good morning, america. breaking overnight, dramatic images from one of the most secretive countries in the world. hundreds of thousands wailing in the streets of north korea for the funeral of their reclusive dictator, as the world sees the man who will take charge in these rare pictures. what really happened? the perfect storm of burning embers blocked escape routes and unused smoke detectors that caused the horrible christmas tragedy in the mansion. for the first time, we hear from the friend who survived the blaze. mall madness. heightened security after a melee at the mall of america. hundreds wreaking havoc, smashing, grabbing, punching. a dangerous and chaotic scene at america's biggest mall, on one of the busiest days of the year. and that's one cranky crock. elvis, the crocodile wants that lawn mower and he's not giving

up. who wins the war? the gardner? or the thousand pound crock. i'll give you one guess. a beautiful scene in the pre-dawn here in times square. good morning to you, everyone. i have one question. how badly do they need that lawn mower? >> apparently, very badly. i say let it go. >> there's got to be another one. we'll get to know elvis and his lawn mower. george and robin are off this morning, enjoying well-deserved timeoff. elizabeth vargas is back with us this morning. we have a lot to get to. including very frightening moments when southwest airline passengers when their pilots had to abort takeoff at the very last moment in sacramento last night.

dan harris with exactly what happened in moments. and five days away from the iowa caucus. things are heating up in that state, particularly between mitt romney and newt gingrich, who said his opponent should, quote, man up. while romney compared gingrich's campaign to lucille ball. we'll get to that in a moment. >> get the gloves off. i appreciate it. with a little help from her friends. the model that was injured by that airplane propeller, lauren scruggs, honored by her friends last night for her remarkable courage. and we are going to have the latest on her amazing recovery. we're going to turn, now, to the almost surreal pictures overnight from north korea. a rare glimpse into this mysterious nation, as people mourn the death of kim jong-il, the man they call their dear leader. abc's global affairs anchor, christiane amanpour joins us this morning from london. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, josh. north korea is rallying around their new leader as he presides over the funeral of his late

father. he is also presiding over a nation, north korea, that's of vital importance and real thorn to the united states. it's tested nuclear device. and teetering on the brink of economic collapse. this is, as some say, a really dangerous storm. it's been a somber, snowy day in pyongyang for the funeral of north korean leader kim jong-il. state television broadcast footage of his son, kim jong-un, dubbed the great successor, and now mourner in chief, walking along the funeral cortege. while on the car's route, a huge, smiling portrait of his father. and in a meticulously choreographed display of grief, tens of thousands of people crowded into the streets. weeping, vowing, even falling to the ground. the funeral procession began at the memorial palace, where kim jong-il's body has laid in state.

it headed to the city's main plaza. the black coffin was wrapped in the red flag of the workers party. a huge show of military might filled the square and followed the hearse. a reminder of the military-first policy of a nuclear nation. these scenes of grief have been broadcast around the country. along with orders to uphold the kim dynasty. and away from the cameras, about a quarter of the population is starving, according to u.n. estimates. and hundreds of thousands of people remain in prison camps. those trying to read political tea leaves will see the familiar faces of north korea's old guard in the funeral lineup, indicating an orderly transition. as the u.s. and others watch to see whether important nuclear negotiations can resume under a new, young, untested leader. and so, u.s. sources tell me they're watching closely to see kim jong-un's first move. saying those negotiations could pick up where they left off.

but they're really waiting to see what pyongyang does in the first weeks and days, as he takes the helm there. josh? >> christiane, i do want to, while we have you, another important story from another vital and precarious region. a new threat from iran to block the waterway from the persian gulf, choking off roughly 20% of the world's oil in the process, purportedly in response to response to u.s. sanctions. the markets don't like this, christiane. oil prices up 15 cents in the last 24 hours, just as gas prices here have been dropping. so, how real is this threat? >> well, josh, again, this is probably one of the most vital pieces of water, the straits of hormuz because so much goes through it. and again, it's in response to these sanctions because of iran aus nuclear program. iran did briefly disrupt oil supplies. however, they're no much for the rest of the world. and indeed, analysts say that if

they did, indeed, do this, they could only do it for about two days to two weeks because it would affect their own oil and their own economy. but it does point out there's a big dilemma the u.s. faces, trying to sanction iran. at the same time, trying not to rise oil prices and disturb an already weak economy, josh. >> christiane amanpour in london. we appreciate the time. let's turn to the other headlines to "gma" weekend anchor, dan harris. >> good morning, everybody. we're going to start with the big scare for people onboard that southwest airlines flight from sacramento to seattle last night. the pilot, forced to very quickly abort the takeoff as emergency crews scramble to hose down the plane. lisa stark covers aviation for us. lisa, what happened here? >> reporter: dan, it started as a routine takeoff from sacramento. 132 passengers on that jet. including two small children on that southwest jet. it was bound for seattle. the pilot, as he raced down the runway, his tires apparently blew out on the boeing 737.

the crew immediately aborted that takeoff. and frightened passengers knew something was wrong. >> it's pretty scary. at first, it's like -- you know, i've been on a lot of airplanes and stuff. you don't expect to happen, for the plane to shake back and forth. >> going down the runway. and you heard a loud pop. and shaking. the plane started shaking. they put the nose back down and said we blew a tire. >> reporter: the initial reports were that the tires caught fire. but the airline said that did not happen. instead, the pilots called out emergency crews to hose down the tires just in case. all of the passengers were forced to get off the plane on the runway. but they were able to do so on portable stairs, not the emergency slides. luckily, nobody was hurt. a few tense moments on the jet for the crew and those holiday travelers. >> tense to say the least. lisa, thanks very much. high winds causing serious flight delays in the northeast this morning. 60-mile-per-hour winds blew off this helicopter hangar on long island in new york.

tens of thousands of people lost power in this storm. and we're learning the lengthy flight between london and l.a. played a role in the death of the hip-hop pioneer, heavy d. the cothe coroner report said h died from a blood clot in his legs that traveled from his leg to his lungses. democrats from nebraska, ben nelson, announcing he is retiring. he is a democrat that is in a state that is increasingly conservative. there is a large line of republicans who want to replace him. but not one democrat in the mix. republicans need to win four states -- four seats nationwide, to take back the senate. if you were dreaming of taking home last night's $206 million megamillions jackpot, i hope you bought a ticket in new york state. that's where officials say the one and only winning ticket was sold. they're not saying exactly where. but this is the second time this year that a megamillions jackpot has been won.

back in june, co-workers at costco won the prize. >> an anxious crew this morning. >> people are searching their pockets for the ticket. >> we might be crewless in moments. we do have one more news item i'm telling you about. this morning, the library of congress is adding 25 new movies to the national film registry, which is a collection of movies thought to be significant to the american culture. and one of the newest ones is this one. >> my mom always said, life is like a box of chocolates. >> that, of course, is "forrest gump." the national film registry has movies going back to 1891. other moves added include the animated classic "bambi" and "silence of the lambs." it might just be me. but "bambi" and "silence of the lambs" seems like an odd pairing. >> a little bit. slightly odd. it's time for your voice, your vote, in iowa. the first in the nation vote

takes place in just days. front-runners, mitt romney and newt gingrich have move from hand shake to hand shake combat, to a war of words in arguments over each other's manhood. jon karl is here with the latest. did i tee that up for you? >> reporter: you did. beautifully. let me tell you, it is getting personal out there. the once high-flying gingrich campaign is trying to regain momentum. he's trying to run a positive campaign. but check out how he is lashing out at his opponent. with his bus rolling across iowa, newt gingrich is trying to get his campaign back on track. after taking a pummeling from his opponents. >> it's about serial hypocrisy. >> newt gingrich supports amnesty for millions of illegals. >> reporter: gingrich is firing back, hitting mitt romney with this. >> all i say, mitt, is if you want to run a negative campaign and you want to attack people, at least be man enough to own it. that's your staff. and that's your organization. those are your millionaire friends paying for it.

>> reporter: gingrich is talking about these ads, run by a so-called superpack supporting romney. but supposedly independent of his campaign. they have spent $3.7 million, almost twice as much as romney's official campaign. and the ads are brutal. >> gingrich was fined $300,000 by a republican congress for ethics violations. >> reporter: romney says he has nothing to do with them. and is forbidden by law to coordinate with the group. >> my goodness. if we coordinate in any way whatsoever, we go to the big house. >> reporter: romney is attacking on his own. blasting gingrich over failing to get enough signatures to get on the ballot in virginia. comparing his campaign to a 1950s sitcom. >> i think you compare that to pearl harbor. i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. >> reporter: and gingrich has other problems. he's clearly worried about ron paul, who is on the rise in both iowa and new hampshire. >> if he were to get the republican nomination.

>> he won't. >> let's say he were. could you vote for him? >> no. >> reporter: but it hasn't all been negative. over the holiday, gingrich's new hampshire campaign released a christmas-themed video, which, at best, can be described as bizarre. ♪ to mitt romney fa, la, la, la, la ♪ >> reporter: it's a little disturbing. let me tell you. rick perry is still pushing for this. he's down in the polls. rick perry, elizabeth, has spent more money in iowa than all the other candidates combined. >> all the candidates are going all-out for the conservative, evangelical vote. one republican strategist saying, quote, this morning, they will light a fire and stand by the burning bush to send a signal to evangelicals, i'm the one for you, vote for me. >> i haven't seen burning bushes. but they're pushing for this. perry had a position on abortion had changed. he's always been anti-abortion,

pro-life. now, he says he doesn't favor exceptions for incest, rape or the life of the mother. >> in the meantime, newt gingrich responding to mitt romney's crack saying he was like lucille ball. saying, i'd like him to say that to my face. >> it's getting personal. i don't think you wanted to meet him at the bike racks for a fight. but it's getting that way. let me tell you, there is bad blood in this campaign that will last after this campaign is over. >> you're seeing it come out now. all right, jon karl, thanks so much. new details about that deadly fire in stamford, connecticut. officials say the christmas tragedy that killed five family members was an accident that didn't have to happen. now, the man inside, one of the two survivors, is speaking out. abc's linsey davis is back at the scene this morning. >> reporter: the investigators are piecing together just what happened inside this house early christmas morning. advertising executive madonna badger and her friend, michael borcina, the sole survivors, went to bed after wrapping presents, some time between 3:00 and 3:30 a.m. borcina had put embers from a

fireplace into a bag and into a trash enclosure attached to the rear of the house. >> fire appears to be caused by hot fireplace ash and embers, which had been discarded. >> reporter: neighbors say they were awakened by screams shortly before 5:00 a.m. the first 911 call came in at 4:52. >> a huge fire at the house next door to us. the whole house is on fire. >> please, come quickly. thank you. >> the fire entered the house quickly. and spread thought the first floor. >> reporter: in these pictures, obtained exclusively by abc news, you can see 10-year-old lily, and her 7-year-old twin sisters, grace and sarah. they all had rooms on the third floor. frantic badger directed firefighters there first. but when they climbed into their bedroom, they weren't there. their bodies were later found on the second floor. >> the male occupant had told us he led the two girls downstairs. so, now, they were on the second floor.

but the heat drove them to get separated from the male occupant. >> reporter: one was found with her grandmother, pauline, at the bottom of the stairwell between the second and third floors. and another was found not far from her grandfather, lomer johnson. his body was found outside. >> we found one of the young children. i guess there were a pile of books. it looks like she was placed on the books so he could get out the window and then reach in and grab her. >> reporter: it appears he fell through rafters. the house was being renovated on most of the second floor. and the family wasn't supposed to be staying in that area until it was deemed safe. one part of those renovations that had never been done, hard-wired smoke alarms. and now, this is all that remains of the house. it and the family that once called it home, both irreparably damaged. borcina is still recovering from smoke inhalation and also burns.

but yesterday, from his hospital bed, he spoke to "the new york post" and repeated several times that he and badger are going to be okay. saying they have the love and support they need from friends. josh and elizabeth? >> all right. you know, they're getting a lot of people on facebook who are messaging in messages of support. they are getting support. not just from the close family, but from the community at large. >> here in the tristate area. sometimes there are no words. utter and complete heartbreak. time to turn to our sam champion who is here with the latest weather. good morning, sam. >> what a night of storms we had. elizabeth, josh. good morning, everyone. we're going to start with pictures out of pennsylvania really. this is a kind of admitted atlantic-wide, slapping rain up against the windows. if you were already in bed, it woke you up. and then, came in a gusty wind. one to two inches of rain in a short amount of time. if you're one of those people that can't get the holiday spirit until the cold air arrives, we were in the 60s yesterday in new york and boston. starting in the 40s and 50s.

but watch this. tomorrow night, that cold air drops those temperatures down. we're talking about tonight lows. tomorrow morning, 28 in new york. 24 in boston. this is real cold air that moves in. and the strong, gusty winds will persist throughout the day.

>> most of the nation, very pleasant on this day. and even some cooler temperatures have dropped into florida. all that weather was brought to you by zicam. elizabeth? josh? >> thanks, sam. there's a big boost for the young texas fashion editor who was severely injured after walking into a plane propeller three weeks ago. as lauren scruggs continues to make remarkable progress, friends gathered for a fund-raiser to celebrate her courage. and dan harris is back with more on this story. a good one. >> she is an impressive young, woman. no question about it. this morning, you see a community stepping up for lauren scruggs. and you're going to hear a surprisingly upbeat update from lauren's mom. >> this family has given so much to us.

we need to give back. >> reporter: a big show of support overnight for lauren scruggs, the 23-year-old part-time model and fashion editor. a fund-raiser at a restaurant in plano, texas, to help pay her medical bills. >> i'm really here for them. lauren has a long road ahead in recovery. >> anything we can do to help. >> reporter: on december 3rd, lauren took a plane ride with a family friend to get an aerial view of the christmas lights in north texas. after she got off the plane, she somehow walked into the propeller, which sliced her face, her shoulder and her left hand. on december 15th, doctors performed surgery to remove her left eye. throughout this incredibly painful period, friends and family says lauren has been upbeat. even managing to walk, bike and pick out her own clothes and dress herself. >> it is truly a miracle to think of how far she's come in such a short amount of time. >> reporter: in a blog post on december 26th, lauren's mom describes their christmas. saying that lauren and her twin

sister wore their matching pjs just for christmas eve. she also wrote about the intense, intuitive bond between the twins. quote, brit's left eye has been twitching for the last four to five days. every 30 seconds or so. she knows it's because of the deep connection she and lo have. and lauren's twitter account has been active again. abc news cannot confirm who has been tweeting. there's thank you messages to well-wishers, fashion finds and plans for upcoming visits with friends. >> when i saw lauren, she had out that iphone. and i wouldn't put it past her if she's the one tweeting. >> a quick note on that fund-raiser last night. they raised $10,000. >> not bad. that's fantastic. >> thanks so much. still to come here, a shopping day turns into a nightmare at the nation's largest mall. why did hundreds of teens go on a violent rampage? in the aftermath of that christmas day fire, crucial information to keep your family out of harm's way.

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oakland hasn't had an occupy camp for more than a month. >> let's get an update on your morning commute. looking light at the bay bridge toll, no delays. there are a couple of slow spots out there. northbound 880 approaching high street an earlier stall on the off-ramp traffic heavy northbound past the coliseum. a brand new accident reported in hayward, northbound 880 at highway 92, chp en route looks like the right lane is blocked we could see slowing on that stretch. >> during this commercial break she will put on her other hat and give you the forecast

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terrifying scene. kids gone wild, and shopperser the terrorized by hundreds of young people at the nation's largest mall. imagine being in the middle of all of that. we're going to tell you about the damage and actually the gossip that got the whole thing started. >> it was in the middle of the afternoon, by the way. >> anti-social media got that whole thing going. we'll get to that in a moment. we say good morning to all of you. robin and george are off. i'm lucky to be here with elizabeth vargas. we're going to have more on that story we had in our first half hour, the mansion fire. it's a real wake-up call for the rest of us. we'll tell you what you need to

do to keep your family safe from a terrible fire. also, michael jackson's doctor, dr. conrad murray. casey anthony, big trials from the courtroom. >> dan abrams said he never saw a year in trials like this one. >> we'll look at the trial that figures to make headlines in the new year. we want to begin with the images we just saw. security beefed up at the mall of america, after a mob of teenagers, you see here, went on a rampage. fighting each other and then attacking post-holiday shoppers. bianna golodryga here with more on the terrifying story. >> reporter: they call this a moving brawl. megamonday turned into megachaos at the biggest mall in the country. shoppers were dodging fistfights and flying objects, in what a witness called a smash and grab flash mob. chairs flying in the food court.

innocent shoppers punched and shoved. all of this madness caught on cell phone cameras and posted on youtube. chaos filling the country's largest shopping mall on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. >> i saw a chair thrown at a girl. hit her on the back of the head. and she fell to the ground. >> reporter: it started in an instant. up to 50 teenagers on a rampage through the mall of america, the day after christmas. twitter and facebook messages falsely spread rumors that two popular rappers were going to be there. frenzied fans soon escalated into a frenzied mob. more than 30 police officers had to respond. and the mall went on lockdown. >> i've been around since the place opened. and i haven't seen anything that came close to rivalling this at the mall. or really anywhere else, frankly. >> reporter: this was a flash mob. but the scenes are eerily similar going on, flash robs.

where teens organize quick mass robberies over social media. according to the national retail federation, about half of the 100 retailers they surveyed report being hit by flash robs in the last year. >> 10% of these incidents were linked back to social media, text messaging or some other activity. >> reporter: new york to minnesota, flash mobs have gone viral. and for the terrified shoppers caught in these violent scenes, a trip to the mall just might not be worth the potential cost. the national retail federation is urging stores and local police to constantly monitor social networks for indication of a brawl. they're also urging workers to be near key areas of the store and near merchandise. >> you hope the parents get involved, as well. >> thanks so much, guys. we want to follow-up on that

story that's riveted the nation. the christmas connecticut mansion fire. there's so many lessons to learn here about smoke alarms and strategies to stay safe, especially during this peak season for house fires. abc's matt gutman tells us what you need to know to keep your family safe. >> reporter: it can happen in an instant this time of year. it's the holidays. decorations are out. the candles are lit. what you might not know is candles burn at 1,000 degrees. and could accidentally start a fire by doing something simple like getting off the couch. we watched how quickly an american home can go up in flames. an older home, this could go up in 18 minutes. but with in synthetic materials, modern homes can go up in three minutes. the underwriters laboratories in chicago constructed a typical modern living room for abc news. and most of the contents, from blankets to the cushion stuffing, the wide-screen, to the toys, made from

petroleum-based products, which can burn up to six-times faster. >> this whole room is fuel. we could build this entire room out of natural materials and it would burn far more slowly than synthetic materials. >> reporter: how much more slowly? >> ten minutes slower. and it all has to do with how fast you can get out of this home. >> reporter: those ten minutes could mean life or death. >> seconds count. >> reporter: while overall fire deaths are down over the last five years, accidental deaths are up, 18%. and in december, homes are three-times more likely to catch fire, due to candle-ignited fires, which we learned can turn deadly in seconds. i'm a parent. i have one of these for my 3-year-old. you said, this turns into what? >> it will liquefy. >> reporter: these plastic toys -- >> they're fuel. >> reporter: even modern roof beams, stronger in general.

but three-times weaker when the fire starts. making fire alarms so critical. >> that's the sound. be familiar with that sound so you know what to do right away. >> reporter: that is, flee any fire that you can't put out with a single glass of water. for "good morning america," matt gutman, abc news, chicago. >> chilling how fast that goes up. >> a really good point there. all of the new products, petroleum-based. how quick they go. you can find a complete list of the seven steps that every family should take to protect themselves from a fire, on goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! sam, i know you were mentioning the speed that that can happen. >> and it's good at vice for us to think about in a new way. as soon as the fire breaks out, get out. you're not going to be able to fight the plastics that go up so quickly. just get out. let's get to the boards. one or two things going on we want to show you. we want to start in the northwest. we're in the pattern we haven't

been in november, into a good part of december, now, look at the rain. that county area, along coastal arkansas. we've had five inches of rain in the last couple days. and another five inches of rain in some locations. a really wet pattern. and strong winds in that area, as well. warm and dry. it's a quick cooldown into the deep south. by the time you wake up in >> nice warmup on the way, by the way, all the way from l.a. into vegas. all that weather was brought to you by party city. elizabeth? >> thanks so much, sam. coming up, from casey anthony to michael jackson's doctor. the trials that shocked the world. i take an omega for my heart.

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this has been a year of gripping courtroom dramas, from the manslaughter conviction of michael jackson's doctor, to the murder acquittals of two, young american women. the verdict on 2011 is in. it's one of the biggest years for blockbuster trials we have ever seen. like a legal thriller, this year's biggest trials sparked intense emotion, right down to those breathless moments when the verdicts were read.

>> we, the jury -- >> the jury, find the defendant -- >> have been acquitted. >> stand and face the jury. >> reporter: perhaps no trial since o.j. simpson's gripped the nation like casey anthony, the mother accused of murdering her daughter, caylee. >> the truthful thing, is that i have not seen my daughter. >> reporter: heard the troubling phone calls home from jail. >> how can anybody saying you're not upset? you're not crying? that you show no caring where caylee is. >> i'm not trying [ bleep ] every two seconds because i have to stay composed. >> reporter: then, saw casey point the finger at her family. >> casey was raised to lie. >> reporter: all leading to that stunning verdict. >> we, the jury, find the defendant, not guilty. >> i don't know what those jurors were thinking. >> this is a breakdown of our judicial system. >> reporter: in california, the death of a global icon led to another high-profile case. >> if there were anybody else

but michael jackson, anybody else, would this doctor be here today? >> reporter: on trial, the doctor who prosecutors say killed him. >> the jury, finds the defendant, conrad robert murray, guilty. >> reporter: unlike anthony, murray is starting 2012 behind bars. >> justice was served. michael is watching over us. >> reporter: then, there's amanda knox, whose agonizing legal nightmare came to an end this year. in december 2009, an italian court convicted her of the murder of her british roommate. but this year, after independent experts completely dismantled the prosecution's case -- >> immediately release. >> reporter: the court set her free. >> thank you for being there for me. >> reporter: after years of traveling back and forth between seattle and italy, knox's family could finally bring her home. >> we couldn't have made it through it without all you people out here that have supported us. and especially amanda.

let's bring in "gma" legal analyst, dan abrams, for more. and let's start with the amanda knox case, which we just ended the piece with. actually, it's not even over in 2012. >> everyone thinks it's over. >> the italian justice system allows her to be tried on slander charges, because she testified police hit her. >> and allows the prosecutor to try and appeal the ruling we've already seen. two big decisions to be made. number one, are they going to move forward on the slander charge? number two, are they going to appeal the acquittal. i think most people, even in europe, at this point, are ready for this case to end. and simply say enough is enough. >> we haven't heard her speak, of course. but she plans to write a book. >> that's going to be fascinating. 2012 for amanda knox is going to be a huge year. she's come back to this country as someone who was wronged by the italian justice system. and as a result, there's a lot of people who want to hear her story. >> on the other hand, 2012 for casey anthony, who was also just featured in that piece, is very,

very different. while amanda knox came home to a joyous homecoming, casey anthony has been reviled everywhere she goes. >> you would think in this day and age, there's no one that famous that can't capitalize on it. everyone says, come on. some way that casey anthony is going to be able to make money. the truth is, she's going to have a really hard time because no major entity is going to be the one to say, yeah. we paid casey anthony "x" amount of dollars for this or that. or we paid a production company that went to casey anthony. so, total difference between amanda knox, who i think is going to be one of the most sought after people as a result of the justice system. casey anthony, the least. >> there's reports that casey anthony was shopping around for free interviews with the networks. but no one would touch it. >> i think there's people that would interview casey anthony. i'm happy to do it. but the question becomes giving

her money. that's the thing that would drive people nuts. >> and one of the biggest cases we're likely to see in 2012, is that of the penn state football coach, jerry sandusky, facing 52 counts of child abuse. everyone wondering how he is going to defend himself when these accusers are willing to take the stand? >> so far, we've seen him suggesting it was just horseplay. we heard one of his lawyers suggest that maybe he was going to say he was taking a shower with boys because he needed to teach them hygiene. these are really tough defenses. >> right. >> and yet, jerry sandusky is considering, now, an interview with his wife. publicly. another one. >> another one. they haven't gone well so far. >> that's right. and every, single interview he does can be used against him in a trial. >> and drew peterson is likely to go on trial in 2012, for killing his third wife. the disappearance of his fourth wife, brought all this about. >> third wife declared an

accident. third wife goes missing. third wife's death is reopened. they determined it was a murder. put him on trial for the third wife. still a suspect in the fourth wife. there's going to be real questions as to whether a lot of crucial statements are going to come in and whether that trial can move forward. >> and the trial of john edwards coming. 2012 promises to be almost as interesting. >> another big year. >> dan, thanks so much. good to see you here. and happy holidays. >> thank you, elizabeth. coming up, josh's "play of the day." and some ended happily ever after. and some just ended. we'll look at the year in celebrity romance, coming up. get married? wo. no, i wouldn't use that single miles credit card. nice ring. knock it off. ignore him. with the capital one venture card you earn... double miles on every purchase. [ sharon ] 3d is so real larry. i'm right here larry. if you're not earning double miles... you're settling for half. really? a plaid tie? what, are we in prep school? [ male announcer ] get the venture card

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feels your pain. he's a sydney resident. >> do you believe that? >> no. that's a lawn mower. there's so many questions we need to answer here. who is trying to mow the lawn with a crocodile hanging out? is that a possibility? who is even attempting that? >> you know how they distracted him? >> kangaroo meat. >> kangaroo meat. >> and look at the one person who could get that lawn mower back. can we see it, please? >> our brave man. our gardner. ugh, my sinus congestion,

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oakland police are investigating reports that a man tried to lure a 9-year-old boy into his vehicle by offering him candy. the attempted kidnapping happened the day after christmas about two miles away from thorn hill and montclair elementary schools. oakland pd is offering a $2500 reward for information leading to the man's arrest. clearer start this morning sfo no flight delays there. hold fog newark 1 1/2 hour delays. temperatures now in the upper 30s to some 40s, 47

san francisco this afternoon we'll see 50s and 60s, 58 in san francisco here's a look at slow traffic in oakland northbound past the coliseum on 880 because of an earlier problem. the news continues now with "good morning america."

♪ you're hot and you're cold you're yes and you're no ♪ oh, yeah. a great audience out in times square this morning. >> yes, they are. they are -- >> enthusiastic. >> and it's a bit chilly. that girl right there, on the left of your screen, she has no socks on. yeah. if somebody out there could get her some socks. >> georgia and her sister, right there. a bride-to-be out there. the georgia girls, getting married. oh, getting married. speaking of. >> look at you, you professional. will and kate, huh? weren't they the love story of the year? our katie couric is going to look at celebrity romances that were hot in the calendar year 2011. and those that were cold, as cold as it's turning outside. good morning, america. good to see you. i'm elizabeth vargas, along with josh. george, robin and lara are off

for the holidays. >> indeed, they are. >> you are the only one, you and sam, the original crew. >> holding it down. >> holding it down. >> you do. >> you're -- whatever your name is. whatever your name is. also this morning, all of the latest holiday trends. show the world those new presents online. are these people sharing their joy? or just showing off? what do we think? it's a straw poll here at the desk. >> they look happy. but are they gloating? >> gloating. come on. >> is that a pop news item? >> not a pop news item. that's a separate item. >> thanks for bringing that up. another trend, now. stay-at-home dads. they used to be called mr. moms. they've become much more common. their numbers doubling. but their choice is still raising eyebrows. we'll meet these loving fathers, tackling one of the hardest jobs they've ever had. my husband's playing stay-at-home dad this week. >> i have to tell you, it was a

fun, fun time. >> so is mine. >> don't try to jump in. it's not going to work. you're only going to get hurt. >> how are you, dan? >> i'm doing great. you doing good? do you have some news for us? >> we can do dueling "gma." i like that. >> a little "gma"-off for you. dan harris with a look at the morning headlines. >> good morning, everybody. let's start with the rare and rather bizarre glimpse inside north korea this morning. tens of thousands of people sobbing in the snowy streets of the capital. many of them, dropping to their knees in a public display of grief. look at this. this, as the funeral procession, of their former leader, the dictator, kim jong-il, going through the streets. his son, kim jong-un, presiding. walking alongside the hearse. iran's vice president, threatening to close off the strait of hormuz. that's the waterway leading into the persian gulf, if the u.s. imposes new sanctions on iran for its nuclear program. that waterway is vital.

40% of the oil shipped worldwide travels right through it. the obama administration is downplaying it this morning. but saudi arabia is ready to step up production if needed. nonetheless the markets are already reacting. oil prices are at their highest level in nearly six weeks. and this is happening. gas prices are inches up again, they rose another 3 cents in the last week. and now average $3.26 a gallon across the country. a real scare for more than 100 people on a southwest airlines flight. two tires on the boeing 737's tires blew out. as this plane took off for seattle. the pilot quickly aborted the takeoff. emergency crews hosed down the plane as a precaution. the good news there is nobody got hurt. we are six days away from the iowa caucuses. and it's starting to get personal out on the campaign trail. newt gingrich saying he would not vote for ron paul if ron paul were the republican nominee. and gingrich said mitt romney he needs to, quote, man up and get admit that his supporters are

paying millions of dollars for those negative ads. romney denying he's coordinating those ads. and romney is criticizing gingrich for not having his act together, comparing him to lucille ball. there is the clip. for not being organized enough to collect enough signatures to get on the virginia ballot. despite his luke-warm poll numbers, president obama topping the list of the most-admired man in america. this is the second year in a row that he topped the annual gallup poll. secretary of state, hillary rodham clinton is the most admired woman. there's a boycott call for a comedian show of bill maher. all because of a tweet. after the buffalo bills beat denver last saturday, maher took aim at the denver quarterback, tim tebow. the part we can show you, the tweet said, somewhere in hell, satan is tebowing, saying to hitler, hey, buffalo's killing them. tebowing refers to ne to kneeli

in public rare. he does not respond to public taunts. now, here's diane sawyer with a preview of tonight's "world news." hi, diane. >> good morning to you, dan. superdrugs, ten-times more powerful than anything we can take for pain right now. they are on the way. but will they set off a whole, new wave of addiction? see the whole picture. that's tonight on "world news." until then, dan. >> thanks, diane. finally, you know you shouldn't text when you drive. you shouldn't film and drive, either. you're about to see a cameraman at a cricket match in australia learning this the hard way. crashing his segway. there it is, in front of 53,000 fans. mildly embarrassing. millions of people watching on tv. he was trying to get a shot of the players. but he failed to see a helmet on the ground. good news there, nobody hurt. >> look how generous the cricket players are. >> helping him up. hey, buddy. are you okay? >> maybe the segway wasn't the best idea. i'm still waiting for it to change the way we live as a people. >> it was overhyped. >> just a bit.

>> i think it debuted right here on "good morning america." >> it wasn't slightly overhyped. >> you two were struggling for that piece of news. we turn to bianna golodryga for the pop news. >> counting down to this moment. i know dan has. >> going to get through this. >> here we go. let's heat things up with a little "pop news heat index." times square is always the place to be. especially on new year's eve. get out your noisemakers, dan harris. we have big news. lady gaga will be the special guest to drop the ball and ring in 2012. talk about the ultimate little monsters ball. that's a great story, right? right outside of our window, right here. and speaking of times square, it is the place to be if you want to put 2011 to the past with a vengeance. right outside these windows today will be the fifth annual good riddance day. i didn't even know there was such a day. you can destroy your worst memory of 2011. i have a few in mind. you can do it outside in times square, starting at noon.

there will be a mobile shredding truck, a sledgehammer and dumpster to help you demolish anything that brings back those terrible memories. can't make it to manhattan? you can submit memories online to be shredded on your behalf. >> sledgehammer will be waiting for you, josh and elizabeth. >> if you need a sledgehammer, you had a bad year. >> this is my favorite story of the morning. >> a shredder will do. this is my favorite story of the morning. two jennifer hudsons are always better than one, right? especially when the two jennifers are singing the duet with each other. it's all part of the new weight watchers campaign, with the slim jen, singing "i believe in you and me," compared to the 2004 version, when she was an "american idol" contestant. what a difference seven years makes. look how gorgeous she is. she looks great in both. >> that's what i way going to say, she looked good before. she's so comfortable in her skin today now, that that's what makes her happy. >> she is amazing.

>> she is amazing. okay, dan. this is for you. a trending viral video that gives new meaning to downward dog. and has a lot of people laughing. check out sky dog. >> oh, my gosh. >> the thing about sky dog is he wants to keep his santa pants nice and clean. so, he takes the stairs on his two, front paws. >> is that an accident? >> is this for me because i wear santa pants? or because i'm acrobatic? >> there are so many reasons this is for you, dan. we don't have enough time to get to. >> elizabeth, as our resident yoga enthusiast and expert, could you -- >> can i do that? not a chance. >> candy bag, instead of pants in case you were worried that the pants were too heavy. it's time to get to the show's resident acrobat. that, of course, sam champion out, of course with the weather. sam. >> good morning. mom, mary ann. daughter, meg. meg is down on the feet. she's been doing this for a couple days, right? >> oh, yeah. all the time.

>> there are socks in the hotel room. >> there's five pairs. >> she's like, i'm not going to wear them. no, no, no. this is so much better than that. >> actually -- >> okay. put those on. and then, put these on. and see if that works. you know, i always wonder when the stockings were hanging by the fireplace. were they actually stockings? or now -- we'll test this whole thing out. so, while meg puts these on, let's get to the maps. we'll show you what's going on. good. here's what's happening. we have all of this lake-effect snow that's kind of picking up now. buffalo, you're getting some. and watertown, you're going to get lake-effect snow on this. here's where the totals are coming in. in some cases, six inches-plus. right around the syracuse area. on to the southwest, gorgeously warm temperatures. 71 in l.a. 67 in san diego. those numbers will warm up over the next couple of days, nicely.

>> i know. i know. our back's to the camera. but we're doing a photo op with meg. can we show them off? this looks really nice. stylish. christmas stockings. they do work, josh. >> they do. in the dead of winter. >> bianna? >> you can't wear flip-flops when it's 30 degrees outside. all right, sam. now, here's a look at what's ahead on "the gma morning menu." some walked down the aisle. some walked into divorce court. we revisit the year in celebrity romance. plus, shop and tell.

the newest online trend. christmas haul videos. why so many kids think it's cool to brag about their swag. now, you're cooking. the year's best cookbooks for every chef and every chef wannabe in your life. that's coming up. we knew it would take time, but we were determined to see it through. today, while our work continues, i want to update you on the progress: bp has set aside 20 billion dollars to fund economic and environmental recovery. we're paying for all spill- related clean-up costs. and we've established a 500 million dollar fund so independent scientists can study the gulf's wildlife and environment for ten years. thousands of environmental samples from across the gulf have been analyzed by independent labs under the direction of the us coast guard. i'm glad to report all beaches and waters are open for everyone to enjoy. and the economy is showing progress

with many areas on the gulf coast having their best tourism seasons in years. i was born here, i'm still here and so is bp. we're committed to the gulf for everyone who loves it, and everyone who calls it home. [ snoring ] [ clears throat ] hop to, gang. it's showtime. uh, do you know this guy? i'm not gonna cry, am i? only if you don't believe in the power of friendship. really? you guys are good. [ male announcer ] your favorite movies right when you want them. watch unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through your game console or other devices, all for only 8 bucks a month from netflix. that's so cute, it's stupid. [ male announcer ] it's easy to see what subaru owners care about. ♪ that's why we created the share the love event. get a great deal on a new subaru

and 250 dollars goes to your choice of five charities. ♪ with your help, we can reach 20 million dollars by the end of this, our fourth year. [ female announcer ] get 0 percent apr financing on select models for thirty-six months and we'll donate two-hundred and fifty dollars to your choice of five charities. now through january 3rd.

but there are foods that i had no idea had so much acid in them. my dentist said that the acid in fruit, or fruit juice or fruit teas softens the enamel so that then it can potentially erode. once that enamel is gone, it's gone. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel to help harden that enamel so that it's not brushed away. pronamel protects your teeth from the effects of acid erosion. i don't have to cut out the things that i love in my diet. i can have the best of both worlds with pronamel. well, it was a year of ups and downs in celebrity romance this year. breakups and makeups. but one thing you have to admit about the love lives of celebrities, this year, they did

keep us captivated. abc's katie couric looks back at the romances, of the rich and famous in 2011. >> reporter: on the gameboard of hollywood dating, there were plenty of moves in 2011. some checks. some mates. so, follow the kings and queens to see who got the rook. leonardo dedicaprio has chooked up with blake lively. she had hooked up with gosling, and then rinl henlds, who divorced scarlet joe hantsen. ryan reynolds reportedly dated sandra bullock, whose ex dated kat von dee. perhaps no other hollywood romance got more attention this year than reality star, kim kardashian, and her nba player husband, kris humphries.

mocked here on "snl." >> it's been really hard. all week, we've been crying. and crying. and posing, and crying. >> reporter: they went from i dos. to divorce in just 72 days. earning a reported $18 million for the wedding. that's $250,000 a day. not bad for a few days' work. other celebrities that got married this year and are actually still married. seth rogen exchanged vows with his long-time girlfriend, lauren miller. gene simmons married his partner of 28 years, explaymate, shannon tweet. joy behar and sherri shepherd got a view of met monie. some are hoping the third time is the charm. robin williams got married to wife number three. as did neil diamond, peter fonda, and paul mccartney, who married new yorker nancy

shevell, on john lennon's birthday. >> he never has to wonder, is she after my money because she's loaded. >> reporter: but not all was happy in hollywood romance. jennifer lopez and marc anthony were seen all year on "american idol," looking like the picture of a happy couple. ♪ >> reporter: but soon after "idol" wrapped came the joint statement, we decided to end our marriage. >> it was a realization on both our parts. you know, it is sad. >> ooh. >> reporter: the may/december marriage of ashton kutcher and demi moore went through the big chill. >> ashton kutcher was caught cheating with a woman from san diego. >> reporter: and their breakup was as public as their romance. when we look back at 2011, one marriage provided some elegant relief. as 2 billion people watched worldwide.

>> the royal wedding. >> reporter: the carriages. the classic cars. the over-the-top royal elegance. pomp and ceremony. but with all the extravagance, the day had a surprisingly intimate feel, as well. >> there were all these little moments that kept cropping up. the way harry was talking to will as kate walked down the aisle. and you could hear that harry was sort of saying to him, okay. here she comes. she looks great. >> none of us expected the prince to actually drive himself and his new wife home in his father's aston martin. that's what's significant about that drive. it's a little hint at how they intend to live the rest of their lives together. doing it their way. >> reporter: it was an uplifting, now chapter in the tragic story of princess diana. and a happy ending for a young prince we watched grow up.

right before our eyes. >> what a beautiful scene on that balcony. now, switching gears. during the holidays, there's a long tradition of making a wish list so family and friends know what you want. now, there's a new trend that's becoming a tradition. showing off the gifts that you received. and abc's bianna golodryga is here with that. >> reporter: turning into braggarts. >> is that a showoff thing? >> reporter: that's just me. what do i know. americans spent $469 billion buying presents for themselves and their loved ones this holiday season. that means some really hauled in the presents. if you don't believe me, watch the self-made videos, that are growing in popularity. videos where people show off their christmas haul. 'tis the season to be jolly. i mean, holly. >> josh. awesome. >> i got this hello kitty.

>> this is from chaps. >> this is so good. a christmas miracle. >> reporter: these aren't your average girls on youtube. they're called christmas haulers. they're here to tell you everything they got for christmas. and we mean everything. >> i got a new bra. >> reporter: with thousands of views, these christmas haulers are the latest internet sensation. >> i got these gray boots. >> reporter: and nearly every one comes with this disclaimer. >> i'm not trying to brag or anything. >> i'm not trying to brag whatsoever. >> you may think i'm bragging. i am not. >> haulers are all about telling people what they've gotten. and they really see it as sharing. for them, it's less bragging. it's more, i want to show you the cool stuff i got. >> reporter: that's exactly what veteran hauler mmirella bernal does for her viewers.

>> i show what i like. what i think others will like. >> reporter: her youtube channel is so popular, she earns nearly $100 a week in ad sales. not bad for just talking about some of your favorite things. >> you start watchinge someone. they start growing on you. and you want to know more about their life because you're interested. >> reporter: and for the brands, it's the best free advertising the company could ask for. >> the black. >> this juicy bag. >> reporter: just last year, jcpenney gave this hauler a $1,000 gift card for showing her back-to-school gains. and compare that to all of the tweeters about not getting an iphone this year. if your dad didn't know you were mad, now, he definitely does. at least some of the girls are capitalizing on it. they're getting discounts. >> i have a sharpie.

>> it's my sharpie. >> i don't mean to brag, but -- >> merry christmas. >> indeed. as we move along, now, to a trend we're actually seeing more and more of. through the years, it's now creating quite a seachange in the modern american family. the rise of stay-at-home dads. i got to talk to them about what they love about it and, well, what they don't. at work, dave lesser has what so many of us have. an exacting boss. at times, demanding. >> some milk? >> reporter: given to tantrums. and ever the perfectionist. >> no. >> reporter: she also favors afternoon naps and princess dresses. >> very pretty. >> reporter: are quirks of lesser's particular trade. once an amusing novelty. now, an unquestioned reality in modern american life. dave lesser is a stay-at-home

dad. >> i never have had the passion as an attorney. i do have the passion as a dad. >> reporter: lesser's choice is an increasingly common one. census surveys show the number of stay-at-home dads has doubled in the last decade to nearly 5 million and counting. the detergent commercial that featured mom, has dad doing the laundry. >> i'm a dad mom. while my wife works, i'm at home being awesome. >> i'm proud to consider myself a stay-at-home dad. my feelings of what i think about myself are completely tied to my daughter. >> reporter: the growing numbers don't always mean acceptance. >> nobody seems to judge me for the fact that i went back to work. but a lot of people seem to feel really comfortable judging dave. from family friends, co-workers, people who say, oh, that's a lucky gig. what do you have to do to get that kind of easy ride? and it's -- it's not. >> the perception is, you know, it's definitely still, that the man goes out and works.

and the wife, maybe she works. or maybe she stays at home. but it's more usually -- that's more the choice. it's still pretty unusual for the dad to stay at home. and i got and i still get a lot of the questions. so, what are you going to do next? i think this is sort of a very part-time thing. that it's sort of happened to me. >> reporter: so, like the teams of their youth, they band together, like this stay-at-home daddy play group, at new york's children museum of the arts. speaking to a mother who had her child in this class today. she said, if there's one thing she notices about stay-at-home dads, they tend to be far more engaged with their kids. >> i'm going to play tea time. i'm going to -- whatever games that she wants to play, she's into dolls and pushing the doll in the stroller, i'm happy to be part of that. you know. i'm walking the stuffed dolls right behind her.

>> reporter: when you roll up on the playground, do you feel judged in the moment when you're -- right when you arrive, let's say. and you're the dad with a bunch of moms? >> i feel judged pretty much the whole time. i don't know if that gets to my head. >> reporter: what does this support group do for you? >> it opened up all these opportunities that i never would have explored for myself. places to bring my daughter. to museums. to the zoo. to art classes like this. >> i think knowing you're not alone. for me, the bottom line, it helps you combat the judgment. i have a posse of other guys doing the same thing. so, i'm not an anomaly. >> reporter: all work and all play, for what some say is the hardest job in the world. she was so cute. she was sick that day. and, boy, dad was getting the runaround. >> i know. i did a piece on this for "20/20." and some dads said they felt embarrassed because nobody took

them seriously. >> yeah. that's changing. they had a sense. it certainly was changing. >> all right. time, now, to hear from all of you. it's one of our favorite segments here this morning. it's "your three words." the song is "snow globe," by matt worth. ♪ got to know that it is back home ♪ ♪ santa's always on the way it's christmas morning every day ♪ ♪ we could live in a snow globe ♪ ♪ where the window is wonderful ♪ ♪ and every time you're shaking you're making it snow ♪ ♪ la, la, la, la la, la, la, la ♪

this morning a new occupy oakland camp is up in west oakland about a dozen tents went up yesterday located in an empty lot near mandela parkway not far from the west oakland bart station. oakland hasn't had an occupy camp for more than a month after police raided end cam s at frank ogawa plaza and snow park. -- let's see how the morning commute is going. traffic lighter for the holiday week, a few accidents, you can see it is flowing well with four live shots at the bay bridge toll looking great across the san mateo bridge in both directions. san jose trouble-free live shot of 280 even westbound 80 looks good through berkeley

now. >> when we come back, frances

good morning i'm meteorologist frances dinglasan. beautiful clouds upper 30s to 40s 47 san francisco. filtered sunshine this afternoon with temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s. 58 in san francisco, 62 in san jose, pretty dry this weekend as well.

the news con" ♪ hooray for hollywood [ cheers and applause ] hooray for hollywood is right. -- with the movies. we're going to tell you about that in just a moment. first, we wish you a good morning again. george, robin, lara all off. sam and i bookended by elizabeth and bianna and dan. great to have you all here. coming up, whether you're a gourmet chef or you can't boil water, we rounded up some of the best cookbooks to make this the tastiest new year ever. and you're going to meet two daredevils, that want to attempt

the longest jumps on a motorcycle and a snowmobile. what are they thinking? >> that's not that crazy. >> i don't know some. finding it impossible to lose weight? could the reason be your height? if you're like 5'4", like half of the women in the country, and half of the women on "gma." 5'5", hello? >> you're the only people here that make me feel tall. >> josh is 7'5". >> i'll be scaling that building in a couple moments and swatting bi-planes from the sky. >> we have exercise tips for those that are a little vertically-challenged. can we get to this? we're waiting for it. the first official look at the official boaposter for the 81st

academy awards. you see it there. images of iconic movies. the movies that changed our lives. don, forrest, julie andrews, and the rest. take a listen. buzz is already building about the oscar contenders. >> we are at war. we are at war. >> reporter: they are the movies that make such a significant impact in our lives. celebrating the story in all of us. >> you want due respect. i have done that every, single day of my life. >> reporter: and with that, the academy is launching its newest campaign. >> we want people to celebrate their memories with us. and him, that might. >> reporter: they are the heroes, the icons. like rhett, embracing scarlet, in "gone with the wind." >> you should be kissed and often. and by someone who knows how. >> reporter: they are the smiles we get when julie andrews sings of those musical hills.

♪ the hills are alive with the sound of music ♪ >> reporter: and "the godfather" of all great lines. >> i'll make him an offer he can't refuse. >> they all have impact on an audience around the world. >> reporter: because the very best part of going to the movies is just like that one guy says. >> you never know what you're going to get. >> you can get your own oscar poster, at oscars.org. sam, what do you think? you're taking a look. >> giant. that's right off the movie poster, great. "gone with the wind." that's not "spartacus." it's -- >> "gladiator." this mostar would not be complete without that man right there. >> that's right. >> 84th academy awards. right here on abc. let's go back inside to elizabeth. >> thank you so much. whether you like to cook or just wish you could, we've gathered

the year's top cookbooks that are the best and perfect for you. the ones best suited for you. our food editor, sara moulton has picked out the best. and you'll want to put your apron on right now. let's start with the cook who is short on time. >> which is most of us. exactly. we have two books for you there. one is by jamie oliver. it's very interesting. it's 50 menus that he says will only take you 20 to 30 minutes. and he tried to address the big problems we all have. i don't have time. it's too expensive. and i don't know how to cook. >> he's also got a real big kick on healthy cooking. >> it's in there. it's a sub text. he doesn't talk about it. he gives you a grocery list for every menu. but the hardest part is timing. he tells you when to put the pot on. when to saute the onions. you don't have to think. from start to finish, he holds your hand.

>> what about beginners? those of us not so great in the kitchen? >> that's a good one. "food 52" is a website. and every week they have a contest, like give us your best bean recipe. this features all of the winners. i feel that home cooks are every bit as good as professional chefs. >> we're not talking about just throw on a can of tomato sauce. >> this again is healthy. and home cooks, because they 345ik a recipe over and over again, really know what they're doing. this is from home coombs, for home cooks. >> what about us more advanced in the kitchen? i'm not including myself. >> yes, you're good. i know you're good. i cooked with your dad. >> you have. >> that's right. this is "edgele pepin." he's been a regular on this show. he can bone a chicken in 20 seconds. but this is his top 700 favorite recipes. this is a book you need if

you're sent somewhere for a year and you have no access to other cookbooks. i would give this to newlyweds. from the beginning, to the accomplished cook. and there's a dvd. >> okay. what about sweets? desserts? >> we're not there quite yet. this is another how-to. this is a vegetarian cookbook. it's called "plenty." it's written by a carnivore, to tell you the truth. >> really? >> he's a british chef. i loved it. he takes it from roots to fruits. and it's just fun and exciting. for people who want to get more vegetables in their life, this is for you. >> now, get to the sweets. >> oh -- that's all the way down there. >> i'm sorry. >> you have a sweet tooth. do you want me to talk about sweets? >> i'm anxious to get there. but, no. let's finish up. >> this is for the more adventurous cook. we have two categories. this is "the mozza" cookbook.

she opened up a pizzeria and a regular restaurant. you can make the family recipes. pizza, pasta. it's a little bit of work. but it's worth it. >> is it advanced? it sounds like it. >> she holds your hand. she knows what she's doing. and we have this one, a modern moroccan food. amazing, new toys to play with. new exciting things to do. >> and finally, the sweets. >> i would not make ice cream. do you make ice cream? >> are you kidding? >> it's too scary. this is a basic recipe that uses cream cheese, and milk. this made me want to buy one of those things you put in your freezer and just make it. >> and finally, we have the cookbook for the caveman.

aren't we bringing up the caveman? this one's for josh. there's nothing more manly than hunting. by the way, did you recover from that cut at thanksgiving? >> yeah. but look. it's scarred. >> you know the carving thing? >> yeah. >> sharp knives and carving turkeys not a good idea. >> this is for foliage, hunting and fishing. a lot of hunters don't know what to do with what they get. this is for you. >> all right. >> some deer and things? >> i'm in trouble. >> sara, thank you so much. great selection for cooks. every different kind. >> many more on the website. >> exactly. many more selections there. be sure to go to the website for more information. here, now, is sam champion with a look at today's weather. >> hello, elizabeth, and sara. sara, thanks so much for giving josh that hunting and gathering book he can use in connecticut this weekend. good morning, everybody. >> good morning. >> one thing, i mean, i got to ask. you started a rumor here.

everyone is saying i did something in st. croix i can't forget. you had nothing to do with that, right? >> not that we know of. >> tell me your name. >> ashley and greg. >> you got married in st. croix. >> yes. >> and then, you just stayed there. >> yes. >> welcome back stateside. that has nothing to do with what i did. that's their sign. allentown, pennsylvania. and anna maria island, outside of st. petersburg. absolutely gorgeous vowpoint. you know how i feel about florida. in comes the wind again today. it may calm down. but it kicks up later today. the gusts will be at 55 miles per hour. and the temperatures drop throughout the day. if you're comfortable in new england, you won't be by tonight. in comes that co

>> we didn't get you guys in yet. all that weather was brought to you by ashley furniture. elizabeth? >> thank you, sam. jumping into the new year. wait until youou

well, so many ways to celebrate the new year. and i know two daredevils who decided to ring in 2012 in a very extreme, high-flying, well, let's face it, arguably questionable way. will they be celebrating with champagne? or perhaps, painkillers? when some people think of new year's eve, they think of the ball dropping in times square. champagne. or that kiss. others think about jumping 400 feet in the air, on a motorcycle, or a snowmobile. that's levi lavallee, on the snowmobile. and robbie maddison, mado, on the motorcycle. soaring through the air. >> my name is evel knievel.

>> reporter: jumping over entire football fields. canyons. on and off the l'arc de triomphe replica in las vegas. claiming history and breaking records as they go. this isn't for the feint of heart. look at lavallee's world attempt last year. >> cracked pelvis. broken ribs. and collapsed both of my lungs. >> reporter: somehow, he not only recovered. but today, he's thriving. and now, the death-defying duo is back. looking for another world record, at the same time. side-by-side this new year's eve. >> it's going to be such a cool thing to see a dirt bike and a snowmobile flying through the air, breaking records. it's never been done. and they join us now. robbie maddison, levi lavallee. levi, again, training there to

do this jump a year ago. you took a bit of a nasty spill. now, you're back to do it again. i suppose it's just in the blood? it's just something you have to do? >> yeah. i mean, that's part of it, for sure. once you start on it, it was kind of a goal to finish this project. unfortunately, i wasn't able to last year. this year around, we definitely went through everything. made sure we have the best of everything. we have a new engine from polaris. it's fuel-injected. hopefully that fixes everything from last year. even the body armor i'm using is kevlar, like a full bullet-proof vest. >> how are you feeling now? >> i'm feeling awesome. it's a blessing in disguise. i yard saled. and it took me out of the entire season. which is a good thing because it allowed everything to heal up. i'm feeling better than i have in the last few years. >> robbie, i know you're the veteran here. you've done a few of these new years eves past.

how do you find out this is something you can do? >> you have to believe in yourself, for sure. when we're sitting there, ready to go, and the nation's watching. and you have to take the ultimate risk, for sure, there's a level of confidence you have to take into it. when i came up with the ideas to do these jumps, you have to have that deep feeling like, i know i can do this. not i think i can do this. >> or i hope i can do this. that's true. how do you train for something like this? >> we've been training in the leadup to this jump. we replicated what we're going to do on new year's, so we can kind of somewhat test. it didn't all go exactly aid cording to plan pe we haven't done what we want to do on that night. but we have enough to know what we need to. we're not just shooting in the dark. we know what we have to do. for me, it's just everything i have. 100%. 110 miles per hour is the goal for me. and levi is going to be shooting at 110 miles per hour, side-by-side.

>> what was the largest gap? 361? >> 361 was my last jump until this year. and we started over. we started shorter and we've been building up. hopefully we can achieve a longer distance that that in san diego. >> when you do it in san diego, and you're going to do it, are you going to be back next year to improve upon it? >> that's the plan. >> robbie maddison, levi lavallee. i'm glad i'm talking to you prior to this jump. come back after the jump. you can see these two do this jump. they're going for the world record, this saturday

it is a new year and a new you. but diets alone are not a one-size-fits-all proposition. if you're a woman under 5'4"

tall, fitness expert jim karas says what you do to drop the pounds should be different than what taller people do to drop the pounds. i'm right on the cusp. i'm right there. half of the women in the country are 5'4" or under. why do we have to do something different? >> first of all, look at the math of weight loss. if you're a woman who is 45 years old and you're 160 pounds and 5'9", you have a certain amount of caloric needs on a daily basis. if you're 5'3", you're 40 inches shorter. after a year, by eating 40 calories you shouldn't be eating, you will be up 4.2 pounds of fat. >> this right here? >> a day. over a year. after one decade, you'll be 42 pounds heavier. after 3 decades, 126 pounds heavier. and you're wondering, as a shorter woman, why aren't i losing weight like my taller

friends or my husband? >> you say that carbs are a short woman's best friend. >> first of all, you want to talk about which carbs. i like whole-grain, whole-wheat carbohydrates in limited portions. love fruit. fruit is packed with fiber. it really makes you feel full. it gives you that lean, hourglass figure that petite women really want. because you're smaller, you want to keep everything tighter and lighter. that's why i love the fruit. >> you also have a warning about olive oil, which all the doctors say is so good for our heart. >> a little goes a long way. olive oil is 120 calories a tablespoon. this is 60 calories, half of that. you look at the numbers of weight loss, you have to be careful how a petite should use these foods. be very careful. >> much less than a taller woman? >> much less. finally, we talk about breakfast. breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day. >> breakfast, lunch and dinner? >> exactly.

100% long. if you go to the bigger breakfast, it front-loads your day. it makes you feel full. you will not eat later in the night. >> i would have thought this was in the middle. >> exactly right. women do it the wrong way. let's do it the right way. eat that bigger breakfast. it makes a difference. >> and finally, daniel. >> hello, daniel. come a little closer, danielle. my program for petite women. you want to strengthen your muscles to lengthen. when you strengthen, you boost your metabolism. when you lengthen them -- >> we want to focus on making a longer, leaner -- >> throughout the entire body. do a squat for me. the more you work your gluts, the more you boost your metabolism. it's not that hard. love the go-fit gravity straps. do it again. that's terrific. sorry, you have to get your job done. that's why diane sawyer calls me the commander.

you can see right there where it comes from. >> okay. >> thank you. sure. >> thank you, danielle, so much. you can find more tips from jim, including the three -- what? the three foods petite woman should eat less of, on goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! we'll be right back.

all right. crisis averted. she got the socks and the stockings. we look ahead to new year's eve here at times square. thanks for watching. ngngngngngng

first up, a look at the weather forecast. nice start this morning still on the cool side with some temperatures in the 30s. 37 novato, 38 redwood city, 47 san francisco, 42 san jose. we have a beautiful day head with temperatures into the upper 50s and low 60s, 58 san francisco and 60 fremont, 62 in san jose. traffic is holiday light this week. we'll show you four live camera shots. no delays at the bay bridge toll. a pretty good ride across the san mateo bridge. there were earlier accidents on both ends, 92 and 880, but they've been cleared looking good through