welcome to "assignment 7". today on our program, from cuba to camelot, a former presidential advisor reflects on his role at the white house in the kennedy years. free cell phone service and free tv. "7 on your side" with cost saving options to lower your bills. and we'll introduce you to ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help save the environment. we begin with an inside look into john f. kennedy's presidency. ted southernson was a key advisor and at the president's side when this nation came to closest its ever been to a nuclear war. our cheryl jennings spoke with him about his reflections from camelot to cuba. >> it is seered in my brain to this day. >> reporter: ted sorenson,

speech writer who walked side by side with president kennedy, vividly remembers the frightening time during the cuban missile crisis in 1962. >> no one knew what the right answer was. we had tried to go through the united nations secretary general. we had tried direct messages between kennedy and khrushchev through a back channel. nothing worked up to that day. >> reporter: he says the movie, 13 days, got most of it right. as president kennedy tried to find a peaceful solution to stop a potential nuclear war. >> the generals thought that the only real way to get rid of the missiles pointed at the united states was to bomb them and follow that up with an invasion. if we had done that, you and i wouldn't be sitting here today. >> reporter: a stroke and partial blindness have not dulled the emotions of ted, about a world on the drink of a nuclear holocaust in october 62.

jfk's trust in sorrienson was so high that he asked him to help bobby kennedy draft a key letter. it was to khrushchev at the most critical point of the first nuclear confrontation between global super powers and it worked. he 34. just 34. >> during the first year i was a lowly research assistant, but ye to help on the speech. he liked my draft of the speech and after that, i couldn't get rid of the speech writing job. >> reporter: then, of course, there is the phrase that many quote. >> ask not what your country can do for you. >> ask what you can do for your country. >> reporter: and where did that come from? >> that came from the process of collaboration and the basic feel of kennedy's campaign for president. i loved the man, i loved the job. and because my parents did bring me up to care about this country

and this world, i was doing what i wanted most to do. >> reporter: cheryl jennings, abc 7 news. >> china is on a spending spree. the country appears focused on buying silicon valley companies, david louis with an inside look at what they're planning to buy and why. >> reporter: the u.s. and china don't always see eye to eye. but there is agreement at this gathering of tech executives and investors at stanford. money that china earned from manufacturing goods for the u.s. is coming back to buy tech start-ups in silicon valley. >> whether we like it or not, china is coming to us. it's not a question of going there, they're coming here, chinese companies or internet. >> reporter: it's all because of an explosion of mobile phone use in china. 570 millions and growing as shown in this video provided by china in a box. there is a need to create gaming, music download sites and social networking. things that silicon valley does well. >> we're going to be seeing the

next i'd say next 12 to 18 months certainly a lot more companies that will be focusing their investment pitches to chinese companies as many of them have already set up branch offices here in the valley. >> reporter: of course, the issue of censorship comes autopsy after google decided to stop blocking search results in china. >> they might be a little bit more controlling over it, more overseeing. at least help -- they'll probably help us tailor the message better for their local client users. >> reporter: yet google remain has partner, selling ads on a new chinese music site. >> we'll work more closely with google in china on this music service. we still need a lot of help from google. >> reporter: china is expected to invest $60 billion overseas this year. >> the growth of mobile broad band is expected to be staggering, ten years from now, ericcson is predicting there will be 50 billion, that's with a b, connected devices. at stanford, david louis, abc 7,

moneyscope. >> every parent wants to raise the happiest child they can, trying to figure out how to change a child's attitude into gratitude. a new book and happiness expert may have the answers. here is theresa garcia. >> reporter: raising happy children is not just an intuitive artful skill. there's a science behind it, too >> we learned anything in 50 years on happiness, it's that happiness is best predicted by the strength of our social ties, our connections to other people. >> reporter: building social relationships is just one of many avenues to achieving a happy life, according to uc uc-berkeley expert. as a mom herself to two girls, she became compelled to share the science side of her work. >> i realized that i was really applying all this great science and psychology and sociology to my own parenting and that i had a real passion for translating

it into practical tips for parents. >> reporter: raising happiness, ten simple steps for more joyful kids and happier parents is a science-based parenting advice book. tips range from how to change your kids' attitude into gratitude to strategies for motivating kids to do boring but necessary tasks. >> all the tips are based on scientific studies, but they're all written about through the lens of a real family. >> reporter: carter shares examples of raising her own young children and there are lessons to be learned from even simple stuff, like the challenge of teeth brushing or setting the dinner table, which is why she cusses how to form good habits one small step at a time. >> the true step was really not putting the entire table, but just having her get the place mats out. >> reporter: family dinner time is highlighted as one of the most critical activities for raising happy children. carter explains that studies show kids who routinely eat

dinner with their families get better grades, are more emotionally stable and less likely to become obese. the dinner table is also an ideal place for teaching social skills. it's a launch pad for learning many manners like listening to others and saying please and thank you. >> those things have a very high likelihood of, if you teach them and you practice them with your children, of making you happy and making your children happy, too. >> reporter: theresa garcia, abc 7 news. >> coming up, "7 on your side" with some ideas to save you money on your bills. free cell phone service, no contract, no monthly fees. and -- >> we looked it and it was like over ten years, that might be $6,000. >> reporter: no cable or satellite dishes. some alternatives that won't cost you a dime.

"7 on your side" has alternatives to help you save money on your household bills.

first, how would you like to make mobile calls for free? michael finney with some answer answers. >> reporter: we are at the borders coffee shop on union square because of this offer. free wi-fi. showing me his new ipad and his ipod touch. he has downloaded an app called whistle, with a touch of his screen, whistle transforms these internet device noose mobile phones. mobile phones without the monthly bill. >> the iphone touch is my phone without the phone. with whistle t has a phone. yeah. it's a deal! >> yes, it is a deal. >> reporter: and it's not just whistle. skype, the well-known voice over protocol is into mobile service, too. >> so you can put skype or some other voit calling software on a smart phone and now it's making calls, but doing it over a

wireless internet connection as opposed to a wireless cellular connection. that's where you save your money. >> reporter: so how does it sound? listen to this message from brian over whistle. >> hi, michael, it's brian. calling you on my ipad touch. sounds pretty good. >> sounds good. during our test, the sound was less than ideal. kind of tinny and robotlike. but he says that's the first time he's ever heard it sound like that. >> works at home, works where i work and i haven't had any problems with it so far. >> wi-fi is more mobile, which is not the same as portable. fo follows you around. it is. >> from free mobile phone calls to watching tv without a dime, the average bill runs $70 a month. but there is a way to cut the cable and keep watching. michael finney shows shows us h.

>> reporter: plato wang has just moved into his new home. what looks different about it? look up on the roof. a brand-new tv antenna. he and his wife have decided to skip cable and satellite. >> we looked at it and it was something like over ten years, that might be $6,000. i'd rather spend that somewhere else. >> reporter: plato is a high-tech guy and will eventually stream movie, but so far, he's wowed by over the air tv. >> i was shocked. i'm used to this analog world where maybe there were 20 channels and to thehe over the air hd and other offering as there were 70 channels was a surprise. >> reporter: he's not alone. dick baughman is a tv, antenna installer and seeing a boom in work from consumers who are opting for tv without the monthly bill. >> since the digital signal came out, i only had one person ask me to take it down because there

was not enough programming for what he wanted and that's out of several hundred people. >> reporter: it isn't just over the air. but on-line viewing that's getting a thumbs up. retrievo.com, a review site, conducted a study on tv viewing patterns. >> we found an overwhelming majority of people in the age group, under 25, where who are very keen "on the red carpet" line tv. , one in three said that they view almost all of their tv on-line. >> let's say you want to catch "castle," it will tell you where it plays. abc and h, la. >> reporter: she's with retrievo and showing me clicker.com. >> a site that's kind of like the tv guide of this new tv era. it tells you where you can watch tv shows, not on tv. she says on-line tv is catching on with viewers because satellite and cable are expensive.

>> especially in this economy. they want to know where they should be spending their money and i think now adays, with so much content available on-line, people are saying that that's something they're willing to try at least. >> reporter: he says the problem isn't the cost of the service, but the market baskets consumers are forced to buy. >> people have had it with the bundling and the packaging because the internet and interactive technologies are very specific. you pick what you want, when you want it, where you want it. >> reporter: which brings us back to plato and his new digital world. his over the air tv comes with what was once a cable and satellite only feature. a program guide. only this one comes for free. i'm michael finney, "7 on your side". >> michael says this won't work everywhere in the bay area. hills block some signals and some of the channels are broadcast from low power stations. we posted some resources on our web site, abc abc7news.com, look

under "7 on your side." coming up, the winners of this year's golden prize. the work they're doing around the world to save our planet. plus -- >> what they do is they give you an adjustable focus. >> reading glasses that let you readjust the focus without getting a new prescription. 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.

the goldman environmental prize the green mobil prize. one of the world's most prestigious awards for protecting the planet. dan ashley introduces us to six ordinary people around the world who are taking extraordinary action. the winners of the goldman environmental prize come prosecute all over the world, protecting animal, wilderness animals and those who depend on things around the world chance

the chance to spread the word is a big benefit that comes with the prize. >> the recognition and the credibility are really important because i think it does give them a voice, a much louder voice and a more respected voice. >> reporter: tory is working to stop the conflict between people and elephants in cambodia. she spent years teaching farmers how to stop elephants from raiding their crops without hurting the animals. he also helped bring schools to rural villages where the curriculum includes the importance of wildlife. >> one day per week the teacher has to mention about elephant conservation. >> reporter: this man is the first goldman winner from cuba. cuban farms were in crisis because they depended on chemical fertilizer and pesticides from the soviet union. when the ussr collapsed, the chemicals stopped coming and there was a serious food shortage. he worked with a team to create sustainable organic agriculture.

the farmers experimented and found a wide variety of crops that grow well without chemicals. >> the yield has been multiplied, sometimes two or three times. >> reporter: the prize in the united states also went to a farmer, lynn henning, from michigan. henning is pushing for better regulation of large scale animal feed lots, like the ones that move near her farm. the animals are kept in confined spaces with no natural vegetation. henning began monitoring water near the lots and was horrified by what she found. >> we have discharges of animal waste into the waterways that we're getting bloodworms, that were getting high phosphorous readings. >> reporter: michigan eventually issued hundreds of citations against the feed lots and with henning leading the charge, a statewide committee is doing its first ever environmental impact report on feed lots. in africa, the prize goes to a woman who is trying to make sure that all people get a say in what happens to natural

resources. she is swaziland's only public interest environmental attorney and won a case to try to balance the rights of the owners of big private game parks and the poverty stricken villages that surround them. >> environmental resources are supposed to be for everyone's benefit. >> reporter: the european winner is this polish woman who led the fight to protect one of her country's last true wilderness areas. the government was clearing the land to build a major highway project. she created a national campaign to save it. after years of court battles, the "urinetown" forced the -- the european union positioned them to choose another route. this man is getting recognition for his stories protect sharks. 100 million sharks a year are killed for fins. conservationists say the fishing methods are cruel and wasteful. >> they cut the fins off and

throw the bloody and sometimes still alive body back into the sea. >> reporter: costa rica is one of the largest exporters of shark products. he led a successful campaign to ban shark finning in that country. >> people have started feeling sympathy for sharks and something had to be done. >> dan ashley, abc 7 news. >> the lenses in our eyes lose their ability to focus around middle age and for many folks, that means reading glasses or bifocals. now there is an alternative. carolyn johnson has the story. >> reporter: if you wear reading glasses, you probably spend a fair amount of time taking them on and off. but what if a pair of glasses could let you literally refocus on the fly? >> these are amazing. what they do is give you an adjustable focus. >> reporter: this doctor has begun fitting patients at his clinic with true focals. the glasses look like something out of inspector damage jet, but they have a lens controlled by a moveable bar at the bridge. >> the way you change the focus

is take the bar and move it from right to left. >> reporter: that touch focus design let's this patient read the same page at varied distances. >> really things are in good focus. >> reporter: true focals consist of two lenses, one firm and the other flexible and filled with a clear fluid. the slider changes the pressure on that second lens. >> what it does is actually changes the, as i said, changes the swelling of the lens. by changing the bar essentially changes the curvature of the lens, which is how you change the focus. >> reporter: true focals may have launched an evolution in the way people use their eyeglasses and they'll soon have competition. another company plans to release glasses next year that adjust focus electronically. the prototypes in this animation created by the manufacturer employs a battery system that shifts the focus when the wearer looks up or down. they can be controlled manual legal by touching the frame. >> this is very hot area, a lot of different companies are very

interested in doing it. you will start seeing more of these glasses coming out in the near future. >> reporter: some doctors believe the technologies could have benefits for conditions like stigmatism and macular degeneration. for now the main market is middle aged patients like christian who suffer from the common loss of the eye's ability to shift focus as we age. >> having something with an adjustable focal length, which is where you're going, it's a wonderful thing to have. >> reporter: carolyn johnson, abc 7 news. >> technology isn't cheap. the true focals retail for just under $400. the electronic version due out next year is expected to cost more than $1,000 per pair. when we come back, the mysteries cultures of ancient mongolia, @ú t t t tatatpx

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gengis khan has was a misunderstood conquerors. a exhibit is at the tech museum. arts and entertainment reporter don canchas gives us a look. >> reporter: mongolian singing, an ancient art, perhaps from the time of genghiskhan. this is called the exhibition. treasures from his time in the 13th century. and a look into part of the world that remain has mystery. >> look at the mongolian culture, which is the same as it was then and it's great traditions of a nomadic people, they're still preserved here. >> reporter: this is a traditional housing. it's secure, lightweight and portable. khan would create the largest empire the world has ever seen. the exhibit presents some of their rare relics from his

reign. the image we have is that of a warrior whose operative word was conquest. this exhibit shows another side of him. that of an innovator. look what he created. >> he's the reason we have a post office, pony express and libraries, and paper money. and hamburgers and pants. so we don't give this guy near the credit he ought to get. >> there is the intrigue and the murders, but rising above all of that, you see this man who has a concept of humanity, who is a civil person. >> reporter: the exhibit comes from five museums and there is constant digging for new artifacts. this mummy was recently unearthed. the search goes on for his burial site. some thing it could be filled with treasures. >> it's a simple guy. >> the exhibit is here through the summer. in san jose, don sanchez, abc 7 news. >> if you would like more information on the stories on our program today, go to our web site, abc7news.com and look

under the news links on the left side for "assignment 7". that's all for this edition of "assignment 7". i'm eric thomas. thank you for joining us. we'll see you next time. >> next a drunk driver causes big problems. the damage he left behind. >> san jose firefighters pitch the latest plan to try to save 50 jobs but the city says it doesn't go far enough. >> after a year in custody, hope for three u.c. berkeley graduates locked in you can see

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