Perspective Podcast - February 20, 2015

In this edition of Perspective...                                                                
Locked Up For Life
55 years. That's the sentence handed down to one man convicted of selling weed while carrying a gun. Legal experts say he'd be doing far less time for a far more serious offenses. So why the harsh sentence? Turn's out there's a law out there that some say is ruining lives and wasting tax dollars. ABC's Byron Pitts explains:

Inside The Situation Room
It might be the most famous conference room in the world. The White House Situation Room is the place where the President makes the really tough calls - both in war and in  peace. ABC's Jonathan Karl talked to one of the men who used to manage it:

School Bus Safety
Every morning, parents put their kids on buses and trust they'll be safe on the ride to and from school. However, we've seen a number of accidents that have raised doubt about the protection these vehicles are offering. And then there's a question many parents ask - why aren't there seatbelts on school buses? ABC's Paula Faris investigates:

Westminster Dog Show
There was a big upset at this year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and we were there to see it:

India Exorcisms
In India, supersitions are serious business. Women come from all over to see so-called gurus in hopes they can vanquish evil spirits from their bodies. But not everybody is buying in. ABC's Gloria Riviera traveled to India to find out more:

L.A. Mansion Wars
Los Angeles and much of the surrounding area is dotted with mega-mansions. These gigantic structures have price tags to match. For their owners, they're the best houses money can buy. But for their neighbors who live more modest lifestyles, these homes are causing real trouble. ABC's Brandi Hitt explains:

Host: Cheri Preston
Producer: David Rind

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Perspective Podcast - February 13, 2015

In this edition of Perspective...

Death Of An American Hostage
This past week, the White House confirmed the death of Kayla Mueller - a American hostage who was being held in Syria. As her friends and family mourn her loss, many are wondering if more could have been done to free her from the grip of that brutal terror group ISIS. ABC's Byron Pitts has more:

Former Google Employee Fixing Government IT
After the disastrous rollout of Healthcare.gov, the White House created a new agency called the U.S. Digital Service to prevent future technical problems. Mike Dickerson is one of the engineers that helped fix the website. And as he told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl, his work isn't finished just yet:

Former NFL Star Faking Injury?
If you ever seen the show "Survivor," you know the contestants are in pretty good physical shape. That's why some people started asking questions after a former NFL star who was claiming disability payments appeared on the show. Now he's being sued for fraud. ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross has the story:

Amazon All-Stars
Imagine receiving packages of stuff at your door. Free stuff, delivered right to you several times a week. It might sound nice, but for Amazon's top reviewers, it's a full-time job and a lot is riding on their reviews. ABC's Brandi Hitt explains:

We Bought A Drone
There's no disputing that drones are awesome. So we ordered one online and took it for a spin.

ABC News Fixer: Rats In The Attic
When you have a pest problem in your house, you call an exterminator. But what happens if they don't finish the job? That happened to one woman who says she had to take matters into her own hands....until the ABC News Fixer came to a rescue. Here's ABC's Stephanie Zimmerman:

Women Hunters
When you think hunters, you probably think of  big, burly dudes with big, burly beards. But now women are joining the hunt, taking down big game. Of course, the trend has caused some controversy - ABC's Neal Karlinsky explains:

Debunking LBJ Myths
Some critics of the movie "Selma" say the portrayal of former President Lyndon Johnson is off base. And at least one historian agrees - Julian Zelizer has a new book that argues "we exaggerate how much power" LBJ actually had. He spoke about it with ABC News Political Director Rick Klein and Yahoo News' Olivier Knox:

Host: Cheri Preston
Producer: David Rind

Download or stream this edition of the Perspective podcast

Perspective Podcast - February 6, 2015

In this edition of Perspective...

Visas For Sale
There's a little-known government program that allows foreign citizens easy access to a green card and to the U.S - if they cough up 500-thousand dollars. Some say this creates American jobs, others say it could let terrorists and spies buy their way into the country. ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross has the story:

Revenge Porn
It's a game-changing conviction that could shake up the controversial industry of revenge porn - the online practice of posting nude photos of women without their permission. ABC's Neal Karlinsky has the details:

Russia & The Arctic
Russia may be a growing military threat to the United States.  Not only in Ukraine and Eastern Europe but also in the arctic. Russia has revived Soviet-era airfields and is opening new military bases in the Arctic.  ABC's Richard Davies has more on the challenges and potential threat:

Getting Closer To India
Last month, President Obama became the first sitting President to visit India twice after a quick trip that included attending the country's Republic Day Parade. It was all part of what the White House calls an era of "new trust" between the two nations. ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jim Avila spoke with the U.S. Ambassador to India, Richard Verma to talk more about the relationship between the two nations:

The New Rules Of Real Estate
After the housing bubble popped a few years ago, the way many of us look at real estate has changed.  Buying a home didn't necessarily seem like a great investment for everyone - in a lot of cases, renting became the better option - and for those still determined to buy, figuring out how to make a smart choice required new calculations. Well two guys think they've figured it out.  They run the website Zillow - the nation's largest real-estate website - and they've written a book filled with the secrets they've learned from collecting years of data. ABC's Scott Goldberg has more:

Free-Range Parents
There are a lots of parenting styles out there…and a new one has some people a little concerned. It involves letting young kids do a lot of stuff on their own…without any supervision. ABC's David Wright has the story:

Host: Cheri Preston
Producer: David Rind