01. What’s the Iran War Costing Us? About $59 Million a Day
02. Trump’s Way of War: The Anti-Powell Doctrine
03. Armageddon It Done: Is the Military Pushing Prophecy?
04. Daylight Savings Health Risks Last Weeks
05. How Older Adults Are Improving Their ‘Sex Span’
06. Forget Role Models: Leadership Lessons from Rebels, Pirates, and Outlaws
07. How to Lead Peacefully in a World Full of Conflict
08. Think You’re Bad at Math? This Guest Says You Were Taught Wrong!
09. Why No One Wants to Teach Anymore — And How We Bring Them Back
10. Afterlife Encounters: A Dominican Priest Who Talks to the Dead
11. Can a Hidden Letter Unite Jews, Christians, and Muslims? The Reason You’re Stuck Has Nothing to Do with Willpower
12. The Reason You’re Stuck Has Nothing to Do with Willpower
13. This Guest Turns Problem Pooches into Perfect Pups
14. You Don’t Need a New You — Just Be the Real You
15. Meet the 90-Year-Old with a Ten-Year Plan
1. ==> What’s the Iran War Costing Us? About $59 Million a Day
According to a new fact sheet from the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the war in Iran is already costing Americans an estimated $59.3 million dollars a day. Hanna Homestead, a research analyst with the National Priorities Project at IPS, says, “Just operating aircraft and ships in the region is costing nearly $60 million per day. That is just a fraction of the total cost; it doesn’t include munitions and troop deployment. The cost of munitions is already expected to be in the billions. We are still learning about the costs of this catastrophic war of choice. But the costs are real and mounting.” She adds, “All of this funding is being paid for out of a trillion-dollar war budget while American people are struggling to meet their needs. The daily cost of the Iran war would be enough to cover the daily cost of Medicaid for all 16 million of the people who are expected to lose benefits as a result of GOP budget cuts.” Contact Hanna Homestead at hanna@ips-dc.org
2. ==> Trump’s Way of War: The Anti-Powell Doctrine
Foreign policy expert Richard Fontaine says Donald Trump’s bombing of Iran reflects a new way of war—visible across multiple interventions, from the Red Sea to Venezuela—that inverts the traditional thinking on the use of force. The Center for a New American Security CEO describes it as the anti-Powell Doctrine. Developed during the Gulf War, it held the use of force as a last resort after political, diplomatic, and economic means failed. “Trump’s approach, on the other hand, has been to use ambiguity as a source of advantage, to catch his opponents off guard. For Trump, it seems, force is not something to employ only when all other means have been exhausted, but rather one of several tools available to increase leverage, maximize surprise, and produce outcomes,” he says. “Short, sharp uses of force that preserve flexibility in decision-making, leverage ambiguity and surprise, minimize the chances of quagmire, and end with a ‘good enough’ outcome might be the best approach to many cases. They are likely not the best approach to all cases, however, and the limits of Trump’s way of war may soon be clear.” Richard Fontaine has worked at the U.S. Department of State, on the National Security Council, and as a foreign policy adviser to U.S. Senator John McCain. Contact him at (202) 292-4194; comms@cnas.org
3. ==> Armageddon It Done: Is the Military Pushing Prophecy?
A deeply unsettling question is beginning to surface in both political and religious circles: What if some leaders believe they are meant to help bring about Armageddon? It sounds like the plot of a dystopian novel. Yet recent reporting has raised alarms about the dangerous intersection of theology, power, and war. According to a new report highlighted by Military.com, hundreds of complaints have emerged from U.S. service members alleging that certain military officers framed the current conflict with Iran in explicitly Biblical terms, presenting it as part of a prophetic mandate tied to End Times scripture. Chris Bennett has spent years examining the relationship between Biblical prophecy and modern geopolitics. He can explain why some believers see current events as signs that the prophetic timeline described in scripture is unfolding in real time. Bennett warns that prophecy becomes dangerous when people stop interpreting it and begin trying to fulfill it. He’ll unpack the theology, the geopolitics, and the growing belief among some observers that Armageddon is not just a prophecy people are watching—but one some may be trying to help create. Chris Bennett has been researching the historical role of cannabis in the spiritual life of humanity for more than three decades and is the author of several books on the subject. His research has received international attention from the BBC, Guardian, “Sunday Times,” “Washington Post,” Vice and other media sources. Contact him at (512) 966-0983 (call or text); Bookings@Specialguests.com
4. ==> Daylight Savings Health Risks Last Weeks
We lost an hour of sleep this weekend when we switched to Daylight Savings Time, but the American Heart Association (AHA) warns of a bigger problem connected to turning the clocks ahead. Researchers have noticed a significant increase in heart attacks and strokes in the days and weeks following the time change over the last several years. While it’s not conclusive why this connection exists, researchers suggest it may have something to do with the time change messing up people’s sleep cycles and circadian rhythms. “It’s important to be aware of this increased risk, especially if you already have heart disease or other risk factors,” says AHA volunteer expert Maria Delgado-Lelievre, M.D., a distinguished hypertension specialist at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. She says getting out into nature as much as possible can help ease into the time change and warns against consuming extra caffeine to get through the transition. Contact Cathy Lewis at the American Heart Association at (214) 706-1173; cathy.lewis@heart.org
5. ==> How Older Adults Are Improving Their ‘Sex Span’
One of the largest surveys to measure sexual activity among older adults in the U.S. found that more than half of adults 65 to 74 reported being sexually active, and more than a quarter of those 75 to 85 said the same. “The narrative that we have about older adults not having sex is, really, ageism,” says Rosara Torrisi, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of the Long Island Institute of Sex Therapy. “Many people start to enjoy their sexuality a lot more as older adults,” she adds. “There’s this idea that they say, ‘Screw it. I’m not waiting around. I’m going to say what I want.” Torrisi can discuss the benefits of sex as we age, the issues, both physical and mental, that can make sex difficult, and how creativity and medical intervention can help. Contact Rosara Torrisi PhD, LCSWR, MEd, CST-S, at the Long Island Institute of Sex Therapy at (516) 690-6779; Info@LISexTherapy.com
6. ==> Forget Role Models: Leadership Lessons from Rebels, Pirates, and Outlaws
What if the most powerful leadership lessons didn’t come from heroes—but from history’s most notorious figures? Author and leadership coach Steve Williams reveals 20 bold, practical lessons drawn from rebels, outlaws, pirates, and power players you won’t find in a typical business book. From Attila the Hun to Al Capone, he strips away myth to uncover the strategies that made these figures astonishingly effective leaders. Williams is the author of six books including “Notorious: Leadership Lessons from History’s Most Notorious Leaders,” and a certified leadership coach and QMS expert. Ask him: What are some examples of how these notorious people made great leaders? What are the comparisons between these and effective leaders of today? Contact Steve Williams at (920) 280-1068; swilliams@rtirguests.com
7. ==> How to Lead Peacefully in a World Full of Conflict
Your audience wants to lead better, whether that’s managing a team, raising a family, or navigating tense conversations in daily life. But most haven’t been taught a critical leadership skill that’s holding them back: how to navigate conflict in a way where everyone wins. Samuel Bentil, global negotiation expert and author of “Avoid Construction Disputes,” shares practical, eye-opening strategies that go beyond “managing drama” and show people how to lead with calm, clarity, and emotional intelligence. With 85% of workplace conflict tied to poor communication, and personal relationships suffering from the same patterns, Samuel’s insights help listeners show up differently at home, at work, and in their communities. Ask him: What’s the first thing to change if tension keeps showing up in your life? Why does traditional leadership advice actually create more conflict? Contact Samuel at (778) 656-0067; sbentil@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Think You’re Bad at Math? This Guest Says You Were Taught Wrong!
Craig Hane spent decades teaching math, and he's identified why capable adults remain stuck in lower-paying jobs: childhood math trauma. He says thousands of high-tech positions go unfilled while qualified candidates avoid applying because job descriptions mention quantitative skills.
Hane can explain how adults can break free from math anxiety using his SPIKE methodology. He'll reveal which math skills actually matter for career advancement and how his six-tier online program helps adults master practical concepts in weeks. Listeners will learn they're not "bad at math” they were just taught wrong. Craig Hane is the author of "How & Why Public School Math is Destroying the USA." Contact him at (812) 408-8047; chane@rtirguests.com
9. ==> Why No One Wants to Teach Anymore — And How We Bring Them Back
Over 440,000 teaching positions are now filled by unqualified staff or sitting empty. Deanna Gilmore, Ph.D., says the only way to fix it is to make people fall in love with teaching again — and to pressure lawmakers to fund salaries that keep them there. A 26-year classroom veteran, former school principal, and university professor who trained the next generation of educators, Gilmore will share firsthand stories from teachers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, and coaches to remind America what's at stake before it's too late. Ask her: With nearly half a million teaching positions unfilled, what happens to America's public schools? What concrete steps can communities and lawmakers take right now to stop the bleeding? How are school voucher programs making the teacher shortage even worse? Deanna Gilmore is the author of "There's a Pig on the Playground: Memorable Stories from the Schoolyard." Contact her at (208) 285-7567; dgilmore@rtirguests.com
10. ==> Afterlife Encounters: A Dominican Priest Who Talks to the Dead
When people die suddenly, families are left with questions no one knows how to answer. For more than 25 years, Dominican priest Father Nathan Castle, O.P., has listened to stories from people who have died and come to him in dreams after accidents, violence, and suicide. On your show, he shares what these encounters reveal about shock after death, unfinished emotions, and why not everyone who dies suddenly gets “stuck.” With interest in near-death experiences and grief healing rising, Father Nathan offers counterintuitive insights that challenge fear-based views of the afterlife and highlight connection, compassion, and continuity. Producers get a compelling conversation that blends spirituality, psychology, and real-life stories without preaching. Ask him: Do people who die suddenly know they’ve died? Can helping someone who’s died actually help the living heal? Father Nathan Castle is the author of “Afterlife, Interrupted” (Books 1-3) and host of The Joyful Friar podcast. Contact him at (480) 680-9985; ncastle@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Can a Hidden Letter Unite Jews, Christians, and Muslims?
What if the answer to centuries of religious division and warfare was hiding in plain sight—in a short letter at the back of the New Testament? John Hageman spent over 30 years analyzing scriptures with scientific rigor. What he found could change everything: all three faiths share one scripture that can unite us all. Drawing from his soon-to-be published book, "Uniting Humanity Through Our Scriptures’ Hidden Secrets - Putting Our Religious Differences on Trial," Hageman will reveal how the epistle of James contains core truths all three religions can agree upon. He also shows why false prophets’ words were allowed in our scriptures; they are a test from our Lord, like the liars Job faced. Listeners will discover why scriptural errors don't disprove God's perfection—they prove we're being tested to defeat our common enemy. Ask him: As a Scientist, how did analyzing our scriptures like a technical document lead to these conclusions? You claim God intentionally allowed lies in our holy scriptures. How can He still be perfect? What's in James that Jews and Muslims would recognize as true? Contact John Hageman at (210) 806-7961; jhageman@rtirguests.com
12. ==> The Reason You’re Stuck Has Nothing to Do with Willpower
If willpower were enough, you'd already be free from negativity in your life. “What keeps people stuck isn’t a lack of motivation, it’s the nervous system holding unresolved survival responses from the past,” according to Lisa Morgan. “Real change happens when we work with the body, not against it.” Lisa’s world fell apart when panic and anxiety brought her to her knees. This became the foundation of her life’s work. Lisa is a master coach, intuitive guide, and soul-level healer who helps people break free from hidden blocks and rediscover who they truly are. Through her signature framework, Free Your Soul to Soar™, she bridges neuroscience and energy psychology to help people transform to reclaim their joy, worth, and wings. Contact Lisa Morgan at (314) 265-3491; lmorgan@rtirguests.com
13. ==> This Guest Turns Problem Pooches into Perfect Pups
Author and longtime dog behaviorist Kathleen Troy answers real questions from dog owners with warmth, humor, and hard-earned experience. Dubbed the Dear Abby for dogs, Kathleen tackles everyday canine challenges while debunking one of the biggest myths of all: some dogs cannot be trained. She gets her inspiration from her remarkable rescue pup, Dylan, a former “problem dog” who went on to become a certified therapy and hospice service dog. She combines practical guidance with unforgettable stories. Audiences will learn how patience, consistency, and respect can transform both dogs and their humans. Kathleen is the author of the “Dylan’s Dog Squad” series, and a book about dog training. Contact Kathleen Troy at (714) 975-9807; ktroy@rtirguests.com
14. ==> You Don’t Need a New You — Be the Real You
Millions of people are on a perpetual search for a new and better version of themselves, meantime research shows that perfectionism and self-criticism are rising and fueling burnout and anxiety, instead of change. Leadership coach and TEDx speaker Barbara Stone says the problem isn’t motivation, it’s identity. After 25 years hiding her alopecia under a wig and her voice behind corporate success, Barbara took the wig off onstage and discovered a surprising truth: real growth begins when we stop trying to fix ourselves. In this segment, she’ll share what shedding perfection taught her about self-worth and authenticity, and why flaws, not upgrades, are often the key to confidence. Whether your audience is hiding a condition, insecurity, or impossible expectations, Barbara offers practical ways they can stop performing and start living more honestly. Ask her: Can trying to “improve yourself” actually make you less confident? What did losing your hair teach you that success never did? Contact Barbara Stone at (315) 840-2845; bstone@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Meet the 90-Year-Old with a Ten-Year Plan
At 90, Jim Flaherty is ramping up, not winding down. This former ‘Mad Men’ ad exec turns 90 in September with a mission: reach 7.5 million depressed seniors living alone in America. His secret? A mindset that refuses to accept aging as decline. Drawing from "Loving Longevity: Make Your Next Years Your Best Years," Flaherty shares lessons from his life including launching a country inn at 45 with zero experience, moving his kids to Buenos Aires, and caregiving his partner through dementia. Listeners will learn how to embrace aging with purpose and creativity. Contact James B. Flaherty (914) 326-2697; jflaherty@rtirguests.com
