Transcripts For KGO ABC News Good Morning America 20101230

seven times, the rich get richer. good morning, everyone. george is still away. we're glad to have our great old friend. >> robin? is that you? >> bill weir. buckle up, folks. buckle up. it's great to have you here with us, bill. >> it's great to be back. >> let's look at the map a little bit. a blizzard, winter storm warnings, all over the western united states today. california already getting soaked again. another round of heavy rain there. wind up to 100 miles per hour in parts of nevada. we're looking at all the wild weather that is out west and could be heading this way again. >> what a winter it's shaping up to be. also, this shocking knockout in florida. why does the son of a policeman throw two punches at this unarmed man? and why hasn't he been charged? we'll look into that coming up. we begin with the wicked storms out west. we find mike von fremd in california with the very latest. good morning, mike. >> reporter: good morning, bill. as you can see, the homes behind me are devastated. and the hillsides of california are now dangerously saturated. engineers are warning communities of the threat of more mudslides. and the storm is spreading misery as it moves east. here, the mud is more than four feet deep. after a second deluge of rain from mother nature. now, bringing whiteout conditions to much of the west. wind gusts up to 100 miles per hour. knocking out power for tens of thousands in northern california. washington state, under nearly a foot of snow. in jackson, wyoming, this american airlines jetliner slid off the snowy runway. white-knuckle terror for the 181 passengers inside. take a look as we go inside the plane, at the very moment. >> at that point, the snow came over the wing. i was sitting on the window seat. and we came to a stop very soon thereafter. >> reporter: blizzard conditions in six western states, shutting down interstates. >> coming up to the mountains, bring your chains. bring extra supplies. water, blankets and patience. >> reporter: in northern california, one woman was killed when this oak tree crashed into gail falco's camping town. her 7-year-old granddaughter next to her survived. and one snowboarder is missing. >> this is bad weather to be stuck in. it's brutal out there right now. >> reporter: brutal weather for sure, what many across the country are facing right now. i see you digging yourself. how's your back holding up? >> the back is all right. i have a broken wrist about a month old. but it's coming along fine. >> reporter: today, engineers will be up in helicopters, to fly over the hillsides, to look for danger spots. bill, much of the country is just a mess. >> okay. mike von fremd, thanks to you. >> okay, bill. now, to a breaking political story. reports this morning that federal authorities may have launched a criminal investigation into former senate candidate christine o'donnell. the feds may be looking into whether she may have used campaign money to pay personal expenses. and christine o'donnell will join us in just a moment to face those allegations. but first, rob nelson has a closer look. >> they call us wacky. they call us wing nuts. we call us, we, the people. >> reporter: christine o'donnell may have lost the race for joe biden's delaware senate seat, despite sarah palin's endorsement. but the tea party darling sure made things interesting. >> i'm not a witch. >> reporter: she landed a book deal. her campaign raised more than $7 million, a state record. now, two former staffers reportedly allege she used some of that money to pay personal expenses, including her rent, during three-consecutive senate runs, starting in 2006. she already acknowledged she paid part of her rent with campaign money. however, she argued her house doubled as campaign headquarters. wednesday, o'donnell's camp said, it hasn't heard from authorities. and called the allegations politically motivated. saying, quote, given that the king of the delaware political establishment just so happens to be the vice president of the most liberal presidential administration in u.s. history, it's no surprise that misuse and abuse of the fbi would not be off the table. and christine o'donnell joins us now from philadelphia. so, christine, let's get right to it. have you ever, in any of your campaigns, ever used campaign funds for personal expenses? for rent or anything like that? >> no. there's been no impermissible use of campaign funds whatsoever. you have to look at this whole thug politics tactic for what it is. we have heard of no investigation. the a.p. has been tipped off before my lawyer or our campaign or anyone has ever been notified. the woman leading the crew complaint is a former biden staffer, who's so far to the left, that she's -- you know, to the left of most leftists. >> not just one, but two former people from your campaign are making these allegations, christine. >> right. and the other one is someone who was fired after a week and a half. so, you know, you have to look at the credibility of their sources. and as these two fired, disgruntled, former people involved with my campaign, have started making these allegations, even more people who were involved with the 2008 campaign, have risen up to say, hey. you know, i was involved with her for months. more than just a week and a half. and didn't see this. i'm confident that we have always done everything to comply with all the rules and regulations. and i'm confident that we will be cleared of any charges. >> in your statement, you alluded to the vice president and gave the impression that you believe he may be a part of the reason of this investigation. do you really believe the vice president has a part in this? >> well, we were tipped off. you don't need an anonymous source. you don't need a tipster to show that this is politically motivated. we were informed that the delaware political establishment was going to use every resource available to them to, you know -- including launching phony investigations, making false accusations and tying me up with lawsuits, to make sure that i can't move forward politically. to try to stop this movement in its tracks. unfortunately, i even expect more things to come because that's their tactic. >> you have run three times. you've lost three times. you're right about the fact that you defeated castle in the primary. and that got a lot of people's attention. but you were soundly defeated in the general election. why do you believe that you are seen as a threat? >> well, because look at what happened. first of all, nobody thought that we could upset mike castle because everybody on the left and the right, was pulling behind him. he was a 40-year incumbent. the whole establishment was behind him. but because i had the grassroots, the voters, the people in delaware, behind me, we beat -- we beat the establishment. and then, after that, you look at what happened between the primary and the general election. we had less than six weeks. you know, with the white house coming in. you know, president obama made numerous trips to delaware in that six-week period. you had all the unions pulling out all the stops. the vice president made numerous trips to delaware. you know, we had all the weight of the democratic establishment coming against us, in addition to the weight of the republican establishment coming against us. >> so, despite your defeat, you still have a campaign manager. are you planning a future run for office? >> we're working on the winddown of the 2010 campaign right now. what the future holds, i don't know. but, i am starting a p.a.c., and writing a book. because we want to continue to give a voice to the voiceless. we want to continue the movement to challenge the establishment and hold our political leaders accountable. look at what happened. in 2010, there was a very clear message sent to washington, that spending is out of control. yet, in a lame duck session, they wanted to try to put billions of dollars of pork into these spending bills. they're not getting the message. the movement has to continue to set the -- to keep the politicians accountable. and that's what i want to continue to do. and that's what they're trying to stop, with all these phony investigations. >> so, again, you deny that you have used campaign funds inappropriately for any personal expenses? >> absolutely. uncategorically. and we've got one of the best attorneys in washington. the best attorney in politics, involved in this campaign. and, you know, she's thoroughly investigated. and she, too, is confident there's been no wrongdoing. that's what she tells me behind the scenes. i'm very confident we've done nothing wrong. >> christine o'donnell, thanks for being with us. we appreciate it. it's 7:10. we turn to the economy and new questions about the new year. we had a number of conflicting signals again this week, with the stock market chugging along. new housing numbers have some worried that 2011 could be worse than 2010. to help to make sense of it all, we draw on the wisdom of our friend, andrew ross sorkin, of "the new york times." not to lead with your competition, right off the bat. but the headline in "the wall street journal," banks a loan spigot. they're sitting on a mountain of cash. when are the jobs going to come? >> that's the big question. i don't want to give you depressing news at this hour, so early in the morning. i think it's actually going to take us a little bit of time to really get that jobs number down, the unemployment number down. that's the big number to pay attention to. we're still hovering at 10%. can we get down to 9%? can we get down to 8%? to do that, here's the number we need to pay attention to. we need to create something like 11 million jobs in this country. we need to create 300,000 jobs to 400,000 jobs a month. when you see the headlines that we're creating 100,000 jobs a month, that's good news. but it's not nearly great news. will these loans turn into jobs? i'm not so sure it's going to come soon. more than likely, you'll see the companies using the profits to do mergers, which can be good for the stock market. but not so good for jobs. when you start combining companies, you know where the jobs go. >> and you were saying, hours are down. if a business wants to increase productivity, they have everybody work a few more hours. >> the other number to pay attention to, and it's good news in a way, the average hours worked per week. so right now, we're at about 34 hours for the average. that's up from 33. that's good. when you get to 35, that's even better. if you're a company and you need to actually have more output, instead of hiring new people, you say, you know, you're only working 34 hours. please, work 35. when we get to 35, that's a magic number because we should see a real spike in people deciding, we have to hire more people now. >> let's turn to the american dream. housing market, it doesn't look like it's going to clean house. this year, does it? >> here's the issue, the expectation among most analysts and economists that i talk to say we're looking at about a 5% down across the boards. in some big cities, by the way, it may go up. but across the board, we still have 50% of subprime mortgages in this country are still underwater. we could see 2 million foreclosures next year. we had 1.8 million this year. but, by the way. that may not be bad news. there's a sense if we can get through all of this, if we can actually get some of the stuff sold, we can actually move on. there's 50% more supply in the market, which is one of the things keeping the price depressed. >> right. then, you look at wall street. >> and the numbers are still going this way. >> we look at economic indicators. i read another story this morning about how the specialty food industry is saying, sales of caviar and foie gras are going through the roof this new year's eve. that doesn't bode well for middle america. why is wall street going crazy? >> wall street has been able to make money on the trading side. but you're also seeing the stock market going up. people who have money in the market are feeling richer. if you don't have money in the market, you're saying the train is getting away from me. i need to get on the train. my worry about getting on the train right now, is we had a pretty spectacular year in terms of the market. both up over 10%. and there's some people predicting we could have, not a double-dip, but we could go down a little bit. we could have a slight correction. that's something to keep an eye on. >> finally, one thing you were saying worries you more than anything. is the idea that cities, municipalities are so overburdened with debt, they have to start laying people off. >> that, to me, is -- people are talking about too big to fail, the next crisis, if there is one, it's the municipalities. harrisburg, california. at some point, they're not going to be able to make the payments. how are they going to be able to pay their people? to the extent of the unemployment in this country, that's where we need to keep our eyes on. >> bottom line, in 2011, your crystal ball? >> it will be a better year than 2010. but not a straight shot to the moon. >> not going gangbusters. thank you for ending on a relatively up note. >> i appreciate it. >> good to see you, andrew. robin? >> thanks. now, to the story in florida, where a community is outraged over a shocking attack on a homeless man. punched in the back of the head, knocked out cold. his alleged assailant, the son of a police officer. and it was all caught on tape. steve osunsami has more. >> reporter: video from outside the bar on december 4th, clearly shows that the man in the gray shirt, who everyone knew was homeless, was simply trying to break up a fight. witnesses say his attacker had nothing to do with the scene. walked up from behind and knocked him unconscious. >> the guy walked up and just clocked me. i was like, this guy, he's got to go to jail. i mean. you can't walk around doing that kind of stuff. >> reporter: 21-year-old justin collison is the son of a florida police officer. [ bleep ]. >> reporter: and was never charged. the man he struck first, who was homeless, had to be hospitalized. >> what's your name, buddy? >> reporter: his family saw the video on wtv in orlando. they were outraged. >> when i got the to the hospital, he couldn't tell me what happened. >> reporter: sanford police explained themselves wednesday, saying they gave collison no preferential treatment. it appears everyone at the scene had been drinking heavily, including the victim. they say he hadn't cooperated until now. >> we handled this case, like we would handle any other case. we're not out to protect anybody's child. >> reporter: the case is in the hands in the state attorney, who says he's deciding on whether to charge collison. >> it depends on what we see when we're done. but the ones that obviously come to light in the video, are perhaps battery. felony battery. it's another terrible incident of a homeless man, unfortunately being the victim of an attack. >> reporter: he says he's waiting for medical records and meets with the victim next week. what you see in the video, he says, is certainly a crime. for "good morning america," steve osunsami, abc news. >> as steve said, it certainly seems to be a crime. and again, homeless people. people step over them. don't acknowledge them. it's incredibly sad. >> if not for that video camera. no one would have known. >> you're right about that, bill. time, now, for the weather. and melissa magee, from our fine philadelphia station, wpvi, is in for sam champion. nice to have you here, melissa. >> it's nice to be here. we start off in the west coast, where the storm system is pulling out of california, moving into the four corners and the rockies. heavy snow on the way, across the higher terrain of the intermountain west and southern rockies. one to two feet of snow expected. it will be a tough day of travel across denver. the first significant snowstorm of the season. five to ten inches of snow on the way today. temperatures in the upper 20s today. but the teens by tomorrow. where does the storm go? it heads up into the northern plains. blizzard watches in effect, across portions of north dakota and western portions of minnesota. the way it is now, the storm is not heading into the east coast. a nice warmup on the way today. temperatures in the 40s down the 95 corridor into philadelphia. >> and more on the nation's weather coming up in the next half hour. bill? robin? >> everybody at wpvi are going, that's melissa. >> by the way, help yourself to anything in sam's dressing room. >> all right. >> she's off and running. >> a lot of great stuff in there. let's turn to a different kind of financial outlook for the new year. will there finally be a winner for the megamillions lottery? friday's jackpot expected to be worth at least $237 million. what are your odds for taking it all? ryan owens is doing the math. >> reporter: before you wait in that long line to buy a lottery ticket, this man says, you should do your homework. richard is a self-described lottery expert, with a pretty impressive resume. he's won seven jackpots. that's more than $1 million. and he even wrote the book, "learn how to increase your chances of winning the lottery." >> i started coming up with ideas. some of them worked. some of them didn't work. >> reporter: lustig's lottery luck. pick your own numbers. >> do not play quick picks. >> reporter: second, do your research. >> making sure the sets or sets of numbers you play have never come up before. that's pretty important. >> reporter: third, pick your numbers and stick with them. >> you have to learn what numbers to play and how often to play them and so forth. >> reporter: not everyone is buying his theory or his book. we found these comments in an online forum for lottery players. don't waste your money. there is no method. bottom line, spend as much as you can afford, play every day, and don't change your numbers. still, what did i have to lose? except maybe 20 bucks. i asked richard to pick numbers for me, for friday night's megamillions jackpot. >> let's take 7, 20. >> reporter: and i followed his advice, religiously. 7, 20, 32, 45, 46 and the megaball, 28. hope he knows what he's talking about. never mind that statisticians say the odds are better i'd be elevated to the supreme court or, heaven help us, elected president of the united states. still, richard insists, with a little work, you can improve those odds. and if he's right about mine, i will not be here to tell you about it next week. for "good morning america," ryan owens, abc news, los angeles. >> or you could date richard. >> there you go. and get at least half. i like that theory. >> yeah. less work. let him pick the numbers. >> in case, pick your own numbers, do your research, and stick with the numbers. just in case. >> just in case. you bet. coming up, brett favre, smacked with a $50,000 fine over that sexting scandal. but he's still in the game. is it a case of the league letting a star player off easy? and this man bet $500,000 against a white christmas and lost. now, his customers are cashing in. and we put the restaurant to the "gma" germ test. wait until you hear what we find out. a heart attack that's caused by a clot, one that could be fatal. but plavix helps save lives. plavix, taken with other heart medicines, goes beyond what other heart medicines do alone, to provide greater protection against heart attack or stroke and even death by helping to keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming dangerous clots. ask your doctor if plavix is right for you. protection that helps save lives. [ female announcer ] certain genetic factors and some medicines, such as prilosec, reduce the effect of plavix leaving you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke. your doctor may use genetic tests to determine treatment. don't stop taking plavix without talking to your doctor as your risk of heart attack or stroke may increase. people with stomach ulcers or conditions that cause bleeding should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. tell your doctor all medicines you take, including aspirin, especially if you've had a stroke. if fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. these may be signs of ttp, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, reported sometimes less than 2 weeks after starting plavix. other rare but serious side effects may occur. um, i thought this was going well for a first date. it is. look at your suckometer. oh, i just quit smoking, and the craving's really suck after a meal. okay. ding! [ male announcer ] quitting sucks. nicorette makes it suck less, doubling your chances of success. it will with natural instincts. it's clinically proven. 80% of women agreed that natural instincts made their hair feel softer. want feel good color? get 10 minute natural instincts. it's all good. get 10 minute natural instincts. nothing starts your day like honey roasted, honey bunches of oats. the perfect balance of crunchy flakes and clusters, with a kiss of golden honey. delicious. and the same calories per serving as special k original. so, try honey roasted, honey bunches of oats! heck try 'em all. in oakland three people including a three-year-old girl were killed in a fire on 82nd avenue near bancroft just before 2:00 this morning. a search-year-old safely escaped from the same apartment. officials say the building is in foreclosure and the people who died were running an electrical wire to the downstairs unit to get power. investigators found several extension cords attached to it. they say that's how the fire was sparked. the heavy rain has caused another portion of the pacifica apartment building to fall away. 330 esplanade avenue was declared uninhabitable after teetering on the edge of an ocean cliff. the rain should loosen a piece of hillside racing new concerns about the safety. the city is wondering what the owner will do but they can't get in touch with him. the thursday morning commute, black ice out there? >> yes, causing several problems in the north bay. problems affiliated with the ice in napa, santa rosa, vallejo and petaluma including several spinouts and an injury crash in petaluma. mass transit a great way to avoid that icen the roadway. ace is running on a holiday schedule but all other systems on a normal weekday schedule and you will need chains heading out towards the mountains. >> megan, thank you very much. q experts from a leading consumer publication recently tested automatic dishwashing detergents. they rated finish quantum number one, beating the competition ! try finish quantum for amazing clean and shine. save up to 50%. see this weekend's paper. >> we're looking at a lot of sunshine to begin your day. cold from fremont and oakland. the mid to upper 30s. 37 on the peninsula. a weak weather system from the north up creasing the clouds later bringing a chance of showers to the coast and south bay. not quite as breezy but at the coast those winds up. 52 san mateo, 52 fremont and temperatures in the santa clara valley to be in the low 50s. better chance of rain tomorrow. brett favre is punished by the nfl for his role in the alleged sexting scandal. but that punishment has a lot of people crying foul. good morning, america. i'm bill weir. >> i'm robin roberts. george is off. it's great to have bill with us. extremes when it came to natural disasters and all the wild weather. earthquakes, heat waves, floods. it made it the deadliest year in decades. we look ahead to the new year. could it be worse in an this year? >> say it ain't so. are you going to go out for new year's? or stay in? >> i may do both. >> that may be wise. wait until you see what's lurking on everything from mustard to menus. first, the nfl slapped brett favre with a $50,000 fine over allegations that he sent lewd texts and photos to a new york jets sideline employee. the fine comes, even though the league officials admit they couldn't conclude that the vikings quarterback had actually violated the nfl's workplace harassment policies. dan harris has details. >> reporter: this may be the last onfield image of quarterback brett favre's 20-year career. a vicious sack, a week ago monday, which may keep favre out of commission for the rest of the season. and this may be the lasting offfield image of favre's career. >> love to have you come over tonight. love to see you tonight. >> reporter: voicemails and lewd pictures, allegedly sent to jenn sterger, who was a game day reporter for the new york jets, when favre played there in 2008. the pictures and voicemails were obtained by the sports blog, deadspin. >> i'm still trying. just got done with practice. i'll try the other phone. you're probably caller i.d.'ing me. if you can make it, it would be great. >> reporter: the commissioner of the nfl said the forensic analysis did not establish that favre sent the objectionable quarterback. but he's fining favre $50,000 for failure to cooperate with the investigation. >> $50,000 to brett favre is almost like a nickel to the public at large. >> reporter: jenn sterger's attorney said in a statement, that it clearly shows that despite tough talk, the nfl remains the boys league. the interview suggests that favre made passes at two massage therapists that work for the jets. but people with relevant information refuse to be interviewed. as for favre, he's not commenting on the scandal. his coach had this to say. >> in the building, he's the brett favre we've always known. >> reporter: meanwhile, the 41-year-old q.b. is awaiting word whether he's healthy enough to play this sunday. for "good morning america," dan harris, abc news. >> the nfl commissioner said that $50,000 fine will be used to fund a new training program on workplace conduct in the nfl. joining us to talk more about the nfl decision, "usa today" sports columnist, in toledo. and good morning to both of you. christine, let's start with you. what do you make of this punishment? they think he did something skeevy. >> this has been a messy story. it's a messy ending to the story. i don't know if anybody's happy with it, except maybe brett favre, who has gotten away, as you say, with a slap on the wrist. and i think roger goodell, the commissioner of the nfl, who was very tough on ben roethlisberger earlier in the year, i think he missed an opportunity here. brett favre not cooperating. that's significant. that's not a little, laugh it off kind of thing. why did roger goodell, who is a get-tough commissioner, why didn't he suspend brett favre for the final game of the year. and send a big statement to nfl players that this is unacceptable? kind of like a parent sending a child to his or her room, grounding a teenager. brett favre's behavior, no matter what you think of the embarrassing situation, to not cooperate is to suspend him for the final game. >> we should point out that favre has admitted to making the phone calls, leaving the voicemails. but denies that the photographs were sent by him. roger, does jenn sterger have any options for legal pursuit? >> i think she does. there's a statute of limitations. but her lawyer has denied the fact that it's over. since it's not over, i think she has a case that could go to court. while he wasn't her direct boss, it's clear that he was much higher up the food chain in the jets organization than she was. you can clearly see why she's a sideline reporter. the last thing she wants to do is incur the wrath of a team star quarterback. and he acts in an inappropriate way. i think she clearly has the facts to file a lawsuit and to get to a jury. now, how a jury is going to feel about her damages and feel about her, that's obviously an entirely different question. but to answer your question, i think she absolutely does have the right. no one has -- if no one should be treated like allegedly, under the pressure that she was, allegedly and claims she was treated. no person should. >> about the timing? happened in 2008. it allegedly took her two years to come forward. does that hurt her? >> it's a reason that you hear in these kinds of cases often. people who are victims of this are concerned about their role in the workplace. it's kind of a tough situation, as i pointed out, you know, to take on the quarterback of the team. no matter what, she did wait two years. there has to be an explanation for that. she will have one or not. >> and, christine, what about the jets? there was also the story of another reporter complaining she felt uncomfortable in the locker room. what is the state of workplace propriety? in the nfl at large? and specifically at the jets? >> the state is not good, bill. and it's not getting better. the jets are looking like a three-ring circus, with the ines sainz situation. a reporter, her job in september. this was two years ago. but the same team. the new york jets. there's a common denominator here. the jets have been in the news for other reasons, as well. but the nfl has a significant part of its fan base as women. 40% or so. obviously, the issue of workplace harassment, as roger was talking about, is a big, serious issue. and i think roger goodell, if the next one happens, i hope it doesn't. but i'm guessing there will be another incident like this, somewhere along the line, with the nfl and the behavior of these players. roger goodell and the nfl has to be much more serious on this. this is a practice field, bill. it's a football team. but it is a workplace for many professional people, men and women. and they have to be treated right. >> and, roger, do you think agents are looking at this case thinking, if my client gets in trouble in the future, the play is just not to cooperate. the worst we can get is a fine. >> it's hard to figure out what exactly they fined him for. you know, for not cooperating. then, they went ahead and said, if he would have cooperated, we would have been able to make a stronger case against him, we really would have punished him more severely. on one hand, you can understand why he didn't cooperate. in any other corporate or business workplace, if someone would have been investigated for sexual harassment and refused to cooperate, they'd be fired. you know, in this situation, the fine of a -- a fine of $50,000, to someone who is making $50,000 a year, this fine is equivalent to about $1.20. you wonder why the nfl even bothered. >> roger cossack, christine brennan, thank you for your insight this morning. have a great day. let's turn to some of the other stories going on right now. and sharyn alfonsi, sitting in for juju chang at the newsdesk. >> overnight, authorities in michigan found the bodies of a missing worker at a fun chur store. one other employee was killed. investigators believe a natural gas explosion leveled the store. overseas, a powerful bomb exploded in central athens this morning, badly damaging a courthouse and several cars and blowing out windows in a nearby apartment building. the bomb had been hidden on a motor bike. a passing to note this morning. the one-time factory worker who became the inspiration for rosy the riveter has died. geraldine doyle was 17 when she inspired the world war ii recruitment poster, that symbolized the strength of millions of women who went to work during the war. finally, the bellagio casino in vegas is getting even. you recall a bandit wearing a motorcycle helmet held up a craps table, making off with $1.5 million in chips. he's still on the run. but to make it harder for him to cash in, the bellagio says it will discontinue its $25,000 chip. they will be worthless soon. if you have any lying around, cash them in now. check your penny jar. surely, there's a $25,000 chip in there. it's probably under the winning lottery ticket. >> it happens. >> didn't i find that in the suit that just came back from the cleaners? >> exactly. time, now, for the weather. back from going through sam champion's dressing room, melissa magee, from our philadelphia station, wpvi. >> found some interesting things there. we're going to start with the west coast. we have impressive videos to show you, thanks to the storm. we take you to angelus oaks, california. heavy snow, up to a foot of snow they received there. we also had roads that were taken out as a result of that. we have the storm system that's pulling into the four corners. temperatures today i and this weather report has been brought to you by lean cuisine. bill? >> thank you very much. coming up next, why 2011 could be the year the earth strikes back. ooo whatcha got there? uh oh, sesame stir fry from lucky dynasty. oh, me too! but mine's lean cuisine, so no preservatives. wait, did you say? i did! no preservatives. 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[ male announcer ] hey, it's your breakfast, make it the way you want. try the subway egg white muffin melt with fresh tomatoes, jalapenos or whatever... build your better breakfast today. subway. eat fresh. build your better breakfast today. thank you for calling usa primyou have problem? is peggy. peggy? ok, i've been waiting for fifteen minutes for someone to pick up. you're tenacious like bull. i like. please hold. no, no, no...pe- (phones ringing) so pretty. want better customer service? switch to discover ranked #1 in customer loyalty. it pays to discover. when it comes to natural disasters, 2010 was the deadliest in a decade. 250,000 people died in supertyphoons, landslides, heat waves, earthquakes. in our countdown to 2011, we want to look at the science behind it all and what it means for next year. and dr. miccio kaku, and author of "physics of the future" is with us. we're looking forward to your book out next year. >> thank you. >> fema said they responded to more emergencies than they ever have before. how bad was it? >> you look at the chilean earthquake, the axis of the earth shifted three inches as the consequence of the earthquake. the day has been shortened by one microsecond. that's how big that earthquake was. >> and before that earthquake, the earthquake at the beginning of the year in haiti. >> displaced 3 million people. horrible. >> when you look ahead to next year, you said there are five, major cities that should be concerned. >> in our lifetime, we could very well see one of these cities destroyed. we will actually see this happen, perhaps. san francisco, los angeles, tokyo, mexico city, tehran, in iran, in our lifetime. we could see one of these great metropolitan areas destroyed. >> completely destroyed? >> leveled. remember, 100, 200 years ago, many of the cities were fishing villages. and our populations have expanded into areas that are technically volatile. it's not that mother nature is angry with us. we're being hit with a triple-whammy because we are creating megacities where there used to be fishing villages. technology is going into areas where we've never had technology before. like the volcano that rocked iceland. benjamin franklin went during a previous eruption around 1785. but there were no transatlantic flights at the time of benjamin franklin. >> that's right. got a lot of attention because flights had to be diverted because of the volcano. and there was another one this fall in indonesia. looking ahead and closer to home, what do you see on that front? >> the good news is, the earth is not angry at us. the bad news is, however, we're going to see more of these events, simply because we have more technology to monitor these things. our megacities are encroaching upon mother nature in areas that didn't exist a few hundred years ago. we're going to see more of the seismic activity and more volcanos, more swings in the weather. >> what about old faithful? >> well, yeah. believe it or not, underneath yellowstone is a gigantic supervolcano. it has enough energy, packing enough energy, to actually blow most of north america apart. we're talking about flooding north america with volcanic ash. destroys huge chunks of the continent of north america. however, the last time it erupted was several hundred thousand years ago. >> that's something to keep in mind. scientists always love talking about the sun. so, tell us a little bit more, what you see, going forward. >> well, we have sun spot cycles every 11 years. that's when the north pole and the south pole flip on the sun, creating a shock wave. and in 1859, we had the mother of all solar temper tantrums. in 1859, the event rocked the earth with electromagnetic radiation. in cuba, you could read the paper at night with the shining of the aurora borealis. if we had another event, which happened 150 years ago, it would cause about $2 trillion in property damage. we physicists have went to congress and told them, we have to reinforce our power stations and satellites. we could be wiped out with blackouts in 100 cities. >> but the bottom line is here, you don't think we should go running for the hills in the new year? >> yes. some are saying, we're heading for 2012. let's quit our day job. let's sell the house. don't sell the house. don't quit your day job yet. we're going to see january 2013. no problem there. >> dr. kaku, thank you. we enjoy you coming by to visit us here in the studio. all the best to you in the new year. >> thank you. coming up, what are you going to be doing for new year's? you have a date with ryan seacrest. he's here first before he kicks off the rockin' eve in times square. al soup and grilled shrimp salad combination at red lobster? or maybe skewers of tender, wood-grilled shrimp. or your choice of shrimp paired with wood-grilled chicken. all served with unlimited, freshly-baked cheddar bay biscuits. seafood lunches starting at just $6.99 that fit into your budget and your lunch hour. only at red lobster. fitting into clothesbudget is naturally satisfying.ur. so select harvest light soups are 80 calories or less, 100% natural. and-oh-so-satisfying. select harvest light from campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ that lets you eat six times a day? 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[ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. still ahead, the bet that cost a jewelry store owner $500,000. this is norma. who knows how important it is to have her medicine in one place. so norma brings all of her prescriptions to walgreens where her pharmacist can watch out for interactions with her over-the-counter medicine. now norma thinks less about her medicine and more about her vacation. tell us what you take just once and we'll check for interactions every time. expertise -- find it everywhere there's a walgreens. it has the cold-fighting power of an effervescent packed in a liquid-gel for all over relief! hiyah! dude! hiyah! this is my band from the 80's, looker. hair and mascara, a lethal combo. i'm jon haber of alto music. my business is all about getting music into people's hands. and the plum card from american express open helps me do that. you name it, i can buy it. and the savings that we get from the early pay discount has given us money to reinvest back into our business and help quadruple our floor space. how can the plum card's trade terms get your business booming? booming is putting more music in more people's hands. if you skip this latte and opt for the smaller low-fat one, you'll cut about 12 grams of fat. then take alli with it to help boost your weight loss. so for every 2 pounds you work to lose, alli can help you lose 1 more. alli. how healthy works. police are investigating a shooting involving an officer in east oakland. it started around 10:00? san leandro when police were pursuing a jaguar. it slammed into another car. there was some crimed of altercation and a san leandro police officer shot and killed a woman in the car. check the forecast now. skies are clear and that means cold. >> that's right, eric. and lighters winds. across the north and east bay valley, temperatures begin to recover within the next hour. 30 livermore, 32 napa. 34 redwood city and northwest wind in san francisco. that's the story again today. we'll keep it cool, increase the clouds, slight chance half showers along the coast and more rain tomorrow. megan? >> black ice causing dangerous driving conditions in the north bay. we've had problems in petaluma, santa rosa, napa and vallejo. several spinouts and an injury crash in petaluma. at the bay bridge toll plaza no delays making your way into san francisco. francisco. eric? to stay fit, you might also want to try lifting one of these. a unique sea salt added to over 40 campbell's condensed soups. helps us reduce sodium, but not flavor. so do a few lifts. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ funny thing about vegetables... they fill you up without filling you out. yes! v8 juice gives you three of your five daily servings of vegetables. that's what i'm talking about! v8. what's your number? ♪ i got a feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night ♪ ♪ tonight's gonna be a good night ♪ and we got a feeling that tomorrow night's going to be a really, really good night. and to help us get it started, our friend, ryan seacrest, is joining us here. going to have a rockin' new year's eve. clap for yourself, ryan. that's right. >> what's up? what's up? >> talking to you. >> good to see you. >> he is the hardest-working man. he is on fire. >> i would clap if i was ryan seacrest. we say good morning, america. on this thursday morning. robin roberts. a man who never sleeps. "nightline" last night. here this morning. "nightline" again tonight. >> that's why you want to stay tuned. i'll blame it on exhaustion. whatever happens, whatever comes out of my mouth. okay. here's kind of awkward dinner conversation the next time you go out to eat. take bets on where the most germs are on your table. is it the ketchup? is it the mustard? is it the menus? we put restaurants to the test. you might be surprised with the results. also, tomorrow night, to kick off the new year. bigger eyes. new lips. is that petula? >> she looks ravaging. >> she's my hair stylist. she's part of the setup we have in our final half hour, to get you ready for a big new year's eve party. we're going to begin this morning, with the story of how a white christmas cost one jewelry store owner in north carolina a lot of money. he promised customers he would refund purchases if it snowed. and he got snoed. he owes $400,000. we'll talk to him in a moment. it was a jewelry store's christmas day gamble. >> if it snows in asheville, on christmas day, your purchase is free. >> reporter: a risky bet. or was it. the promotion ran for two weeks in november and three weeks in december. >> i'm a gambler. this is a better chance for me to win than a lottery ticket. >> reporter: the gamble seemed to be paying off. business shot up 34%. >> i saw him advertising some diamond earrings. and i thought, i'm going to buy myself a christmas present. >> reporter: glitzy gifts with a spot right under the tree. and a chance it will be free. when the time came to open the sparkly presents, what about the snow? well, remember that massive storm sweep across the east coast on christmas weekend? asheville had a white christmas. six inches deep. joining us now, via skype, from wilmington, north carolina, is the man behind that white christmas bet, the owner of perry's emporium, allen perry. it's great to see you here. you make this bet. you're out $400,000. >> yeah. >> you have to go to the insurance company with this. what did they say when you said you were going to do something like this? >> what's so strange, when we did this on the coast. we're 45 minutes north of myrtle beach. and asheville is on the western side of the state. it's almost 450 miles away from wilmington. i called my girl up and said i want to do a snow promotion in asheville. it was a great idea. great marketing campaign. and i'm so happy it paid off. >> you were actually praying for snow, you said. >> yes, ma'am. we were praying every morning. we were opening the store and prayed. we were praying for snow in asheville. we took out on insurance policy. if we pay out, we still get to keep our money. it was a great marketing campaign. >> bottom line, it was worth it, wasn't it? >> absolutely. and we're going to do it again next year. >> aren't you doing something for valentine's day, too? >> we're working on it. and trying to get the final figure from the insurance company today. we'll do a second-chance deal, from january 25th, to february 14th. if it snows in asheville, on valentine's day, and it snows more in the mountains of north carolina, in january, february and march, than in december. >> where do you come up with the ideas? >> the good lord and my head sometimes. i'm a marketing crazy fool. >> no? really? did you major in marketing? >> no. nope. i didn't. i majored in retail sales. i just love to market. i love to promote and get people coming to the stores. not about the money so much. just the traffic and seeing people through the doors every day. we stay busy every day down here. we're grateful. >> it seems like a win-win for a lot of folks. >> i have to jump in here. >> bill -- >> it's been crazy. >> bill wants to jump in here. >> allen, who made out best of all? what customer walked away with the most expensive item? >> we had one gentleman that bought a $12,000 ring, that hay had forgotten about. i thought it was $11,000 diamond earrings. but another man bought a $12,000 diamond ring for his girlfriend. and she came in to get it resized. and she's taking the $12,000 and increasing her wedding expenses now. it's kind of -- blew him away that she was going to do that. he thought he would get his money back. >> maybe she gets the ring. i get a truck. >> no. and you have this, like -- this deal with your engagement rings, too? don't you have a campaign with that? >> yes, ma'am. i'm known as the rainy day diamond jeweler. if it rains on your wedding day and you bought your ring in my store, you get your money back. >> it's paid off. our bridal business has tripled. we sell more bridals. >> i think lloyd of london are going to stop taking your calls. >> this was a home run for us. first time out doing this. it was a home run. but nobody's advertised, let it snow in wilmington, north carolina. it never snows here. >> you're a good guy. and i know that a lot of people benefit from that. >> thank you. we are. >> allen perry -- >> you can come and promote our show. that's what we need. the buzz to get you to watch "gma." >> thank you, allen. have a good new year. >> happy new year. >> best to you, too. >> i like allen. now, for other developing stories. sharyn alfonsi. >> thank you. the insurance company would take it calls anymore? that's what i want to know. we're not available anymore. thanks a lot. it is round two out west. another wave of wicked weather has soaked california with heavy rains. tens of thousands of sandbags have so far, helped protect towns hit hard by recent mudslides. but high winds are blowing tumbleweeds across freeways, knocking down frees and knocking out power. the storm is bringing blizzard warnings to six western and midwestern states. and a snowboarder missing in california's lake tahoe area. the 25-year-old woman hasn't been seen since tuesday. search crews are concerned about avalanches. here in the northeast, airports are running at full capacity again, with most flights arriving and departing close to schedule. hundreds of passengers are still waiting for rescheduled flights. meantime, the storm has cost retailers an estimated $1 billion in lost sales this week, which stores are hoping they can recoup this weekend. overseas, towns in northeastern australia could be under water for more than a week, following floods. torrential downpours have stopped. but rivers continue to rise. the cleanup could cost more than $1 billion. a california mother is fighting mad after a flight attendant refused to let her put her 11-month-old daughter in an infant seat onboard. melissa bradley says all four of her children have used rear-facing infant seats during flights, including her 11-month-old. last week, a skywest flight attendant, refused to allow it. >> i was nearly in tears. and i said my baby's not going to be safe. and he said, that's it. you're off this plane. >> the flight attendant insisted that the seat must face forward. melissa went along. but now, she wants to make sure flight crews are better trains about how to keep young children safe. a frightening scene caught on surveillance video in texas. the owner got into a shoot-out with two, armed robbers. they exchanged fire at point-blank range. but both the employer and the owner were able to dodge the bullets. finally, a sport that's gaining popularity among city slickers. they're proving you don't need the ocean to go surfing anymore. these guys are in germany. river surfing in munich. they say it's more challenging than hanging ten in the ocean because the waves keep coming at you. and you're closer to the emergency room when you inevitably bust your head up. it's very practical. that's the news this morning. let's go to melissa magee in for sam. >> we have a lot of people outside. we're getting ready to bring in the new year. and look who i found. i found neve. tell us where you're from. >> drexel hill. that is a suburb of philadelphia, home of wpvi. we like that. we have a nice warmup all across the east coast. good news on the way after folks are trying to thaw out and dig out after that northeaster. look by friday, 41 degrees on the new year. 45 degrees on saturday in philadelphia. 50 in new york city by saturday. 6 to 12 inches of snowfall across the intermountain west through the morn plains, with snowfall on the way there. all right. and that warmup, bringing lots of people outside today in new york city. bill? >> okay, thanks very much. this morning, in this morning's "american consumer" we're talking about germs. at "gma," we've tested just about everything for germs. from pools, to playgrounds, to the lemons in your iced tea. today, we take a look at the germs on some restaurant items that really shocked our experts. consumer correspondent, elisabeth leamy, is live in washington, with the results. eli? >> reporter: hey, bill. here's your morning grossout. you probably don't think about how many people have touched them before you. and neither had we, until now. we're talking about the standard condiments and menus on every restaurant table. which is the germiest? watch. ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, sugar, the menu. which table top item harbors the most bacteria? >> i'm going to go with the ketchup. ketchup goes on a lot of different things. so, that means a lot of different people are possibly touching it. >> reporter: which do you think has the most germs on it? >> the menu. >> reporter: okay. any reason why? >> because everyone touches it, including the waitress. and i used to wait tables. and i know how often you wash your hands. >> reporter: tell me where you think the most germs would be? >> my opinion would be the salt and pepper. >> ketchup. >> salt and pepper shaker. >> reporter: what's the right answer? we'll tell you in a minute. we tagged along undercover with a research from the university of arizona. swapped the items on the table of 12 restaurants in 3 states. new york, ohio and arizona. then, analysts at this lab examined the swabs for total bacteria count and coliforms, a broad class of bacteria found in our environment. the presence of coliforms can indicate fecal matter. >> these are objects that you're going to touch. it can serve as vehicles and potentially make you ill. >> reporter: and they're objects in the area where you eat, which gives the germs a pathway into your body. which do you think has the least germs? >> i'd say the sugar. >> reporter: yep. sugar had the lowest average count, with only 2,300 bacteria. >> fewer bacteria on the sugar because it's handled less. >> reporter: when we asked people to guess which item was the germiest, ketchup got the most votes. but ketchup, mustard and salt ended up in the middle of every restaurant we visited. pepper is another story. it has the second-highest average bacteria count with 11,600 organisms. >> pepper can have a lot of bacteria in general. >> reporter: what table top staple was number one for germs in our tests? >> i'd say the menu. >> reporter: ding, ding, ding. >> everybody touches it. a lot of people don't touch the other things there. >> reporter: if you guessed menus, you're right. the menus carried the most germs, with an average count of 185,000 bacteria. >> probably have 100-times more bacteria on that menu than the toilet seat in a restroom. vntd you stuck to the menu? i've done that before. sticky menus aren't on my diet. >> reporter: the next time you eat out, you may be getting more than you ordered from the menu. most of the bacteria we found is not harmful. but the most common things you would find on restaurant items could cause things like staph infection or possibly a respiratory infection. experts have a very simple solution. place your order. then, go wash your hands. and before you eat. and try to keep the menus away from little kids who are at that age where they put everything in their mouths. bill? >> elisabeth, good tips. to see a list of places around your home where germs may be lurking, find out what you can do to keep those places clean. go to abcnews.com/gma. coming up next, the amazingly germ-free ryan seacrest. here with a sneak peek of the most exciting rockin' new year's eve yet. 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[ male announcer ] breathe better, sleep better, feel better. now try new breathe right advanced for free... at breatheright.com. [ woman ] it's my right to breathe right. isn't it your right, too? took some foolish risks as a teenager. but i was still taking a foolish risk with my cholesterol. anyone with high cholesterol may be at increased risk of heart attack. diet and exercise weren't enough for me. i stopped kidding myself. i've been eating healthier, exercising more... and now i'm also taking lipitor. if you've been kidding yourself about high cholesterol...stop. along with diet, lipitor has been shown to lower bad cholesterol 39% to 60%. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. let's go, boy, go! whoo-whee! if you have high cholesterol, you may be at increased risk of heart attack and stroke. don't kid yourself. talk to your doctor about your risk and about lipitor. tomorrow night, one of the -- no, the biggest party in the world will be right here in times square. millions of people will be tuning in to watch the celebration on "dick clark's new year's rockin' eve" with ryan seacrest. and here to tell us all about it is ryan seacrest. >> thank you. nice to see both of you. >> good to see you again. >> what a lineup you have this year, ryan. >> thank you. it's pretty stellar. >> give us some names. >> we have kesha, who had the number one record of the year. kyle cruise, a big breakout live in times square. we have train. we have lareau. the backstreet boys and new kids on the block together. >> everyone loves they're back together and doing it. >> everyone. 22-year-old girls and mothers with kids, who are camping outside their hotels, to see them, across the country. >> right. how does this work? are you booking the acts? >> we strangely because i see a lot of them during the year on the radio, i say, what are you doing new year's eve? have you thought about this? and most of them are jumping at that opportunity because you've got about 30 million people at midnight, to watch the ball drop. >> jenny mccarthy. >> jenny mccarthy. >> that was great that you had her on your show. >> i don't know if you know her a lot. she's hysterical. and she's so great live. and for me, i thought for a second, she doesn't always think about everything before it comes out, which is great. it's great television. she lost her luggage. but she made it. and she will be co-hosting on the streets with us. >> how many years is this for you? >> this will be my sixth year on abc. >> what is the ultimate moment? what is it you like the most about this gig? >> honestly, at midnight, when we all stop talking and look around times square. and you see the people who are in that great moment of energy and electricity. it's like we're all on the same team, for one minute. >> for a second. >> for a second. we all agree for a second. >> it's wonderful, also, to see dick clark. and see you all working together. and you are -- how is he doing? >> he's very, very happy. i have to tell you. he's excited. and he's watching right now. so, i'll be getting notes after this interview. >> yeah. >> you didn't stress this enough. he's just such a wonderful guy, who has been terrific to me. so, i am always honored to hang with him on new years. >> how have you've been able to do it? we were talking about. you were doing "nightline" and up this morning. >> exhausted is not -- >> that was you. >> thanks for humbling me. >> you just extended your radio contract. >> i've been going to a radio station since i was 15 years old. i love radio. radio audience has increased. and it has technology like i heart radio. it's something that's a part of my world. clearchannel, 120 million-plus people a week. i like the idea of access to that kind of audience. hopefully, we can provide good programs. >> every year, this is a couple years we're doing this interview. and i marvel. people in l.a. will relate to this. i will remember when you were just the deejay. >> that's right. >> now, oprah's looking at your deals going, wow. >> how did that happen? >> i don't know if she is. i have a lot of respect for her. she is one of the people i look up to. >> are you executive producing the show? >> yeah. "jamie oliver's food revolution" season two, coming up on abc next year. and the kardashians are continuing to crush on the e! network. >> america, you have ryan seacrest to thank for the kardashians. thank you. >> we haven't even talked about "american idol" and the new lineup. >> bill. bill. steven tyler, randy jackson. >> you've shot a bunch of shows, right? >> we've gone around the country and did auditions for "idol." and the chemistry is fantastic. i had them come over for dinner the night before we did the first tape day. and we all just hit it off. there's a lot of camaraderie. it's fun. it's funny. steven and jennifer are artists. so, they look at it from that point of view. and randy's -- who doesn't love randy jackson? he's huggable. >> that's right, dog. >> he's so huggable. >> but simon. >> nobody can replace him. he's his own unique entity. and he will continue to be successful. so, i wish him the best. >> very good. the only way we're going to make any news, this is great. the only way we'll make news is if you admit that you're engaged to julianne hough. >> i will give you breaking news. after the break. >> see how he does that? >> robin's never leaned in so close to me. >> like the commercial. >> exactly. we'll have the results. fresh, minty. >> he had so many shows. you think he would break that news on our show? >> the breaking news is i'm not. i'm not engaged. but i'm very happy. >> very happy. >> you also have a nice -- we're going -- we can watch the tape. you have a coat donation. >> yes. it's such a great thing you guys do. this is my weekend wear. and actually, after the holidays, this is a little larger. after the holidays. >> thank you, ryan. thank you so much. >> there you go. >> that's very sweet. >> nice to see you. >> nice to see you, too. >> you're so kind. >> you can still get in on the coat drive, everybody. it's going well into the new year. >> it is. we'll be right back. but mine's lean cuisine, so no preservatives. wait, did you say? i did! no preservatives. [ female announcer ] only lean cuisine's got over 90 dishes with no preservatives like sesame stir fry with chicken. it's got crisp, farm picked broccoli and bell peppers, and 100% tender white meat chicken steamed in a savory sesame sauce. yum. mmm. yum is right. can i have a bite? uh huh. [ female announcer ] no preservatives, all delicious. lean cuisine. and i was a pack-a-day smoker for 25 years. i do remember sitting down with my boys, and i'm like, "oh, promise mommy you'll never ever pick up a cigarette." i had to quit. ♪ my doctor gave me a prescription for chantix, a medication i could take and still smoke, while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] chantix is a non-nicotine pill proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these symptoms or behaviors, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. if you develop serious allergic or skin reactions, stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some of these can be life-threatening. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. dosing may be different if you have kidney problems. until you know how chantix affects you, use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. ♪ my benjamin, he helped me with the countdown. "ben, how many days has it been?" "5 days, mom. 10 days, mom." i think after 30 days he got tired of counting. [ male announcer ] it's a new year. so, ask your doctor about chantix. and find out how you could save money on your prescription go to chantix.com to learn more and get terms and conditions. and find out how you could save money on your prescription ♪ well, it feels so good [ female announcer ] new charmin ultra soft has an ultra-cushiony design that's soft and more absorbent. so you can use four times less versus the leading value brand. new charmin ultra soft. ♪ ♪ if you've had a coke in the last forty years, you've played a part in one of the largest... beverage recycling efforts in the world. ♪ ♪ ♪ in marin county officials say about 600 gallons of sewage overflowed into the creek because of a storm water surge tuesday night. it follows two spills last week in kentfield that sent 3 million gallons into the creek. the system overflowed at 5 gallons per minute. >> we have a delay in mass transit right now. caltrain is delayed 15 minutes. ace train's running on a holiday schedule. all other systems on time and on a normal weekday schedules. outside for a live look. 408d light. no problems heading into san francisco. we have a crash heading out of san francisco eastbound 80 approaching the toll plaza, the right lane is blocked. an earlier wind advisory has been cancelled. eric? eric? >> thank you very muchchchchchch [honking] they were having a sale! announcer: the ikea sale. i'm going back for more! announcer: december 26th through january 9th. save up to 60%. ikea. the life improvement store. >> good morning. a beautiful start to the day but cold temperatures and lighter winds, 33 concord, 30 livermore. san francisco the mid-40s. freezing in santa rosa and los gatos. lighter winds and we will see temperatures come up into the lo we'll create the perfect system. >> i want to watch this. what is this? it's a scene from the blockbuster 3d movie "tron," in theaters right now. we'll look at the amazing special effects behind the big hit. and what they mean for the future of the movies. i remember the late, great -- the future. >> yes. don lafontaine. in a world. that's right. here with bill weir. george is taking a little time off, spending time with his family. i'm robin. >> i'm bill. good to be with you once again. we're going to tell you a story that's going to tug at your heart strings. a woman's life changed in a heartbeat. it's a story about organ donation. the gift you give when you sign the back of your license there. please, don't miss this. >> this is something else. plus, a new year. a new year. we brought in the experts to show you the hottest makeup friends and tricks to help you put your best face forward in the new year. >> bolder lips, i heard you talk about. ♪ oh what a night ♪ a lady's night melissa magee, she's filling in for sam. she's from wpvi. did you know that robin was crazy? >> you got to groove. >> yeah. right there. >> good morning, guys. we got a lot of folks in the studio today, all the way from pass christian, louisiana, to way up north. corrine, tell us where you're from. >> ontario, canada. >> first time in new york city. welcome. we're glad that you're here. get you to the boards. see what's happening. big story all across the east coast. the warmup will be on the way. milder temperatures in the 40s. we'll take you on the west coast. the big weather story there, all about the heavy snow. 6 to 12 inches of snowfall, anywhere from the rockies up to the upper midwest. strong storms moving into eastern portions of texas, louisiana and even through the tennessee valley. tomorrow, that new year's eve forecast, as we get ready to say good-bye to 2010 and ring in the new year. icy conditions through upper midwest. snow is also possible through that region, as well. severe storms through southern gulf coast states. and it's still nice in new york city. >> melissa, you've been terrific. it's pass christian, mississippi. >> oh. >> that's my hometown. but other than that, as you were. >> okay. thank you. with your approval, thank you, robin. that weather report has been brought to you by coca-cola. bill? >> it was going so well for you, melissa. now, we turn to a holiday visit you will not forget. a young woman, giving the gift of gratitude. she had an opportunity to memee the family of the girl who provided her with a second chance at life. and here's their story. >> jessica? >> reporter: this is a hug 11 years in the making. a moment of gratitude almost beyond words. >> thank you. >> reporter: and the culmination of a journey that began for jessica malore, back in 1998. she was a happy, healthy 16-year-olds, until she suddenly collapsed at a family dinner. >> we were in shock that this could possibly be happening. it was just a nightmare. it's not really happening. >> reporter: jessica was rushed to the hospital. a blood clot lodged in an artery leading to her heart caused a heart attack so massive, her doctor didn't expect her to live. >> i looked up at him and said, am i going to die? and he just looked at me. and he didn't say anything. and that was probably the scariest moment. >> reporter: a heart transplant was her only hope. for days, doctors tried to stabilize her. an infection led to her leg being amputated. but still, no donor heart was available. >> from day-to-day, minute-to-minute, we didn't know what was going to happen. >> reporter: then, an experimental heart pump made jessica a walking medical miracle. when "gma" viewers met her in april of 1999, she had been living on that pump for seven months. >> i believe that you create your own meditation. so, anything can take place in some way, shape or form. >> reporter: while on this experiment machine, jessica went on class trips. appeared in the school musical. went to her senior prom. and just four days before her high school graduation, the call she had been waiting for. a heart was available. >> we were excited about it. and also nervous. >> reporter: jessica was getting a second chance at life. but an 18-year-old named shannon eckert was losing hers. the young woman who loved riding horses had been in a fatal car accident. and as it turned out, was an organ donor. the operation was a success. and jessica wrote shannon's mom to express gratitude. jessica went on to graduate from princeton in 2003. since then, she has been working on a cause near and dear to her. encouraging folks to sign up as donors when they get their license. >> i feel fortunate to be working in this field because it doesn't feel like a job. >> reporter: jessica says the spirit and memory of shannon is always with her. on a trip to kos ka reek ka last year, jessica rode a horse for the first time in shannon's honor, prosthetic leg and all. >> it was one of the most defining experiences of my life. just that sense of freedom. >> reporter: each year, in the rose parade, donate life has a float honoring organ donors. this year, shannon will be among the people honored, with jessica riding along. >> i try to live my life in honor of shannon. and try to keep her memory and legacy alive. >> reporter: but throughout all the years, jessica had never met shannon's family. until just before christmas. the two families came here to the offices of the gift of life donor program. >> you're welcome. so welcome. >> reporter: there were hugs and tears galore. shannon's family finally meets jessica. and jessica's family finally gets a chance to thank shannon's mom. >> thank you for this gift. thank you. >> reporter: the ultimate gift this holiday season. a young woman taken too soon, still living on. >> it was so hard to lose shannon. and i know all the work that jessica did, shannon's life wasn't in vain. she lives on. through jessica, other people can learn that, yes, you lose your loved one. but that person will live on and do great things. >> jessica's been writing about her experience. she says the greatest compliment she can receive is when someone registers for to be an organ donor after hearing her story. for more information you can go just that at abcnews.com/gma. coming up next, the eyes have it. and the lips. and the nails. makeup trends and tricks from the pros........................ in our countdown to new year's, we're helping you add a little extra sparkle to your look with makeup. we have two pros with us, with great tips for the big night and into 2011. angelique serrano is the beauty editor at "allure" magazine. and then, alana george, emmy award-winning makeup artist will show how to do it at home. it's a blessing to work with you every day. wonderful to have you both here. let's get to our beautiful models to talk about here. we have tara. what are we doing here with tara? glitter? >> glitter. it's new year's eve. this is time to shine and go for the glitter. two things you want to keep in mind. the first is you want to find makeup where the glitter particles are small. you want it to look like a beautiful sheen. not kindergarten glitter. >> got you. >> and you want to keep the gliter to one part of the face at a time. we have a shadow by hard candy. it's a black shade with gold glitter inside of it. >> how do you apply it, alana? >> you can put all of the powder eye shadow on. go right in the middle. >> have the powder on first, so it has something to hold on to? just so you don't have -- i guess you can't go powder after. >> you work backwards. >> got you. >> do the crease. and do the sparkles, because it's wet. >> it's not too much. >> a nice sheen to the eyes. and only $6. a great find. >> tara, thank you. brooke, who also works in our makeup department here at "good morning america." you're not used to having your makeup done. you're always doing it. the bright lips, angelique. >> beautiful. this was a major transform for spring. two colors, coral. and i'm wearing maybelline. and also, fuchsia. we have a great shade by yves st. laurent. it's a fuchsia that any girl can wear. you can still get a great bold color in a gloss. it looks spectacular in a little black dress. >> that's making a statement. >> a really good statement. and they're coming in matte. they're not bold and shiny as much. you know, as you apply lipstick -- >> right. >> right into the middle. and work your way out. >> and if you want to, you can add a little gloss. >> a little shine. a little pop. >> also add sparkle there. i added some on her cheekbones and her eyes. wanted a fresh -- >> beautiful lips there. all right. and carolina. the lashes we've seen. >> lashes are always in fashion. and new year's eve, you want to go all-out. it's amazing what a few individual false lashes. we have a few great ones from jane iredale. if you put two or three on the outer corners of your eyes, it really opens them up and makes them pop. if you feel nervous about the application, great mascara. you can get the same effect. we love maybelline, the falsies mascara. it thickens and makes the eyes pop. >> it really does. just apply a couple of coates to the lashes. and add three of these with a tweezer. and just stick them right on the end. >> don't be afraid to do that. all right. >> two or three. >> if not, you have the mascara. >> exactly. exactly. >> also part of team beauty, is petula. >> it's for spring. matching your lipstick to your nail color. it's the extra-special touch for new year's eve. we want to keep it more in the red family. we love orange, red. it's a fresh take on red here. right here. beautiful. or you can go into the deep burgundy family, as well. again, keeping it in the red family keeps it a bit more polishes, more grown-up. >> we're going to see it. yeah. i see there. >> so beautiful. a little extra touch. >> and i added a little lighter comer in the middle to pop it a little bit more. >> bottom line is, it's new year's. take some chances, maybe. and it's all what you have suggested here. >> yes. a little extra time. little special touches. >> and all affordable. >> yes. >> angelique, thank you all. you look lovely. stay this way for another 24 hours, you'll be fine for new year's tomorrow. thank you. and you can get full details on these tips and products at abcnews.com/gma. now, time for -- i know we said it was our final finalist yesterday. but this is our final finalist in our "gma" advice guru search. here's what deborah rouse range from cincinnati, ohio, says is the best way to handle holiday stress. >> my best holiday stress reduction tips is to lower the expectations. things are never going to be perfect. quit making yourself miserable trying to make it so. that person you wanted to strangle last year. they're going to be back and be just as annoying if not more so. you need to get your strategy. take your deep breath. try to get your sleep, eat right, exercise and don't drink too much. you really need that glass of wine when they're around. most importantly, savor the moment and enjoy the holidays. >> take a deep breath. we can enjoy the holidays, thanks to our beautiful models and angelique and alana. thank you. you can find out about our finalists. see how they responded to your questions at abcnews.com/gma. be sure to express yourself. next, movie magic. behind the scenes for the eye-popping special effects of "tron." we are counting down to the new year at the movies. you know, this year, we saw some very cool special effects come out of hollywood. and the high-tech sequel to "tron," in theaters right now, it's an indication that things will get way more awesome. and here's the effects that will keep you on the edge of your seat. >> reporter: moviegoers everywhere are marveling at the 3d world of "tron: legacy." for nearly 30 years since the original "tron." boy, have those special effects changed. it's the newest blockbuster this year to join such films as "inception." and the latest harry potter. for moviegoers these days, when you see special effects, you can't help but wonder, was that real? or was that c.g. animation? computer-generated animation has become a hallmark of the industry. >> we wanted jeff bridges to play off of the old self. we wanted the character to be a fully-acting young version of jeff bridges that the audience would buy into. >> reporter: how did they do it? >> he's got a crazy helmet on. and four cameras. and the cameras are pointed right at his face. and you see his face have little, teeny dots on it. and we recorded how the dots moved on the face. and then, it's jeff bridges being transferred to a young version of himself. completely computer-generated. >> of course, you're right. >> you have a drink. >> of course, you're right. >> reporter: the computer-generated younger face is put on a body double, that's identical to the build of jeff bridges when he made the first "tron" movie. >> this technology, we get to a point where we can't tell from one computer-generated person, to the actual actor, you could actually refilm stuff. >> reporter: really, can we ever believe anything we see? for "good morning america," becky worley, abc news, san francisco. >> cannot wait to see that. thanks to becky worley. we'll be righthththththththththb >> man: getting across town to a job interview is stressful enough without being late. i want guidance that takes me where i need to be, without any problems along the way. i feel the same way when i do taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step-by-step. and calculations are guaranteed 100% accurate, so i know it's done right. they even offer representation in case of an audit. which helps me reach my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> try turbotax online now. you don't pay unless you're satisfied with the results. you know, it is all too easy to forget that we have fighting two wars in this country. so many of our sons and daughters overseas. but she has sent more than 400,000 pounds of goodies to the troops overseas, which started sending cookies to your only son, jacob. tell me about your boy. >> i sent boxes to jacob when he was deployed over in iraq. he jumped in there on march of 2003. and he was there 8 1/2 months. and i did what i could to support him. >> you lost him to a roadside bomb? >> i did. >> condolences for that. you kept sending the packages, in memory of him. >> in his memory. and it's become his legacy. >> have you met any of the soldiers that you've been supplying over the years? >> i've met a few along the way. >> would you like to meet another? >> oh, yes. >> captain jim fallon just finished a second tour in afghanistan. and has something to say to you. >> thanks. >> oh, my gosh. thank you. thank you. >> jim, anything you want to say to -- >> i never really could say thank you enough for what you did. every morning when we got your packages on christmas morning, it was really exciting for us. we sent the packages out. and opened them up, and five to ten minutes, everything was gone. later on down the road, we're on patrol for days or weeks, we'd have a box of crackers or tuna fish or drink mixes because of you. >> wow. you're my hero. >> oh. that's really a connection to home, isn't it? just to open up a package of cookies. >> she sent home to us. >> doreen, you said this is something you wanted to continue after your son, in his honor, part of his legacy. >> yes. it is my son's legacy. when he was in iraq, he asked me to send some of his buddies supplies because they didn't get anything from home. so, we reached those people who don't get anything from home in the forward operating bases that don't have access to amenities. >> bless you. >> everyone can send a package. >> absolutely. >> jacob's life foundation. we need the help. we need grants. we need donations. >> there you go. end of year tax deductible donation. jacob's life foundation. captain, welcome home. glad you're safe. to stay fit, you might also want to try lifting one of these. a unique sea salt added to over 40 campbell's condensed soups. helps us reduce sodium, but not flavor. so do a few lifts. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ can getting enough vegetables make you feel good? oh, yeah. v8 juice gives you 3 of your 5 daily servings of vegetables. v8. what's your number? is the perfect choice for holiday gatherings. martinelli's is non-alcoholic, festive like champagne, and tastes great! martinelli's: since 1868. ♪ in oakland three people including a three-year-old girl were killed in a fire just before 2:00 this morning. a seven-year-old girl was able to safely escape the flames from the same apartment. the building is in foreclosure and the people to died were running an electrical wire to the downstairs unit to get power. investigators found several extension cords attached to that wire and that's how the fire was sparked. meteorologist lisa argen is here with a look at our forecast. >> clear and cold. a lot of sunshine. we'll need it. just 30s and 40s right now. we'll be looking at a weather system from the north tomorrow. the last day of the year. the wind has slackened off, that means another night tonight that's going to be pretty cold with some frost. >> megan? >> we have a delay in mass transit right now. caltrain delayed 15 minutes. ace train operating on a holiday schedule but all other systems on a normal weekday schedule. a live look at the bay bridge toll plaza where it is holiday light. metering lights were never turned on this morning and the earlier wind advisory for the bay bridge has been

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