01. Amy Coney Barrett Is an Inspired Choice
02. The GOP/Catholic Supreme Court Pipeline
03. Ringling Elephants Get New Home
04. Celebrate John Lennon’s 80th Birthday, Oct. 9
05. Eat this to Beat COVID-19 Stress
06. Survey: Millennials, the Least Tolerant Generation
07. From ‘Snowflake’ to ‘Nazi’ and ‘Racist’ – How Generalizing Isolates Us
08. Avoid the Costliest Mistakes People Make with Medicare
09. Help Teens Navigate the New Normal
10. She Conquered Breast Cancer Twice by Doing This Simple Thing
11. How to Make Your Own Happy … During Pandemic Times
12. Be Inspired: National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month
13. Why Everyone Is Getting on Your Nerves
14. Fibromyalgia Awareness — Interview this Expert
15. Teen Entrepreneur Recruiting Election Workers
1. ==> Amy Coney Barrett Is an Inspired Choice
President Trump’s selection of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to be the next associate justice of the Supreme Court comes as no surprise. And Carrie Campbell Severino says it shouldn’t be. “She is an inspired choice, one who combines impeccable character with exceptional qualifications.” Severino says Barrett is also a role model for and a mentor to young women, but she says, “Sadly, in the weeks ahead, I do not hold much hope that Democratic senators will describe Judge Barrett in the glowing terms of those across the political spectrum who actually know her.” Carrie Campbell Severino is the President of the Judicial Crisis Network and a member of the Federalist Society. An expert on the confirmation process, Severino has been extensively quoted in the media and regularly appears on television, including MSNBC, FOX, CNN, C-SPAN and ABC’s This Week. Contact her at (202) 467-4999; info@judicialnetwork.com
2. ==> The GOP/Catholic Supreme Court Pipeline
President Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett continues the GOP’s streak of selecting Catholic jurists for the Supreme Court and underscores the impact of the alliance between conservative Catholics and evangelical Protestants, which has transformed the Republican coalition. The Republican tilt toward Catholics over evangelicals “has to do, in really simple terms, with supply and demand,” says Joshua Wilson, a political scientist at the University of Denver and co-author with Amanda Hollis-Brusky of “Separate But Faithful,” an upcoming book on conservative Christians in the legal world. “You don’t have a robust pool of evangelical Protestant lawyers and judges, whereas you do have a robust pool of conservative Catholic judges and lawyers and academics.” While Notre Dame prides itself on its identity as a legal farm team for the right, Wilson says, for Regent and Liberty Universities, “I think it would be impossible … in the foreseeable future for a graduate of one of those schools to be appointed to the Supreme Court. It’s too much of a leap.” Contact Joshua Wilson at (303) 871-2280; joshua.c.wilson@du.edu
3.==> Ringling Elephants Get New Home
The elephants from Ringling Brothers’ now-defunct circus have finally found a suitable home in Florida, thanks to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and his wife Kimbra. They will be relocated to the Walters’ 2500-acre conservation area. Chris DeRose is founder of the animal rights group Last Chance for Animals (LCA), the organization that led the charge that closed down Ringling Brothers’ animal acts. Invite him on your show to discuss the end of Ringling, what happened to the other animals in the circus, and what his group is focusing on now. Last Chance for Animals is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating animal exploitation through education, investigations, legislation, and media attention. Contact Kevin Mercuri at (212) 901-6914, ext. 701; (617) 593-1421 (cell) or kevin@propheta.com
4. ==> You Say It’s His 80th Birthday … John Lennon’s Legacy Lives on
Celebrate John Lennon’s 80th Birthday, Oct. 9
It’s hard to “Imagine” what John Lennon would be like as an 80-year-old. After all, he was only 40 when he was murdered by Mark David Chapman outside Lennon’s Manhattan apartment house 40 years ago. Whether Lennon would have been cranky or inspiring as a senior and what he might have to say about current events, we’ll never know. But there’s still plenty to talk about Lennon — namely his enduring legacy in what seems like a lifetime after his death. From baby boomers to millennials, Lennon and the Beatles remain a favorite. So why not devote a show on his birthday on Oct. 9? For proof of the Fab Four’s appeal, look no further than the Beatles’ “White Album,” which made it into the Billboard Top 10 – 50 years after its release. The Fab Four wrote this album while on retreat in Rishikesh, India, with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM). Susan Shumsky is that rare insider who spent 22 years in the ashrams and six years on the personal staff of Maharishi. Her tell-all memoir, Maharishi & Me: Seeking Enlightenment with the Beatles’ Guru, which has received 13 prestigious book awards, reveals hidden information about Maharishi’s influence on the Beatles. Susan Shumsky has 18 books in print and has proven to be an enthralling guest during more than 1,200 media appearances. Contact her at (917) 336-7184; SShumsky@rtirguests.com
5. ==> Eat this to Beat COVID-19 Stress
As the U.S. continues to struggle with the effects of COVID-19, experts warn of a growing mental health crisis. Invite Uma Naidoo, M.D., a nutritional psychiatrist, to discuss how certain foods can help manage a broad range of emotional challenges, like anxiety, anger, depression and insomnia. Dr. Naidoo says, “When people have chronic stress, their gut microbiome gets out of whack and inflammation sets in. This leads to inflammation in their brain.” You’ll learn the connection between trans-fat, anger and aggression, why snacking on hummus before bed can help you fall asleep faster, and how spices like turmeric and pepper can help reduce inflammation and increase serotonin. Dr. Naidoo is director of the Nutritional & Lifestyle Psychiatry clinic at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital. She’s also a professional chef and serves on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She’s the author of “This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More.” Contact Lissa Warren at (617) 233-2853 (cell); lissawarrenpr@gmail.com
6. ==> Survey: Millennials, the Least Tolerant Generation
Their elders have been complaining for years about millennials. Now, research proves that this younger generation does indeed view the world — and their place in it — in a much, much different way than previous generations. A new report from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University identified three specific categories in which the millennial generation differs most drastically from that of their forefathers —respect for others; interest in faith; and enthusiasm for America. Interestingly, it was also found that millennials were the least tolerant generation of those surveyed. Dr. George Barna, who has been researching both faith trends and generational differences for more than four decades, found the study’s results “profoundly disturbing.” “The significantly divergent worldview perspectives and applications of the four generations we studied suggests a nation that is at war with itself to adopt new values, lifestyles and a new identity,” says Barna, director of research at the CRC. “There is a war for worldview dominance taking place in America.” The findings were extracted from the Cultural Research Center’s “American Worldview Inventory” and based on a combination of beliefs and behaviors that distinguished the perspective of millennials from that of older adults. Contact Jason Jones at jason@jonesliterary.com
7. ==> From ‘Snowflake’ to ‘Nazi’ and ‘Racist’ – How Generalizing Isolates Us
The truth seems to be in short supply these days. But is it? “Most people accuse whoever is on the opposite side of a political debate with lying or dishonesty when an honest evaluation of the situation is that they disagree with their opinion about something,” says author and leadership expert Steven Mays. Mays can talk about why we toss around labels like “racist,” “tyrant,” “Nazi” and “Snowflake,” as a way of disavowing other people’s experiences and opinions and why poor leadership leads to catastrophic unintended consequences like riots and pandemics. Mays is the author of “Power of 3 Leadership, Lessons in Leadership.” A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis who served on nuclear submarines, he was a mathematician, electrical engineer, and nuclear engineer who worked in private industry and at the Nuclear Regulation Commission. Contact him at (703) 552-5672; smays@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Avoid the Costliest Mistakes People Make with Medicare
Every day, some 10,000 people enroll in Medicare, the federal government’s health insurance program for people 65 and over. And as they do so, thousands of baby boomers are making mistakes that can result in expensive penalties, hours of hassle, and even some unforeseen problems that can haunt them for the rest of their lives. Through her company, Boomer Benefits, Danielle Kunkle Roberts has helped more than 50,000 people make sense of Medicare and has seen what can go wrong in this confusing, complicated insurance program. The author of “10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make” will help your listeners as she exposes the most common pitfalls new Medicare beneficiaries unwittingly make and shares how to expertly avoid them. Danielle Kunkle Roberts is the co-founder of Boomer Benefits, which was named the 2019 Health Insurance Advisory Firm of the Year. Contact her at (817) 249-8600; kmundfrom@boomerbenefits.com
9. ==> Help Teens Navigate the New Normal
School is back in session but for millions of teens, there are still no lunches with friends, after-school sports or clubs. Isolation caused by social distancing has been difficult for most of us. But according to Steven Hall, M.D., this has been especially hard on teens. “Interacting with their peers is very important to teenagers,” he says. “This is a normal stage of development. COVID-19 is interfering with that and may be creating some especially powerful feelings in teens.” Trained in traditional Western medicine, Dr. Steven combines alternative, integrative medicine into his practice to simultaneously treat patients’ bodies, minds and spirits. He can share simple yet powerful advice to help your teen get through these challenging times. He is the author of “The 7 Tools of Healing: Unlock Your Inner Wisdom and Live the Life Your Soul Desires.” Contact him at (425) 531-3684, shall@rtirguests.com
10. ==> She Conquered Breast Cancer Twice by Doing This Simple Thing
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Carol Edmonston can share the one thing she did that helped her through two bouts with breast cancer. Doodling! A breast cancer diagnosis is always stressful but this year when the entire U.S. population is under stress, it is arguably more important than ever to offer your audience tools for coping that are simple, repeatable, free, and fun. Carol can talk about the 3 R’s of doodling and how to use doodling to cope with unexpected challenging times, prevent meltdowns, and achieve inner calm for pennies a day; she can also explain the five guiding principles for disarming fear when you find yourself on a life detour. An inspirational speaker known as The Doodle Lady™, Carol Edmonston is committed to weaving a connection between mind, body, and spirit through the creativity of doodling. She’s the author of several books including “The Healing Power Of Doodling: Mindfulness Therapy To Deal With Stress, Fear & Life Challenges.” Her story appears in “Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor’s Soul” and has been profiled in The New York Times among other publications. Contact her at (714) 609-4654; carol.edmonston@gmail.com
11. ==> How to Make Your Own Happy … During Pandemic Times
It’s hard to remember a time when life was as hard as it is now for so many people. And being happy may seem to be taking a backseat to keeping your head above water. But happiness and mental health coach Elana Davidson says you can start your journey to happiness now even if you have tried hard and failed at it before. That pretty much describes Elana’s own journey despite decades of exploration and study in the fields of consciousness, psychology, personal development and kinesiology. For anyone who has wondered why other people are happier than they are or what is wrong with them, Elana can be the perfect balm. She’s the author of the book, “Finding Your Own Happy: The Soul-Searchers Guide to Peace and Happiness in Everyday Life,” published by Morgan James, which she is making available to your audience for free. Contact Elana at (413) 225-4758; elanadavidson@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Former Paraplegic Reveals Why National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month is a Time to Be Inspired
More than 55 percent of Americans between the ages of 16 and 64 who have disabilities hold down jobs, according to government figures from last year. The role that these 18.5 million people play in American businesses and the challenges they face as they do so deserve to be honored in October, for National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month, says Barry Shore, a former paraplegic and an advocate for the disabled. A successful serial entrepreneur, in 2004 Barry became a quadriplegic overnight from a rare disease. Today he’s known as the Ambassador of Joy, and although it still takes him ten minutes to get out of bed each morning, Shore has pushed himself to regain some of his functioning and inspires other people to see the disabled as individuals capable of contributing much and with greater empathy because of the limitations they face and surmount. Shore is host of the weekly radio show-podcast “The Joy of Living.” He is the founder of the JOY of Living Institute and has been featured on CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and in O Magazine, Forbes and many other publications. Contact him at (310) 770-4685; barry@barryshore.com
13. ==> Why Everyone Is Getting on Your Nerves
People’s differences can create stress at the best of times. Months into a pandemic and all that entails and, well, those stresses can explode. Leadership expert Marc A. Pitman can tell you why people act the way they do. Using an easy-to-understand system, he’ll provide insight into why your team, staff, or family may be harder to get along with right now. He’ll explain the different ways people react to stress and how to help you get through the pandemic and come out even stronger than before. His upcoming book, “The Surprising Gift of Doubt,” provides a framework for people to move past feeling like a fraud and manage teams more effectively. Contact Marc Pitman at (317) 751-1610; mpitman@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Fibromyalgia Awareness — Interview this Expert
Leah McCullough, affectionately known as The Fibro Lady, appreciates that she no longer deals with life-impacting pain, fatigue and depression. Now an international wellness speaker and author, she’s on a mission to help other pain sufferers cope, manage, and even recover from fibromyalgia. Invite this informative and vivacious speaker to discuss secrets to an upbeat mood, boundless energy, achieving a great night’s sleep, and also timely topics such as the coronavirus pandemic’s effects on chronic pain patients, as well as medical cannabis. Leah is the author of “Freedom from Fibromyalgia: 7 Steps to Complete Recovery and Eat to Energize.” Her free online program is “How to Reduce and Even Eliminate Fibromyalgia Pain.” Contact Leah at (859) 279-0413; LMcCullough@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Teen Entrepreneur Recruiting Election Workers
Election officials across the country are facing a shortage of poll workers this year. Traditionally, most poll workers are older Americans, but they’re also among the most vulnerable to COVID-19 complications. Plus, early voting means the need for poll workers is even greater than usual. Rent A Teenager is now volunteering their services to recruit teenagers to fill the void. Founder Mason Greenstein, a high school senior at Horace Greeley High School in Westchester County, New York, says, “I’m very excited to do my part to help recruit poll workers so that our older, vulnerable residents can stay home and be safe. These are challenging times. We must all do our part.” The eligibility requirements, time commitments and pay vary depending on where you live. Typical tasks include setting up and preparing the polling location. Mason Greenstein started Rent A Teenager in 2017 when he was in ninth grade. Typical jobs available through Rent A Teenage include sports coaching, tutoring, babysitting, dog walking and yardwork. Contact Robert Greenstein at (917) 750-2771; Mason@RentATeenager.com
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