01. Is Wall Street Trying to Take Over Nature?
02. Still Wearing Cloth Masks? Why it’s Time to Upgrade
03. ‘King Richard’- How the Williams Family Started a Tennis Revolution
04. Great Halloween Music: AXS TV’s ‘The Top Ten Revealed’
05. This Halloween Discover Why Spirits Aren’t Scary
06. Interview a Soul Rescuer for Halloween
07. Undertaker’s Daughter Shares Messages from the Dead
08. Do a Show on Growing Up with Ghosts—and Their Stories
09. Wanna Be a Witch? There’s a School for That
10. Kids Eat 3 Pounds of Sugar on Halloween
11. Parenting: How Volunteering Helps Build Teens’ Resilience
12. Is Your Child’s Classroom Safe?
13. Her Secret for Conquering Breast Cancer Twice
14. 5 Secrets to Happiness Only Southerners Know
15. The Complicated Financial Life of Frank Lloyd Wright
1. => Is Wall Street Trying to Take Over Nature?
Last month, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced it had developed a new asset class and accompanying listing vehicle meant “to preserve and restore the natural assets that ultimately underpin the ability for there to be life on Earth.” These Natural Asset Companies (NACs) will not only allow ecosystems to become final assets, but the rights to “ecosystem services,” or the benefits people receive from nature as well. Economist Randall Wray says, “It is unsurprising, inevitable, and even appropriate that Wall Street would now financialize the rights to the ecosystem services produced on a given chunk of land. Next up, financialization of access to sunlight, the source of all life.” He adds, “Capitalism has always been celebrated for its presumed efficiency. In fact, it is supremely inefficient. It survives only because it is the greatest system ever developed for exploitation of man and nature. It pushes costs off to the environment, ‘other’ people, families, governments, and our ‘future.’ It is ever on the lookout for new frontiers of exploitation. And in that quest, human survival is at risk.” Randall Wray is senior scholar at the Levy Economics Institute and professor of economics at Bard College. Wray’s books include “A Great Leap Forward: Heterodox Economic Policy for the 21st Century,” “Macroeconomics,” “Why Minsky Matters” and “Modern Money Theory.” Contact Wray at wray@levy.org
2. ==> Still Wearing Cloth Masks? Why it’s Time to Upgrade
You may have accumulated a stack of very stylish facemasks but are they actually protecting you? Assuming they fit properly, cloth masks can do a decent job removing most of the droplets people generate from talking, breathing, coughing or sneezing, says Yang Wang, an assistant professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology who runs the Particle Measurement & Technology Laboratory. But, Wang says, you’ll be significantly more protected by wearing a higher caliber of disposable mask. Your strongest option is the KN95 mask, which is commonly made in China and filters up to 95% of particles in the air. If you can’t find KN95s, go with surgical masks made from a non-woven plastic material called polypropylene. The material is capable of holding an electric charge, which can attract, intercept and remove foreign particles that might otherwise slip through the cracks of a cloth mask, Wang says. You also need to pay attention to how your mask fits. It should have a metal bridge to mold over your nose, lie flat across your cheeks and cover your nose down to your chin without gaps along the sides. Contact Yang Wang at (573) 341-4420; yangwang@mst.edu
3.==> ‘King Richard’- How the Williams Family Started a Tennis Revolution
Perhaps you’ve seen the trailers for the upcoming movie “King Richard,” starring Will Smith as the father of Serena and Venus Williams. The highly anticipated film chronicles the sisters’ amazing journey of overcoming the odds to become tennis royalty, in large part due to the guidance and skill of their sometimes-controversial father. Sportswriter Cecil Harris has interviewed all three and can share his insights on the family, the athletes and the history of race in tennis. Hear the story of how Richard Williams decided his daughters would be tennis champions before they were even born and wrote a 78-page plan to coach them when they were four years old, and why he referred to them as his “Ghetto Cinderellas.” Cecil Harris is the author of “Different Strokes: Serena, Venus, and the Unfinished Black Tennis Revolution.” Contact him at (914) 643-7622; CecilHarris2008@gmail.com
4. ==> Great Halloween Music: AXS TV’s ‘The Top Ten Revealed’
We associate Halloween with spooky movies and creepy costumes but what about music? This Halloween, AXS TV airs a marathon featuring a mix of musical tricks and treats including “Songs About The Devil,” “Rockin’ Ghoulish Songs,” “End Of The World Songs,” and more, with commentary from Paul Stanley, Jack Osbourne, AJ McLean, and Macy Gray. The daylong extravaganza culminates with the season-opener of “The Top Ten Revealed.” The first episode of the humorous musical countdown show looks back at killer “Murder Songs,” including a selection of morbid masterworks like “I Shot The Sheriff.” Executive director and host Katie Daryl can talk about this season’s guests including Black Eyed Peas hitmaker Taboo, reality star and daughter of rocker John Mellencamp, Teddi Mellencamp, and Alice Cooper axe-slayer Nita Strauss. Get the inside scoop on upcoming episodes including “Bands You Can Eat,” “Self-Loathing Songs,” “Holiday Musts,” and more. AXS TV’s Halloween marathon begins at 2 p.m. on October 31. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com or Briana Caywood at (703) 646-5188 (office)
5. ==> This Halloween Discover Why Spirits Aren’t Scary
Halloween conjures up thoughts of scary ghosts that haunt the living, but what if you discovered that we could have meaningful connections with those who have passed on? TV host and award-winning author Maryann Ridini Spencer says that our lost loved ones are always with us. She asserts that our loved ones live on and we can get guidance from them by paying attention to energy, synchronicity and prayer. She is a TV/film producer, screenwriter, and the author of the award-winning Kate Grace Mystery books, “Lady in the Window” and “The Paradise Table.” Her work has appeared on “Hallmark Hall of Fame” (CBS-TV), the Hallmark Channel, CNN, USA, SyFy, Showtime and many other outlets. Contact Maryann Ridini Spencer at (818) 492-9135; mspencer@rtirguests.com
6. ==> Interview a Soul Rescuer for Halloween
Jean Keegan Daly can talk about extraordinary experiences she had rescuing the souls of people who had died but were stuck between our world and their spiritual home. This soul rescuer helped a young couple who died in the Vietnam War reunite in death and cross over, a six-year-old boy who lived in 1841 and died after falling into a silo or grain bin and a 1950s’-era mother, father and two-year-old disoriented after the auto accident that killed them. Jean can describe the clarity she experienced during each of these rescues including how she was able to intuit names and other details she would have no way of knowing. She can also talk about the expanded consciousness technique she utilized that made her feel like she was flying. Ask her: Does a time warp exist between this life and the next? How has having these experiences impacted her life? Jean’s experiences were unrelated to her career as a retired hospice nurse. She shares them in her memoir, “Reflections of a Seasoned Soul.” Jean has appeared on local television and taught at community colleges and hospitals. Reach her at (609) 912-3778; Jkeegandaly@rtirguests.com
7. ==> Undertaker’s Daughter Shares Messages from the Dead
While growing up in a Midwestern funeral home where her dad was an undertaker, Margo Lenmark learned about the mysteries surrounding death. “People are always taking in ‘prana,’ or life force,” she says. “Exactly six months before we die, we start letting go of our life force. If we could know that exact moment we start letting go, we would know the moment we are going to die.” She adds, “There are veils that hide things in the physical world that are no longer there when the body dies. That’s why it’s natural that when someone dies, you realize just how much they mean to you.” She can provide fascinating answers to the age-old questions: What really happens after we die? Is death really the end of life? Margo can also delve into other mystifying questions, with astonishing insight. She is the author of “Light in the Mourning: Memoirs of an Undertaker’s Daughter,” which has received glowing reviews from prominent authors and spiritual leaders including Deepak Chopra. Contact Margo at (828) 260-0873, MLenmark@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Do a Show on Growing Up with Ghosts—and Their Stories
What’s it like growing up in family homes surrounded by ghosts and their stories? Interview Ivan Obolensky and find out! Ivan’s rich personal history includes his grandfather, Serge Obolensky, the famed “Prince of New York,” and his grandmother Alice (of Astor fame), who died holding an Egyptian book of the dead on her chest. Convinced that people lived on after death, Ivan says she proved it by scaring off governesses and attracting a large number of black cats that kept returning to her home on 61st Street in New York City even after extermination was tried. The family home was finally exorcised. His grandfather had ghost stories of his own to tell including one about a captain, recovering from TB in the Crimea, who appeared to his mother and a butler at the family country home many miles away — and then vanished before their eyes! They learned later that he had died shortly before he visited them. Ivan Obolensky is the author of “Eye of the Moon,” and “Shadow of the Son.” Contact him at (818) 495-8731; IObolensky@rtirguests.com
9. ==> Wanna Be a Witch? There’s a School for That
It’s pretty common to think of witches this time of year, they’re everywhere we look! But have you ever wondered about or felt that you were part of that tribe? Julie Wilder says you are — if you want to be. The creator of the White Witch Academy can talk about the many different types of witches, how to create spells for yourself and others, and ways to improve your life with magic. She’ll discuss the myths and misconceptions about witchcraft and magic and share 13 powerful white magic spells to manifest your deepest desires and connect with your intuition. Listeners can also download a witch starter kit with free printables, meditations and tools. Julie Wilder created the White Witch Academy as a resource for anyone looking to learn simple, secular witchcraft. She’s the author of numerous books including “The White Witch Academy” textbook series. Contact her at contact@whitewitchacademy.com; @whitewitchacademy
10. ==> Kids Eat 3 Cups of Sugar on Halloween
According to some experts, the average child will eat about three cups of sugar on Halloween. That equals roughly 384 grams of sugar — almost 16 times the maximum daily recommendation of 25 grams suggested by the American Heart Association. Invite registered dietician, chef, and nutritionist Nicolette Pace to answer your questions about sugar, kids and health. Ask her: How unhealthy is Halloween candy for children and how can one night of indulgence impact their health? What are some healthy Halloween snacks that are viable alternatives to candy? What are some of the short-and long-term health effects of consuming sugar (for both children and adults)? Nicolette Pace MS, RDN, CDE, CBC, CDN, CFCS, FAND, has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox News and in the “New York Times,” “Seventeen,” “Fitness,” “Men’s Journal,” “More,” and other publications and media. She is the founder of NutriSource Inc., which provides education, counseling and nutrition services in the New York City area. Contact Ryan McCormick at (516) 901-1103; ryan@goldmanmccormick.com
11. ==> Parenting: How Volunteering Helps Build Teens’ Resilience
Most parents want to raise empathetic, altruistic people, but there are other compelling reasons to encourage tweens and teens to lean into volunteerism and activism — particularly during this elongated pandemic, when so many of them feel powerless. “It’s that whole ‘do I matter?’ thing,” says Ken Ginsberg, M.D., an adolescent medicine specialist, director of The Center for Parent and Teen Communication and author of “Building Resilience in Children and Teens.” “When kids contribute to the world, they know they matter, and knowing they matter is one of the most protective factors. It builds their self-esteem and furthers their motivation,” Ginsburg says. “When you help an elderly woman with her groceries or help someone learn to read, you get surrounded by ‘thank yous’ instead of condemnation. Especially for teenagers who get so many negative messages, being immersed in gratitude really builds a person’s self-worth.” Kenneth Ginsburg, M.D., M.S. Ed., is a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Contact him at kgprograms@aol.com
12. ==> Is Your Child’s Classroom Safe?
Our schools and classrooms are not safe for children, says Dr. Roxie, a renowned clinician, leader, and pioneer in health psychology. Masking, social distancing, contact tracing, constant hand washing and Plexiglas barriers have made children afraid of other people and their surrounding environment, she explains. “These measures have also convinced children that the world is a dangerous place and, in some cases, that they themselves are dangerous. As a result, children are experiencing fear, anxiety, depression and loneliness like never before. Mental health issues and pediatric suicides are at an all-time high,” she points out. Invite Dr. Roxie on your program to hear why she believes what we are doing to children today is unacceptable and why we can’t trust the government and bureaucrats to make decisions on our children’s behalf. Ask her what is driving the 21st-century anxiety epidemic? What can parents do to make children feel safer? How can we separate fear from facts? Dr. Roxie trained at Harvard and the Jung Institute. She has a series of guided imagery relaxation audios for children that use music, nature sounds and her own soothing voice to teach children how to relax. Contact Dr. Roxanne at (617) 755-4490; dr.roxanne@gmail.com
13. ==> Her Secret for Conquering Breast Cancer Twice
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Carol Edmonston will share a powerful creative tool that helped her through two bouts with breast cancer … doodling! A breast cancer diagnosis is always stressful but with added pandemic stress it is arguably more important than ever to offer your audience tools for coping that are simple, fun and portable. Known as the Doodle Lady™, she can explain the five biggest benefits of doodling, share the 3 Rs of doodling, and how anyone can learn how to embrace the unpredictability of life with pen and paper. Carol Edmonston is an inspirational speaker and the author of several books including “The Healing Power of Doodling: Mindfulness Therapy to Deal with Stress, Fear & Life Challenges.” Her story has been featured in “The New York Times,” “Forbes Health,” “The International Journal of Healing & Caring” and “The Chicken Soup for Breast Cancer Survivor’s Soul.” Contact Carol at (714) 609-4654; info@TheDoodleLady.com
14. == > 5 Secrets to Happiness Only Southerners Know
As many Yankees may have noticed, Southern folks have a unique, laid-back charm, colorful ways of expressing themselves and a deep love of humor. According to former Miss America contestant, best-selling author and humorist Jane Jenkins Herlong, y’all could learn how to be happier by emulating our Southern kinfolks. “Southerners remember their heritage and all that makes us unique and curious to others,” says the native of South Carolina. “We hold on to our traditions like we grip moon pies.” Jane is the award-winning author of numerous books including the upcoming “Sweet Tea Secrets from the Deep Fried South,” and has recorded music CDs and personal growth and comedy DVDs. As a humorist, her comedy is featured on Sirius XM 97. Contact Jane at (803) 599-2941; JHerlong@rtirguests.com
15. ==> The Complicated Financial Life of Frank Lloyd Wright
Dozens of books have been written about architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, aesthetic, and various design achievements, but no one has looked at his business practices — until now. Invite Peter Alexander to open the books on the architectural genius and share surprising details about his financial life. Hear fascinated facts about Wright’s spending habits, the luxury items he collected over his lifetime, and why, despite his professional success, he suffered financial instability. The author of “Insufficient Funds: The Financial Life of Frank Lloyd Wright,” spent 12 years researching the book and can share stories from Wright’s grandchildren, neighbors, former apprentices and others. Contact Peter Alexander at (618) 559-5308; peter.alexander.1010@gmail.com