>> kids are born everywhere. that kid's coming he's coming. >> i want my kid born in the hospital bed. >> that's a bold call. >> it's happened twice. and i just know next time -- >> and you want more kids, don't you? >> maybe. >> don't you want a big family? >> i feel like i have three now now that i've been working with you. >> oh. >> be right back, everybody. son. ♪ clowns to the left of me ♪ ♪ jokers to the right ♪ ♪ here i am, stuck in the middle with you ♪ we know a place where tossing and turning have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, hd 3. rate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. well, if you live in a big city like we do here in the big apple, parking can be a real adventure. that's putting it mildly. people really do sit in lawn chairs in the street to save their coveted spots. >> and imagine if you have a vehicle as large as my big old minivan. >> ooh, ooh, ooh. >> however, with new technology on your smartphone, it's going to make things a whole lot easier. yes, there's an app for that. wabc's tim fleischer has the details. >> reporter: around arthur avenue you could seemingly drive for hours and wait even longer for a parking spot. >> i get here sometimes at 7:00 in the morning to come to work, and it's hard to find parking. >> reporter: that is about to change. as city d.o.t. workers begin installing here on 187th street these hockey puck-size sensors that will allow you to see if a parking spot opens up using your smartphone. >> we're making it easier for drivers to park. we're actually going to be piloting new technology that will bring parking information into the palm of your hand. >> reporter: sensors are already at work in san francisco, where information is uploaded to a central computer and then relayed to the app on your smartphone. fire it up, and you can see the map around you. dark blue means plenty of spots. light blue means it's getting tight. red, pretty much forget it. >> they will not also be causing the congestion that you cause when you circle the block over and over again. >> reporter: shop owners like sandra levista at arthur avenue floral is thrilled. >> i think that's brilliant. i love it. >> reporter: but not everyone will be able to take advantage. >> you're assuming everybody has a smartphone. and i for one happen to be one of those people who don't have a smartphone. >> reporter: for this experiment they put in 177 of these sensors. and they will test them to see if they hold up to the rigors of street sweepers and snowplows. and then in three months they will make the app available touk test to see if you can find a parking spot. >> we're going to monitor to see if we get the information we need on a real-time basis. >> reporter: and perhaps relieving a frustration for drivers. >> all right. thank you, tim. >> i love it. >> parking tickets in new york city average 120 bucks a ticket. keep that in mind. and that's me either -- >> didn't yours get booted? that's why you don't have a car anymore? >> either i'm getting a ticket or i'm stealing that car. >> i think they're actually looking for you. >> i've got a warrant out. killing my last anchor. coming up spending 30 minutes a week and less on your groceries. >> i'm getting coupon clipping advice from an expert that's truly worthwhile next. and it's not this guy. >> no. 0 every time you went shopping? >> i'm going to tell you, it's not extreme couponing. and it's coupon, not coupon, by the way. >> coo. >> i found out firsthand all you need is 30 minutes a week, and you too could have some super savings. shuper. >> reporter: remember back in the day when savings used to be so simple? well, times sure have changed, and it's not just higher price tags. >> come on now! >> reporter: thanks to hit reality show "extreme couponers" cutting and clipping has become an extreme sport. and as a wife and mom of two i'm no slouch when it comes to shopping savvy. so when i heard that the grocery guru was challenging me to a savings showdown i sharpened my kiddie scissors and started snipping away. >> watch out, teri, there's a new coupon queen in town. i'm coming after you. >> reporter: teri is the founder and ceo of the grocerygame.com, a website that provides consumers with weekly lists of the lowest-priced products, coupons, and in-store sales in their area. in other words, pound for pound, i may have met my discount match. the arena -- stop & shop in clifton, new jersey. the game? who could get the most groceries for 100 bucks? including these common pantry staples. so let the games begin. >> i need to find a chicken. >> it's on sale. ooh. i've got instant savings coming back. yeah, baby. >> reporter: teri is using one of her main moves, stacking sales, which combines coupons with in-store deals. two can play at that game. >> this is a good price. $3.79. i think i'm already over $100. >> reporter: she's got another move up her sleeve. investing. >> love great meat sales. stock up. >> reporter: she says to buy in bulk when things go on sale. >> we've got coupons. we can save about half on your groceries. just by doing the stocking up which i call investing. think of it as an investment. >> uh-oh. little miss thing. she's going to show off. holy cow. >> ooh. you're looking -- >> there's no way that that's all under $100. this is embarrassing. look at this. >> i'm sorry. well, we'll have to see how we do here, huh? >> yeah. you pretty much kicked my heinie. >> so this is the moment of truth here. >> reporter: my grand total, $142.13. after savings, though, $108.45. i managed to take off roughly 34 bucks. >> see? i didn't really need the coupons. i bought stuff that was on sale. >> reporter: which leads to teri's final tip, which is timing. you don't have to redeem the coupons the same week they come in the paper. coupons usually expire in three months. so you can play your coupons like a card shark. but does teri have more game? >> not afraid. >> reporter: her total before savings comes out to a whopping $209.50. and now with the in-store sales and coupons? >> okay. this is just sick. >> reporter: teri's new total? $90.01. she saved almost $120. savings of nearly 60%. >> oh, look at that. >> reporter: well, teri might have knocked me out this time, but using her tips we can all be winners. >> way to go. way to save money. >> yep. >> oh, you got your butt kicked. ha, ha. >> i knew i was going to. she's a pro. >> that's right. >> but she says the majority of her savings are sales that aren't advertised in the circulars, that you and i don't really know about. you have to look for them. or you can go to thegrocerygame.com, her website. i mean, it's honestly very simple. she does everything for you. she says the average savings for a family of four is -- oh, you betcha, family of four is like $500. my shirt's a little low-cut there. >> thank you, graphics. as always. for a job well done. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. ♪ ♪ [ woman ] i was ready for my trip, but my smile wasn't. 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[ female announcer ] new intensive professional effects whitestrips. and try 3d white toothpaste and rinse. from crest. life opens up when you do. >> announcer: "world news now" delivers your morning papers. right there. that's disgusting -- >> oh, we're back on. sorry. we were just gossiping. we're gossip girls. >> that's what we do. >> it leads to us a story out of the "l.a. times." this new study says that gossiping, the right kind of gossiping, might have some positive effects such as lowering stress. >> there you go. >> it's got to be the right kind of gossip. >> we're going to live forever. >> basically not disparaging. not saying you're a wimp. you know, not gossiping about what you were doing last weekend. just gossiping about good things, right? >> that's no fun talking about the good stuff. >> they say passing on the gossip gets negative feelings, tempers their frustration. gossiping made them feel better. we shouldn't feel guilty for gossiping if the gossip helps protect others from being taken advantage of. i'm happy we're spending our money so wisely. >> they're saying it's the good gossip. not the who's sleeping with who gossip. >> the good gossip. >> there's no fun there. you know what i mean? >> kardashians. cooler talk. >> dissemination of information. that's what it is. >> the what? >> the dissemination of information. >> oh. disseminate away. >> yeah. speaking of that, porn is the new -- is our next topic here. this comes from the "l.a. times." obviously the porn industry is huge out in los angeles. according to the "times," the industry may consider actually leaving los angeles because now they passed a law saying that condoms must be used on film shoots that require a permit. but the film industry is shooting back and saying, well, you know what? films with condoms don't sell as well because people want to enjoy the fantasy and the fantasy doesn't include condoms, blah, blah, blah. so people who are obviously safe sex advocates are saying smart move, but the porn industry is not happy about it at all. they're just bent over backwards about it. >> thanks for all of the bad visuals there. >> sorry. >> okay. so people here in new york, a lot of people take public transportation. and they boarded a train and found an unwanted little visitor. it was a possum. >> oh, right there in the subway. was it express or local? >> i think it was express. >> things to do, like a typical new yorker. >> ironically, i don't know how they worked this out, the possum ended up paying. >> very nice. "new york times" photo there. >> yeah. they actually wound up removing it. but free ride. >> that ain't bad. have you had a lot of subway experiences since you moved to -- >> yeah, couple, yeah. my kids love it. >> the kids, really? because it's the train, mommy and all that. >> choo-choo. >> there's the panhandlers, the people who fall asleep. the drunkards. the drag queens. and then there's me. i'm -- >> gossiping in the back. >> i'm gossiping irln the back. trying to stay a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a ali8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x8x defensive candidate. mitt romney facing some tough questions about his wealth and his taxes. >> after an abc news investigation reveals the presidential candidate is stashing his money in accounts on a beautiful caribbean island. it's thursday, january 19th. good thursday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> we're almost to the weekend, aren't we? >> almost counting down. here we go. >> i'm paula faris. many super rich americans avoid big tax bills by stashing their money in offshore accounts. as mitt romney faces huge questions about his income and the taxes he doesn't pay, this latest revelation may be hurting his presidential campaign and a lot of the other hopeful candidates want him to -- full disclosure. >> they're pushing for his -- to see those tax returns. he's saying not till april, till most of the primaries are over. his lead in south carolina is now down to ten. newt gingrich has apparently cut that in half almost. we could be looking at an interesting battle shaping up in south carolina and how this plays out could have an impact. >> and gingrich wants perry and santorum to just go bye-bye and then who knows, maybe it will be tied. >> mano a mano. also ahead a 65-year-old airline passenger says she simply forgot that she put her handgun in her carry-on bag. mm-hmm. the trouble -- just forgot. forgot she was packing some heat in the airport. all the trouble she's now facing and the impact this incident caused on a very busy airline hub. >> she really forgot? >> i hate when i do that. i hate when i leave my ak-47 in my wallet. >> you don't have it with you, do you? >> no. and later this half hour, the member of the royal family who loves to flirt with danger. his everyday job is full of adventure, and now prince harry is going to new heights, and not everyone thinks it's a good idea, including rob nelson. >> mm-hmm. but first, mitt romney's on the defensive this morning over the tax breaks that he's getting by putting millions of his money offshore. >> and there are new signs that the controversy over his finances may be hurting him in the polls. we begin with abc's chief investigative correspondent, brian ross. >> reporter: mitt romney's big money supporters say his wealth is a sign of success. >> he's what we aspire to be. >> hi there. >> reporter: but his wealth, how he made it, and the relatively low tax rate he admitted he pays on it -- >> closer to the 15% rate than anything. >> reporter: -- have become a big campaign issue. >> his personal finances are a poster child of what's wrong with the american tax system. >> reporter: for example, abc news has found that millions of dollars of romney's personal wealth is in investment funds set up in the cayman islands, the notorious caribbean tax haven where secrecy is the rule. nothing in romney's financial disclosure statements reveals his connection to the caymans. but we tracked at least 12 of the funds he lists set up by his former company, bain capital, and potentially involving as much as $30 million, tracked them all to an address in the caymans. a post office box at the central post office. this is the bain capital address, right here. post office box 908. tax experts say such offshore accounts allow u.s. taxpayers access to a number of tax loopholes and keep secret which companies the funds invest in. as we learned from bain's registered agents in the caymans. >> you can't talk about -- >> no, unfortunately not. >> nothing at all? >> nothing at all. >> reporter: the romney campaign says the candidate would pay the same taxes if the accounts were not in the caymans. and romney says he follows all tax laws. >> if there's an opportunity to save taxes, we like anybody else in this country will follow that opportunity. >> reporter: but a larger issue involves how bain and others use such offshore accounts to help foreign investors avoid u.s. taxes. >> the treasury leases an estimated $100 billion a year because of tax havens. >> reporter: romney's critics are already crying foul, saying he has to release more than just the latest tax return to give a full picture over the years of how or whether he has taken advantage of the provisions in the tax code which benefit the super rich. brian ross, abc news, new york. >> also on top of that a new poll shows that former speaker newt gingrich is gaining ground. in less than a month he's actually cut mitt romney's lead in south carolina nearly in half. rick santorum, meanwhile, has about 16%. ron paul roughly the same thing. rick perry is trailing behind the rest of the pack with just 6%. and that new poll also found that president obama and mitt romney would be in a dead heat if the election were held today. the obama campaign has now launched its first major tv ad for the president. viewers in the battleground states of iowa, michigan, north carolina, wisconsin, ohio and virginia could see the ads pop up as soon as today. things are getting interesting. it will be interesting what the romney camp response is to that story about his money in the cayman islands. they say that money is taxed in the very same way they would be if those funds were established in the u.s., these are not tax havens and it is false to say so. but i think it's been well known for years the super rich do hide their money overseas. >> and they did say that they store those funds in the cayman islands to help attract money from foreign investors. and he did mention in the piece that it's taxed the same in the cayman islands as it would be anywhere else. but still, that's a lot of loot. >> it is a lot of money. nice problem to have, i guess. well, president obama is hearing it from all sides after rejecting plans for an extensive oil pipeline through the heart of the united states. it would run from canada through six states all the way to oil refineries in texas. but mr. obama has blocked it, saying there's not enough time to evaluate the project ahead of a republican-enforced deadline. while the president faces criticism for killing jobs, environmentalists praised the decision. and now to that cruise ship disaster off the italian coast. the ship's captain is now being quoted as saying that he tripped and fell into a lifeboat as the disaster was unfolding and that he never intentionally abandoned ship. he's still under house arrest during all this. prosecutors are planning to challenge that, though, saying the captain has admitted to being reckless with the ship and that he is a flight risk. meanwhile, italian cave experts are expected to begin recovery efforts on board that ship again this morning. they are facing, though, some dangerous underwater obstacles of everything that was displaced during the disaster. 21 people, including two americans, are still missing. at least 11 so far are dead. and one very interesting note in this story, too. a descendant of someone who survived the "titanic" was on board this ship and survived. just a fascinating historical note on that. also, those two americans still listed are jerry and barbara heil of minnesota. hundreds of family members and friends came together last night for a prayer service right there at their church. they were called a couple who was devoted to charity. their granddaughter simply asked for prayers. dallas-based attorney general judith kenny says she is embarrassed and mortified, but it's a little more serious than that. she is also facing felony charges for boarding a plane with a gun