July 13, 2017
01. Trump’s Empty Promise of War Savings
02. HRC Launches $26M Political Expansion
03. Sleeveless Women Banned from Congress?
04. Sharks are Everywhere (On TV, Anyway)
05. Privacy Concerns Drive 1st Adult Search Engine
06. Vacationing with Family: Rules of Engagement
07. World Travel – Would You Survive an Attack?
08. New Doc – Birthright: A War Story
09. Even Smart People Fall for Scams
10. Which Is More Intimate, Money or Sex?
11. The Art (and Science) of Millennial Job Hunting
12. When a Dream Job Comes with a Nightmare Boss
13. Surprising, Everyday things that Age You Faster
14. The Soul’s Role in Health
15. For the Love of Wieners! It’s National Hot Dog
Month
=======================================
1. ==> Trump’s Empty Promise of War Savings
Military Budget proposals of at least $600 billion per
year are working their way through Congress this week.
Ivan Eland of the Independent Institute says,
“President Donald Trump has always had contradictions
in his ‘tough guy’ national security policy. For
starters, he has proposed a nearly 10 percent increase
in defense spending, but also claims that his demands
for U.S. allies to spend more on defense are producing
results.” He adds, “If allies pay more and the United
States stays out of pointless brushfire wars, the U.S.
government could seemingly spend less, not more, on
defense.” But, Eland says, the only way Trump’s plan
will work is if the U.S. adopts a nuclear strategy
similar to China’s, and develop only a minimum long-
range nuclear deterrent — enough long-range missiles to
inflict enough atomic damage on other countries to
deter them from attacking. Eland is senior fellow and
director of the Center on Peace & Liberty at the
Independent Institute. His books include Putting
“Defense” Back into U.S. Defense Policy. Contact him at
ieland@independent.org, @Ivan_Eland
2. ==> HRC Launches $26M Political Expansion
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ
civil rights organization, is putting cash and bodies
behind its efforts, launching what it says is its
biggest political action expansion in its 37-year
history. The group will spend $26 million and add 20
full-time staff to mount a nationwide, grassroots
campaign to defeat candidates and legislation they see
as hostile to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender community. “It’s not enough to resist the
hateful policies and attacks coming from the Trump-
Pence regime — we’ve got to accelerate the pace of
progress toward full equality and secure protections
for LGBTQ people in states and communities across the
country.” says HRC President Chad Griffin. “You can’t
just be part of the resistance,” Griffin says,
referring to the left-leaning protests against
President Donald Trump, his administration and his
policies. “Marching is important, protesting is
important. But what we’re really doing here is going on
the offensive, mobilizing folks across the country to
act for equality.” Contact Chad Griffin at (202)
572-8968; press@hrc.org
3. ==> Sleeveless Women Banned from Congress?
Last week, several women, many of whom were
journalists, were banned from the Speaker of the
House’s lobby after wearing sleeveless blouses or
dresses. One woman attempted to remedy her cold
shoulders by using newspaper to make capped sleeves!
The rule isn’t new, but it’s never been enforced before
Paul Ryan decided it was high time to do just that last
week. Since when have women’s collarbones or arms been
inappropriate? (Is it any coincidence that Michelle
Obama had famously fit arms that she frequently
flaunted in sleeveless attire?) Have we gone back to
controlling what women can and cannot wear? “It’s not
surprising that those who are trying to create a
culture based on a society of conservative values would
glorify a way of life we saw before feminism, or
desegregation,” says Salamishah Tillet, a professor of
gender, sexuality, and women’s studies at the
University of Pennsylvania. “It’s a restriction of
progress, and it makes it very difficult for massive
progress to be made.” Contact Salamishah Tillet at
(215) 898-7346; stillet@english.upenn.edu
4. ==> Sharks are Everywhere (On TV, Anyway)
From Shark Week to Sharkfest, it seems July is all
about the shark, at least on TV. After watching you
might wonder whether it’s safe to venture beyond the
shoreline. Invite George Burgess, director of the
University of Florida Program for Shark Research to
help put things in perspective. He’s one of the top
shark attack experts in the world and even manages the
official Shark Attack File of all known attacks on
humans! He’ll tell you how to avoid a shark attack,
survive one, and whether shark attacks are increasing.
In the meantime, be reassured: your chance of getting
attacked by a shark in your lifetime is 1 in
11,000,000. So it turns out that it is safe to go back
in the water, as long as you’ve got the facts! Contact
Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137;
johanna@jrbcomm.com
5. ==> Privacy Concerns Drive 1st Adult Search Engine
The team behind adult search engine BoodiGo.com is
crediting increased awareness and concern on the part
of privacy-minded internet users for a recent growth in
the search portal’s traffic, which has now grown to
over 1 million unique visitors per month. “I think some
of this has to do with policy changes coming down from
the Trump Administration, including the rolling back of
privacy protections which had been proposed and adopted
during the Obama years, as well as the ongoing
discussion of dropping the FCC’s current net neutrality
rules,” says BoodiGo co-founder Colin Rowntree. “A lot
of web surfers, including some who probably hadn’t
given their online privacy much thought in years past,
are starting to look at the issue more closely, and
they’re increasingly flocking to platforms they know
they can trust to secure and maintain their privacy.”
Launched in 2014, BoodiGo doesn’t use cookies or other
user-tracking technologies to gather information about
its users. The search engine takes users directly to
explicit 21+ sites without the use of mainstream search
services, in an anonymous and secure online
environment. Contact Brian Gross at (818) 340-4422;
Brian@bsgpr.com
6. ==> Vacationing with Family: Rules of Engagement
At its best, summer vacation should be a time for
relaxing and recharging. For many, it may mean feeling
forced to spend time with insistent parents. The author
of “Coping with Un-cope-able Parents,” and the only
child of a demanding, formerly alcoholic father, Carol-
Ann Hamilton will answer the question: how much do you
really owe your troublesome folks? Her advice spans
opening one’s own abode to disagreeable family members,
surviving a stay in the childhood home and or traveling
together to a separate location all in the name of
vacation. Carol-Ann helps adult children to set
boundaries, find “me time,” end long-standing
traditions they dislike and focus on aspects of the
vacation that will restore their sanity. Contact her at
(905) 822-2503; carolann@carolannhamilton.com
7. ==> World Travel – Would You Survive an Attack?
It’s summertime and many Americans are taking trips to
unfamiliar and foreign places. It’s one thing to find
yourself the victim of a pickpocket, but there have
been numerous stories lately involving deadly
pedestrian attacks on busy city streets. Invite former
British Army Officer Chris Bird to share advice on
staying safe in an unfamiliar city, as well as what to
do if you find yourself in the middle of a dangerous or
deadly situation. Bird says everyone needs to be aware
of their surroundings at all times—but not to succumb
to fear. He’ll explain the 4Ds to avoid as well as why
you should only walk down streets in which there are
parked cars on the same side you are on or walk facing
traffic even on the sidewalk. He’ll detail what to do
if you absolutely must send a text or be on the phone
while on the street. Bird is the author of “Surviving a
Mass Killer Rampage” and a former San Antonio Express-
News crime reporter. Reach him at (210) 308-8191;
cjbird@satx.rr.com
8. ==> New Doc – Birthright: A War Story
The U.S. currently has the worst maternal death rate in
the developed world. According to a joint NPR and
ProPublica investigation on maternal mortality, “More
American women are dying of pregnancy-related
complications than any other developed country.” So
why, as maternal mortality declines around the world,
are American mothers dying at an alarming, rising rate?
Birthright: A War Story, a timely new documentary from
director Civia Tamarkin, shows that these stats are a
symptom of the ongoing war to take control of and
restrict reproductive health care. The feature length
documentary examines how women are being jailed,
physically violated and even put at risk of dying as a
radical movement tightens its grip across America. The
film opens in limited release this weekend. For
interviews contact Michelle DiMartino at (212)
445-7100; MichelleDiMartino@FalcoInk.com
9. ==> Even Smart People Fall for Scams
While the rest of us take vacations, scammers never do.
Now is the perfect time to interview Bill Francavilla
to learn the latest financial scams and why even
intelligent people fall for them. Francavilla spent 30
years in the financial services industry and he knows
exactly how the bad guys’ operate to push your greed
and fear buttons. He’ll reveal the top six scams going
on right now and how to protect yourself from them.
He’ll also offer sobering statistics: did you know that
after being fired, 44 percent of financial advisors are
working for another company within a year or that scam
artists steal more than $100 billion from Americans
each year? Francavilla is the author of the upcoming
book “The Madoffs Among Us: Make Better Financial
Decisions and Protect Your Future.” He’s a CFP and
former senior vice president, director of Wealth
Management for Legg Mason who has extensive media
experience. Reach him at (757) 870-4590;
wmfrancavilla@gmail.com
10. ==> Which Is More Intimate, Money or Sex?
Whether their newlyweds or married decades, many
couples feel squeamish talking about money and
finances, making it one of the last marital taboos and
the source of many couples’ problems. “When you add
together the inability to talk about money with
problems of handling it, you have by far the largest
cause of the destruction of marriages and
relationships,” says Mitchell Walker. “It’s the 800 lb.
gorilla in the bedroom that very few seem to be able to
drive out.” Walker will share how couples can put
together a simple financial plan that will bring them
together instead of driving them apart, discuss the one
question to ask yourself and your future spouse that
determines a person’s financial personality (and
future). You’ll also learn 3 things that can
practically divorce-proof your marriage. Walker is a
former vice president of finance for a Berkshire
Hathaway company. Twenty-five years ago, when he was
more than $100,000 in debt and had no assets, he dug
his way out by discovering and refining ‘The
PouchPlan.’ His book, “The PouchPlan Budget: The Simple
Way to Find Hidden Money, Improve Your Life, and Build
Wealth,” is based on his own extensive experience.
Contact him at (903) 563-3396; mwalker@PouchPlan.com
11. ==> The Art (and Science) of Millennial Job Hunting
Did you know that half of all new college grads end up
underemployed in positions that do not require a degree
(think Uber driver)? No one wants that to happen to
their kid—especially with all their college debt—nor to
have their recent grad take up permanent residence in
their basement. Diane Huth can help. She teaches
millennials all the self-branding skills they need to
find good jobs using a six-step system. Diane, a
marketing and branding guru who teaches at two
universities, demystifies the black hole of the online
application process, sheds light on using social media
to gain the job-hunting advantage and discusses
networking skills most new grads don’t even think about
acquiring. For students still in college, she’ll
explain the one essential step students need to take
well before graduation that can give them a critical
edge. Diane became an accidental career expert while
teaching marketing to college students when she
discovered that they lacked basic skills for finding a
professional job and getting hired fast. She is the
author of “BRAND YOU! To Land Your Dream Job: A Step-
by-Step Guide to Find a Great Job, Get Hired &
Jumpstart Your Career.” Reach her at (210) 601-7852 or
diane@BrandYouGuide.com.
12. ==> When a Dream Job Comes with a Nightmare Boss
You land the job of your dreams … but there’s one
unavoidable problem. Your boss makes every day a
nightmare and a game of professional survival. What can
you do? How can you cope when you’re the low man on the
totem pole? Invite Nita Wiggins, a longtime Dallas
television journalist, to talk about holding on to your
dream job even though your boss wants you out. Nita
Wiggins is the author of “Civil Rights Baby,” a book in
which she writes about staying ahead of the ax. Contact
her at nitadallas@yahoo.com or @EducatingNita
13. ==> Surprising, Everyday things that Age You Faster
No one wants to set themselves up for premature aging.
But, as healing arts practitioner Marie Knoetig
explains, there are many decisions we make without
thinking that can lead us to grow old in the worst
possible way. According to Knoetig, everyday choices
like what shoes we wear, the quality of the living room
couch we sit on and the mattress we lay down on can
have dire consequences. “These are all things that can
help you grow old gracefully but no one gives them much
thought,” she says. “The foundation of good health does
not involve going to the gym. No, the foundation for
good health is living your life by keeping your body
straight. If your hips and spine are out of position,
then everything else is off—your economy of movement is
off, cleaning is harder, you have no energy. The good
news is that making simple changes can alter the
outcome.” Marie Knoetig is the author of “The Missing
Piece to Health and Aging Gracefully.” Contact her at
(603) 851-8217 (NH); marie.bodywithin@gmail.com
14. ==> The Soul’s Role in Health
Over 81% of medical patients say they wish their
healthcare providers would address spiritual issues as
part of treatment, yet less than 10% of doctors do.
Invite Dr. Katherine Kelly to discuss this missing link
in modern healthcare. Trained as a health psychologist,
Dr. Kelly noticed that wellness models don’t address
several key issues that directly affect a patient’s
experience of health and well-being. She’ll explain her
practical yet groundbreaking way to understand the
soul’s role in overall health and how her Soul Health
Model can provide a blueprint for both radiant living
and the soul’s evolution. Katherine Kelly, Ph.D.,
M.S.P.H. is a licensed psychologist in her own
psychotherapy and consulting practice in Winston-Salem,
North Carolina. She’s the author of “Soul Health:
Aligning with Spirit for Radiant Living.” Contact her
at (336) 406-8431; ktkelly101@earthlink.net
15. ==> For the Love of Wieners! It’s National Hot Dog
Month
We love our wieners! Whether you call them franks, hot
dogs or wieners, the National Hot Dog and Sausage
Council (NHDSC) estimates that Americans ate 150
million of them on July 4th alone! July is National Hot
Dog Month and a great time to talk about our love for
the dog. “At a time when so many issues divide us, hot
dogs stand as a food that unites,” says NHDSC president
Eric Mittenthal. He’ll share results of a new survey
about what type of frankfurters are most popular, and
why Betty White is the famous person (past or present)
with whom Americans would most like to share a hot dog.
(The 95-year-old White has said she regularly enjoys
hot dogs for lunch on the set of her TV shows.) Hot
dogs are a food that inspires plenty of smiles and
humor, and in that spirit the NHDSC is seeking the best
(tasteful) hot dog jokes. Mittenthal will explain the
rules and talk about anything – and everything – you
want to know about hot dogs. Contact him at (202)
587-4238; emittenthal@meatinstitute.org or Janet Riley
at (202) 587-4245; jriley@meatinstitute.org