Perspective Podcast - July 12, 2013

In this edition of Perspective...

Asiana Flight 214
Your chances of being in a plane crash are minuscule, but last weekend the unlikely occurred at San Francisco International Airport.  Two passengers were killed and dozens were injured when a Boeing 777 crashed on Landing.  ABC's David Wright takes us inside Asiana flight 2-14.

Cheating Death
The conflict in Afghanistan is the longest war in American history.  And as the drawdown there continues, we meet a man on the front lines who's cheated death a remarkable number of times.  ABC's Muhammad Lila has his story.

Bath Salts in the Military
Bath salts is the informal name for a family of designer drugs that have similar effects to methamphetamine.  To some, they're known as a zombie drug, and now they're making their way into the ranks of U-S servicemen and women.  Mariana van Zeller has the details.

The Gift of Life
Right now, nearly 120-thousand Americans are waiting for an organ transplant ... a gift from an organ donor to save the life of a stranger.  For more than a year, ABC's Bill Weir followed two young patients waiting for that gift.  Here now are their stories.

Observing Ramadan
Muslims around the world have begun observing the holy month of Ramadan.  You might not give it much thought, because you might not know much about it.  But there are millions of Americans taking part.  ABC's Cheri Preston has an explanation ... with some help from one of our co-workers.

Syrian Refugees
More than a million people have fled Syria to escape the war there, seeking safety in refugee camps in bordering countries.  But as their numbers grow, so does the challenge to meet their basic needs.  For more on the situation, ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz visited the largest refugee in camp in Jordan to speak to the U-N High Commissioner for Refugees.

Host:  Scott Goldberg
Producer:  Colin Tipton

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Perspective Podcast - July 5, 2013

In this edition of Perspective...

George Zimmerman on Trial
Testimony continued this week in the trial of George Zimmerman, the self-appointed neighborhood watchman charged with second degree murder.  ABC's Aaron Katersky was inside the court room in Sanford, Florida.

Fallen Firefighters
Wildfires in Prescott, Arizona claimed the lives of 19 elite firefighters last weekend.  In the days since, memorials there have brought together thousands of mourners.  ABC's David Wright was on the front lines in Arizona, where the deadly fires were fueled by record temperatures.

Border Wars
The Senate passed an immigration bill last week that would nearly double the 18-billion dollars spent each year on border security.  But what is that money used for?  ABC's Byron Pitts traveled to a remote part of Arizona along the US-Mexico border to get a closer look.

Documented
Now to a more personal look at the immigration debate.  Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, an author, and the man behind the film "Documented."  When Vargas was 12-years old, his mother sent him from the Philippines to live with his grandparents in the US.  It wasn't until he applied for a driver's permit four years later that he learned he was living in the country illegally.  ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jim Avila sat down with Vargas to learn more.

Employer Mandate Delayed
This week the Obama administration announced it will delay implementation of a key part of the Affordable Care Act.  For more on the decision and what it will mean for Americans, ABC's Vic Ratner speaks to ABC News Political Director Rick Klein.

Tracy Anderson
Summer is here, which means it's swimsuit season.  It's also the time of year when the the multi-million dollar fitness business tries to whip beach-goers into shape.  One woman near the top of the fitness world is Tracy Anderson.  She's Gweneth Paltrow's exercise guru and business partner, but some wonder if her workouts put too much pressure on women to get fit at any cost.  Here's ABC's Paula Faris.

Mom-Shells
These days in Hollywood, the baby bump is one of the most photographed fashion accessories.  And some celebrity moms are proudly flaunting tight arms and flat abs just weeks after childbirth.  But is this holding mothers to a new and impossible standard?  One woman says yes, and she's fighting back.  ABC's Juju Chang has the details.

Host:  Cheri Preston
Producer:  Colin Tipton

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Perspective Podcast - June 28, 2013

In this edition of Perspective...

Same-Sex Marriage
This week the US Supreme Court handed down two rulings on same-sex marriage.  The court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act and struck down California's Proposition 8.  The decisions brought joy and jubilation to some, while others strongly disagree with the rulings.  ABC's Terry Moran was at the Supreme Court when the decisions came down.

Reaction in California
Gay marriage is coming back to California now that the Supreme Court struck down Proposition 8.  ABC's Alex Stone was in San Francisco when the ruling was read.

George Zimmerman on Trial
The trial of George Zimmerman began this week in Sanford, Florida.  It's been 16 months since Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin.  The self-appointed neighborhood watchman is charged with second degree murder, but claims he acted in self defense.  ABC's Aaron Katersky has been inside the court room all week.

Aaron Hernandez Arrested
The New England Patriots released tight end Aaron Hernandez this week, just one year after signing him to a five-year, 40-million dollar contract.  The move came Wednesday, after Hernandez was charged with murder.  The now former NFL player pleaded not guilty.  ABC's John Schriffen has the details from Massachusetts.

Killer Whales in Captivity
A group of filmmakers are behind a new documentary called "Blackfish."  They argue that killer whales are driven to violence against humans only when they become tourist attractions.  It's a debate that's surfaced before, most recently when Dawn Brancheau (branch - oh), a trainer at Seaworld, was killed by Tilikum (tih-lih-kum), a 12-thousand pound killer whale.  Here's ABC's Linsey Davis.

The Wold-Be Romney Administration
Though Mitt Romney's candidacy never turned into a presidency, there *was* a temporary Romney White House ... complete with a full staff ... building the blueprints for his possible presidency.  Former Governor Mike Leavitt (lehv-it) chaired the Romney transition efforts and speaks to ABC News Political Director Rick Klein and Olivier (oh-lihv-ee-ay) Knox from our partner Yahoo News about what went into those plans.

Veep
The second season of the HBO comedy "Veep" has just concluded and ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jim Avila sat down with the show's creator to discuss the it's success.  Executive Producer Armando Iannucci (ee-uh-new-chee) says he tries to strike a balance between truth and fiction when it comes to creating comedy within the walls of the White House.

An Alternative to Oil?
High gas prices can take a toll on your budget, but what if there was a cheaper alternative that could be produced on the scale of oil and also be better for the environment?  That's exactly what one San Francisco lab is working on.  ABC's Dan Ashley stopped by the Joint BioEnergy Institute to find out more.

Host:  Cheri Preston
Producer:  Colin Tipton

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