Politics and the Pulpit
After a liberal church was targeted by the IRS for preaching political views and threatened with its tax-exempt status, it lashed out and argued that some conservative churches could be in the same situation. This led to several conservative churches in Ohio being investigated by the IRS. Host Barbara Bogaev talks with Ed Bacon, rector of All Saints, a liberal church in California, and Russell Johnson, pastor of the conservative Fairfield Christian Church, about IRS probes at their respective churches; and explores their political and religious differences and common ground.

The Virtual You
In some online games, you get to create a digital self, or an avatar to interact with other player's characters. Do these interactions mean anything? Jeremy Bailenson thinks so. He heads the Virtual Reality Lab at Stanford University. He says our digital selves can actually influence the real "us" in surprising ways. He joins Weekend America's John Moe to talk about virtual reality.

Zen Skiing
Can meditation give you an edge on the ski slopes? Some skiers think so. They've been signing up for special classes with a Zen Buddhist master to increase their awareness while skiing. Beth Hoffman reports.

Never Won an Oscar
You may not recognize the name Kevin O'Connell but he has a reputation around Hollywood as being Oscar's biggest non-winner. The sound recording mixer has been nominated 18 times for an Academy Award, but he hasn't yet taken home one of the golden statuettes. Weekend America's John Moe catches up with O'Connell as he braces for another year at the awards, and talks with his mom about his numerous attempts to win a trophy.

Pop Music: Neko Case
Neko Case is known for her indie-rock performances with the Canadian band, The New Pornographers. On her own, she prefers to sing country. Weekend America's pop music critic Alan Light sits down with host Barbara Bogaev to talk about Case's latest CD.

Weekend Weather
Weekend America's Bill Radke takes a look at the weather and Saturday happenings all across the country.

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Reaching the Final Bar
Since college, Weekend America's John Moe has had a relationship with the Seattle-area band, Gas Huffer. Now after years of touring, the group has called it quits. As John tells us, it marked the end of an era for the band...and for him.

Gambling Goes to College
Two congressmen are currently trying to strengthen laws concerning online gambling in the U.S. The popularity of the activity has surged on campuses and in some cases, led to serious financial and legal trouble. But a small percentage of college students are beating the odds. Producer Jessica Smith found one such student. Then Weekend America's John Moe talks to Kevin Whyte, the executive director of the National Council on College Gambling, about factors that contribute to problem gambling among college students.

A Note of Triumph
One of this year's Oscar nominees is a short documentary, A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin. It's based on the legendary radio producer's now famous broadcast "On a Note of Triumph." Aired on V-E Day in 1945, it celebrated the Allied victory in Europe and looked ahead to what it would mean for the world. At 95, Corwin still writes, makes speaking engagements and teaches. He joins host Barbara Bogaev to talk about his career.

Pop Music: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
After three years the band "The Yeah Yeah Yeahs" is back with a new CD, Show Your Bones. Host Barbara Bogaev talks to Weekend America's pop music critic Alan Light about what the band is up to with their latest release.

Cafeteria Crusade
After years of serving low-nutrition foods in the Berkeley public school system, school officials decided to do something about it. They adopted something called the School Lunch Initiative, which proposes to turn lunchtime into an academic subject. Its goal is to teach children better eating habits and an awareness of the entire food chain: both natural and industrial. Reporter Chad Heeter gives us a taste of the new program.

Good Eating Habits
Are school programs like the one implemented in Berkeley, California effective in teaching kids better eating habits? Host Barbara Bogaev explores that with Matt Longjohn, the executive director of the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children.

Weekend Weather
Weekend America's Bill Radke takes a look at the weather and Saturday happenings all across the country.

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On the Town
What do you do to show off your city to your out-of-town guests? Weekend America's John Moe usually works in Seattle but this week, he's hosting with Barbara Bogaev in Los Angeles. Barbara takes him out to a unique restaurant not found on the tourist maps.

The Death of Disco
After nearly 25 years, a Boston landmark and a symbol of the disco era is no more. The Palace Disco, touted as one of the world's largest dance clubs has closed. In its heyday, the club had 320 employees with six rooms catering to just about every taste. Disco legends Peaches and Herb were among those who performed there over the years. Its many keepsakes were auctioned off Tuesday to former patrons who are determined to keep on dancing. Weekend America's Shannon Mullen went to see how it all went down.