this was. >> this storm was absolutely a monster. this was a horrific event, second -- second to none we've ever had. >> reporter: at least six people were killed in this town. entire shopping malls flattened like pancakes. homes ripped apart. cars turned. it >> it's like there was no structure and it took it completely out. as you can tell, it's total devastati devastation. i haven't seen anything like it. all the way down through this whole area. >> reporter: we don't know exactly how many people may have been injured, but a homeless shelter has already been set up in a baptist church in town, and obviously many people are going to be homeless. >> it's overwhelming how many people have come to help. we've actually had to turn people who want to help away. >> reporter: the mayor tells us he's heartbroken by what's happened to his city, a place where people tend to know each other. a town of only 9,000. but the damage it took only a few moments to inflict may take many, many months to rebuild. chris bury, abc news, harrisburg, illinois. well, there's a whole lot of shoveling going on this morning in the dakotas and in the upper midwest. it was the first storm of the season for some areas, which are now buried under as much as two feet of snow. in watertown, south dakota the snow came down an inch an hour. and blizzard conditions in northern minnesota kicked up some rough surf on lake superior. waves hit 10 to 15 feet in duluth fueled by winds gusting sometimes up to 70 miles an hour. look at that. this is something you would see on a stormy ocean. keep in mind, though, this, folks, is just a lake. your neck of the woods, paula. >> great lakes. i'm telling you what, i've taken people to the great lakes, like lake michigan and they can't believe it's not the ocean. >> it's huge. >> they've never been there before. they're fascinated by it. >> the sea was rough that day, my friends, as george costanza would say. >> here's your thursday forecast. the same storm brings heavy snow to nujd today. rain from new york to d.c. showers in the south from the carolinas to jackson, mississippi. more twisters from arkansas, illinois, three feet of snow in the sierra range and up to two feet in the rockies. >> 46 in seattle. 41 in boise. 50 in colorado springs. 44 in chicago. 84 in kansas city. 70s in new orleans and atlanta. staytoday on capitol hill t democratic-led senate is expected to defeat a measure that would reverse president obama's plan on kroont septemberives. it would require employers to cover the cost of contraception. republicans say it's unconstitutional, but obama says medical decisions about health care should be made by a woman and her doctor, not a woman and her boss. >> expect some contentious debate on that one. well, tension with north korea may finally start to ease. the u.s. has now reached a deal aimed at ending the north's nuclear weapons program in exchange for food aid. north korea will reopen its doors to weapons inspectors. more now from abc's gloria rivera. >> reporter: the deal with north korea comes more than two years after it carried out nuclear tests and kicked weapons inspectors out of the country. initially, talks last week with the u.s. hinted at little progress. >> i think what we have to do is, you know, evaluate it, look at what it was the north koreans had to say to us. >> reporter: now north korea's new leader, kim jong un, says he will stop testing nuclear weapons and enriching uranium, a key accept in producing nuclear fuel. inspectors will also be allowed back in. experts say this could indicate that kim jong un is willing to forge stronger ties with the u.s. than his father, kim jong il. president bush first labeled north korea a part of the axis of evil along with iraq and iran in 2002. secretary of state hillary clinton says the u.s. still has profound concerns. in the past north korea agreed to similar deals, only to back out. >> we of course will be watching closely and judging north korea's new leaders by their actions. >> reporter: in return the u.s. is pledging 240,000 metric tons of food aid to the impoverished nation. north korea has fought severe famine for years. in the past the obama administration has said food aid is not linked to progress on the nuclear issue. now the u.s. says more aid could come when there's a continued need. gloria rivera, abc news, beijing. >> obviously this is a good step, a modest one some officials would tell you here, but north korea has a staggering hunger problem in many parts of that country. that's why food aid is such a heavy bargaining chip from our side of the table here. >> i believe 80% of the children in north korea are malnourished, which is a staggering stat. >> and even think of all the public wailing and hysteria when the leader passed away. they say a lot of that was manufactured because a lot of the country is staggered. so what do the leaders really do for them? politics here. president obama hosted 200 war veterans and their guests for a black tie dinner last night at the white house. the idea was to honor this group representing the more than 1 million who served in iraq in that nearly nine-year war and the nearly 4,500, of course, who never came home. many of those guests will soon head to afghanistan. in an exclusive interview abc's bob woodruff asked the president if he was especially concerned after two u.s. officers were killed by an afghan in uniform of course over those mistaken burnings of the koran. >> the overwhelming majority of afghan troops have welcomed and benefited from the training and partnering that we're doing. that doesn't mean there aren't going to be some tragic incidents. that doesn't mean there aren't going to be bumps in the road. >> veterans' groups are pushing for bigger displays of american gratitude once the afghan war itself is over as well. republican presidential candidate rick santorum faced a very tough crowd last night on a nashville college campus. when santorum mentioned the rise of the tea party, he was met with a chorus of boos and hecklers interrupted his speech several times. santorum and mitt romney are both claiming that they have the momentum going into next week's super tuesday contest. and of course they split all those delegates from michigan, 15 apiece. >> at one moment last nitric santorum was explaining why the constitution was written or the rationale behind it, and one person yelled out, "to protect us from you." so it was not the kind of warm reception the politicians usually get. it's getting heated, folks. moving on now, we hear plenty from people born on leap day trying to get away with fudging of course on their ages. >> but what about couples who tie a knot on february 29th? well, a michigan couple celebrated their first anniversary last night even though they got married in 2008. she says he picked the date so he could cheap out, her words, on anniversary gifts. >> they finally agreed that on leap year anniversaries they'll travel and on off years they'll celebrate by going to a red wings game. not bad at all. secrecy it delays the seven-year it itch. look at the bright side. we'll be back with more "world news now" after this. >> 28 years. ♪ it takes a leap of faith welcome back, everyone. the hunt is on in the great northwest, the hunt, that is, for the crown and plenty of other important stuff that belongs to the current miss washington. >> it was stolen from her car. and no one has seen any of it since. como's joel moreno has the details. >> this is a celtic fiddle ♪ >> reporter: her violin is the only thing brittany henry still has from her pageant performances after thieves stole her car. ♪ the 24-year-old reigning miss washington wanted to be ready for an early morning charity event and pact her cked her car night before. >> it was kind of like i'm being extra responsible tonight so i'm not in a frenzy in the morning. >> reporter: but the car was missing when she walked out along with her crown, sashes, evening gowns, and pageant photos she always brings to public events. brittany says the items are worth everything to her because they make such a difference in her volunteer work. >> when i walk in with the gown and the crown on, suddenly i become a magical princess. and especially with the elementary school kids, their eyes light up. they listen. they open their hearts to my message. >> reporter: the beauty queen is used to making headlines, but not as a crime victim. police say brittany's charge cards were put to quick use at stores in tacoma, puyallup and federal way. officers recovered her crown but the dresses are gone. brittany is desperate to get them back, which she believes add a little magic when she helps out in the community. >> without the crown and the sash i can't really serve as the mentor, as the woman, the princess giving the message. >> whoever did this knew what they were doing, too, because the thieves hit up like 15 atms and stores in a quick time after getting away with her credit cards. >> and they took some of her business cards and laid them out like ha, ha, ha. the crown itself, by the way-s $500 to replace, and i can only imagine how much those gowns are worth. >> how much is yours worth, paula? there you are when you won the pageant back in '73. >> i got it at t.j. maxx. $25. >> coming up next, remembering a heartthrob singer. >> how davy jones influenced pop culture as a daydream believer. it's all next. ♪ the music of davy jones and the monkees there. fans have been leaving flowers and other objects by the band's star on the hollywood walk of fame. >> all of that of course to honor the late davy jones, who died yesterday in south florida after suffering a heart attack at age 66. abc's david wright has our look back. ♪ here we come >> reporter: they were the first real boy band. ♪ hey hey we're the monkees the prefab four, created by american tv producers looking to cash in on the beatles. ♪ davy jones was the heartthrob. the littlest one who fell in love every episode and always got the girl. >> we don't have another job. so -- >> oh, thank you, davy. ♪ girl >> reporter: including marcia, marcia, marcia, that episode of the brady bunch where she asks him to sing at the prom. >> when is your prom? >> friday night. >> okay. friday night it is. >> reporter: is the single most rerun episode of television ever. >> yay! when "star trek" introduced a new character in its second season. >> mr. check-off -- >> reporter: what can i do, captain? >> mr. chekhov was styled like davy jones. >> said i'm coming to the show with my mother tonight. i thought, well, that's great. and he she said and my grandmother. i went, whoa. >> cheer up sleepy jean. >> reporter: something about those starry eyes and that moptop simply made them swoon. ♪ daydream believer david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> i love their music. and it is our facebook question of the day. which davy jones song is your favorite? make sure you hop on to wnnfans.com and let us know. what your pick is. >> little bit of monkees trivia, too. apparently, they had a milli vanilli episode back in the early days because they actually didn't play the instruments themselves, other folks did. but still an iconic band, iconic guy, and tv series for sure nonetheless. we'll be back with "morning papers" right after this. me... thinking my only option was the vial and syringe dad used. and me... discovering once-daily levemir flexpen. flexpen is prefilled. doesn't need refrigeration for up to 42 days. no drawing from a vial. dial the exact dose. inject by pushing a button. flexpen is insulin delivery my way. levemir is long acting insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes. do not take if your blood sugar is too low. tell your health care provider about all medicines you take and all of your medical conditions, including if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. the most common side effect is low blood sugar. other possible side effects include reactions at the injection site. get medical help right away if you experience serious allergic reactions, body rash, trouble with breathing, fast heartbeat or sweating. with flexpen, say good night to vial and syringe. ask your doctor about levemir flexpen. covered by 90% of insurance plans, including medicare. find your co-pay at myflexpen.com. 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[♪...] >> announcer: "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." okay, so this out of the huffington post. 1 out of every 10 wall street employees is a psychopath. according to researchers. >> that's comforting. >> but there are different levels of psychopathic behavior. did you know that? >> really? i've seen them all on the show. >> christian bale, remember, was the typical psychopath in "american psycho." he was an investment banker who actually killed people and then showed no remorse. a clinical psychopath is actually bright, gregarious, and charming, lies easily and often, may have trouble feeling empathy for other people, probably more willing to take dangerous risks, which kind of works well on wall street. >> mm. not a good -- not a flattering portrait of wall street in these economic times. 1 in 10. >> of wall street employees. according to this journalist, who writes for a trade publication, cfa magazine. according to -- >> so you see that well-dressed investment banker walking down the street, just tread carefully, folks here in new york. whoo. this is one of those crazy laws still on the books kind of thing. this story comes to us out of baldwin month, mop there's a 64-year-old man who was actually cited by police because of an ordinance that basically prevented people from extending a body part out of their car window. it was really designed to keep people from putting their feet out of the window. but this dude kind of flipped the bird to a motorist -- ♪ where is tall man ♪ where is you know, thumbkin. it's tall man. >> that's a good way to get around that. finally the town said this is ridiculous. a little pressure on the aclu as well. the law is off the books. so you're free to flip the bird in baldwin, missouri. but can't believe he got cited for that. flipped the dude off. crazy world we live in. let the birds free. let the birds fly. >> so a tlittle bit of jealous rage in pennsylvania. police have charges against a western pennsylvania man with falsely reporting a natural gas leak. he was trying to determine if his girlfriend was hiding another man in her residence in an adjoining building. so he made the false report because he was trying to -- >> we don't know whether it actually came true or not, whether she was creeping or not. smart thinking, dude. men can play just as dirty as women sometimes. >> i don't know if they're still together. that was not part of the story. >> i'm guessing not maybe. lastly, most popular dogs in the u.s., comes to us, this story from "chicago tribune." number one for the it 1st c21st consecutive year was the labrador retriever. then the german shepherd came in number 2. the beagle third place. and rising up the list, golden retriever number 4. yorkshire terrier came i this morning on "world news now" -- in shambles. a relentless storm system more common in the summer than the winter wipes towns right off the map. >> killer tornadoes leave behind a path of destruction and heartache from kansas to illinois to tennessee. it's thursday march 1st. good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. and look who is back this morning. >> back from my bronchitis. i'm not contagious. >> we'll give you some lysol. are you kidding me? welcome back. are you feeling better? >> feeling a bit better. just trying to acclimate with the shift. with kids it's kind of impossible. i'm sure for all you third shifters out there. it takes while to get acclimated and my body was saying no more. good to be back. i'm paula far sxis i am glad to be back. the severe weather claimed at least a dozen lives and at least three of those victims were killed overnight in tennessee. to the north after a snowless winter the upper midwest and new england are getting hammered. also this morning a scandal in northern california involving a 41-year-old teacher who left his job, left his wife, left his kids, all for an 18-year-old student. that student's mother says the courtship actually lasted for quite some time. oh, the decisions some folks make, huh? >> scandalous. and later this half hour, a tiny yet powerful computer that costs just $35. you've got to love the price. of course there has to be a catch. if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. >> stay tuned for that. but first the death toll is rising from that severe weather that slammed the midwest and the south with a wide path of destruction. >> at least three people have died after strong storms hit eastern tennessee last night. and there is destruction across the midwest. abc's chris bury reports from a southern illinois town nearly wiped off the map. >> reporter: the twisters tore through leaving behind a terrible toll. at least one deadly tornado slammed into harrisburg just before 5:00 a.m. shredding homes into toothpicks, flattening the strip mall like a pancake, lifting entire buildings off their foundations. this car had been parked in its garage. >> it's unbelievable. i can't believe the measure of damage it did to this building. >> reporter: eric gregg showed us the terrible and random route of destruction. >> give us a sense of how powerful this was. >> this storm was absolutely a monster. this was a horrific event second -- second to none we've ever had. >> reporter: hurricane force winds 175 miles an hour carving a two-mile path two football fields wide, leaving six dead where these homes used to be. >> it didn't hit instantly. i mean, people did have a chance to take cover, but unfortunately, when it hits at the time it hit at four minutes until 5:00 people are asleep, they don't have their radios on. >> reporter: the baptist church preparing to house the homeless. the storms moved from nebraska across kansas and missouri into illinois and kentucky. tornadoes touching down in branson, missouri, that country music mecca, destroying this hotel and theaters. now this rash of tornadoes all caused by a powerful collision of opposing forces, a big cold front smacking into warm humid air. >> we think it's severe weather occurring in the springtime. but severe weather does and will occur anytime, anyplace, anywhere as long as the ingredients are available. >> reporter: the mayor told us he is heartbroken by what's happened to his town, a place where people tend to know each other. the damage that took only moments to inflict may take many months to rebuild. chris bury, abc news, harrisburg, illinois. and in kansas hundreds of people spent the day digging through and cleaning up the pieces of their lives, now scattered across the town of harveyville. one father was able to protect the life of his handicapped daughter by covering her body with his as the ceiling caved in. forecasters from the national weather service explained why this twister hit without warning. >> it was likely on the ground for two or three minutes, moving at 60 miles an hour. that's what makes these so difficult to spot, for people to see, and as a result also to warn for. there are certain circumstances where the tornado's moving so fast, it develops so rapidly and dissipates so quickly that by the time we get the next radar scan what existed is gone. >> experts say another system is forecast to take a similar path tomorrow with the potential for even greater damage. >> in the midwest andh, that area's in the bullseye yet again. so unfortunately, this is not over. and you look over the last, what, year, year and a half or so. you had the disaster in joplin. 300 people killed in alabama. you see all these horrible storm systems. it's just amazing, too, you would hope it's also a cautionary tale to make sure those warning systems are up and running. because it happens in the middle of the night. people are asleep -- >> that's why i say don't sleep with earplugs. it freaks me out. >> radio or tv on or whatever. it's such a scary part of the country to live in for weather like this. >> and those three fatalities in tennessee they're going to investigate today whether or not those were related to a tornado. right now they're just saying storms. >> lots of questions, lots of misery as well. and more weather news this morning. a winter storm is winding down now after dumping snow from the dakotas up to new england. the worst of it was in northern wisconsin, where nearly two feet of snow is now on the ground there. icy roads became even more treacherous as powerful winds stirred up whiteout conditions. many schools, of course, were closed, flights canceled, and thousands of folks without power. stay warm, y'all. and a second wave of snow is zeroing in on upstate new york and new england. several inches already fell in upstate new york, massachusetts, and rhode island as well. by the end of the day parts of vermont, new hampshire, and maine could be buried under a foot of snow. we've been saying what a mild winter it is. but mother nature is getting a little revenge now. >> it can turn on a dime. >> i said we're going to get hit probably in april. >> don't say that. >> a wintry mix in southern new england, morning rain from new york to d.c. showers in the south from the carolinas to jackson, mississippi. more twisters from arkansas to illinois. three feet of snow in the sierra range. up to two feet in the rockies. >> mostly 40s from seattle to salt lake city. 38 in the twin cities. 44 in chicago. 51 in omaha. dallas and miami climbing to the 80s. 56 here in new york. now to the nationwide manhunt for an armored truck guard accused of killing his partner and then taking off with more than $2 million in cash. pittsburgh police say kenneth kenaies jr. is heavily armed. they found his partner's body in the back of their truck idling under a city bridge. the two had just made a cash pickup at a nearby casino. in other news this morning counselors will be available to students and their parents today at that ohio school where a teen gunman went on that deadly shooting rampage. investigators say 17-year-old t.j. lane admits opening fire in the cafeteria, claims he chose his victims at random, and says the gun that he stole came from his uncle actually taking it out of his grandfather's barn. in this tragedy three students were killed two, others wounded. classes, though, will resume tomorrow. a california school is at the center of a shocking scandal. a high school teacher has left his wife and kids and quit his job. he then promptly moved in with an 18-year-old student. kxtv's george warren reports from modesto. >> reporter: 41-year-old james hooker has known jordan powers since her freshman year. and he told the "modesto bee" that they as a couple are just following their hearts. but even though jordan turned 18 in september, her mother believes that hooker has committed a crime. >> james hooker has been texting jordan over the summer. i do have concrete proof of that. that there were text messages back and forth. as a minor. on the first day of school there was a phone call. i do have proof of that. that's pursuit in my opinion. with some type of ip tentent. there's no summer class, there's no reason they should have been texting back and forth. >> reporter: tammy powers became aware of the relationship last month, and she says the real shock came last week, when hooker arrived at her house while she was away to move jordan's things out of her bedroom. >> i couldn't believe that he would have the audacity to come in to a child's home, his student, and pack her room. >> reporter: tammy has turned her facebook page into a warning for other parents. >> clearly, he has a disconnect and bad judgment. and i don't want another student to be in this position or another family ever. >> reporter: we reached jordan powers at the apartment that she now shares with her former teacher. and she told us the couple would be happy to talk to us but they've promised an exclusive interview to a network news program. george warren reporting for abc news, modesto, california. >> i've heard of extra credit. but that's ridiculous. >> that is messed up. >> good lord. >> so the guy left his wife and his kids. and one of his kids is a junior at the school where he taught. >> oh, man. i mean, i know you can't control whom you love. but there are certain levels of appropriateness. for a teacher-student, crazy. we'll have the full scoop coming up on "gma." a little scandal at that school to say the least. right. well, a fifth-grader in indiana has been suspended from school because she dyed her hair blue. 10-year-old rachel neely only has streaks of the color left in her blond tresz bses but she wa told not to come back to school until it's gone. she dyed her hair with kool-aid during a sleepover and several attempts to wash it out failed. she says her biggest fear is failing fifth grade. encouraging news for our insomniac viewers this morning. a study just out from the journal "sleep" shows that your ability to go to sleep and stay asleep improves as you get older. researchers say the people with the fewest sleep complaints are in their 80s. close for us. they note an increase in sleep problems, though, in middle age patients and that more women than men have trouble getting their zs. >> when you work this shift i think you age in dog years. so we're close. >> every year on this show is actually five years of real life. >> we're close. >> we're almost in our 80s. >> well, you're close. even though it's march 1st there's still time to celebrate leap day at disneyland and disney world. >> for the first time ever both parks decided to stay open for 24 hours consecutive. straight. that's right. offering special shows, parades, meet and greets with disney characters, along with the usual rides and junk food treats. mm. >> if you're suffering a little insomnia, that 24-hour party ends at 6:00 a.m., when both parks will close, presumably for a little cleanup. disneyland, disney world, and abc of course are owned by the walt disney company. by all means go so we can negotiate a raise. >> mickey knows how to party, especially after 3:00 a.m. >> we'll be back after this. stay with us. ♪ zip-a-dee yay ♪ my oh my, what a wonderful day ♪ 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 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[ male announcer ] new bengay zero degrees. freeze and move on. it's so great to see you. you, too! ahh, cloudy glasses. you didn't have to come over! actually, honey, i think i did. oh? you did? whoa, ladies, easy. hi. cascade kitchen counselor. we can help avoid this with cascade complete pacs. over time, a competing gel can leave cloudy hard water deposits, but cascade complete pacs help leave glasses sparkling. shiny! too bad it doesn't work on windows. okay, i'm outta here. there's only one cascade. love it or your money back. welcome back, everybody. well, doctors across the nation have launched a new campaign aimed at raising awareness about fainting and how it actually could be a sign of some troubles with your heart. >> and doctors have learned from astronauts who kept fainting on the job to help other patients in new ways. abc's andrea canning has the details. >> reporter: this "price is right" contestant collapsed when she thought she might win a car. this groomsman lost consciousness at a wedding. but wherever it happens, it can be bewildering, even terrifying. >> my heart started racing very fast. >> reporter: cathy chandler is a chronic fainter. and her doctor says it's startling scenes like this that may hold clues to keeping her healthy. watch as astronaut heidi marie stephenshen collapses after returning from her first space mission. >> astronauts are very prone to fainting, dizziness. if you're in space, you're not using all your muscles, including your heart, because you don't have gravity to fight against. and so their heart sizes were decreasing. >> reporter: these symptoms can be shared by patients like cathy, who have an underdiagnosed heart condition called pots syndrome. it affects up to a million people, mostly women. now nasa researchers have come up with a tailored exercise program that is being used not only on astronauts but on pots patients like cathy. >> it involves exercises that avoid gravity. and so for the first time ever we actually have a way to actually turn around the person's symptoms and actually cure them. >> reporter: the hope is that it will help the heart grow in some patients and in others condition the heart muscle and prevent fainting. cathy also eats salty food to keep her blood pressure up, tilts her bed when she sleeps to keep her blood flowing, but the key for her -- >> i've worked on exercising more. i feel like i want to be at my best. >> reporter: we spoke to a nasa scientist who said they are constantly trying to bring back what they learned in space back to the clinic here on earth. and while these exercises may not work for everyone with pots syndrome, they can certainly help improve quality of life. andrea canning, abc news, new york. >> this happens to 60% of all americans who will faint at some point. and in a quarter of those cases it's a sign of something wrong with your heart. you said you fainted before. >> i remember going back as far as like elementary school. but i think mine is more related to eating and the hypogliesemia. >> we don't eat enough. >> i'm the type of person i have to graze all day. otherwise i get cranky. you don't want to be around me. headache -- >> i thought when they told you the hours on this show that's when you fainted. i guess not. >> i've recovered. >> yeah, i know. coming up, the little $35 computer that's considered revolutionary. >> you've got to love the price. but as always, there is a catch. we'll have that and more when "world news now" continues right after this. ♪ and welcome back, everybody. a new computer you're about to see costs only about $35. >> it's called the raspberry pie. and it's about the size of a credit card or so. as rory callum jones of the bbc reports, users have to actually program it themselves. >> we use a command which on this computer is vidu 19. >> reporter: the 1980s and the bbc micro helps introduce millions to the idea of commuting. for many working in the industry today, this is what inspired them to get involved. >> it's not very fast, though, is it? >> no. >> reporter: 30 years on could this little device do something similar? the raspberry pie is a bargain basement computer designed by people with a mission. >> it's called the pie because it runs a program called python. >> reporter: this school in cambridge is the first to get a taste of the technology. you plug a mouse, keyboard, and screen into the raspberry pie and then start programming the computer. >> i made that. >> reporter: and in this classroom they soon decided that tinkering beneath the bonnet of a computer was fun. >> i thought it was amazingly small for a computer. because computers are this size. >> it's really cool. i was really surprised about how cheap it is. >> reporter: there's still a deal of work to be done. the finally product will have the workings encased. but there are huge ambitions to put this in every classroom, in every child's bedroom by the end of this year, and then to transform attitudes to computing. the whole idea was born six years ago when a group of cambridge scientists and businesspeople decided schools were no longer producing the computing skills that britain needed. >> this is about getting people tone gauge creatively with computers doing interesting things. and to be fair that doesn't necessarily have to be program. it can be art. it can be design. it's using design in a creative way. >> today what we're going to do, we're going to build some websites. >> reporter: the numbers studying for computer qualification in schools have been following in recent years with the blame being put on a dull curriculum. now the hope is that the raspberry pie and similar computers will put the fun back in learning about computers. rory catton jones bbc nupz. >> they're going to actually try to manufacture a cheaper one to go on sale for $25. that could be out -- or try to be produced in a few weeks. >> no surprise that one sold out within hours. >> maybe smaller is better. >> no. 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 [ cellan jones ] 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? 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[ female announcer ] olay regenerist. hey, insomniacs, you're watching "world news now." >> sleep is overrated. ♪ it's peanut butter jelly time ♪ ♪ peanut butter jelly time ♪ peanut butter jelly time ♪ peanut butter jelly time ♪ peanut butter jelly time oh, yeah. i haven't heard that in a while. that's a great cd. finally, this half hour as you can tell here, we are marking leap day here. we actually marked it yesterday on the broadcast, which of course can only mean one thing. >> that means today is march 1st, which just happens to be national peanut butter lover's day. not national peanut butter day. because there is a day for that. >> yes. >> peanut butter lovers day. so we are marking the occasion by eating some peanut butter. >> he we like any excuse to eat on this show. you guys know that by now. some interesting facts about peanut butter. because i know for a fact even before this segment was coming up that you actually have -- >> a spoon. >> you're a lady. you're obviously a lady. so you have peanut butter in your desk downstairs. i know you'll munch on that between shows. >> peanut butter has a lot of protein in it. >> as paula pointed out some facts here, today we said is national peanut butter lovers day. national peanut butter day was back on january 24th in case you missed, it didn't send your mom a card or whatever. >> they have a card for that? >> hallmark, yes. >> how much peanut butter do americans consume each year? >> i'm going to venture to say a lot. >> 700 million pounds of peanut butter goodness. >> every year. that's how much we concern? you eat that so you can talk. more than 50% of peanuts grown actually are eaten ultimately as peanut butter. so half the crop goes to this stuff right here. >> okay. this baffled me. peanut butter was first invented as a remedy for bad teeth back in 1890. >> maybe the protein they thought would be good for the teeth. that's kind of weird there. >> just rub it all up in those gums. >> thank you for that image. and in case you're wondering how much it takes to build one jar, to make one jar of this stuff, they say 550 peanuts are needed to make your average 12-ounce jar of peanut butter. that's a lot of peanuts in one little thing here. >> my mind was going someplace i shouldn't have. >> of course it was, you nasty woman. >> i have nuts in my teeth. >> well. i wish the show was on hbo so bad. get this, too. >> maybe it's a remedy for my bad teeth. >> it sounds like a personal problem. i'll let you work that out. but because there's so much protein in it that's why it gets stub stuck to the roof of your mouth this mor on this morning on "world news now" -- nature's nightmare. at least a dozen people are dead after a rampage of storms level towns from kansas to illinois to tennessee. >> the tornado destruction left behind, the tourist attractions hit hard, and the promises now to rebuild. it's thursday march 1st. good morning, everyone. i'm paula faris. >> and i'm rob nelson. good morning, everybody. it was a storm system and destruction so often seen in the summer months but not at the end of february. we're hearing incredible stories, though, of survival from people who did not have very much time at all to take cover and literally run for their lives. also this morning, it's just five days until super tuesday, and mitt romney and rick santorum have so much ground to cover. can this week's momentum carry romney all the way? also later this half hour, a surprise served to a new mexico man on ash wednesday. it was a homemade tortilla. and he noticed it right away. there was an image of jesus right there on the dinner table. >> i can see that. but first, that powerful storm system hit parts of the south last night killing at least three people in tennessee. it left behind destruction from nebraska all the way to tennessee. >> experts say the winds hit 170 miles an hour as tornadoes touched down. abc's chris bury reports now from kansas. >> reporter: the twisters tore through, leaving behind a terrible toll. at least one deadly tornado slammed into harrisburg, illinois just before 5:00 a.m., shredding homes into toothpicks, flattening this strip mall like a pancake, lifting entire buildings off their foundations. this car had been parked in its garage. >> it's unbelievable. i can't believe the measure of damage it did to this building. >> reporter: hurricane-force winds, 175 miles an hour, carving a two-mile path two football fields wide. the storms moved from nebraska across kansas and missouri into illinois and kentucky. tornadoes touching down in branson, missouri, that country music mecca, destroying this hotel and a theater. in harveyville, kansas debbie roberts and her husband were home with their 8-year-old grandson michael when the twister hit. all of the sudden the windows blew out, the tornado started to suck her grandson outside. >> when he got up here, he went airborne. >> and came all the way -- >> and came all the way over here. he hit the coffee table and screen and rich reached out to the screen and caught him. >> reporter: michael's grandfather barely saved him. the family dog went flying out the window but survived. >> none of this matters. but mike's okay. we didn't lose our grandson. >> reporter: people here in harveyville are thankful that even though about a dozen people were injured no one was killed, although approximately half the homes in harveyville were completely destroyed. the storm system is now weakening somewhat as it moves east toward the ohio valley and pennsylvania. clayton sandell, abc news, harveyville, kansas. >> some of the experts in the state of kansas admit, look, this thing crept up middle of the night, it was dark, there was not a lot of time to actually warn people here, which of course led to some of the injuries and some of the damage there. but when something strikes in the middle of the night like that, i mean, authorities' hands are pretty much tied. >> there's really nothing you can do. >> yeah. it's mother nature at her worst. it can happen. our thoughts and prayers to everybody in that part of the country. a rough last 24 hours for them. more weather news, too, this morning. the winter blast that swept in from the northern plains to new england is now dumping more heavy snow today. before it's all over, the storm left parts of the midwest covered in nearly two feet of the white stuff. and the upper peninsula of michigan is now bracing for another ten inches on top of that. but for today northern new england is expected to see the very worst of it. >> my sister up in traverse city, michigan and her husband and daughter are enjoying the snow right now. >> she has a snow day. >> they put their skis on the stroller. so very innovative. >> snow can be fun if you don't have to work. i've always said that. >> here's a look at the rest of your weather. a mix of snow and rain in d.c., new york, new haven. near record highs with thunderstorms in the south. more late-day tornadoes in arkansas, tennessee, missouri, and illinois. heavy mountain snow in the rockies and the sierra nevada range. >> 55 in sacramento, 60 in albuquerque. 70 in phoenix. 42 in detroit. 64 in kansas city. 84 in dallas. a mild 65 in baltimore. beantown, you guys are at 41. rescue teams have pulled a base jumper to safety after he got stuck on the side of a mountain just north of mesa, arizona. the jumper had just taken off from the face when his parachute got caught on the edge of a cliff. he managed to wedge himself onto a narrow ledge, where he huddled for hours until rescuers could reach him. he may have suffered an injury to his ankle. he's lucky it's not a whole lot worse. >> absolutely. whoo. well, the body of a florida firefighter has been found in maine two weeks after he disappeared. jerry perdomo was dumped on property owned by relatives of the man now accused of killing him. police believe the murder did involve a drug deal. wftv's jeff diel reports now from bangor. >> reporter: in snow-covered woods in rural maine we finally know where the body of missing firefighter jerry perdomo has been for more than a week. the body is headed to the state medical examiner's office for a complete autopsy. the man who allegedly left the remains here will face a judge. >> i just heard from this gentleman here that the body was found. i had no idea it was this close to home. >> reporter: neighbors in this quiet area are stunned. the story has drawn national attention. a firefighter, husband, and father disappeared in maine february 16th. but new information taints that perceived role model image. police have confirmed his murder involved drugs, something murder suspect daniel porter admitted. >> are you dealing drugs with perdomo? >> not as much as they'd like to think. >> reporter: police say porter admitted to them he owed perdomo $3,000. police wouldn't confirm, though, if perdomo was running prescription pills to maine to make money. >> was it prescription pills that were involved? >> this investigation remains very active. and that's one of the pieces that we're looking into. >> reporter: this news comes after porter walked out of his father's house in handcuffs, under arrest for murder. inside this house is where perdomo was likely shot. police say they found his blood and part of his skull. then they say porter took his car to walmart, dumped it, and may have borrowed a friend's truck to dump the body in the woods. state police say the autopsy could start on friday. the suspect in this case is expected to have his first court appearance later today, where a judge will decide if he'll be allowed bond. jeff diel for abc news, bangor, maine. an orlando woman is under arrest, accused of burning down the fifth oldest tree in the world. the tree, nicknamed the senator, is a bold cypress 118 feet tall, about 3,500 years old. investigators say sarah barnes admitted torching the tree because she needed more light to prepare her meth pipe. they say she posted pictures of the fire online with the caption "i can't believe i burned down a tree older than jesus." >> that is the saddest story i've heard on this show in a long time. for her meth pipe? really? >> yeah. >> oh, what is going on in the world? let's go to happier things, i guess. politics. just five days until super tuesday now, and the republican candidates are looking for votes today from the south up to the pacific northwest. both mitt romney and rick santorum are claiming the momentum, though, after the michigan primary. abc's david kerley is following the intense campaign. >> reporter: fresh off his close win in michigan, mitt romney wants to turn the conversation back to what he sees as his strength. >> the people who said the economy and jobs were the number one issue, they voted for me overwhelmingly. >> reporter: campaigning in toledo, he ignored his gop rivals and went after president obama. >> hopefully, you're seeing signs of improvement, not because of him, in spite of him. virtually every policy he put in place made it harder for businesses to grow and to hire. >> reporter: but romney's slim victory in his home state did little to end questions about his campaign. >> we're not going to go far up the road. we're going to go from the wolverine state to the buckeye state, and that's where i think the battle ultimately will be decided and whether or not this nomination is closed out. >> next week it's super tuesday. ten states heading to the polls and the map is not favorable to romney. he's favored in vermont and massachusetts, where he was governor, but in the south he trails in at least three states, where conservative voters make up most of the electorate. >> we're out of here today heading to super tuesday with some wind at our back. >> reporter: and ron paul could be a factor in tuesday's caucus states. he returned to his day job, attending a hearing, where he criticized the fed's monetary policy. >> the fed's going to self-destruct eventually anyway when the money -- when the money's gone. >> reporter: romney and santorum, though, ended up splitting the delegates in michigan, each getting 15. still, romney has twice the number compared to santorum, with some of the biggest delegate states still ahead. david kerley, abc news, washington. >> and that's so funny. santorum's people are now saying, look, it was a tie in michigan. as you heard, they both walked out with 15 delegates apiece. so romney essentially tied in his home state, which is not an encouraging sign. of course the magic number of delegates they need going into the convention, 1144. romney 153. santorum 87. super tuesday's going to shake up the math. >> 11 states on the line on super tuesday. also, santorum had 100,000 unique donors in the month of february. 130,000 donations total. $9 million in just february. >> when they say he's surging, that quantifies it, right? so super tuesday. we'll count down for you. well, earlier we told you about that base jumper who got stuck on an arizona mountain. well, here's the story of a daredevil with a lot better luck. >> dave mcleod is now the first person ever to free climb 1,000 -- oh, my gosh. i'm getting dizzy. look at that. i'm afraid of heights. >> you don't like heights. >> no. 1,000 feet up st. john's head on the isle of hoye in scotland. free climbing means just using hands and feet with some rope for safety. >> seems reasonable. it took ten hours to complete the grueling climb. we're told mcleod was so at ease he stopped halfway up to admire the view, even snapping a few photos as well. guess that's not an activity you'd sign up for, huh? >> no. if i go up to like the arch in st. louis and look over the edge, my knees just start buckling. >> really? >> i cannot -- i am petrified of heights. >> that is a brave guy. all right, paula. well, we'll keep you steady and no puke here on the desk. we'll be right back with more world news right after this. ♪ ain't about what's waiting on the other side ♪ ♪ it's the climb [ woman ] dear cat, your hair mixes with pollen and dust. i get congested. but now, with zyrtec-d®, i have the proven allergy relief of zyrtec®, plus a powerful decongestant. zyrtec-d® lets me breath freer, so i can love the air. [ male announcer ] zyrtec-d®. behind the pharmacy counter. no prescription needed. ♪ now it's solid ♪ solid as a rock ashford and simpson, man. oh, classic. "solid as a rock." love that song. well, this has got to be our most solid story of the morning. a rock that they're hoping does not roll. >> it has nothing to do with led zeppelin lyrics. we're seriously talking about a rock and a very big one at that. there's nothing soft about the details. the puns keep coming. abc's diana alvear has them. and she joins us from l.a. good morning, diana. >> reporter: rob and paula, good morning. a few months ago it was just another rock. now it's on its way to being famous, headed for a new home. it's the ultimate rock star. complete with security, entourage, and adoring fans. >> i think it's just absolutely amazing. >> reporter: wrapped in white plastic, this 340-ton hunk of granite is headed on tour from a quarry in riverside to its final resting place at the los angeles county museum of art. the centerpiece of "levitated mass," a new installation by earth artist michael heisner. moving something this big required thinking big. a team of engineers constructed a flatbed trailer the size of a football field to transport the rock on its 105-mile journey. >> it's spread out over 206 tires. so the loads on the actual axles are typical of what you'd see on like a dump truck. >> reporter: and it seems the trailer may be stealing the rock's thunder. >> i had to see the vehicle that was going to move a rock that big. >> we don't understand how the egyptians ever moved that kind of weight. here we're doing it with technology. >> reporter: you think the rock is big? how about the total tab for this project? between 5 and 10 million dollars. >> to spend that much money on art, you've got to love it. and i'll be happy to go down and take a look at what the old boy has in mind. >> reporter: you'll have plenty of time to see it for yourself. traveling at night at speeds topping five miles per hour, it will be on the road for at least the next ten days. and the work continues once it arrives at the museum. teams will spend the next several weeks installing that huge rock, and it will be ready for its close-up by summer. rob, paula? >> compelling and rich, that story. >> rock hard news there. thank you for that, diana. coming up next, what alec baldwin accidentally said on live tv. >> and remembering an unforgettable daydream believer. it's all next in "the skinny." unforgettable daydream believer. it's all next in "the skinny." ♪ cheer up sleepy jean ♪ oh, what can it mean ♪ to a daydream the sounds of a lot of folks' youth right there. >> i loved the monkees growing up. >> yeah. >> some sad news to report, that davy jones, who sang lead vocals on "daydream believer" passed away, 66. he had a heart attack in florida and passed away on wednesday. just very young, and it shocked a lot of people. survived by his wife and four children from previous marriages. but -- >> iconic show. a lot of kids got home from school, turned on the monkees. a lot of the girls loved davy. he was the heartthrob guy. >> he was. he was the smaller guy. one of the smaller guys. >> mop haircut and all that. sorry to hear about his passing. for all you monkees fans out there this morning as well. also moving on here, a little bit about whitney houston in the news. apparently, there was a card at target that actually was on sale before whitney houston passed a few weeks ago, and the card reads, as you can see here, "next time you think of dating the bad boy, consider whitney houston. that's all i'm going to say." well, someone obviously spotted this card after whitney passed away and target got on the ball and said you know, what let's get these off the shelf right away. target said "this card was on our shelves before miss houston's death. as soon as this was brought to our attention we began the process of removing the card from all applicable stores." this upset a few folks. a lot of people blame bobby brown for her downfall, her obvious drug problems and so forth. so target yanked that card out of there. which is the right move. >> so if you're a fan of "live with kelly" on abc, you probably heard a bleep when alec baldwin was on. here's what happened. he was reminiscing about a 2001 appearance on the program between boxers hasim rahman and lennox lewis before their showdown. kelly continued the story said she jokingly told the two boxers during a commercial break that he could beat them up. and here's what baldwin said. >> i was like my friend alec said he could beat either one of you. >> yeah. i mean, i would lean in to the one guy and say he just told me that he thinks you're a [ muted ]. >> if you're lip readers, you know exactly what alec said, dropped the p-bomb on live tv. i'm sure the producers were scrambling to find that censor button. >> he's good with editing in "30 rock." >> clearly another word he likes with his friends there, mr. baldwin. also, news that will change the world. big breaking news for the good of humanity. >> breaking news? >> breaking news. snooki is pregnant. she was on "gma" a few weeks ago, denied the report. apparently was lying when she said that. now it's out there she is with child. and the reason it's interesting is -- i'm a "jersey shore" fan. i think snooki is hilarious in some ways. but anyway, so the dad is her long-time boyfriend and now producers are worried how they're going to handle the spinoff show because now she is going to be facing motherhood, can't continue her hard-partying ways. snooki's with child. the end of civil sairization as know. but tell folks about the new power couple. >> taylor swift not pregnant but reportedly dating tim tebow. they were seen cuddling a little bit and hanging out, date night in los angeles. >> dating tebow. that's good birth control. i'm just saying. 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 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. we've done a good job caring for our mouths. that's why there's a rinse like crest pro-health multi-protection. it helps you get a better dental check-up. so be ready for your next dental check-up. try any crest pro-health rinse. so be ready for your next dental check-up. not financially. so we switched to the bargain detergent and i found myself using three times more than they say to and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back to tide. they're cuter in clean clothes. that's my tide. what's yours? hey, paula, happy anniversary. >> 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 little bit. >> oh, come on now. 20 years live overnight news, fun, smart, little bit of 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! >> this has been the abc "world news now" 20th anniversary promo. sleep is overrated. ♪ be your own ♪ personal ♪ jesus got to get into it, girl. if you didn't know it, that song is called "personal jesus" by depeche mode, and it really is. the reason why this is our, boom, favorite story of the day. >> are you a big depeche mode fan? >> i like some of their stuff. i'm pretty eclectic musically. yeah. >> so you've got to love a story about a guy who found jesus right there at the kitchen table. todd unger of k.o.a.t. tells us about him. >> reporter: if he saw this image, what would jesus do? he might just say, hey, that looks an awful lot like me. >> that made it even more astonishing, that it was, you know, the first day of lent. >> reporter: david sandoval was about to chow down on an ash wednesday supper last week -- >> passed it to my mom. same response from her. "oh, my god." >> reporter: when he noticed one of his mom's hand-baked tortillas featuring a likeness unlike any other. >> mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken, and fresh tortillas. >> and jesus. >> out jesus came. >> an exact match? no. but david posted a photo to facebook, and as so often happens these days the digital image took on a life of its own. >> comments started coming in. likes, all that stuff. everybody's been able to see it, and they agree. they call it a miracle. >> reporter: a sign from above? maybe. maybe not. but considering the time of year -- >> new mexico has always been known to have interesting things happen during the lent time. >> reporter: -- david says nothing would surprise him, especially if it involves that higher power. >> that's kind of cool. now they're trying to figure out how to actually preserve the image because it is on a tortilla chip. >> indeed. i mean, we've done a lot of these stories, see these all the time. people see jesus or the virgin mary in something. i'll say that's better than most of the ones. i can see where they can see it. i'll say that. you know what i mean? >> it happened on the first day of lent. i don't think that's coincidental. >> oh, see? divine intervention right there next to your salsa. >> mm-hmm. hold the salsa. preserve it. >> that is the news for this half hour of the show. don't miss our updates on facebook at wnnfans.com. >> make sure you catch us on twitter. stay in touch online and on the air. coming up, more news from abc. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now." informing insomniacs for two decades.