01. Do Inauguration Speeches Matter?
02. Cure for the Inauguration Blues
03. What We Can Learn from 2020’s Leadership Failures
04. Presidential Peculiarities and White House Weirdness
05. Get Out the Dog Treats: Presidential Pooches Return
06. The Nursing Shortage is Here … What Can We Do about It?
07. How National Service Could Heal Our Country
08. Before You File a Lawsuit: What You Could Lose by Winning
09. How to Survive When Shots Erupt
10. How to Have a Pleasant Conversation with Anyone
11. Be Stress-Free in Just Minutes a Day
12. Put Your Boots Away and Get Out Your Flip-Flops
13. A Near-Death Experience You Won’t Forget
14. Like the Stork Personified – ‘What I Learned from 6,000 Deliveries!’
15. Why a Safe Life is Dangerous
1.==> Do Inauguration Speeches Matter?
Joe Biden has given many speeches in his career, but yesterday’s national address just two weeks after a violent riot at the Capitol, may likely be remembered as his most important. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are praising President Biden’s inauguration speech and its theme of national unity. Political commentator Mitchell Weiss can discuss Biden’s choice to focus on a positive message and call for healing and unity, what Americans wanted from the speech (and whether they got it), and how other presidents have addressed the nation amid uncertain times and crises. Weiss, a Harvard Business School professor and former chief of staff to Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino, is the author of “We the Possibility: Harnessing Public Entrepreneurship to Solve Our Most Urgent Problems.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 991-8328; jboyer@rtirguests.com
2. ==> Cure for the Inauguration Blues
Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, you may be feeling a bit uneasy about the change in administration this week. Carole Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H., explains, “If you voted for Joe Biden, you may be wondering why you’re not more ecstatic that Inauguration Day is finally here. Your guy won, so why aren’t you thrilled? If you voted for Donald Trump, you may tell yourself that it’s natural you’re disappointed, but you know that it’s more than just that the other guy won.” Dr. Lieberman will share seven symptoms of Inauguration Day Blues that Republicans and Democrats alike may be feeling including anti-climactic letdown, confusion, and even embarrassment. She’ll also discuss ways to battle the blues and other mental health issues plaguing Americans right now. Dr. Carole Lieberman is a media pro who has appeared on Oprah, NBC’s “Today” show, “Good Morning America,” CNN, Fox News and many other outlets. She also hosts her own radio show/podcast. Trained at NYU-Bellevue and Anna Freud’s London Clinic, she has served on the clinical faculty of UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute for years and is the author of many books. Contact Ryan McCormick at (516) 901-1103; Ryan@goldmanmccormick.com
3. ==> What We Can Learn from 2020’s Leadership Failures
As a new administration begins in Washington, are we willing to learn from the mistakes we made in 2020, or will we double down on them due to a lack of courage to admit when things went wrong? That’s the question leadership expert Steven Mays raises as he explores why leaders catastrophically fail even at the country’s highest levels. “Could it be that we don’t nurture, train, reward, and value honesty and courage in our leaders by concentrating instead on talent and personality?” Mays asks. He 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
4.==> Presidential Peculiarities and White House Weirdness
Did you know James Monroe used to enjoy swimming nude in the Potomac River? Or that doctors once held a press conference to announce Dwight Eisenhower moved his bowels? Or that Calvin Coolidge often conferred with a raccoon? Or that First Lady Florence Harding gave press interviews in her negligee? Or that George H.W. Bush took showers with his dog? Author Hal Marcovitz can talk about the many strange stories that have been circulating around the White House since John and Abigail Adams occupied the Executive Mansion, including some very odd stories about the last occupant. Marcovitz, a longtime journalist, is the author of the novel “Painting the White House,” which tells the story of an ordinary house painter who finds himself at the center of White House intrigues and misadventures. Contact him at (267) 718-6807; hmarcovitz@rtirguests.com
5. ==> Get Out the Dog Treats: Presidential Pooches Return
Pets will once again be playing on the White House lawn now that the Biden family has moved in with their two German shepherds. Alexandra Horowitz, author of “Our Dogs Ourselves: The Story of a Singular Bond,” says nearly every president since George Washington has had a presidential pet of some sort — including a ram, a cow, a badger, raccoons, and a couple of parakeets. She says dogs in particular help make the White House and its occupants more relatable. “Who doesn’t get a kick out of the images of President Theodore Roosevelt’s dog Pete chasing the French ambassador up a tree? Thinking about Champ and Major scampering through the Biden White House, knocking over a precious lamp or two, chewing the occasional executive desk leg or soiling the rug during a long night reminds us of the pleasures, and sometimes difficulties, of living with animals.” Major and Champ are already featured on Instagram fan accounts, with thousands of followers. Alexandra Horowitz is a professor and senior research fellow at Barnard College. Contact her at alexandra.c.horowitz@gmail.com or Kathryn Gerlach at (212) 854-8037; mediarelations@barnard.edu
6. ==> The Nursing Shortage is Here … What Can We Do about It?
Thanks in no small degree to the pandemic, burnout, and an older workforce, rural areas and small hospitals are scrambling for nurses with some ERs operating with fewer nurses than they should. How can we help prevent these nursing shortages which are likely to worsen as our aging population needs more care? You’ll want to explore this timely topic and the nursing experience with all its implications by interviewing Nancy Congleton. In addition to offering solutions to help today’s nurses and ultimately everyone they serve, she will reveal the unexpected realities of the nursing profession, five relationship dynamics that nurses face, legal issues, and the concerns everyone should have when nurses feel so unprepared and overworked that they leave. An outspoken registered nurse known as Nurse Nancy, Nancy has worked in the NICU, ER, and case management. She’s the author of “Autopsy of the NP: Dissecting the Nursing Profession Piece By Piece.” Contact Nancy Congleton at (918) 992-4616; NCongleton@rtirguests.com
7. ==> How National Service Could Heal Our Country
As the Biden administration takes shape, David Scheffer says an emphasis on voluntary national service, namely young adults volunteering for national service at home, abroad, or in the military in exchange for tuition waivers for higher education, could be a powerful beginning. “If Biden’s goal of healing the nation is to have real meaning, then a good place to start with liberals, conservatives and centrists is national and international service grounded in an incentivized program of work in exchange for tuition for college and vocational training,” says Scheffer. “National service requires working together and sharing experiences among a diverse group of American high school graduates drawn from a broad political spectrum. The lessons learned — cooperation, understanding varied points of view and achieving a common goal — will build a stronger American body politic and society. Its time has come in this deeply fractured nation.” David Scheffer is a visiting senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and clinical professor emeritus and director emeritus of the Center for International Human Rights at Northwestern University Law School. He served as the first United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, during President Bill Clinton’s second term in office. Contact him at dscheffer@cfr.org
8. ==> Before You File a Lawsuit: What You Could Lose by Winning
Talk about initiating a lawsuit and most people think: Hefty settlement! Getting justice! (Or retribution.) Healing and starting over. But legal trouble is stressful and expensive, and lawsuits can last years, taking more out of you than you gain. So warns attorney Francine Tone, who’s been educating the public for years about getting the right legal help, asking prudent questions, making wise decisions, and proceeding with caution as legal challenges unfold. Invite her to explore realities about suing and being sued, myths and truths about the law, and how even winning lawsuits can jeopardize your business, marriage or health. Francine is the author of “What Every Good Lawyer Wants You to Know.” Contact Francine Tone at (531) 208-1297; FTone@rtirguests.com
9. ==> How to Survive When Shots Erupt
Would you know what to do if you were in a situation where someone started shooting? Whether you’re walking on the street, working at your job or sitting on your front stoop, you could unwittingly find yourself in an active shooter situation. How can you and your loved ones stay safe when shots ring out? Would you be able to react, escape, find cover, seek help, or shield others? Would you notice dangers before they put anyone at risk? What actions should you always take or never take? Explore the vital answers with personal protection specialist Allen Banks, CEO of Proactive Protection Agency. He’s the developer of Active Shooter Prevention and Workplace Violence Prevention Training, plus special programs for schools and other locations. Contact him at (661) 417-0786; abanks@rtirguests.com
10. ==> How to Have a Pleasant Conversation with Anyone
When is the last time you had a conversation that didn’t end up feeling like a negotiation, or worse a fight? “It’s probably been a while since a simple conversation was just that,” says Ivan Obolensky. “It’s become nearly impossible not to talk about emotionally charged topics … because that’s all we’ve got!” Interview Ivan about the art of conversation when the nation is bitterly divided and we’re suffering through a pandemic. He will show your audience how to set better boundaries around who they are talking to and what they are talking about, so that simple conversations don’t feel like negotiations that need to be won! Ask him about the four N’s of negotiating that can help conversations become a win-win! Ivan is an author and Renaissance man. His novel “Eye of the Moon” won “Best First Book (Fiction)” in the IndieReader Discovery Awards. Contact Ivan Obolensky at (818) 495-8731; IObolensky@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Be Stress-Free in Just Minutes a Day
Stress is a silent killer. Invite New York-based meditation expert Adam Weber to share his method for relaxing and calming your mind anywhere, at any time of the day, even at work. Weber says that in only three to five minutes you can decompress and build a meditation practice that fits into your busy schedule. Invite him to share why it’s not hard to start meditating and how you can really relax your mind in a stressful place like the office. He is the author of the soon-to-be-released book “Meditation Not Medicine: Survive and Thrive in Our Stress-Filled World.” Contact him at (917) 779-8177; aweber@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Put Your Boots Away and Get Out Your Flip-Flops
Aside from being fun to wear, flip-flops can also help define us, and enable us to live our best lives. So says former Miss America contestant, author and humorist Jane Jenkins Herlong. “Since life has flipped on us, we need to survive with humor, productivity and occupying our minds in healthy ways,” she says. “It’s okay to laugh!” Jane can reveal how to put rhinestones on your flip-flops, literally and metaphorically, in order to shine. She is the award-winning author of four books including “Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops,” and has recorded music CDs and personal growth and comedy DVDs. Her comedy is featured on Sirius XM 97. Contact Jane Jenkins Herlong at (803) 599-2941, JHerlong@rtirguests.com
13. ==> A Near-Death Experience You Won’t Forget
Sure, near-death experiences are fairly common, but Charles (Charlie) Gardner’s experience may take the cake when it comes to pathos, humor, and life lessons. Nine years ago, when he developed sepsis while recovering from the flu, Charlie spent six weeks in a coma, suffered 13 strokes and major organ failure. In the near-death experience that accompanied that ordeal, Charlie had the requisite out-of-body experience but the bright light he saw was a green disco ball! Charlie can relate what happened including how one day before his family planned to pull the plug on him his 14-year-old daughter’s words brought him back to his body. He can talk about the difference between Heaven time and Earth time, the angels he met and why he believes he was spared to tell other people about the miracles he has experienced and serve as an example of how to appreciate the life you have even if it isn’t the one you expected. Charlie tells his inspiring story in “Always Remember This Moment.” Contact Charlie Gardner at (650) 995-5626; charlesgardner@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Like the Stork Personified – ‘What I Learned from 6,000 Deliveries!’
Many people experience the birth of a few children in their lifetimes. But Alan Lindemann, M.D., has been involved in 6,000 births throughout his career and has the stories to tell about them. He’s seen just about everything possible when it comes to childbirth including the birth of quadruplets. Dr. Lindemann is sure to be a favorite guest for anyone interested in pregnancy and childbirth, including expectant parents and the just-plain curious. He is a former clinical instructor and associate clinical professor at the University of North Dakota’s medical school. Among the topics he can address are: is there a COVID baby boom? Or, conversely, have couples been more birth-control minded as hospitals become COVID hotspots? Contact Alan Lindemann, M.D., at (701) 399-9556; ALindemann@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Why a Safe Life is Dangerous
In our current uncertain world many people gravitate toward safety in their lives, but according to author and adventurer Sparrow Hart, safety has consequences — an ever-growing store of regrets from living small — we don’t always think about. He’ll explain why “safety-ism” — valuing safety above everything else — runs counter to scientific research and ancient wisdom; is toxic to our dreams; and antithetical to a passionate pursuit of our best selves. Sparrow’s varied career includes being a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford, a brief stint working in a slaughterhouse, adventures in the Amazon jungle, and over 30 years of leading workshops on shamanism, the heroic journey, and vision quests in nature. He is the author of several books including “Letters to the River: A Guide to a Dream Worth Living.” Contact Sparrow Hart at (801) 516-0740; SHart@rtirguests.com
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