolutely fantastic. that's fun for your guests to build it their way. a twist on corned beef and cabbage. i'm starting out with a spinach wrap right here. undernaeg the corned beef i have a little dijon mustard. that sticks to that. take your chopped cabbage. the cole slaw you can buy at the store. then just simply wrap this up. >> voila, right here. >> boom, wrap it up, cut that. you can have it for a sandwich or actually put them in one-inch slices. and there it is. >> i'm curious about this. is this green frosting? >> this is benedictine. you'll kind of like this. it's big in the south. basically it's cream cheese, a little onion, a little cucumber, a little hot sauce, and green food coloring. and the bacon bits on top. that's what that is. >> bacon makes everything better. >> it's wonderful. >> how do we cap all this off? >> i have the famous irish-american coffee. basically there's a little coffee in here and what makes it irish-american is a little southern comfort goes in. and because the creator of southern comfort, m.w. herron, was from islander, came over on the tammy o'shan'ter, set up in new orleans. created southern comfort. i just dolloped that with whipped clear, a little creme demint. >> you can find all the recipes on our facebook site, everybody. this is really good. >> isn't this good? [ malennouncer ] medicare... 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, there are no networks... no referrals needed to see a specialist... and virtually no claim forms to fill out. how's that for convenience? and when you travel, your plan will travel with you -- nationwide. so call now for a free information kit and medicare guide. choose from a wide range of plans to fit your specific needs and budget. with prices that are competitive -- thanks to the group rates available only to aarp members. if you're considering a medicare supplement plan, you should take a look at the only ones endorsed by aarp... these are plans millions have chosen... and even better, 9 out of 10 members would recommend their plan to a friend or family member. why wait? help protect yourself from some of what medicare doesn't pay and save up to thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses with a medicare supplement plan. call now and learn more about aarp medicare supplement insurance plans, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. get this free information kit and 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. ♪ 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 nexday, 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. ♪ finally this half hour, "insomniac theater." our look ahead at two movies debuting today at the box office. >> just to get you in the st. paddy's day mood, i know you were jealous of my hat in the last segment. >> okay. well, at least one of us takes this segment seriously. >> we need a little more room for the head. so if we can zoom out a little bit. i'm going to start this off with "21 jump street," a big screen adaptation of the '80s tv series. it looks nice on you, by the way. >> appreciate that. >> what do you get when you mix jonah hill and channing tate sxum ice cube? you get "21 jump street" a la 21st centery. basically a couple of slacking cops aren't cutting it, so their assignment is to bring down a synthetic drug ring at a local high school. and here is a snippet. >> do you even know the miranda rights? >> yes. >> let's hear them, then. >> it's -- look, it obviously starts with you have the right to remain silent. i know you've heard this before. and then it -- i think it sounds something like. >> you have the right to get an attorney. >> oh, right. you have the right to remain an attorney. >> did you say that you have the right to be an attorney? >> you do have the right to be an attorney if you want to. >> you should have the right to remain an attorney, right? okay. so great ratings. rotten tomatoes is giving it an 86% approval rating. "usa today" says it's that rare comedy that's funny throughout with a hilarious story that hinges on the unlikely pairing of hill and tatum. and now you have the right to remain an attorney and do your little movie preview. >> okay. well, my movie, which i'll be previewing is called "jeff who lives at home." and the title character is played by jason segal, of course. and he plays this sort of sad sack living at home until one day he goes out with his brother, who is played by ed helms, to track his possible adulterous wife, played by the fantastic judy greer. take a look. >> i'm kind of busy right now. >> all i want for my birthday is for you to get your ass off that couch and you come home, you fix the shutter before i get home. or you're going to find someplace else to live. >> fine. >> fine. good. you got it? do you understand? >> yes, mom. okay! >> love you. good-bye. >> of course, oscar winner susan sarandon there playing jason segal's mother as well as ed helms' mom. and you know, on rotten tomatoes this got 88% fresh. so very good reviews. but it's interesting. a little bit backwards here. the "usa today" didn't particularly care for the storyline whereas "the new york times" said this morning on "world news now," developments from afghanistan this morning as the army sergeant suspected of killing 16 villagers hires an attorney. >> that high-profile seattle lawyer is speaking out, suggesting a motive as relations grow even more tense between the u.s. and afghanistan. it's friday march 16th. good morning, everyone. i'm t.j. winick in for rob nelson. >> and i'm paula faris. that seattle attorney is a well-known criminal lawyer. john henry browne. we will hear what he's saying about his client and the shooting in an afghanistan village. his comments come at a very critical time for the u.s. military in afghanistan. we're going to take you live to kabul in just moments. >> that's right. also this morning, while president obama addresses rising gas prices, scammers are targeting drivers at the gas pump. credit card account information is being stolen. find out how to protect yourself. >> just when you thought it couldn't get any worse at the pump. and later this half hour, it's friday, and we could all use some comic relief. you know laughter is the best medicine. for some yoga practitioners, even if it's a bit of a stretch. ba-dum-bump-bump. we're here all week. at least one more day because it is friday. that's right. but first, we are learning much more about the u.s. soldier accused of terrible crimes in afghanistan. we may even find out his identity before the day is over. >> u.s. efforts to bring the long war to a close have suffered several setbacks. abc's muhammad lila has all the developments live from kabul. good morning, muhammad. >> reporter: good morning, guys. and you mentioned the lawyer's name, john henry browne. if that name sounds familiar, it's because he has represented some high-profile clients including most recently the so-called barefoot bandit. that lawyer spoke at a news conference late in the evening. we already knew the soldier accused is a 38-year-old father of two based out of fort lewis who'd served three tours in iraq before being assigned to afghanistan. his lawyer says the soldier wasn't happy about being posted to afghanistan, that in fact he'd been told he wouldn't be sent to the country but that somehow overnight that decision was reversed. we've also learned there was another soldier on the base who'd been gravely injured in the days before the weekend shooting and that as a result all of the soldiers on the base were upset. now, the next step in the legal process will be the preferring or the filing of criminal charges, and once that happens the military will likely release his name. we are hearing that step to release his name could be taken as early as today. now, you mentioned all this comes on the heels of perhaps two biggest setbacks for the u.s. mission here. the first is that the taliban has announced they're withdrawing from all discussions with the united states. now, to be clear, guys, what this means is that forget about talking peace or even sitting at the same table, it means the taliban and the u.s. aren't even sitting in the same room. and that could have some long-term consequences. now, the second setback, of course, is afghanistan's president hamid karzai says he wants all foreign troops to withdraw back to their main bases, in other words, get out of afghan villages. and he's expecting afghans to take charge of the entire country's security by 2013, which is earlier than the 2014 withdrawal that we'd been hearing from the u.s. administration. >> with everything you just mentioned with the taliban and karzai, it sounds like the relations between afghanistan and the united states, muhammad, are at an all-time low. >> reporter: well, if you think of these last three or four weeks that we've witnessed here in kabul, i mean, i can't remember a short period like this that has been so dramatic and so important as far as setting back relations are concerned. and you know, this is friday morning. and typically, afghans have a history of protesting on days like this, right after friday prayers. so the mood in the city is tense. the security is high. it's not just in kabul but in most of the major cities right across the country. >> muhammad, t.j. winick. what else might we learn about the suspected gunman, the army sergeant, today? >> reporter: well, there are some interesting reports that came out. the big news a couple of days ago was that this army sergeant had been transferred out of afghanistan. we later learned that that transfer was to kuwait. there are some reports now that are saying that the kuwaitis responded with anger, saying that they didn't want that sergeant housed anywhere in that country. so we're hearing now that the accused -- transferred to u.s. prison likely in kansas, perhaps within a week's time. and interestingly enough, his lawyer yesterday, when asking about possible sentencing and possible punishment, his lawyer also acknowledged something that the defense secretary acknowledg acknowledged, saying that the death penalty, or capital punishment, is still on the table if indeed he's found guilty. >> all right, muhammad lila, in the heart of this crisis. muhammad, please stay safe, and thank you for your reporting live from kabul this morning. well, it has been one year now since the anti-government uprising began in syria. about 1,000 demonstrators turned out last night in paris to mark the anniversary. the crowd waved flags and sparklers, chanting their support for the syrian people and calling for syria's president assad to step down. the u.n. says more than 8,000 people have died. just staggering numbers. and there was heavy fighting in the streets of syrian cities of hama and homs yesterday. as we can see in this video, diplomatic efforts over the past year have done very little to stop the violence, and president assad shows no signs of relinquishing power. as gas prices climb, there's been a major push for the u.s. to tap its strategic petroleum reserves to bring down gasoline prices. abc news has learned that, yes, president obama is considering that and discussed it with britain's prime minister. but there's no final decision, no word on when that might happen. still, just the rumor was enough to bring down oil prices. as if high gasoline prices weren't enough of a pain at the pump, we're learning that many drivers are actually being ripped off when they pay. abc's elisabeth leamy reports you can do everything right and still have your credit card information stolen. >> reporter: florida, new york, georgia, california. over the past week crooks have installed tiny skimming devices that capture your account information at gas stations in every corner of the country. >> the gas pumps themselves aren't monitored as closely as point of sale terminals that are normally located in stores. so they offer a bit of anonymity to some of these criminal actors. >> reporter: some gas stations have even started placing a seal across their pumps so they can tell if somebody has opened them to install a skimmer. >> it is difficult for us and time-consuming for us to find the physical evidence we need to tie these criminal actors to the actual compromise of these cards. >> reporter: here's how the scam works. you swipe your card to pay, not knowing that a tiny device has captured your card number. the thieves then use that number to create a clone of your card with a machine we found freely available on the internet. with a single swipe, security expert chris o'farrell showed me how easy it is by cloning my card. >> this now is a duplicate of your credit card. it took two seconds. >> that's it? >> that's it. >> the crooks can then go back to the gas station or anywhere and use the clone of your card as i did here. and sure enough it went through. or they can sell your account information to other criminals in an underground internet chat room. we infiltrated one, and in less than five minutes an identity thief offered me somebody's credit card number. >> oh, my goodness. here it is. >> reporter: to keep this from happening to you, you can literally tug on the card reader before you use it. fake ones often come off right in your hand. otherwise, old-fashioned advice. pay inside or pay cash. elisabeth leamy, abc news, washington. well, you got the new ipad yet? what's taking you so long? come on. customers lined up outside a 24-hour apple store here in new york last night, hoping to be among the first to grab the new ipad. up to 1 million of them will be sold today. prices for the ipad, which feature an upgraded camera and retina display, start at just under 500 bucks. the pending sales helped apple stock hit $600 a share yesterday for the first time. and schools now have a choice whether to serve so-called pink slime, ground beef and meat by-products treated with ammonia gas. but what about consumers? more than 2/3 of the ground beef in supermarkets contains pink slime. and the meat industry is speaking out overnight saying there is absolutely no need for special labels because it's still 100% beef. you can find an updated list of grocery stores that don't carry pink slime on our website. well, a suburban detroit community is in shambles this morning after getting absolutely battered by a powerful tornado that also sparked fires and triggered flooding. some homes were flattened while others were severely damaged. the storm ripped through last night with hail, powerful winds, and heavy rain. many parents had to grab their children and take cover in their basements. thankfully, there were no reports of injuries. >> said it was just funnel cloud after funnel cloud. and here is a look at your weather. another wave of thunderstorms in the midwest and ohio valley. look for on and off showers in the south. morning drizzle from new york up to new england. severe storms from amarillo to oklahoma city. mountain snow in the cascades and sierra nevada range. and heavy rain from seattle to san francisco. >> 61 in boise and 72 in salt lake city. a summer-like 82 in kansas city. upper 70s from omaha to dallas and atlanta. 51 in boston. well, it's soft, warm, and cuddly. what are we talking about? >> a dog? >> a perfect place to get some shuteye. but not so fast. >> that's right. take a look at this puppy trying its best to turn his much bigger buddy into a bed. this is a viral video, as you might be able to tell, making the rounds this morning. and who knew great danes were so slippery? >> so it looks like the little guy just ended up with a little slip and slide instead. the great dane didn't seem to mind at all. he never even flinched. he's probably so used to it. he's like, whatever, at this point just let me sleep. >> yeah. >> we'll be right back with more "world news now." ♪ slip sliding away ♪ slip sliding away ♪ you know the nearer your destination ♪ ♪ the more you're slip sliding away ♪ ♪ ♪ pop goes the world ♪ it goes something like this ♪ everybody here is a friend of mine ♪ ♪ everybody, tell me, have you heard? ♪ ♪ pop goes the world ♪ pop goes the world [ female announcer ] pop in a whole new kind of clean with new tide pods... a powerful three-in-one detergent that cleans, brightens, and fights stains. pop in. stand out. 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 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[ snoring continues ] [ male announcer ] because snoring sounds better than coughing. ♪ money ♪ money changes everything ♪ i said money tapping your pen there. >> hair band? >> i love hair bands. >> jinx. buy me a coke. >> that was slug back . no slug backs. >> that must be a midwestern thing. >> it must be too early in the morning. i'm getting mixed up. >> no doubt money does change everything, particularly when we're talking about one of the most well-heeled families in the entire world. >> the hatfields and the mccoys come to mind, but these folks are all from the same family and suffice it to say there's a ton of money involved. david wright deposits the facts, cha-ching, for us. >> reporter: only three women in the world are richer than gina rinehart. she's worth about $18 billion. now the wealthiest woman in australia finds herself in the middle of a plot line worthy of "dallas." 20 years ago, before she inherited her late father's mining fortune, she accused her stepmother of foul play. rose portius was once the family maid. now rinehart's three oldest children are suing her. >> i can't think of any other case in recent australian corporate history where a child has sued a parent. >> reporter: in court documents rinehart characterizes her three oldest kids as slackers. "manifestly unsuitable" to manage the trust fund set up by their grandfather. >> i am not pleased to stand by and see this family torn apart because of the terms of jock's will. >> reporter: the fortune the rinehart kids were expecting to inherit last year is conservatively valued at $2.4 billion. postponed until 2068. the youngest of the three kids, 26-year-old hope rinehart welker of new york city, would be 83 years old by then. she and her two older siblings are suing to remove their mom as trustee, calling her deceptive, manipulative, hopelessly conflicted, and disgraceful. >> i've put up with all the wheeling and dealing and backstabbing that i'm going to. >> reporter: but gina rinehart's youngest daughter is standing by her, calling the case "a destructive display of greed, jealousy, and a selfish sense of entitlement on behalf of my siblings." maybe money doesn't buy happiness after all. david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> as the great philosopher once said, mo money, mo problems. >> i was about to say, i mean, it just -- it's a cliche now, the more money you have the more difficulties, the more problems, the more family infighting. however, if they wanted to give me the money, i would give it a go. >> that's so generous of you. >> i would give it a go, see if i could -- >> you're such an altruist, such a giver. >> maybe change my life. >> selfless. >> i appreciate that. coming up, what lady gaga wants most of all, and it's not another hit. >> yeah. and joan rivers' real-life drama, and it's no laughing matter. maybe it is. next in "the skinny." >> you'd have to give me some of the money, too. ♪ skinny ♪ so skinny oh, that joan rivers, in trouble again. >> why are we not surprised? >> i mean, is it me, or would you think that when someone applies for a job with joan rivers they basically abandon their dignity at the door? >> the latter. >> okay. well, not so much for one young woman, who thinks that she's actually maybe entitled to some damages. this is how it all went down during the latest episode of "joan and melissa," their reality show, her and her daughter. they were having a meeting of staffers appraising various pieces of jewelry. she used one female worker as a live mannequin of sorts, getting hands on and appraising the jewelry. and perhaps too close for comfort is what the employee is saying. the woman went on to report to a superior the incident was inappropriate. she said joan was putting the jewelry on me and putting my sweater back and touching my breasts. >> and she was remarking -- she was making comments about them as well. >> of course. of course. as she does about everything. so was joan rivers inappropriate -- >> i think she was sneaking a peek there, too. >> the interesting thing is if this does go to court it's all caught on tape. and the episode is coming up this week. so you can judge for yourselves. >> i'm going to go apply for a job with joan so that i -- >> i don't know you why said that. >> i don't, either. bobbi kristina, her grandmother, cissy houston, apparently saw some video of her that was posted online by tmz kissing and cuddling and holding hands with her pseudo brother. if you haven't heard, nick brown was kind of like informally adopted by whitney houston ten years ago. he was a troubled kid, and she kind of brought him into the home ten years ago. they are not related at all. bobbi and nick are not related. but they are reportedly seeing one another. cissy says -- her grandmother says it's incestuous. bobbi says she basically doesn't care. and she was reportedly seen wearing an engagement ring. and tmz reporting that she's telling friends that they're planning a trip to vegas in the near future. >> i think the creepy thing about that story is that he was a bit of a father figure for her. and do we know if whitney knew before she passed if -- >> we have no idea. this all seemed to be on the down low. >> so one more celebrity is opening up her heart to oprah winfrey. this time it's lady gaga. she told oprah that she would like to have children. in fact -- >> lord help us. >> -- more than one. she'd like to have a few. she also wants a husband. and she made a gesture to indicate a baby bump, saying she wants to experience that. and i have a first name for her first child. >> what is it? >> goo-goo. >> goo-goo? >> goo-goo gaga. >> you are so clever. snooki or lady gaga? who shouldn't procreate? that's a tough one. >> mm. all right. >> i'll let you think about that one. and finally russell brand, of course, he got himself in hot water filming a movie down in new orleans. snatched an iphone from a photographer, threw it through a window. a warrant was issued for his arrest. he willfully turned himself in, apologized, reported bail, reimbursed the photographer, and said you know, i'm doing this in honor of steve jobs because an iphone should never be treated like that. so they got it all worked out. there you have it. we're right back. 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. ♪ you make me smile like the sun ♪ ♪ fall out of bed ♪ sing like a bird ♪ dancing in my head okay. finally, this half hour, we're just here having a laugh. that was a fake laugh. because this is our -- favorite story of the day. and as you might guess, it involves laughter. >> yeah. >> real laughter, though. >> real laughter. and some real yoga enthusiasts in texas are incorporating a hearty chuckle into their routine. stephanie cerna of ksat in san antonio reports they are laughing their way to better health. >> reporter: try laughing every once in a while. no, i mean really laughing. believe it or not, this laughter yoga technique is real exercise where you will actually break a sweat and relieve much more than stress. >> it counteracts heart attacks, depression. it really does a boost to the immune system so that you can actually get stressed again and then you laugh again. >> reporter: dawn thurman is a certified laughter leader, who teaches people how to lighten up their lives through laughter. thurman, a single parent of a disabled child, says she picked up the technique to reduce the stress in her own life. and some participants who've tried the class say 30 minutes of hearty laughter can actually relieve the pain, too. >> i'm a breast cancer survivor. so i feel that the laughter and yoga has been beneficial to my health. boosts the immune system. >> reporter: the class includes breathing exercises, light stretching, and simply making each other laugh. and while you need the proper gear or clothing for a regular workout, instructors say laughter you can do anywhere at any time and you'll feel the rewards right away. >> you can literally take a coffee break with your co-workers, laugh for five to ten minutes, and your brain will be ready to -- it just regroups everything. >> reporter: so if you're looking to communicate better or work more efficiently, take it from these guys. you may just want to laugh out loud. >> we're doing our yoga. laughing yoga. our facebook question of the day, it's a good one for friday. what makes you laugh? >> yeah. >> what makes you laugh? >> well, if people touch the bottom of my foot, actually, that makes me laugh. >> i just touched your foot. sophomoric humor. will ferrell. anything juvenile. >> slapstick. >> yes. >> leslie nielsen. >> a moment of zen. >> namaste. >> yes. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now." informing