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honors. >> well, aaron, we're gonna fly you and your family to paula's hometown, savannah, georgia, to get a behind-the-scenes tour of how her business works, so... [cheering and applause] >> thank you. >> you are so welcome. oprah: that is so fantastic. that's so fantastic. "cooking with paula deen" is on newsstands now. thank you, paula deen. thank you, paula. thank you. paula was in the middle of a shoot in nashville and got on a plane and flew here just to be here and then is gonna--soon as she lets go of aaron's hand, she's flying right back. >> and as soon as i take off these high heels. oprah: get off those high--you haven't walked very far. look at how new they are... >> i know! they're brand-new! oprah: they're brand-new. >> and listen to this, oprah. they're not mine. [laughter and applause] oprah: oh, gosh. you always delight us, paula. thank you, angela and aaron and jeff and

bryce. thank you so much. as always, thank you, nate. that was a beautiful story. beautiful story, nate. bye, everybody. >> bye, y'all! [captioning made possible by king world] [captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--] [ fele announcer ] this is a strawberry pop tart. but this is warm, fresh-baked strawberry toaster strudel [ music ] see the difference? pillsbury toaster strudel, the one kids want to eat. swimming is♪ y favorite thing. and only two things can get me out of the water. prunedoes... ♪ and totino's. ♪ we're the kids in america lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need. lunesta has some risk of dependency.

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singer wyclef jean says he will run for president of haiti. the hip-hop star tells "time" magazine last january's devastating earthquake sealed his calling. and that he likens himself to a modern-day moses. wyclef is expected to officially announce his candidacy sometime this week. >> he said had it not been the earthquake, this was still in the plans, just ten years from now. now, to the latest fight in the immigration debate. the 14th amendment gives automatic citizenship to anyone born in this country.

>> the only way to change that is an amendment to the constitution. and that is exactly what some powerful republicans are trying do. jonathan karl has that story. >> reporter: for more than 150 years, it's been the law of the land. if you are born here, you are a citizen. as the 14th amendment defined it, all persons born are naturalized in the united states and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens. but as the anti-immigration movement gets louder and republicans try to get tougher on illegal immigration, some prominent conservatives want the law, even the constitution, changed, to say no automatic citizenship for babies born here unless at least one parent is a citizen. >> i don't think the founders understood when they did the 14th amendment that they would create a circumstance where people could fly into america all over the world, have a child, and that child would have dual citizenship, fly back to their home countries. it has been clearly abused. >> reporter: on cable tv, the issue touched off heated debate.

>> people come here to have babies. they come here to drop a child. it's called drop and leave. to have a child, in america, they cross the border. they go to the emergency room. have a child. and that child is automatically an american citizen. that shouldn't be the case. >> you're either for the constitution that you swore to uphold or not. >> reporter: former republican arlen specter, the son of immigrants, says his old party is pandering to anti-immigration extremists. >> it's fundamental in this country if you're born here, that you are a citizen. my parents were immigrants. how far back are you going to turn the clock to win a few votes? >> reporter: more than 90 republicans in the house have signed on to a bill that would deny citizenship to babies born here unless at least one of the parents was a legal citizen. but to change that law, you would almost certainly need to change the constitution. jonathan karl, abc news, capitol hill. and coming up next, the discount airline that has no intentions at all of being the

best. >> cutting costs while many addressing so many complaints. a look inside spirit airlines, next.

welcome back, everybody. welcome back, everybody. spirit airlines has made its name for extremely low fares and its extremely high fees. >> the latest move to make money, spirit wants to charge you for talking to a person. jeffrey kofman got a rare look at what makes spirit fly. >> reporter: fasten your seat belt. adjust your seatback to the upright position. ♪ and make sure you've got some spare change. >> attention in the terminal. spirit airlines is boarding flight 180 to new york, laguardia. >> reporter: welcome aboard spirit. the airline that calls itself the ultra low-cost carrier of the americas. taking cheap to new heights. and new lows. like this not-so-subtle commercial. >> dude, there's no way your mom is cheating on your dad. >> that wasn't jay, was it? >> yeah. that was your son. >> you think that's low?

spirit airlines' fares are even lower. now, you can fly spirit for as low as $1 each way. >> reporter: how do they do it? they squeeze every penny out of every airplane. >> this is an airbus ac-19. we operate with 145 seats, which is the most the faa will let us us put on the airplane. >> reporter: when other airlines operate, how much seats do they put in? >> 126. >> reporter: how much leg room is sacrificed? >> couple inches per seat in general. >> reporter: that is ben baldanza. he believes that passengers will sacrifice a lot to save a lot. he took over the struggling airline, called spirit. and gave it, well, a new spirit. >> the way we like to think of it is that the biggest difference between us and other airlines is they give you a free coke. but they charge you $150 more. if i want to sell you a can of coke for $150, that's what you pay on airlines. >> reporter: it's not that they charge $2 for a coke. they also charge $12 to reserve

a seat. and they're the folks that introduced the idea of charging to check a bag. $19 for the first. $25 for the second. $100 for the third, each way. and as of this week, spirit is even charging for carry-ons in the overhead bins. $30 if you check in online. $45 at the gate. that no-frills approach is how spirit undercuts its competitors. often by $100 or more on the same route. but at a high price. in 2008, the u.s. department of transportation said it received more complaints about spirit airlines than any other airline by a factor of seven. spirit airlines, your greed will cost you. spirit airlines, i've renamed them evil spirit airlines. spirit airlines' service is designed to scam the customer. disgusting florida check-in staff at spirit airlines. you can't be proud of that stuff. >> i'm not proud of that at all. but our staff is not disgusting in florida. and the reality is it's a very small percentage of who we fly.

>> reporter: a big chunk of the complaints come from the hidden fees. online booking automatically charges you $12 for travel cancellation insurance unless you uncheck the box. miss your flight? whatever the reason, the change fee is $110. spirit doesn't just rebook you like a traditional airline. >> every cost is important. >> reporter: that is clear in spirit's operations center. >> what you're looking at here is where our airplanes are right now. >> reporter: where controllers track the movements of spirit's 28 aircraft. all airbus, as they fly to 40 destinations. they fly to the caribbean and latin america. planes spend an average of 14 hours a day in the air. the time between flights is about -- what? 30 minutes? >> 30 to 40 minutes. that's right. >> reporter: you can clean the planes? >> we can clean the planes. service them. get everybody off. get everybody on. get et plane moving again. plane makes no money on the

ground. >> go down that way. make a right. >> reporter: spirit has its critics. but make no mistake. the airlines' ultralow-cost obsession has earned it a loyal and growing following. spirit carried more than 7 million passengers last year, an increase of 50% in just three years. i'm jeffrey kofman in ft. lauderdale. >> they take that cost-cutting seriously. get this. no receptionists. they take out the lightbulbs. they don't want to waste electricity. the employees take out their own trash. i mean, it's -- no furniture in the lobby. they're bare bones. >> well, it wasn't that long ago we talked about continental airlines. and they're thinking about not having the boarding agents, the people who scan your ticket. >> you scan your own, right? >> right. spirit was the first to give us the fees for luggage. now, everyone's doing it. so, this could be the -- you know? changing of the guard. >> just take the bus, folks. we'l

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and finally this half hour, the hollywood treatment inside the courtroom. just this week, we've seen two famous actors walk away from jail, after committing pretty serious crimes. >> so, now, to the question we've been asking for decades. does fame and fortune get you of the law? kid glove treatment at the hands of the law? don guevara reports from los angeles. good morning, don. >> reporter: rob and vinita, when it comes to celebrity justice, so many feel that the stars get all the breaks.

charlie sheen has reason to celebrate after monday's court hearing in aspen, colorado. >> what do you think? >> reporter: sheen got a deal. he pled guilty to assaulting his wife, a misdemeanor. so, prosecutors dropped more serious felony charges. sheen won't go to jail. instead, he's been ordered to spend 30 days at a luxurious malibu rehab center. >> and i will tell you that the people here generally drive a very hard bargain. so, there is nothing easy about the sentence. >> reporter: an easy sentence is exactly what famed attorney gloria allred feels one of tv's best-paid actors got. >> that there are two levels of justice. one for the rich and famous. and a different one for everyone else. >> reporter: that seemed to be the case for cameron douglas, the son of michael douglas. earlier this year, cameron was sentenced to five years for drug charges. experts say, half the time anyone else would have received. but celebrity seem to backfire for paris hilton. a judge ordered her back behind bars after she was released early from a 45-day sentence in

2007. >> there she goes. >> reporter: some argue the courts are being harder on lindsay lohan because of her fame. monday morning, she left jail, after serving a fraction of her 90-day sentence. she's now in rehab. >> if you're a female, you're out in four to six hours. and only because she's lindsay lohan did she do 14 days. >> reporter: lindsay lohan can't leave rehab before 90 days. but sheen may not have to spend anymore time at his facility because of time already served there. in los angeles, don guevara, abc news. rob and vinita, back to you. >> don talking about charlie sheen so much there. you have to say, you knew he was getting a shorter sentence. if you saw him, his day in court, it was almost a red carpet appearance. there he was, chewing gum. blowing kisses to fans before he walks inside. and he had some serious charges against him. walked out a free man a short time later.

sentenced to 30 days probati

decision day. today's ruling on california's gay marriage ban. how both sides of the legal battle are planning for the next step. then, family tragedy. six teens drown. >> i could see my two sons say, help me, please. >> the victims. and what can be done to stop a fatal trend. and shocking shooting. nine killed in a connecticut workplace. what led up to the rampage? it's wednesday, august 4th. from abc news, this is "world news now." it really is a disturbing shooting. and this workplace rampage, i think a lot of times, we wonder why do they open fire on so many colleagues? in this particular case, we know there was a phone call placed to

the mom before. and there was a specific reason why he opened fire. he felt a lot of injustice in the workplace. >> and it's scary. it happens -- it's not uncommon anymore. that's the scary part. it's a growing trend in the country. it's the latest horrible example. good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm vinita nair. a federal judge in san francisco is expected to make history today, to rule on t legality of the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. >> most believe he will overturn the ban. and activists on both sides are organizing rallies. rob stone is in san francisco. good morning. >> reporter: rob and vinita, good morning. this is the day same-sex couples in california have been waiting for. ♪ what the world needs now >> reporter: the trial started back in january. and then took several months off. the judge, bringing everybody back for closing arguments, had

very pointed questions for the attorneys. the attorneys fighting against the ban could not be more different politically. ted olson and david boies were on opposite sides in 2000 on bush v. gore. ted olson, on bush's side. david boies on gore's side. but here, they have come together to fight against the ban. the judge is expected to rule later today, announcing the future of same-sex marriage here in california. both sides have said, if they lose, they will immediately appeal. rob? vinita? computer hackers have launched a sophisticated, new attack on power plants and factories. their weapon is a malicious computer code that can seize the inner workings of power plants and industrial plants. investigators are calling it the struxnet worm. u.s. power plants are particularly vulnerable because a successful attack could shut down an enticomm six teenagers drowned in shreveport, louisiana, while trying to save another teen who had slipped into deep water. none of those teens, though, and

no adults nearby could swim. as ron claiborne reports, that is true of so many african-americans. >> reporter: in the sweltering heat, a group of adults and teenagers went down to the red river to barbecue and cool off. suddenly, a 15-year-old boy wading close to shore, apparently slipped under the surface, where the river dropped off to 28 feet deep. six teens raced into the river to try to rescue him. the boy was pushed to safety. but the others all drowned, including maude warner's three children. >> i didn't see my daughter. but i could see my two sons saying, help me, please. >> reporter: warner and the other parents wanted desperately to help. but none of them knew how to swim, eithe >> you can imagine watching your child drown and not being able to do anything. >> reporter: this tragedy exposes a grim statistic. the drowning rate for african-american children is more than three-times that of white children. a recent usa swimming report found that minority children are much less proficient at swimming

than whit african-american adults and children cited several reasons. the cost of swimming lessons. a fear of water. almost a tradition among blacks that grew up with little acces venelf at up with little acces swimming is something white people do. a legacy of segregation. cullen jones, the first black olympic gold medalist in swimming, nearly drowned when he was 5 years old. this summer, he's trave ty n.summer, he's trave >> even if you're not be compe you know, that's ather ju >> reporter: at 56, wanda b is lea me. she runs a program offering low-cost sw les children in toledo, ohio. the josh protect. she named it for her son, who drowned in 2006. >> i know now how important it is that the children learn how to swim. i know now that swimming is a life skill. i know now that drowning is preventable. >> reporter: ron claiborne, abc news, new york. now, to a pretty unbelievable story in atlanta.

a woman used her head and her feet to call for help after she was robbed. a masked and armed intruder invaded the woman's home, robbed her, and tied her to the bed. fortunately, her laptop was on the bed, too. after a while she figured out a way to send a message to her boyfriend who called 911. >> with my left foot, i got the power cord between my toes. started typing. and realized that was a good size for typing on the keys. >> wow. the victim, who obviously wanted to shield her identity, said the robber wanted to take her computer. but she told him it could be traced. and he left it behind. >> may all of us be that smart in that kind of pressure situation. wow. this morning's "new york times" reports the government will announce today that about 75% of the oil spilled into the gulf of mexico has evaporated, dispersed or otherwise been eliminated. >> and the operation to permanently seal off the blownout well could be finished as early as today. t.j. winick has the latest.

good morning, t.j. >> reporter: good morning, rob according to a leader of th operation to plug the blown out well, the process is going well. along the gulf, there is real hope it is the beginning of the end. bp has begun the static kill that is expected to choke the well once and for all. >> this is a really positive step forwad it's going to be good news at a time when thent b cf1 goo but i don't think it should be . >> reporter: kille complete wednesday, ma- >> the chances of this working are pretty much up around 95%, 99%. >> reporter: thestill requires heavy mud and lots of it, to push the oil bck it would fill a two-mile well hole and kill the well. a cement injection is then necessarto ptly that injection is through a relief well, which could be completed as early as next wednesda >> we need to go into the botto to make sure we fill the annulus, the casing and any drill pipe there, with cement. this won't be sealed until the relief wells are done.

>> reporter: new government numbers estimate that 5 millio gallons of oil spewed from t well before it was capped two that's 53,000 barrels a day. rob and vinita? interesting story here. an ohio woman was in dire need of help last week when she called 911 five times. the police liste but didn't rush to help her. >> hi. this is norwood 911. do you have an emergency? >> i'm having a hard time getting ahold of, you know, a date line. everyone wants to -- with me around. >> basically, the woman trying to find a date. police say she was drunk and eventually did get a date. not the one she had in mind. in september, she has a date, now, with a judge, to face disorderly conduct charges. police arrested her for misusing the 911 system. >> she thought she was calling like an automated match.com. >> good luck. time for your weather now. severe storms with gusty winds, hail and flash flooding from iowa to ohio. scattered showers across parts of new england, new york, pennsylvania and the

appalachians. more downpours in the midwest. >> record heat from the midwest to the south. 104 in dallas. 96 in atlanta. 94 in indianapolis. around 90 for much of the northeast. 94 in salt lake city. 92 in albuquerque. and 109 in phoenix. well, a long-legged beauty is strutting her stuff in the city of brotherly love. >> we're talking about this six-footer, two-week-old baby giraffe at the philadelphia zoo. she's the first baby born to the zoo's giraffe couple. she is the first giraffe born there in 13 years. mom is keeping a close eye. but dad has been separated, for now, so he can't accidentally harm the newborn. >> fans are now getting a chance to name the baby. they can cast their vote at the zoo's website. i've never seen a baby giraffe. they look exactly the same. don't they? shrunk. we'll be back with more. [ female announcer ] switch to swiffer sweeper, but don't worry, he'll find someone else.

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an employee at a beer distributorship in connecticut, shot and killed eight co-workers before turning the gun on himself tuesday. >> now, the town of manchester is in grief. and many are asking why this happened. here is american landscape coverage from wtnh in new haven. >> hi, everybody. thanks for joining us today. i'm sonia baghdady. >> and i'm darren kramer. an emotional day for the state today. police say omar thornton opened fire at hartford distributors where he worked around 7:30 this morning. he killed eight people. then, turned the gun on himself. two others were wounded. >> our team coverage begins with news 8 jamie muro, live in manchester, with what took place today. jamie? >> reporter: sonia, good evening. still a small police presence here on chapel road. hartford distributors, the

entrance blocked off by the police department. here's what we know so far in evening. 34-year-old omar thornton, as you mentioned, did come to work this morning for a disciplinary hearing. shortly thereafter, opened fire, killing eight. and then, turned the gun on himself. this is still an ongoing, active police investigation. but, of course, the big question, perhaps one that we may never get the answer to is, why did thornton turn to violence at the workplace? the scene is intense, intimidating, chaotic. a flurry of manchester and state police are seen racing to the hartford are seen racing to the hartford distributor, a beer and wine wholesaler, after a 911 call, concerning an active shooter on the property. >> the call was very, very brief it said somebody's been shot. and there's a victim down. >> reporter: unfortunately as the story would unfold, the word victim would become plural. >> it couldn't happen at a worse time of day. you have the third shift coming off, the first shift coming on.

the office staff there. the sales staff there. and it just couldn't have happened at a worst time. all the drivers are picking their loads. >> reporter: not long after the call, it was learned the shooter was an employee, a driver, 34-year-old omar thornton, who showed up to work facing a disciplinary hearing with company management and teamster union officials. police say he was given the option to quit or be fired. shortly thereafter, he pulled out a began and start shooting. >> he was alive when police responded. police units started to clear the building, evacuate the victims. it appears he was funneled into an office area and took his own life. >> reporter: nine are dead, including thornton. employees of the distributor were taken to manchester high school to meet with family and friends. three victims were taken to hartford hospital. one died, one was in critical condition after surgery and a third was treated and released. >> in general, this was a very stressful day for us.

these incidents are psychologically difficult. but as far as the medical care goes, our team here is used to taking care of patients such as this. >> reporter: the focus shifts to thornton. the associated press says he was caught on tape stealing beer and complained of racial harassment. but the union says the complaint was never filed. one union official describes him as, quote, a disgruntled employee who shot a bunch of people. now, again, nine total victims. nine, including thorn. two names officially have beenas one is bryan cirigliano. 61, president of teamsters 105, he was thornton's rep at the disciplinary hearing. a second victim's name has been released also. 59-year-old victor james. we're live in manchester tonight. i'm jamie muro, news 8. >> the union that represented the victims and omar thornton has released a statement about the tragedy and about the claims al hsent the connecticut teamsters say, quote, ringh thornton was repreby local 1035, he reported no

concerns about racial discrimination to the union. we take the representation of all of ou meb they went on to say, we have lost friends and family as a they went on to say, we have lost friends and family as a kher help each other through >> the owners of the beer distribution company says, quote, everyone at hartford distributors is devastated by this morning's tragic and senseless act. our focus right now is on the families. one of the survivors of today's attack was steve hollander. he was shot twice but survived. tonight, he tells the associated press that omar thornton was as cold as ice as he began firing his gun. hollander says that thornton chose to quit his job, rather than be fired. and pulled out a gun and started shooting. news 8 talked with steve hollander on the phone tonight. he did not want to go on camera. >> here is what we know now about this deadly shooting. gunfire broke out at hartford distributors in manchester, after 7:30 this morning. manchester police say nine

people are dead, including the gunman. the gunman has been identified as omar thornton of emfield. two people were treated at hartford hosp >> very sad story. the latest we're hearing now is some of the victims involved in all this, were people at this plant for something like 30 years. they were on th

♪ skinny, so skinny and welcome back, everybody. we need to send some get well wishes to the queen of soul, aretha franklin, this morning. apparently, she fell and broke some ribs. suffering some serious abdominal pain. we don't have details on how she fell or why. she did have two concerts scheduled here in new york city and brooklyn, coming up in the next few days. she has to cancel them or postpone them until later in the month.

she was set to perform at august 11th at a birthday party for guess who? u.s. rep charlie rangel. >> oh. >> that may get postponed for other reasons. yeah. hope aretha gets better soon. this little update on the queen of soul there. feel better. >> i saw here when i was at the u.s. open. and she was there. i love her. a quote from her after this happened, i was looking forward to being in brooklyn and having a foot-long hot dog at coney island. that's where she was performing. >> that does not surprise me. >> i appreciate that aretha was aware of what she was going to miss with the cancelling of these concerts. gisele bundchen is in the headlines. we have a lot of nursing moms. we know you are up with us late at night. you may have already heard about this drama. she was in "harper's bazaar, u.k." she said something pretty strong about breastfeeding. and she said, there should be a worldwide law that mothers

should breast-feed their babies for six months. within moments, basically, moms everywhere, jumped into the conversation. some supported her. others said they were outraged about the comment. some women can't breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed. she later went on to say, my intention was not to ruffle feathers. it was basically to bring to light the importance of breastfeeding. she says she shouldn't have says anything about law. it comes from her passions. and she says it's unfortunate, that in an interview, everything seems so black and white. i didn't intend to upset mothers out there who may have chosen not to breastfeed. >> she backed it up. she backtracked. did she say what the downside of formula is? >> a lot of women tend to think if you are breastfeeding, a lot of the natural antibiotics and things a baby would need, are coming from the mother. a lot of women don't have that option. to make it law is pretty -- >> all right. she backed up quick on that. all right.

also, i know this is your favorite story of the day here, vinita. an update on the ever-changing levi and bristol palin situation. apparently, they've broken up. they're done. they're finito. it's all done. they're not going to get mari sall apparently, what happened here, there was something he admitted he had maybe been with someone else and maybe got another girl pregnant. this is looking unlikely that he did. all this comes othe she finds out there could be another pregnant girl out there. there's been no remorse on his end. she's called i id,fameis ed i really? you think? i guess the "playgirl" shoot noped her off o >> like watching a teenage drama unfold in national headlines. >> it's bad. >> i have to wonder if sarah palin refudiated the story. if she came out on that yet. quickly, i have to get to this. you know how luke wilson is the pitchman for at&t.

he's been in movies for something like 15 years now. but he says that the number one thing that people stop him on the sreetix m he said, i can always give people the card for someone they can reach out to. but he says, it's hilarious that this is what my claim to fame is tese so. tese so. >> no kiddig. lunesta has some risk of dependency. 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. stop fighting with your sleep. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a co-pay as low as zero dollars

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and here are some stories to watch today on abc news. local authorities in western russia are told to divert all available resources and manpower to fight raging forest fires there. the fires have killed dozens of people, as firefighters battle flames and 100-degree temperatures. also, a senate panel today looks into bp's use of chemical dispersants to break up all the oil in the gulf. senators want to know more about the hazards of those chemicals. and federal regulators today announce a settlement with computer chipmaker intel. the company is accused of anti-competitive practices. finally, this half hour. a presidential birthday wish. today is barack obama's 49th birthday. >> the commander in chief himself will admit old age has started to catch up with him a little bit.

but that won't stop him and some of his supporters from celebrating. sunlen miller has more. ♪ happy birthday mr. president >> reporter: today, president obama turns 49. and the serenading has already started. the president is not fully celebrating. he admits his metabolism is slowing down as he ages. >> i want everybody to know, when i was 20, i could order a 12-inch. i'm turning 49 next week, which means i need just a half. >> reporter: he also admits, he's showing his age. >> it is true. i will be 49 this week. i have a lot more gray hair than i did last year. >> i can't imagine that the weight of the job doesn't take a toll physically and mentally on anybody that does it. i know he greatly enjoys it. and it will just require him to get frequent haircuts. >> reporter: tonight, president

obama will celebrate by having dinner with old friends back in chicago. ditching this house for one night in his own bed. while he's away, the president's fund-raising organization is throwing parties of their own. a lot of them. thousands of volunteers will turn out to talk to voters about the upcoming elections. >> staff are holding more than 600 events all around the country. everything from phone banks to rallies to birthday parties. specifically to celebrate the president's birthday. ♪ oh say >> reporter: first lady, michelle obama is involved, asking people to sign a birthday card for her husband. he'll just have to feel the love from more than 1 million people who signed his birthday card. sunlen miller, abc news, at the white house. >> the president will actually be a bachelor on his birthday because michelle and one of the daughters is away in spain. and the other daughter is at camp. so, he'll be celebrating solo tonight. that's the news for this

hunt for hackers. why power plants and industries could be at big risk, as agents investigate a major cyber threat. then, shocking rampage. what may have driven a gunman to go to his workplace and open fire. and dangerous dozen. warnings about 12 kinds of vitamin supplements. >> liver damage. liver failure. kidney damage. heart attacks. >> it's wednesday, august 4th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." that story's so crazy. people think staying healthy. they're popping the vitamins, getting what they need. and it turns out, they may not be good for you. kind of frightening. >> these are 12 common dietary supplements.

it's story you want to stick around for this morning. good morning, everyone. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm vinita nair. federal agents are investigating what may be a security threat to power plants and industries. >> the threat comes from computer hackers. and agents say their methods are advanced and urnl. here's abc's michael barr. >> reporter: it's not just a nationwide threat it's a worldwide threat to power plants. federal investigators discovered hackers are trying to break into computer systems and trying to gain control. the department of homeland security discovered for the first time, a malicious computer code that was created to seize inner workings of not only power plants, but industrial plants. they call it the struxnet worm. >> most of the activity that we've seen over the past several months has involved intrusions into enterprise or corporate networks. that's the front office area of a control plant or power plant. >> reporter: investigators discovered the computer code is capable of opening and closing doors and gates to allow access

for potential intruders. >> very targeted. very sophisticated. that's why it's unique. it's the first piece of malicious code of this complexity that we've identified. >> reporter: the struxnet worm is considered serious, because it can be unleashed on a wide variety of industries. >> it can be used to purify water, generate power, build equipment and vehicles. it has a wide variety of purposes. >> reporter: but the biggest concern may be aging power plants. >> because if you can shut a power plant down, you can infect an entire interconnected infrastructure. in other words, the water will stop flowing. you know, the banks won't operate. you can't pump gas. >> reporter: 13 teams of government cyber experts are investigating this unusual and complex computer threat. michael barr, abc news, new york. the families of the six teenagers who drowned in

shreveport, louisiana, are now revealing details about what happened. the teens were siblings and cousins on a family picnic. one of them went under and all rushed to help. none of them could swim and sadly, the adults could not swim either. maude warner lost her daughter and two sons. >> it's hard when you can't save your kids. it's hard. just drowning and you can't save them. >> the deaths of the shreveport teenagers adds to a grim statistic. the drowning rate of african-american children is more than three times that of white children. the city of manchester, connecticut, is in shock still this morning, wondering when and if it will recover from a devastating tragedy yesterday. an employee with a grudge and a gun unloaded his rage at work with deadly results. clarissa ward has details. >> reporter: it was just after 7:00 a.m. when 34-year-old omar thornton began his shooting spree at the family-owned beer

and wine wholesaler where he had worked for two years as a driver. he was on his way out of a disciplinary hearing and had been asked to resign over videos that showed him stealing beer. by the time he finished, eight people were dead. one victim is still in the hospital in critical condition. when police arrived at the scene, thornton turned the handgun on himself. >> he was no different than any other driver over there. you went, pick a load and you go out and do your job. >> reporter: thornton had at least five guns registered to him. on his facebook page, he listed hoffman's gun center as one of his interests. he had filed for bankruptcy. and according to the mother of his ex-girlfriend, had complained of racial harassment at work. >> i think he just had his breaking point. he had enough of it. he called his mother saying that he shot five people. and saying that he loved his mother. tell my daughter that he loved her. >> reporter: it's the latest n a series of deadly workplace

rampages that have plagued the nation. >> there's one study i read recently that said on average, there are six employee homicides a month in the united states. having people kill other people in the workplace is a very common thing. >> reporter: for family and friends of the victims, it has been a long and wrenching day. they've been gathering here at this high school where the red cross has set up a center for counseling, offering them food, someone to talk to. a priest and a rabbi have been inside, trying to help people in this community, as they try to wrap their heads around this horrifying crime. clarissa ward, abc news, manchester, connecticut. operation static kill, the plan to seal off the well in the gulf of mexico is going well. that's according to project managers. the process involves forcing mud, then cement into the broken well. the work could be finished as early as today. but engineers say it could be more than a week to know if the well is plugged up for good. plans to build a mosque near

new york's ground zero can move ahead. that's after a controversial decision. after emotional and passionate debate throughout this controversy. dan harris has the story. >> thank you all very much. >> reporter: there was applause mixed with jeers when the vote came down. >> apologize for this disgrace. >> reporter: a muslim group has cleared their final civic hurdle, allowing them to tear down this building, half a block from ground zero, and put up a community center, which will include a prayer room, on a site they say was purposely chosen to promote interfaith dialogue and post-9/11 healing. their argument is, this is an entire city and an entire nation that is trying to heal after a traumatic event. >> how is that -- >> reporter: muslims need to be part of that. >> how is that healing? how is that healing? by building a mosque? and in your face mosque at ground zero? >> what just happened is like spraying swastikas over a jewish memorial. >> reporter: the group behind the community center was

celebrating and pushing back against critics. what about the notion of building it somewhere a couple blocks away from ground zero? not so close to such a sensitive area? >> we really stand for peace. and we believe the symbolism of being close to a site that had so much tragedy emanate from it will bring about much healing. >> reporter: at a time when nearly half of americans say they have a unfavorable opinion of islam, the community center has become a national political issue, pitting republicans, like newt gingrich, who called the project an insult, and sarah palin who said it, quote, stabs hearts, against new york's mayor, michael bloomberg, who said this -- >> to cave to populist sentiment would be to hand a victory to the terrorists. and we should not stand for that. >> reporter: even though the islamic community center has now cleared a major hurdle, it may not be built for years. organizers say they haven't started fund-raising yet. and opponents say they will continue to f dan harris, abc news, new york.

a federal judge in san francisco is set to issue a long-awaited ruling today on legality of same-sex marriage in california. the case involves california's voter-approved proposition 8, which outlaws same-sex marri analysts predict he will overturn the ban. the judge's decision will not be in court. he is posting his ruling electronically. hip-hop superstar wyclef jean says he has decided to run for president of haiti. the artist tells "time" magazine that he would have waited ten years before plunging into politic but theeadlake in january convinced him that the times no the haitian-born singer plans to make an official announcement this week. now, a look at your wednesday weather. isolated tornadoes and pop-up show nerts northeast. thunderstorms across the gulf coast and southeast. and some rain and flooding from new york to wyoming. >> 80s from seattle to sacramento. 96 in boise. and 109 out in phoenix. dallas hits 104. kansas city, 91.

and omaha, 88. around 90 in boston and new york. 96 in atlanta. a tiny town in northern wisconsin is getting its 15 minutes of fame. >> three lakes wisconsin is named the single best town in america. it's an honor hand out by kraft singles which like the state is known for each cheese. the pop lakes, 2,300, beat out nine other towns for the big title. >> one life-long drepts said three lak resident said it's such a close-knit community and it's impossible to take a trip to the post office without saying hi to everyone. i was looking at the stats. i want to live here. the cost of living is 6% lower. and the median house -- the cost of a median house, you won't believe this. $155,000. >> slightly below new york. >> just a hair. we'll be right back. let me tell you about a very important phone call i made. when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp...

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but a rethink. with lunesta. lunesta is thought to interact with gaba receptors associated with sleep. lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need. lunesta has some risk of dependency. 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. stop fighting with your sleep. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a co-pay as low as zero dollars at lunesta.com discover a restful lunesta night.

we return, now, to our top story this morning. the workplace shooting in connecticut that left nine people dead. it will no doubt fuel the fire in the gun control debate. >> one side believes guns could

have prevented yesterday's high death toll and that guns should be carried everywhere. here's terry moran. [ gunshot ] >> reporter: the statistics tell the story. there are about 50 million gun owners in america. close to half of all american households possess guns. more than 200 million guns all-told. and we buy about 4.5 million more guns every year. whether you like it or not. for better or worse. it's a fact. america is an armed nation. and to gun owners, the vast majority of whom are law-abiding citizens, that's the way it was meant to be. >> we're just out here, like we said, exercising our rights. just here to have a good time. >> reporter: now, more than ever, many gun owners are proudly, aggressively asserting their rights, reaffirmed by a conservative supreme court, to keep and bear arms, proudly, openly, in public. >> forgot the cheese.

>> reporter: in portland, maine, a few dozen gun enthusiasts have gathered for a barbecue at back bay cove, to promote the right to openly carry weapons in the state. and convince their non-gun owning fellow mainers that it's okay. >> we're showing people that law-abiding citizens carrying hand guns is completely fine, completely normal. >> reporter: that's shane belanger. he's 20 years old. he organized this open carry event. and in many ways, shane is the new face of the gun rights movement in america. this is the old face of the gun rights movement in america. >> from my cold, dead hand. >> reporter: for decades, the national rifle association has dominated the gun debate. but now is feeling the heat from small, passionate, nimble and

focused grassroots groups like shane belanger's. >> the right to carry, openly as well as concealed, every day. >> they want guns in every corner of american society. >> reporter: dennis henigan is the vice president of the brady center to prevent gun violence. he says the little gun groups and spontaneous meet-ups mark a new challenge to gun control efforts and to the nra. this is the virginia citizens defense league. they're not happy with the nra. >> they're the 800-pound gorilla. people are used to the name nra. and those not really into gun rights don't know better. and they think it's the only real organization out there. >> reporter: the long-simmeri i tensions between the nra behemoth and local gun groups exploded into nasty fight this spring, when the nra muscled congress into exempting it and it alone, from key provisions of campaign finance reform legislation.

>> this is a carve-out, not for the gun rights community. this is a carve-out for a single organization. >> reporter: they're hopping mad, the smaller groups. they're increasingly saying the nra is a big, bloated bureaucratic, too conservative gun group. and they're starting to oppose their own leaders in the nra. >> well, that's right. in this case, the nra, basically, jumped into the last lifeboat and left the rest of the pro-gun community to sink. >> reporter: we asked the nra several times to speak to us about all this. they refused. but for all the bad blood between the nra and the local groups, they're still on the same team, as we saw in virginia. >> how many of you are nra members? i'm surprised. how many life members? okay. yeah. we have lots of life members, too. >> reporter: the goal of the grassroots gun rights movement is simple. more guns in more places in more of america. and while that may worry many americans -- >> these people are

intimidating. >> i feel imminently unsafe around them. >> reporter: today's gun rights advocates have a blunt response -- too bad. >> more guns in more public places is what protects people. >> a staggering statistic here. this incident this week is obviously horrifying. but sadly, it's not uncommon. according to a recent study, there's six employee homicides every month in this country. think about that. this is not isolated by a stretch. >> especially this connecticut one. we learn more and more. he, obviously, the gunman, was vocal, saying he thinks there was racism. there are questions about was he a driver? was he disgruntled? >> more questions than answers. we'll see. coming up next, warnings about a dozen types of vitamin supplements. >> what investigators discovdhdh

welcome back. we have new warnings this morning about dietary

supplements. they're advertised as over-the-counter, alternative treatments with very promising claims. >> "consumer reports" says a dozen supplements are anything but helpful. they're actually harmful. lisa stark reports. reporter: dietary supplements are a booming business. 150 million americans take them. but now, a warning from "consumer reports" about ingredients that may hurt, not help. >> with the dozen supplements that we've identified, we think it's all risk and no benefit. >> reporter: what the magazine calls the dirty dozen are marketed for everything from weight loss to coughs, to anxiety and depression and a host of other ailments. but "consumer reports" says each can have serious side effects. >> liver damage, liver failure, kidney damage, heart attacks. >> reporter: the fda has previously issued consumer alerts on a number of these supplements, including colloidal silver, said to boost the immune system. but it can turn skin permanently blue.

that happened to paul karason. >> i kind of hoped it would fade off. >> reporter: it's easy to find these 12 products on the internet or in the stores. but here's something you should know. supplements do not need to prove they are safe and effective before they are sold. and congress has made it tough for the fda to pull them once they're on the market. the industry points out, these supplements are not widely-used. these are fringe products, in your view? >> in my mind, they are an insubstantial amount of the dietary supplement marketplace. >> reporter: there is widespread agreement on one point. before you take any supplement, talk to your doctor. lisa stark, abc news, washington. >> one of the biggest challenges has been the fact that the fda doesn't regulate these because they're not considered drugs. they're considered vitamins or herbal supplements. so, consumer groups are saying we need regulation. >> and proof of that is, this is a $27 billion a year industry. a lot of folks taking these

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new zyrtec® liquid gels work fast, so i can love the air®. "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." welcome back, everybody. we have been talking for so many weeks about how hot it is all over the world. it's been a rough summer for everybody. apparently it's been a brutal summer in south korea. take a look at this guy. this little guy found a way to get a little relief. this is apparently at the ice gallery in seoul, korea. and he's taking a moment on the ice toilet. in the midst of that heat. >> i'm glad this is not an extreme closeup. that ice is clear. and nobody needs to see that in the morning. >> well, most people hate it when the toilet seat was cold when they sat down. this next story, initially

it sounds cheesy. but it's really cute. a couple got married in a t.j. maxx shoe section. there is a lot of background. they're both in news. he was writing an article. and at the end of the article, it was something about depression. she had helped him cope with depression. teat the end of the article he wrote, will you marry me? people were saying, he wants to propose to you. they had plans to do an outdoor wedding. and her mother had passed. and she and her mother spent a lot of time shopping for shoes at t.j. maxx. so she whispered the dream in his ear one day. they sent an e-mail to corporate t.j. maxx. they said let's make it happen. they cordoned off the size 8 shoe aisle. because she was a size 8 shoe. they allowed people to come in. but the store remained open. bargain shoppers could watch the ceremony from behind. >> okay. >> isn't that weird but cute?

>> it's cute. i like the fact they're honoring her mom. that's kind of cool. you know? >> i love the t.j. maxx shoe department. >> do you really? that's where you can find vinita in her off-hours. this is a cool pic out of china. obviously, traffic congestion is a huge issue here and across the country. and especially with millions of people in china. they have come up with a cool way to deal with traffic. these are the new buses. to blend the buses and the cars. they created a bus where the cars can travel under the bus. the buses are up top. and the cars can travel through the bus. that's brilliant. everybody gets around. >> so smart. yeah. they say it's almost five meters high. as you can see, with two levels. so, they board the upper level, while the other vehicles can go right underneath that. >> everybody's able to keep rolling. >> that's really smart. we're going to leave you with this. this is an orchestra that generates music, based on its

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vaey! roa a fatal rampage. the gunman who stormed his workplace and opened fire. his motive, the victims and the investigation. then, cheap carrier. low airfares, increasing fees and complaints from passengers. >> our staff is not disgusting. >> inside spirit airlines. and star treatment. the rich and famous in trouble. can their wealth influence the law? it's wednesday, august 4th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, everybody. i assume those people think there is dual systems of justice when it comes to celebrities and common people. you know? >> i don't think it's a question anymore.

it's decidedly, okay you don't have to go to jail. i'll go to rehab. i would pick that option over the jail option. >> much better than behind bars. we'll see that story in a few minutes. good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm vinita nair. people in a central connecticut town are stunned, that one of its own suddenly snapped and turned his rage into a wshg workplace massacre. >> when it was all over, nine people were dead. and of course, the big question this morning is why? diana alvear is in manchester, connecticut, with the latest details. good morning. >> reporter: vinita and rob, good morning. investigators are just beginning to piece together what could have led a disgruntled employee to open fire on his co-workers and then turn the gun on himself. when 34-year-old omar thornton, seen here in his facebook picture, arrived for an early morning meeting at hartford distributors, no one could have

anticipated the terror about to unfold. >> this had to come as a total, total ambush. >> reporter: thornton had worked for the family-owned b he was recey acf snd ad to he refused, pulun, and opened fire. by the time the shooting stopped, nine people were dead, including the gunman. two others were wounded but are expected to survive. >> we don't know if he walked around randomly. but we do know that the victims were found in different parts of the building. >> reporter: thornton hat on his facebook page, he listed hoffman's gun center as one of >>e wa ice dowth g >> reporter: a girlfriend's mother, tho had been th vicraca harassment at work and his complaints to supervisors went unanswered. >> i think he had a breaking point. he had enough of it. he called his mother this morning, saying hehot saying that he loved his mother. tell my daughter he loved her. >> reporter: for family members and fellow employees, it was a wed

for news, comforting ear, asking how could someone do this? as for claims that thorntoas raciad, officials tell abc news that the record does not show a sin complaint of this nure vg vinita? rob? >> dian two families are shattered and the entcity shreveport, louisiana, is shaken by the drowning deaths of six teenagers. the teens were siblings and cousins wading in the red river during a family picnic. one of them slipped into d but new worse non adu them could swim, either. >> i thought they was playing. i kept saying, stop playing. stop playi so, after that, they kept going, we hollered for help. the guys tried to come over to help. one guy had one of the kids. but he dropped him. he couldn't. my nephew went under about four times. but they managed to get him. i didn't see my daughter at all. >> maude warner lost her daughter and two sons. the incident underscores a terrible fact, the drowning rate

for african-american children is more than three-times that of white children. homeland security investigators are battling a new threat. this one from computer hackers. it's a malicious computer code. and it showed up just last month. it can seize the inner workings of power plants and factories. the so-called struxnet worm, is considered very sophisticated. and is especially frightening because so much of america's power grid is aging. and a successful attack would be far-reaching. >> because if you can shut a power plant down, you can infect an entire interconnected infrastructure. in other words, the water will stop flowing. the banks won't operate. you can't pump gas. >> homeland security is deploying teams of cyber experts around the country to assess weaknesses in industrial plants. so far, they say, struxnet has not succeeded in compromising any operating system. the operation to plug up bp's blown out well in the gulf of mexico is under way this morning. >> the process is called static

kill. it involves pumping mud and then cement into that well, eventually sealing it off. t.j. winick has our progress report. good morning, t.j. >> reporter: good morning, rob and vinita. according to a leader of the operation to plug the blown out well, the process is going well. along the gulf, there is real hope it is the beginning of the end. bp has begun the static kill that is expected to choke the busted oil well once and for all. >> this is a really positive step forward. it's going to be good news in a time when there hasn't been a lot of good news. but i don't think it should be cause for premature celebration. >> reporter: the kill could be complete wednesday. maybe thursday. >> the chances of this working are pretty much up around 95%, 99%. >> reporter: the static kill requires heavy mud, and lots of it, to push the oil back into the reservoir. it would fill a two-mile well hole and kill the well. a cement injection is then necessary to permanently seal

it. that injection is through a relief well, which could be completed as early as next wednesday. >> we need to go to make sure we fill t annulus, the casing and then, any drill pipe tn follow with cnt this thing won't be sealed until the relief wells are don >> reporter: newumbeate n barrels spewed from the well before it was capped two weeks ago. that's 53,000 barrels a day. rob and vinita? a federal judge in san francisco is set to issue a long-awaited ruling today on the legality of same-sex marriage in california. the landmark case involves a lawsuit brought by two same-sex they were looking to overturn same-sex marriage. the judge plans to issue his ruling through the court's electronic filing system this afternoon, rather tha emotions boiled over in a grand rapids, michigan, courtroom, where a 13-year-old boy was sentenced for murdering his mother's fiance. as part of a plea deal for a lighter sentence, the boy admitted his crime, but claimed

the victim had abused him. and that's when the chaos erupted. deputies had to wrestle one man to the ground before they could finally restore some order. a 9-year-old girl is recovering from a barracuda bite this morning. she was snorkeling with her family in key west, when a barracuda cut through a tendon and a main nerve in her right hand. during a six-hour surgery, doctors removed a nerve from her leg to repair her hand. they say it may take years. but with therapy, she should make a full recovery. tropical storm colin has fallen apart in the atlantic. but the miami area still got the taste of some pretty sevee an unrelated weather system spawned twin waterspouts over miami beach yesterday. the two funnel clouds caused a spectacle. but they did not form into waterspouts or tornados. and more record heat is expected today in the middle of the country. after some sweltering conditions caused two deaths in kansas. temperatures in wichita climbed to a stifling 109 degrees. forcing many people to turn to

the city's fountains for a little bit of relief. today, some areas could feel as hot as 120 degrees. brutal summer. no letup. >> if you're not there, quit complaining. that's the bottom line. here's a look at your wednesday weather. severe storms from des moines to chicago, indianapolis and columbus. scattered showers from pittsburgh to new england. showers along the gulf coast. odin newt >> 96 in bo mostly 80s along the pac a windy 86 in the twin cities. and 91 in detroit. upper 80s in new york and boston. 96 in atlanta. 95 in the big easy. and 104 in dallas. visitors are pouncing on a wildlife park in germany to get a glimpse of its new, noisy residents. >> four rare white tiger cubs made their public debut yesterday. they are kind of cute. the cubs born 2 1/2 weeks ago were given their first medical exam. and they didn't take ng instead they meowed loudly, as the vets did in fact give them a

clean bill of heal >> the two boys and two girls each weigh about nine pounds. they are still waiting hó if you fight to sleep in the middle of the night, why go one more round ? you don't need a rematch, but a rethink. with lunesta. lunesta is thought to interact with gaba receptors associated with sleep. lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need.

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singer wyclef jean says he will run for president of haiti. the hip-hop star tells "time" magazine last january's devastating earthquake sealed his calling. and that he likens himself to a modern-day moses. wyclef is expected to officially announce his candidacy sometime this week. >> he said had it not been the earthquake, this was still in the plans, just ten years from now. now, to the latest fight in the immigration debate. the 14th amendment gives automatic citizenship to anyone born in this country. >> the only way to change that is an amendment to the constitution. and that is exactly what some

powerful republicans are trying do. jonathan karl has that story. >> reporter: for more than 150 years, it's been the law of the land. if you are born here, you are a citizen. as the 14th amendment defined it, all persons born are naturalized in the united states and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens. but as the anti-immigration movement gets louder and republicans try to get tougher on illegal immigration, some prominent conservatives want the law, even the constitution, changed, to say no automatic citizenship for babies born here unless at least one parent is a citizen. >> i don't think the founders understood when they did the 14th amendment that they would create a circumstance where people could fly into america all over the world, have a child, and that child would have dual citizenship, fly back to their home countries. it has been clearly abused. >> reporter: on cable tv, the

issue touched off heated debate. >> people come here to have babies. they come here to drop a child. it's called drop and leave. to have a child, in america, they cross the border. they go to the emergency room. have a child. and that child is automatically an american citizen. that shouldn't be the case. >> you're either for the constitution that you swore to uphold or not. >> reporter: former republican arlen specter, the son of immigrants, says his old party is pandering to anti-immigration extremists. >> it's fundamental in this country if you're born here, that you are a citizen. my parents were immigrants. how far back are you going to turn the clock to win a few votes? >> reporter: more than 90 republicans in the house have signed on to a bill that would deny citizenship to babies born here unless at least one of the parents was a legal citizen. but to change that law, you would almost certainly need to change the constitution. jonathan karl, abc news, capitol hill.

and coming up next, the discount airline that has no intentions at all of being the best. >> cutting costs while many addressing so many complaints. a look inside sp

welcome back, everybody. spirit airlines has made its name for extremely low fares and its extremely high fees. >> the latest move to make money, spirit wants to charge you for talking to a person. jeffrey kofman got a rare look at what makes spirit fly. >> reporter: fasten your seat belt. adjust your seatback to the upright position. ♪ and make sure you've got some spare change. >> attention in the terminal. spirit airlines is boarding flight 180 to new york, laguardia. >> reporter: welcome aboard spirit. the airline that calls itself the ultra low-cost carrier of the americas. taking cheap to new heights. and new lows. like this not-so-subtle commercial. >> dude, there's no way your mom is cheating on your dad. >> that wasn't jay, was it? >> yeah.

that was your son. >> you think that's low? spirit airlines' fares are even lower. now, you can fly spirit for as low as $1 each way. >> reporter: how do they do it? they squeeze every penny out of every airplane. >> this is an airbus a319. we operate with 145 seats, which is the most the faa will let us us put on the airplane. >> reporter: when other airlines operate, how much seats do they put in? >> 125 or 126. >> reporter: how much leg room is sacrificed? >> couple inches per seat in general. >> reporter: that is ben baldanza. he believes that passengers will sacrifice a lot to save a lot. he took over the struggling airline, called spirit. and gave it, well, a new spirit. >> the way we like to think of it is that the biggest difference between us and other airlines is they give you a free coke. but they charge you $150 more. if i want to sell you a can of coke for $150, that's what you pay on airlines. >> reporter: it's not that they charge $2 for a coke.

they also charge $12 to reserve a seat. and they're the folks that introduced the idea of charging to check a bag. $19 for the first. $25 for the second. $100 for the third, each way. and as of this week, spirit is even charging for carry-ons in the overhead bins. $30 if you check in online. $45 at the gate. that no-frills approach is how spirit undercuts its competitors. often by $100 or more on the same route. but at a high price. in 2008, the u.s. department of transportation said it received more complaints about spirit airlines than any other airline by a factor of seven. spirit airlines, your greed will cost you. spirit airlines, i've renamed them evil spirit airlines. spirit airlines' service is designed to scam the customer. disgusting florida check-in staff at spirit airlines. you can't be proud of that stuff. >> i'm not proud of that at all. but our staff is not disgusting

in florida. and the reality is it's a very small percentage of who we fly. >> reporter: a big chunk of the complaints come from the hidden fees. online booking automatically charges you $12 for travel cancellation insurance unless you uncheck the box. miss your flight? whatever the reason, the change fee is $110. spirit doesn't just rebook you like a traditional airline. >> every cost is important. >> reporter: that is clear in spirit's operations center. >> what you're looking at here is where our airplanes are right now. >> reporter: where controllers track the movements of spirit's 28 aircraft. all airbus, as they fly to 40 destinations. they fly to the u.s., caribbean and latin america. planes spend an average of 14 hours a day in the air. the time between flights is about -- what? 30 minutes? >> 30 to 40 minutes. that's right. >> reporter: you can clean the planes? >> we can clean the planes. service them. get everybody off. get everybody on.

get et plane moving again. plane makes no money on the ground. >> go down that way. make a right. >> reporter: spirit has its critics. but make no mistake. the airlines' ultralow-cost obsession has earned it a loyal and growing following. spirit carried more than 7 million passengers last year, an increase of 50% in just three years. i'm jeffrey kofman in ft. lauderdale. >> they take that cost-cutting seriously. get this. no receptionists. they take out the lightbulbs. they don't want to waste electricity. the employees take out their own trash. i mean, it's -- no furniture in the lobby. they're bare bones. >> well, it wasn't that long ago we talked aboutontnfo and they're thinking about not having the boarngag people scant. >y sc,rigc1 o& pt. spirit was the first to give us the fees for luggage. now, everyone's doing it. so, this could b you ofrd.is could b you >> just take the bus, folks.

we

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and finally this half hour, the hollywood treatment inside the courtroom. just this week, we've seen two famous actors walk away from jail, after committing pretty serious crimes. >> so, now, to the question we've been asking for decades. does fame and fortune get you of the law? kid glove treatment at the hands of the law? don guevara reports from los angeles. good morning, don. >> reporter: rob and vinita, when it comes to celebrity justice, some people feel that the stars get all the breaks. charlie sheen has reason to

celebrate after monday's court hearing in aspen, colorado. >> what do you think? >> reporter: sheen got a deal. he pled guilty to assaulting his wife, a misdemeanor. so, prosecutors dropped more serious felony charges. sheen won't go to jail. instead, he's been ordered to spend 30 days at a luxurious malibu rehab center. >> and i will tell you that the people here generally drive a very hard bargain. so, there is nothing easy about the sentence. >> reporter: an easy sentence is exactly what famed attorney gloria allred feels one of tv's best-paid actors got. >> that there are two levels of justice. one for the rich and famous. and a different one for everyone else. >> reporter: that seemed to be the case for cameron douglas, the son of michael douglas. earlier this year, cameron was sentenced to five years for drug charges. experts say, half the time anyone else would have received. but celebrity seem to backfire for paris hilton.

a judge ordered her back behind bars after she was released early from a 45-day sentence in 2007. >> there she goes. >> reporter: some argue the courts are being harder on lindsay lohan because of her fame. monday morning, she left jail, after serving a fraction of her 90-day sentence. she's now in rehab. >> if you're a female, you're out in four to six hours. and only because she's lindsay lohan did she do 14 days. >> reporter: lindsay lohan can't leave rehab before 90 days. but sheen may not have to spend anymore time at his facility because of time already served there. in los angeles, don guevara, abc news. rob and vinita, back to you. >> don talking about charlie sheen so much there. you have to say, you knew he was getting a lighter sentence. if you saw him, his day in court, it was almost a red carpet appearance. there he was, chewing gum. blowing kisses to fans before he walks inside. and he had some serious charges against him. walked out a free man a short time later. sentenced to 30 days probation.

>> remember the scene outsid oprah: we decided to do what we do best and that is a show about and with everyday people. this show always allows people to understand the power they have to change their own lives. if there is one thread running through each show we do, it is the message that you are not alone.