Perspective Podcast - March 11th, 2011

In this edition of Perspective...

Earthquake in Japan.

Early Friday morning an 8.9 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami with 13-foot high waves that battered the coast of Northern Japan.   The Japanese Prime Minister called for calm as his country initiated a massive emergency response.  Japan's military was dispatched to the quake zone, airports were shut down, subways were closed, and workers hundreds of miles away in Tokyo described grabbing on to the edge of their desks just to hang on.  ABC's Juju Chang takes us through the moment the earthquake hit.

President Obama News Conference.

President Obama personally called the Japanese Prime Minister, pledging to help Japan with any assistance that may be needed.  On Friday the president addressed the earthquake, as well as rising oil prices in a news conference.

Crime Family Saga.

Despite what "The Godfather" taught us, most self-respecting mobsters hope all their sons find a legitimate line of work.  But one notorious Chicago hitman had no such parental instinct.  He pulled his son into the mob and it cost him his family and his freedom.  For the first time ever, you are about to hear from the most important mafia turncoat in recent history.  He is the man at the center of what the FBI called, "Operation Family Secrets".  ABC's Bill Weir reports. 

The Adam Walsh Case.

It is one of the most famous crimes in American History.  In fact it has been called "The crime that changed America".  Before the disappearance of 6-year-old Adam Walsh, there were no "Amber Alerts" or missing kids on milk-cartons.  But during the decades that the case went unsolved, Adam's father John Walsh got famous for hunting down bad guys on "America's Most Wanted".  Adam's mother has been largely silent until now.  ABC's Dan Harris explains.   

Suze Orman.

Prices are spiking at the pump, jobs are still scarce, and tax day is on the horizon.  With all that is going on, so many Americans are feeling added pressure to get their finances in order.  For the millions of people that buy her books and watch her on television, that is where financial guru Suze Orman comes in.  But lately Orman has reversed some of the key points of advice she used to give.  She had a chance to tell ABCs Vicki Mabrey why.

Sheen & Twitter.

Charlie Sheen lost his day job on the hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men".  It might be hard for Sheen to replace the nearly $2 million per episode that role brought him.  But he is already on to at least one source of income, Twitter.  So, what is a tweet worth?  ABC's John Donvan found out.

Host: Cheri Preston

Producer: Jason Wesalo

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