October 19, 2017
01. Trump’s Widow Call Shows Graceless Incompetence
02. Another Mass Shooting: Would You Survive?
03. How to Fight Fake News – News Consumers’ Movement
04. ABC News Journalist Martha Raddatz
05. Puerto Rico Recovery Update
06. No More Harvey Weinsteins
07. Firsthand Look at Wine Country Devastation
08. The Equifax Breach & Your Tax Refund
09. Put the Fun Back in Football: Tailgating
10. Saving for Retirement? Don’t!
11. Even Smart People Fall for Scams
12. Promising Alzheimer’s Prevention Therapy
13. Uber Driver is Not a Career
14. It’s National Pet Wellness Month
15. Trump/Tillerson – The Mensa Challenge
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1. ==> Trump’s Widow Call Shows Graceless Incompetence
Steve Chapman says Donald Trump’s phone call Tuesday to
the widow of a soldier killed in action in Niger
shouldn’t surprise anyone. “Trump didn’t mean to come
off as a clueless oaf, but he can’t help himself. His
conduct in disaster areas betrays an inability to
understand or feel the pain of other people. Watching
him blunder about, you get the idea Trump has never had
to deal with problems that couldn’t be solved by
borrowing money, spending money or boasting and
blustering. His gilded life fed his egomania but gave
him no insight into the strains and struggles that most
people face each day — much less the devastation of
losing a loved one in a military battle or a natural
disaster.” He adds, “In situations like these, Trump’s
graceless behavior is embarrassing. But it’s perfectly
in character.” Steve Chapman is a columnist and
editorial writer for the Chicago Tribune.
His syndicated twice-a-week column on national and
international affairs appears in some 50 papers across
the country. He has appeared on numerous TV and radio
news programs including CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly
News, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and National Public
Radio’s Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation and On Point.
Contact him at schapman@chicagotribune.com;
@SteveChapman13
2. ==> Another Mass Shooting: Would You Survive?
A gunman opened fire at a business park in Maryland on
Wednesday, killing three and leaving two others
fighting for their lives. It appears the shooting was
targeted and comes on the heels of the horrific mass
shooting in Las Vegas just weeks ago. Former British
Army Officer Chris Bird has some lessons to share as
well as questions to ask ourselves: What should we do
if we found ourselves caught in a mass shooting? Can
you ever be prepared for chaos or to remain calm as one
unfolds? How can we always be aware of our surroundings
without feeling paranoid? Bird can talk about the two
options you have: to run or hide and if you choose the
latter, what distinguishes cover from fire from
concealment. Bird is the author of “Surviving a Mass
Killer Rampage” and a former San Antonio Express-News
crime reporter. Contact him at (210) 308-8191;
cjbird@satx.rr.com
3. ==> How to Fight Fake News – News Consumers’
Movement
Suzanne Nossel, executive director of PEN America, says
there’s always been a problem with fraudulent news but
it’s now compounded by social and political divisions
that undercut the traditional ways in which truth
ordinarily prevails. She says, ultimately, the power of
fake news is in the minds of the beholders — namely,
news consumers. “The fight against fake news will hinge
not on inculcating trust in specific sources of
authority, but on instilling skepticism, curiosity, and
a sense of agency among consumers, who are the best
bulwark against the merchants of deceit.” Nossel says
consumers need new tools to sort through choices and
make informed decisions about where to invest their
attention and trust. “We need a news consumers’
equivalent of the venerable Consumers Union that,
starting in the 1930s, mobilized millions behind taking
an informed approach to purchases, or the more recent
drive to empower individuals to take charge of their
health by reading labels, counting steps, and getting
tested for risk factors.” PEN America is a leading
human rights and free expression organization. Nossel
is a featured columnist for Foreign Policy magazine and
has published op-eds in the New York Times, Washington
Post, LA Times and dozens of other outlets. Contact her
at (646) 779-4810; (646) 779-4811
4. ==> ABC News Journalist Martha Raddatz
National Geographic will premiere “The Long Road Home,”
an eight-part series on Nov. 7. It’s based on the New
York Times best-selling book by Martha Raddatz and
tells the story of April 4, 2004, when a small platoon
of soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort
Hood, Texas, was ambushed in the Baghdad suburb of Sadr
City — a day that would come to be known in military
annals as “Black Sunday.” Invite Raddatz to discuss the
series, why she wrote the book, and what it was like to
see the story become a scripted series. Martha Raddatz
is ABC News’ chief global affairs correspondent and co-
anchor of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” She
has covered national security, foreign policy and
politics for decades – reporting from the Pentagon, the
State Department, the White House and conflict zones
around the world. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703)
646-5137; (703) 400-1099 (cell) or Megan Bonomo at
(703) 646-5188
5. ==> Puerto Rico Recovery Update
Tom Lewis is managing Puerto Rico’s emergency response
and recovery efforts for multiple federal agencies.
Lewis can discuss the current recovery situation in
Puerto Rico, the three relief phases and when power
will be restored to the island. Lewis can talk about
sustainable technologies in the region and what it will
take to rebuild a more resilient Puerto Rico. Tom Lewis
is president of Louis Berger’s U.S. division. Since
Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands, Louis Berger has deployed more than 300
staff and independent contractors on the ground.
Contact Todd Brabender at (785) 842-8909;
todd@spreadthenewspr.com
6. ==> No More Harvey Weinsteins
Harvey Weinstein got away with sexually harassing young
starlets for years. He continued his behavior even as
his company quietly settled multiple lawsuits. Even NBC
reportedly buried the story. Sadly, there are powerful
men like him in all industries and they are still out
there preying on less powerful women. Meanwhile, women
are often afraid to speak up, fearing that they will
not be believed when they are reporting the bad
behavior of influential men. Leadership expert Andro
Donovan has advice for men and women who want to blow
the whistle on men like Harvey Weinstein who think they
are entitled to sex with whomever they please because
they can make or break someone’s career. Andro is the
author of “Motivate Yourself: Get the Life You Want,
Find Purpose and Achieve Fulfilment,” published by a
subsidiary of Wiley. Contact her at +4407711238410;
andro@trend.co.uk; andro@androdonovan.com; Skype:
andro.donovan1
7. ==> Firsthand Look at Wine Country Devastation
Wildfires in Sonoma and Napa counties in California
have left a brutal path of burned-out homes and
businesses, hitting the wine growing industry hard.
Susie Selby, owner and winemaker at Selby Winery in
Healdsburg in Sonoma, has had a front-row seat ever
since wildfires broke out all around her. Susie can
discuss why she stayed when her community was
voluntarily evacuated, the terror that has taken place
and the heroes that emerged as well as the chaos that
ensued as she and other vintners tried to keep the
grape harvest going. She can also address the economic
impact the devastation is going to have on the area,
the entire wine industry and even perhaps, the effect
on your favorite wine. Susie, who has an MBA from
George Washington University, is one of the few women
to own and operate a winery in the U.S. She has made
wine for Robert Redford, Dan Marino and a former
president. Reach her at (707) 975-0988;
selby@selbywinery.com
8. ==> The Equifax Breach & Your Tax Refund
In all the discussions about the Equifax data breach
here’s one danger you probably haven’t heard about yet;
it’s one that won’t hit you until you file your income
tax return and learn that your filing has been rejected
because identity thieves have already filed a
fraudulent return in your name—and pocketed your
refund! As tax and financial expert Abby Eisenkraft
will explain, this situation is a double whammy: your
identity has been stolen and soon the IRS will be
coming to you for the money. Let Abby guide you through
the signs of tax-related identity theft, and what you
have to do to fight back. Frequently quoted by the
press, she is one of the leading experts on IRS
problems and how to avoid them. Contact her at (347)
598-0111; abby@RealLifeTaxAdvice.com
9. ==> Put the Fun Back in Football: Tailgating
Football has been caught in the middle of the current
culture wars. Players are kneeling, the president is
complaining, fans are booing, and team owners are
anxious, but we think there may be something everyone
can agree on when it comes to Sunday afternoon games:
there’s nothing controversial about tailgating. Whether
hanging out in the stadium parking lot of your favorite
college or NFL sports team, you want your tailgate set-
up to be the envy of everyone walking by. Peter
Lincoln, one of the two brothers who run The American
Tailgater company, can share five products no serious
tailgater should be without—everything from
championship-winning “secret” seasonings to the best
flag to fly so no one can miss your location and a
watch capable of timing eight recipes at once. The
American Tailgater is one of the country’s leading
tailgating outfitters. Contact Peter at (888) 215-1490;
Peter@americantailgater.com
10. ==> Saving for Retirement? Don’t!
According to Robb Hill, “Many retirees and pre-retirees
have a firm grip on an empty bag! The pension plans
that many are looking forward to will not be there when
they come to collect. Many public and private pensions
nationwide are underfunded. People are living longer.
For many people; retirement is a myth and they know
it.” Hill says, “People don’t plan to fail, many just
fail to plan.” Invite him on your show and learn the
five critical mistakes many will make, without even
knowing it, and why trying to save your way to
retirement shouldn’t be your goal. Robb Hill is an
independent financial advisor, speaker and the author
of “Ask the Right Questions, Get the Right Answers: For
Sound Financial Retirement Planning.” Contact him at
(773) 765-4491; mailto:robb@rhillenterprisesinc.com
11. ==> Even Smart People Fall for Scams
No matter what time of year, scammers are busy working
to come up with new ways to take your money. 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. Contact him at (757)
870-4590; mailto:wmfrancavilla@gmail.com
12. ==> Promising Alzheimer’s Prevention Therapy
More than 5 million Americans are currently living with
the memory-robbing disease known as Alzheimer’s.
Moreover, their numbers are expected to reach nearly 14
million by 2050. But what if there was something you
could do to prevent this dreaded disease? And what if
no one was telling you about it? There is such a
therapy and you can interview one of the pioneers.
According to Michael Morgan, his research shows strong
evidence of the promise of craniosacral therapy in the
treatment of at-risk people and those in the early to
mid-stages of dementia. He’ll explain what craniosacral
therapy is (it’s also being used by NFL players, and
children with autism) and ways it can increase
longevity. Morgan is the author of “The BodyEnergy
Longevity Prescription: How CranioSacral Therapy Helps
Prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia While Improving the
Quality of Your Life.” Contact him at (312) 543-4719;
media@bodyenergy.net
13. ==> Uber Driver is Not a Career
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 they 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.”
Contact her at (210) 601-7852;
mailto:diane@BrandYouGuide.com
14. ==> It’s National Pet Wellness Month
October is National Pet Wellness Month but it might
just as well be called National Pet and Human Wellness
Month. That’s because the time we invest in helping our
pets to lead healthier lives also leads to a health
boost in our own lives. Carlyn Montes De Oca, an expert
on animal and human health, shares three ways we can
help our pet’s health and our own at the same time!
She’ll encourage listeners to take a play break with
their cats and dogs, to eat healthy food with them and
to walk with them. Carlyn says, “People who live the
longest are not going to the gym; they are walking.
People who have a pet tend to walk more than those that
don’t and that is a boon to your heart health and your
pet’s overall health and happiness.” Carlyn is the
author of the award-winning “Dog as My Doctor, Cat as
My Nurse: An Animal Lover’s Guide to a Healthy, Happy
and Extraordinary Life.” She is also the founder of The
Animal-Human Health Connection, which focuses on
bringing awareness to the many powerful ways that
animals enhance human health, happiness, and longevity.
Contact her at (415) 306-1853 or
mailto:cmdo@AnimalHumanHealth.com
15. ==> Trump/Tillerson – The Mensa Challenge
President Donald Trump recently bragged that he could
beat Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on an IQ test.
Trump’s response was motivated by reports that
Tillerson had called him a moron. Mensa, which bills
itself as “the high IQ society,” is now offering to
give both Trump and Tillerson an IQ test. “American
Mensa would be happy to hold a testing session for
President Trump and Secretary Tillerson,” Charles
Brown, the group’s communications director, says.
Neither Trump nor Tillerson has publicly responded to
Mensa’s offer for testing, but maybe you should have
your own Mensa challenge! Think you know the smartest
person in your group? There are upwards of 200
intelligence tests that may qualify a person for
admission to Mensa. The IQ tests are administered by
psychologists and a number of school districts across
the United States. Contact Charles Brown at (817)
607-0060, ext. 5512;
mailto:CommunicationsDirector@americanmensa.org