01. China’s Xi Jinping Exposed
02. Are You Ready to Cast Your Ballot? Voting 101
03. New Data: How Debilitating Is Long COVID?
04. Rosa Parks, Emmitt Till: Retelling Civil Rights History
05. This Former Shoemaker to the Stars Gets Tongues Wagging
06. Concussion Expert on NFL and Hyperbaric Therapy
07. Immigrant Families – the Divide Within
08. November: A Month to Cultivate Gratitude
09. No More Bad Service! How to Be Treated Royally
10. How Did a Big-Time Bookie’s Son Become a Big-Time Business Coach?
11. Why You Should Write Your Problems Down
12. 7 Things to Know Before Writing Your Memoir
13. Change Your Life in 30 Minutes a Day
14. This Guest Reveals Why Rejection Is a Gift
15. How to Handle Life’s Sucker Punches with Ease
1.==> China’s Xi Jinping Exposed
The recently concluded Chinese Communist Party Congress seems like a clean sweep for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but Ian Johnson says the past week’s events also reflect what may turn out to be a flawed strategy of Xi putting himself at the center of everything — making him seem strong while actually vulnerable. Johnson says despite Xi’s claims to greatness, he has yet to create the conditions necessary for China to become a high-income country. His foreign policy has created a serious backlash abroad. And his domestic agenda is mired in one unimaginative crackdown after the other. He says, “Xi’s biggest risk —and his greatest weakness as a strategist — is that he has put himself on the firing line. When things went badly for Mao or Deng, they could jettison underlings who were nominally in charge of various issues. Xi, however, has constructed a system that makes him look strong in the short run but leaves him no place to hide.” Ian Johnson is a senior fellow for China Studies at the Center on Foreign Policy. An expert on Chinese politics, society, and religion, he is the author of several books. Contact him at ijohnson@cfr.org; @iandenisjohnson
2. ==> Are You Ready to Cast Your Ballot? Voting 101
While voter turnout is always the highest in presidential election years, some of the most consequential elections happen during the midterms and the non-partisan group Vote.org wants to help all Americans participate. “Navigating our democracy can be complicated, but voting shouldn’t be,” says the group’s CEO, Andrea Hailey. “We want all voters, particularly those voting for the first time, to understand the importance of voting at all levels of government.” Invite Hailey to take listeners’ voting questions and share where to find information on your local elections. Did you lose your mail-in ballot? Not sure if you’re registered to vote? Hailey can get your listeners ready for Election Day no matter what their party affiliation is. Contact LToya Knighten at (510) 541-7723; ltoya@vote.org
3. ==> New Data: How Debilitating Is Long COVID?
At last count, more than 17 million American adults were suffering from long COVID symptoms that limited their daily activities. Now, a new question on the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey (HPS) is providing the first snapshot of what that means. According to September’s survey, “about 4.4 million adults reported current (long COVID) symptoms that reduced their ability to carry out day-to-day activities by a lot. Another 9.9 million,” meanwhile, “reported [long COVID]-related impairments that slightly reduce their ability to participate in daily activities.” Hayley Brown says a major takeaway of the work is that “the majority –– over 80 percent –– of those experiencing current long COVID symptoms also say that long COVID symptoms limit their daily activities. The implication is that reports of long COVID aren’t being driven by people checking a box based on negligible symptoms, a possibility I have seen invoked by those looking to dismiss long COVID in the past. While we only have one set of HPS data so far, they suggest that long COVID symptoms are disabling for many.” Hayley Brown is a research associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Contact her at brown@cepr.net, @hayleycbbrown
4. ==> Rosa Parks, Emmett Till: Retelling Civil Rights History
The new Peacock documentary “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks” and just-released movie “Till,” about Emmett Till, hit screens this month shining a light on America’s civil rights struggles. Both movies are generating a lot of buzz and revealing to some Americans unknown and painful chapters. Author Nita Wiggins contends that many Black Americans have long known about the kidnapping and lynching of the teenaged Till. Wiggins interviewed Rosa Parks, Muhammed Ali and many other prominent Black figures and athletes during her career as a pioneering female sports broadcaster. The author of “Civil Rights Baby” can discuss how telling these stories might affect the civil rights climate and why they were buried for decades. Wiggins is a former news and sports journalist who currently teaches journalism in Paris, France. Contact her at nita@nitawiggins.com or request an interview via text or a phone call to Nita’s WhatsApp number + 336 72 97 31 62
5.==> This Former Shoemaker to the Stars Gets Tongues Wagging
Elizabeth Power has been described as “sharper than a number two pencil, and funnier than a six-pack of funny bones on go-juice.” Known as the Voice of Lived Experience, she has had many interesting life experiences that make her an excellent talk-show guest. Among them was fixing the shoes (and other stuff) for stars she met while working as a cobbler in Nashville. Invite Elizabeth to entertain your audience with stories about how she turned Tammy Wynette’s pastel rainbow pumps into slingbacks, fixed Minnie Pearl’s makeup case and fixed the shoes of other celebrities including Oprah and Al Gore. Ask her: What was it like to be a cobbler to the stars? What do our shoes say about us? How did she earn the appellation Voice of Lived Experience? Elizabeth Power grew up far from glitzy Nashville, in Appalachia, and spent many years “failing therapy.” Now a highly influential adult educator, she is an adjunct instructor in psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center and has been on NBC News, NPR, and in the “Wall Street Journal.” Contact her at (615) 903-0906; epower@rtirguests.com
6. ==> Concussion Expert on NFL and Hyperbaric Therapy
The NFL recently modified its concussion protocol but the injuries continue to plague the sport and have been shown to be the cause of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which has led to player deaths and other debilitating symptoms after retirement. Raymond Cralle, a pioneer in hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), has treated numerous NFL players and says science and new research prove HBOT can help heal concussions and a wide range of injuries. He can explain how the therapy works and why it not only benefits athletes, but also veterans and others. Cralle will discuss recent breakthroughs in concussion treatment including the prevention of post-concussion syndrome and unprecedented advances in post-stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal cell regeneration. Contact Adrienne Mazzone at (561) 908-1683 (call/text); amazzone@transmediagroup.com
7. ==> Immigrant Families – the Divide Within
When we think of cultural gaps that immigrants have to contend with, we usually think of the differences between American culture and the home country that immigrants left behind. But there is another significant cultural gap that needs to be explored: that experienced by immigrants and their children and the conflicts that often arise because of generational differences and differing expectations. Tinuke Fawole, a criminal law and child welfare law attorney who emigrated to the U.S. from Nigeria, can discuss everything from how to talk about sex and drugs with teens, to how the children of immigrants can own and speak their truth, pursue the career of their dreams and passion and have their parents’ support and blessing. She is the author of “The Immigration Gap; Bridging the Divide Between Immigrant Parents and Their Children.” Contact her at (770) 289-4140; tinuke@optimumfamilies.net
8. ==> November: A Month to Cultivate Gratitude
Many people celebrate Thanksgiving by thinking about all the things for which they are grateful. Family, careers, a home to call their own, close relationships with family and friends and a full belly may occupy their thoughts. But, as Sharon Rose Wallen will tell you, the ability to feel grateful is too important to limit to just one day and she suggests listeners celebrate National Gratitude Month each day of November to cultivate the many benefits of feeling thankful. By doing so, people can reap some pretty substantial rewards: greater happiness, lessened anxiety, better health and stronger connections to others among them. Wallen can discuss several studies that back up her contention that gratitude and well-being are connected and explain simple ways to incorporate gratitude into your daily life. Sharon Rose Wallen is a retired elementary school teacher and the author of “Grateful Reflections Journal.” Contact her at (786) 473-4026; solaceplace07@aol.com
9. ==> No More Bad Service! How to Be Treated Royally
Ask anyone and you are sure to hear some version of “customer service stinks” as well as the details of the latest incident in which they were treated as though their patronage didn’t matter. Your audience would love to hear how they can benefit from receiving A-1 service instead of mediocre service and Tawn Holstra Auston has the answers. She can offer some tips on what you can do to receive excellent service every time by being a better customer! Tawn has been advising small business owners for a decade and is working on a book that will tentatively be titled “Changing Gears: What It Takes to Make Huge Life Changes with Confidence and Grace.” Contact Tawn at (206) 495-6505; tauston@rtirguests.com
10. ==> How Did a Big-Time Bookie’s Son Become a Big-Time Business Coach?
Here’s why Steven Feinberg, Ph.D., stands out from all the business coaches you could interview: he’s considered one of the top 1% of executive coaches in the country who has advised Apple, Google, Linkedin, Visa, Oracle, FedEx and more. He’s a neuro strategist who can talk about why the logical solution too often fails, how to develop a wisdom detector that lets you see things others fail to notice, and much more. Ask him: What is sagacity? How can you identify patterns others miss? How do you defy expectations? What is the No. 1 foe of leaders? What was it like growing up as the son of a big-time bookie? Dr. Feinberg taught for nearly 30 years at the University of San Francisco School of Management and leadership and has guest lectured at Stanford, Cal Poly and the UC Berkeley Extension. His latest book is “Do What Others Say Can’t Be Done … Play the Meta-Game,” and features interviews he conducted with 50 world-class leaders and entrepreneurs. Contact Dr. Steven Feinberg at (650) 374-4540; sfeinberg@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Why You Should Write Your Problems Down
Can writing your problems down help you to solve them? It may sound like wishful thinking, but Arlene Duane Hemingway says that yes, writing down your problems works and she’ll explain why this is so. Arlene is an expert on a literary art form for the masses, something called Drabble that lets ordinary people tell concise and complete stories in as little as 100 words. Arlene can read some examples of Drabbles to get your audience started and has even created a Drabble on Drabbles. She is the author of “A Twist of Lemon: 100 Curious Stories in Exactly 100 Words” and has a master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music. She was a respected piano and vocal music teacher in a Long Island public school system, a professional organist, choir director, and vocalist. She performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Radio City Music Hall and launched a composer’s original work at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Contact Arlene at (828) 684-9840; adh7@att.net
12. ==> 7 Things to Know Before Writing Your Memoir
Many people dream of writing a book with a good chunk wanting to tell their life stories. But what’s involved in actually doing so and how can they tell if anyone else is likely to care? Judith Mudd-Krijgelmans (pronounced Kray-gull-mans) taught memoir writing for 15 years and has penned two of her own. She can give your audience the nitty-gritty of this popular book genre and offer seven helpful tips to get you started. She is the author of “Chocolates for Mary Julia: Black Woman Blazes Trails as a Career Diplomat” and “Flowers for Brother Mudd: One Woman’s Path from Jim Crow to Career Diplomat.” She’s a former English major and Fulbright Scholar who was a diplomat in the Foreign Service in New Delhi, Mumbai, Dhaka, Taipei, Hong Kong, Brussels, Libreville, Bujumbura, and Brazzaville. Contact Judith at (571) 568-8667; jmuddkrijgelmans@rtirguests.com
13. ==> Change Your Life in 30 Minutes a Day
Did you know that you can change your life, get rid of stress, and feel more in control of your destiny in only 30 minutes a day? Interview Theo Prodromitis, the author of “The Balance Between the Hustle and the Flow: Knowing When to Make Things Happen and When to Let Them Happen,” to discover why the first and last 15 minutes of your day are the most important and how to maximize them. Theo is an award-winning entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and best-selling author of “The Success Formula” with Jack Canfield. Ask her: What does neuroscience tell us about our brain activity at the beginning and end of each day? What are the four things we should do every morning? Contact Theo Prodromitis at (813) 701-5414; tprodromitis@rtirguests.com
14. ==> This Guest Reveals Why Rejection is a Gift
Carl Barnes began to experience rejection before he was even born! His single, unwed teenage mother almost aborted him. Then he went on to experience years of academic, professional and personal rejection, including a painful divorce. “I applied to several positions in the Navy, but repeatedly got rejected,” he says. “I had a difficult time continuing my education because I wasn’t a good test taker.” He eventually overcame the odds and went on to a 35-year career in the military, ultimately becoming a Navy chaplain; and earned five degrees, including a doctorate of ministry in leadership. Carl is the author of “Resilient Sailing: 10 Lessons to Persevere in Life’s Stormy Seas,” and conducts life coaching workshops and online courses. Contact him at (407) 809-8047; cbarnes@rtirguests.com
15. ==> How to Handle Life’s Sucker Punches with Ease
Life is uncertain; change can happen in an instant. Author Valentina Tjan can share how to handle life’s sucker punches to come out a winner. “You need to embrace change to reach your fullest potential,” she says. ‘Whatever happens is for the best and everything will turn out beautifully’ has to be your motto to make sense of things. Calamities can cause you to achieve your divine destiny.” She is the author of “The Best Is Yet to Come: Real Life Journey to Riches to Inspire You to Wisdom and Wealth.” Contact Valentina at (647) 493-1694; vphoey@rtirguests.com