April 11, 2017
02. Justice Gorsuch: Another Faux Originalist Judge
03. Former CIA Agent on Stand Your Ground Law
04. Comedian Remembers Don Rickles
05. What Took Barry Manilow So Long?
06. Trump’s New Authoritarian Government
07. How to Tell Fake News from Real News
08. She Had Dinner on Cary Grant’s Bed
09. Dangerous Things People Do While Driving
10. GOP’s New Target: Transgender Students
11. Phobia Relief Day
12. Love Him or Hate Him, Trump Brands Bigly
13. Tax Tips for the Self-Employed
14. 3 Steps to Get Serious about Retirement Planning
15. Play Ball! Eat Dogs!
=======================================
1. ==> Journalist Charles Glass on Syria
Former ABC News Chief Middle East correspondent,
Charles Glass, says “The death and suffering caused by
poison gas in Syria emphasizes the urgency — not to
escalate the war with more bombardment — but to end it
through negotiation between the United States and
Russia. Only they can impose a solution on their
clients.” Glass’ books include Syria Burning: A Short
History of a Catastrophe. In February, the New York
Review of Books published his piece “How Assad Is
Winning.” Available for a limited number of interviews,
contact him (in Beirut) at charlesglass@gmx.com,
@charlesmglass
2. ==> Justice Gorsuch: Another Faux Originalist Judge
According to Ivan Eland, Neil Gorsuch has been
advertised as a similar replacement for the deceased
Antonin Scalia, who had styled himself as a small
government “textualist.” Eland says, “Let’s hope
Gorsuch will do better than Scalia’s faux textualism.
If his previous actions are indicative, he – like
Scalia – might unfortunately practice selective
originalism.” Eland will discuss Scalia’s approach to
interpreting the Constitution and what Gorsuch will
bring to the Supreme Court and how that may affect
future rulings. Ivan Eland is a senior fellow and the
director of the Center on Peace and Liberty at the
Independent Institute. He is also the author of several
books including “Recarving Rushmore: Ranking the
Presidents on Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty.” Contact
him at (703) 282-3484 (cell); ieland@independent.org,
@Ivan_Eland
3. ==> Former CIA Agent on Stand Your Ground Law
So you bought a gun for self-defense, but do you
understand how and when you can use it? Invite Bruce
Lawlor, a former CIA case officer, former trial lawyer,
first Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, former Virginia Tech professor, and
retired Major General, U.S. Army, to discuss the issues
involved in the “Stand Your Ground” law. Lawlor has
been interested in personal self-defense for many years
and wrote “When Deadly Force is Involved: A Look at the
Legal Side of Stand Your Ground, Duty to Retreat and
Other Questions of Self Defense” to explain the laws to
gun owners. He is a life member of the NRA member and
an NRA certified firearms instructor. Contact Johanna
Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137.
4. ==> Comedian Remembers Don Rickles
Last week, America lost its funniest late-night
television guest when Don Rickles, the legendary
“insult comic,” passed away at the age of 90. Bring
comedy historian, writer, and performer Jeffrey Gurian
on your show to share memories of Rickles and how he
influenced today’s generation of comedic performers.
Jeffrey Gurian is a comedy writer, performer, director,
author, producer, doctor, and healer. He’s written
material for comedy legends and MTV, National Lampoon,
Weekly World News, and many Friars Club Roasts. In
1999, he launched Comedy Matters, a celeb-based, online
entertainment column that now has evolved into Comedy
Matters TV, an internet TV channel. Contact Ryan
McCormick at (516) 901-1103
5. ==> What Took Barry Manilow So Long?
It was more or less an open secret but iconic singer-
songwriter Barry Manilow has officially come out as gay
at the age of 73. But just because it was widely known
that Manilow was gay doesn’t make his coming out any
less significant, according to Hilary Meyer, chief
enterprise and innovation officer for the LGBT elders
organization SAGE. “If you think about the vast
majority of LGBT older folks—say people 65 and
older—they have lived through really pervasive
discrimination, stigma, and prejudice throughout their
lives. LGBT older adults carry this heavy stigma with
them that has created this wall of staying closeted
unless they are otherwise explicitly told that this is
a safe and comfortable environment.” Services &
Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is the country’s
largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving
the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) older adults. Contact Christina DaCosta at (917)
553-3328 (NY); cdacosta@sageusa.org
6. ==> Trump’s New Authoritarian Government
We knew he was a narcissist who has thin skin and loves
to lash out at those who disagree. Now that he’s
president, Ruth Ben-Ghiat says Trump’s following ‘the
authoritarian playbook.’ “Strongmen show aggression to
the press as part of a slow-drip strategy of
discrediting all information that is not dispensed by
their close allies. Strongmen also target the
judiciary, since it stands in the way of their
“reforms” that often veer into extra-legality. Those
with a history of legal troubles can be particularly
focused on this sector.” She adds, “Authoritarians love
to think they are making history, and never hesitate to
rewrite the past to suit their political agendas.” Ruth
Ben-Ghiat is professor of history and Italian studies
at New York University and a cultural critic. She
writes and speaks frequently on fascism, war, racism,
authoritarian rulers, propaganda, and the politics of
images and her essay on Trump and Mussolini recently
ran in the Atlantic. Contact her at rb68@nyu.edu
7. ==> How to Tell Fake News from Real News
The advent of social media and blogging has given the
masses the ability to create and write the news, and
fake news is fast becoming a very real and alarming
trend. With nearly half of all Americans (47%) getting
their news from Facebook often see fictional political
stories, it’s vital that we learn to distinguish fact
from fiction. Communication expert Leslie Shore will
offer 4 tips for determining whether what you are
reading is true or false. Among other things, she says
you should look for a reputable source of a story and
make sure there’s an actual author of the piece. Shore
says there are also key words to watch for that
indicate a story is opinion rather than fact. Leslie
Shore is a national speaker, communication expert,
professor, and author. She’s also the owner of Listen
to Succeed, a consultancy that focuses on listening
analytics. Contact Erin Dean at (661) 255-8283;
erin@steveallenmedia.com
8. ==> She Had Dinner on Cary Grant’s Bed
If invited, few women would have resisted an invitation
to dinner from Cary Grant, one of Hollywood’s
classically suave leading men. Lenay (Marie) Rogus was
no exception. At the time, Rogus was 19 and working at
Universal Pictures in the steno pool in a bungalow next
to Grant’s. Brief encounters on the way to her car led
the two to chat and subsequently to Grant’s invitation
to his Beverly Hills home atop a steep canyon. Rogus
will share details of the surreal evening they spent
together—including Grant’s odd penchant for
entertaining in his bedroom, what they talked about,
what they ate, the unusual collection he showed her and
what it was like riding in his Rolls Royce. Her dinner
with Grant is one of the Hollywood stories she shares
in her upcoming memoir: “Grief Comfort Guide: A
Personal Journey from Loss to Light,” which also
details her experience of losing seven dear friends and
relatives. Rogus went on to work on such films as
Raging Bull, Rocky 2 and Myra Breckinridge and has many
stories about celebrities she can relate from her years
in Hollywood. Contact her at (858) 349-4917 or
rogus3@att.net
9. ==> Dangerous Things People Do While Driving
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and this
year, an alarming rise in motor vehicle deaths has
safety officials concerned that drivers aren’t aware of
how risky their driving behaviors are. “Most Americans
recognize risky drivers on the roadways, but they’re
not adopting safer behaviors themselves,” says Deborah
Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety
Council. “The notion that bad things happen to other
people, but will not happen to us when we are
distracted behind the wheel, is akin to playing Russian
roulette.” She’ll reveal some of the top distressing
things drivers do – or believe they can do – when
driving and some surprising common beliefs that put
everyone at risk and increase the likelihood of being
involved in a crash. Contact Hersman at (630) 775-2307;
media@nsc.org
10. ==> GOP’s New Target: Transgender Students
The White House has signaled its intent to roll back
protections for transgender students set under
President Obama. Those protections allow students to
use locker rooms and bathrooms that match the gender
they identify with. Available to comment on this
unfolding story is Seth Rainess, a transgender male and
author of the only book written for transgender teens.
He can discuss why everyone should care about this
rollback as well as Trump’s opposition to marriage
equality, his Cabinet choices’ anti-gay beliefs, and
the effect of potential Supreme Court appointments on
the transgender community. Rainess’ book is “Real Talk
for Teens: Jump Start Guide to Gender Transition and
Beyond.” His mission is to alleviate the still
prevalent fears and misconceptions people have about
the transgender people and he’s been featured in Time
and numerous media outlets. Reach him at (732) 620-4300
(cell); (732) 291-6090 (landline) or
sjrainess@yahoo.com
11. ==> Phobia Relief Day
On May 8, people who suffer the shame, fear and stress
that accompanies phobias for such everyday things as
snakes, clowns, spiders, social anxiety and
dentists—can get relief as part of the first annual
Phobia Relief Day. The brainchild of internationally
bestselling author Kalliope Barlis, the special day
will be marked by in-person phobia relief sessions in
New York City as well as training that can be
accessible anywhere in the world through the internet.
Invite her to share what’s going on and how your
listeners can participate. She’ll also discuss the many
different types of phobias and strategies to help deal
with them. Kalliope Barlis is a New York City-based
licensed trainer of NLP who has appeared on CBS, NBC,
Fox and SiriusXM, among other media outlets and has
helped thousands of people conquer their phobias. She
is the author of the internationally bestselling
“Phobia Relief.” Contact her at (718)751-5105;
Ask@PhobiaReliefDay.org
12. ==> Love Him or Hate Him, Trump Brands Bigly
According to Tim Marshall, one of the first steps on
the journey to entrepreneurship is simply getting used
to saying your name. “That is your identity. Cherish
it. Embracing your name can be your starting point to
changing your life and embracing your uniqueness.
Donald Trump is an expert at this. You might not agree
with him, but he is a master at marketing his name, and
he does this fearlessly.” Tim, a nationally recognized
entrepreneur by INC Magazine for 4 years on their list
of America’s Fastest Growing Companies, will openly
share his own life lessons and personal techniques to
guide entrepreneurs in defining their purpose, creating
their brand, and delivering their message. Tim was the
#1 U.S. salesperson for a global tech company for 12
years. He is a coach, speaker and author. His latest
book is “The Power of Breaking Fear as an
Entrepreneur.” Contact Brenda Star at (561) 547-0667;
Brenda@StarGroupInternational.com
13. ==> Tax Tips for the Self-Employed
Tax season is here! Lisa London CPA, can help your
listeners streamline their current files and understand
everything from deductions to what is considered
income. She says, “With the influx of people in the
sharing economy, like Uber drivers, Airbnb hosts, and
EBay and Amazon sellers, more and more people need to
understand what is considered income and what are
allowable expenses.” Invite her to tell your audience
how to use their cell phones to simplify bookkeeping
and share record-keeping tips and tricks to help small
and at-home businesses. Lisa London has been featured
on numerous TV and radio shows. She is the author of
the “Accountant Beside You” series of books for small
businesses, nonprofits, and churches. Her newest book,
“Banish Your Bookkeeping Nightmares-The Go-To Guide for
the Self-Employed to Save Money, Reduce Frustration, &
Satisfy the IRS” will be released next month. Contact
her at (919) 770-3746; lisa@lisalondon.net
14. ==> 3 Steps to Get Serious about Retirement
Planning
Last year, when the Federal Reserve Board asked, more
than half of all respondents admitted they were not
confident or just slightly confident of making the
right retirement investment decisions. Indeed, the
Fed’s report expressed alarm at how unprepared
investors are at making the best possible choices at a
time when most people’s retirement plans are self-
directed. Chartered retirement planning counselor
Rodger Alan Friedman, CRPC®, is worried too. “Getting
the retirement equation right is no more a do-it-
yourself exercise than home root-canal kits … The vast
majority of Americans will not thrive in retirement.
That is reserved for people who understand the risks
they face in the later stages of their lives. They
acknowledge that preparation is necessary and they do
the intelligent thing—they seek help.” Invite Friedman
to share 3 steps to get serious about retirement
planning and how to tell if you’re on track for your
golden years. Friedman’s latest book is “Fire Your
Retirement Planner You: Concise Advice on How to Join
the $100,000 Retirement Club.” Contact him at (844)
3MY-PLAN; Rodger@RodgeronRetirement.com
15. ==> Play Ball! Eat Dogs!
Like popcorn at the movies, hot dogs are the
quintessential summer ballpark food, and the National
Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) estimates that
baseball fans will consume nearly 19 million hot dogs
and more than 4.1 million sausages during the 2017 MLB
season. So who’s got the best dogs? The winner of the
Fifth Annual Hot Dog Madness Bracket Contest is the
Boston Red Sox, but the competition was pretty tough.
“While perennial hot dog favorites remain staples at
ballparks across America, teams are introducing new
creations every year,” says Eric Mittenthal. He can
talk about anything and everything about baseball, hot
dogs and sausages including some of the craziest
concoctions served to fans like the Royals’ Sunrise Dog
(served only on Sundays) and Toronto’s Bloor Street Dog
(a dog topped with butter chicken, chili-lime sour
cream, a trio of Indian vegetables and fresh chopped
parsley). Contact Eric Mittenthal at (202) 587-4238;
(404) 808-8396 or emittenthal@meatinstitute.org,
@MeatVP