01. What Marco Jr.’s Win Means for the Philippines
02. Will Roe v. Wade Reversal Be McConnell’s Legacy?
03. Grim COVID Milestone Underscores Pandemic Profits
04. New Report: Gun Homicides Hit 25-Year High
05. Road Rage: How to Tame Your Temper
06. What History Can Tell Us about Ending Polarization
07. Before You File a Lawsuit: What You Could Lose by Winning
08. Why You Can’t Find Unbiased News in the U.S.
09. The Real Estate Market is Crazy. These Stories Are Nuts!
10. The Essential Health Move You’re Probably Missing
11. Could Your Forgetful Spouse Have Early-Onset Alzheimer’s?
12. Psychedelics: Should You Consider Taking Them?
13. Why the First and Last 15 Minutes of Your Day Are the Most Important
14. An American Family’s Role in Ridding the World of Smallpox
15. Funny Doesn’t Have to Be Foul: The Case for Clean Comics
1. ==> What Marco Jr.’s Win Means for the Philippines
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seems to have triumphed overwhelmingly in the Philippines’ presidential election, although the race has not yet been officially called. Joshua Kurlantzick says the apparent win is a worrying sign for the country’s democracy and further confirms long-standing impunity for elites. “Despite Ferdinand Marcos Sr, the longtime dictator, overseeing decades of brutal human rights abuses and reportedly stealing some $10 billion from the country, and even after Marcos Sr. left the country for the United States and Philippine democracy was reborn, the Marcos family never vanished from the Philippine political landscape. Marcos Sr.’s wife Imelda returned to the country and remained a powerful political kingmaker.” Kurlantzick can discuss Marcos Jr.’s extensive disinformation campaign to whitewash the legacy of his father and how it worked on Philippine voters too young to remember the reign of the elder Marcos. “Joshua Kurlantzick is senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is the author, most recently, of “A Great Place to Have a War: America in Laos and the Birth of a Military CIA.” Contact him at (202) 285-4339; jkurlantzick@cfr.org
2. ==> Will Roe v. Wade Reversal Be McConnell’s Legacy?
Ira Shapiro, a 45-year veteran of Washington D.C., who served for more than a dozen years in senior staff positions in the U.S. Senate, says that the Founding Fathers gave the Senate many functions, but just one fundamental responsibility — to provide the check against a dangerous president who threatens our democracy. “Two hundred and thirty years later,” he says. “When Donald Trump, a potential authoritarian, finally reached the White House, the Senate should have served as both America’s first and last lines of defense. Instead, we had the nightmare scenario: today’s Senate, reduced through a long period of decline to a hyper-partisan, gridlocked shadow of its former self, was unable to meet its fundamental responsibility.” He’ll discuss the pivotal challenges facing the Senate during Trump’s tenure and argue that the body’s failure to provide leadership represents the most catastrophic failure of government in American history. Ira Shapiro’s new book is “The Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans Abandoned America.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com
3. ==> Grim COVID Milestone Underscores Pandemic Profits
According to numerous news outlets, the U.S. has now recorded 1 million COVID-19 deaths. In the time it took to reach that grim milestone, billionaire wealth is up $1.7 trillion. Invite Chuck Collins and Omar Ocampo, researchers at the Institute for Policy Studies, a nonprofit think tank, to contrast the nation’s shocking death toll with billionaire wealth gains during the pandemic. Since March 2020, U.S. billionaires have seen their combined wealth rise by more than 58%. Elon Musk alone has seen a wealth increase of $255 billion. Collins and Ocampo write: “This troubling juxtaposition underscores the story of unequal loss and sacrifice during the worst pandemic in a century. While billionaires have seen their wealth surge during the pandemic, millions have lost their lives and livelihoods.” Contact Olivia Alperstein at olivia@ips-dc.org
4.==> New Report: Gun Homicides Hit 25-Year High
Gun deaths increased dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic as economic and social conditions worsened throughout the country — and disproportionately impacted low-income Black and Native communities. A report released Tuesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the vast majority of homicides (79%) and most suicides (53%) involved a gun in 2020. The rate of gun-related homicides reached its highest level in 25 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, with firearm homicides going up nearly 35% from 2019 to 2020. The biggest increase in gun deaths was among Black men — 39% higher from 2019 to 2020. And while the firearm suicide rate overall remained largely unchanged year over year, gun suicides rose significantly among Native men — 42% from 2019 to 2020. For more information or interviews, contact the CDC media department at (404) 639-3286; media@cdc.gov
5. ==> Road Rage: How to Tame Your Temper
Gas prices aren’t the only thing ticking motorists off these days as more drivers take advantage of nice weather and the opportunity to take long-delayed road trips. Road rage incidents spiked during the pandemic and continue in cities all across the nation. Author and happiness expert Trish Ahjel Roberts can offer motorists five tips for taming their tempers behind the wheel. She’ll explain how to gear up your imagination to build empathy, recognize your success as a driver, notice your breath, safely acknowledge your anger and entertain yourself while behind the wheel. The author of “12 Steps to Mind-Blowing Happiness” recently appeared on CBS46 in Atlanta to discuss road rage. Contact Trish Ahjel Roberts at (917) 887-3689; hello@trishahjelroberts.com
6. ==> What History Can Tell Us about Ending Polarization
Americans are so deeply divided today that one might wonder if anything could bring us together. But author and theologian Sheryl White, D. Min., says that history can offer us some comfort, particularly Civil War history. Dr. White says we need to stop choosing sides on every issue, bridging issues instead. It’s not an all-or-nothing siding with pro-lifers or pro-abortionists, pro-gun or anti-gun, Democrat or Republican, conservatives or progressives. Dr. White can offer steps we can take to bridge that divide including ways we can strip away labels and stereotypes and make friends with people who represent different religions, races and positions on issues. Dr. White is a YouTube channel creator and the author of historical fiction based on the life of abolitionist and suffragist Laura Smith Haviland. Contact Dr. White at (620) 672-1596; sdw1001@gmail.com
7. ==> 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
8. ==> Why You Can’t Find Unbiased News in the U.S.
We rely on the news to get information about the world and make good decisions, but newspapers, TV, radio, and social media are all businesses. They exist to make money, not inform you or even tell the truth. Is this real journalism? And who does it help – and hurt. Find out who owns and rules the press when you invite Dutch/American journalist Hans Izaak Kriek on your show. He’ll reveal the 15 billionaires and six major organizations that dominate and own the mainstream media and discuss how they influence and manipulate the American public daily, with fake news and framing. Ask him: How can you be sure the news you consume is accurate? What is framing and how do the media use it? Do others besides politicians use fake news, and why? Hans Izaak Kriek is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Krieksmediaworld.com and the author of “Trump’s Daily Domination of the News Media.” He’s worked as an international political journalist for AVRO/TROS, the two largest Dutch National broadcasters. As a media trainer, he has coached and advised thousands of politicians and executives. Contact him at (561) 861-2974; jkriek@rtirguests.com
9. ==> The Real Estate Market is Crazy. These Stories Are Nuts!
Selling real estate to the rich and famous can sometimes be crazy, often hilarious but never boring. Let top Realtor Valerie Fitzgerald, cohost of the new podcast “Real Estate, Real Laughs,” take your audience behind the scenes to hear some of the greatest stories never told before. While she can’t mention names, Valerie can dish on the unusual and sometimes embarrassing situations she and her peers have encountered (for example, showing a house while a naked couple were visible directly outside the window) and a whole lot more. Maybe you’ll hear about the role cats play in whether someone likes a house or not, celebrities who show up for appointments in disguise, or the fantastic perks the wealthiest potential buyers may be awarded to keep them happy. The former star of HGTV’s “Selling L.A,” former Ford model and TEDx speaker, Valerie Fitzgerald is one of Coldwell Banker’s Top 10 Agents, with $3 billion in sales. She has 30,000 followers on Instagram. Her new weekly podcast proves there is a side to real estate most people don’t know about: the fun side. Contact Valerie Fitzgerald at (310) 861-3238; vfitzgerald@rtirguests.com
10. ==> The Essential Health Move You’re Probably Missing
When it comes to your health and your family’s you could be overlooking something lifesaving. That’s the message of Anne McAwley-LeDuc, who will reveal why it isn’t enough to see physicians regularly, stick to a healthful diet and exercise program, take prescription medicines correctly and avoid bad habits like smoking and excessive drinking. Anne will offer advice and answer questions about the missing ingredient most families fail to utilize: keeping accurate health histories and records. A sought-after speaker and media guest, Anne (the award-winning author of “Personal Health Organizer”) will reveal the importance of maintaining key information about every doctor visit, procedure and treatment, vaccination, and prescription for all family members. Contact her at (860) 300- 603; AMcAwley@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Could Your Forgetful Spouse Have Early-Onset Alzheimer’s?
It’s one thing to overlook paying a bill, or misplace your keys, or be unable to remember a stranger’s name. It’s another thing to become so forgetful that you can’t complete a task you have done a thousand times. Or to forget how to find your way home. When such things happen, especially to a loved one who isn’t even 60, you may wonder if it’s early-onset Alzheimer’s, which can strike as early as 30. Discover more about the disease and how to spot its symptoms when you interview Carlen Maddux. A former reporter who chronicled his family’s 17-year Alzheimer’s journey in the award-winning book “A Path Revealed,” Carlen is determined to help others with information and been-there advice. His wife, Martha, was just past her 50th birthday when diagnosed. Carlen will discuss his family experiences, and what it was like to become his wife’s caregiver. Highly articulate, Carlen has done dozens of media interviews. Contact Carlen Maddux at (727) 351-8321; CMaddux@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Psychedelics: Should You Consider Taking Them?
While still prohibited by law, some once-considered “bad boys” of the drug culture (LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA), are now being seriously studied by science and found to be not only completely non-addictive, but more effective in the relief of anxiety, addiction, and depression than any known or traditional treatment. Sparrow Hart is available for interview on this timely topic, having studied the variety of ways to alter and change consciousness for decades. He can discuss both the incredible promise of psychedelics as well as the potential pitfalls of their misuse in an addictive and distraction-seeking culture. Ask him does he see psychedelics as having a broader impact than just improving a few individuals’ happiness? He has studied with Native Americans, taught courses on shamanism, and led vision quests for three decades. Is there any commonality between these processes that alter consciousness, for example between a vision quest and a psychedelic journey? Sparrow’s varied career includes being a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford, a brief stint working in a slaughterhouse, adventures in the Amazon, and over 30 years of leading workshops on shamanism, conscious dreaming, 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
13. ==> Why the First and Last 15 Minutes of Your Day Are the Most Important
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. 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. ==> An American Family’s Role in Ridding the World of Smallpox
Fighting a deadly virus is complicated. It took 10 years and a global campaign for the world to eradicate smallpox. Bee Bloeser and her two young children became involved when the CDC dispatched her husband to Africa in 1969. From being welcomed by cheering Africans to encountering witch doctors, a 10-acre mass grave, and living under a brutal dictator in remote Equatorial Guinea, Bee can discuss the exhilarating moments, unexpected challenges, and why she and her children were eventually evacuated after an incident with a simple child’s toy. Bee Bloeser has been featured on NPR’s “Journeys of Discovery” and NPR KCBX Radio’s show, “Issues and Ideas.” Her book is “Vaccines and Bayonets: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War.” Ask her: What are the similarities and differences between fighting smallpox and COVID? What was it like fighting a pandemic across battle lines of civil wars and the Cold War? Did she face resistance, and by whom? Contact Bee at (520) 214-5971; bbloeser@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Funny Doesn’t Have to Be Foul: The Case for Clean Comics
Long-time funny man Adam Christing believes comedy culture has become toxic. The CEO of CleanComedians says, “For years now, American comedians have confused comedy with being crass or cruel. But our history proves that humor can be playful instead of poisonous. Think Will Rogers, Betty White, Jim Gaffigan.” According to Christing, whose company requires its performers to avoid profanity, prejudice, and politics, “We need to remember that ‘fun’ is not a four-letter word. We can lift people and bring them together with positive humor.” Christing says his business is booming, especially with meeting planners who don’t want to embarrass people with foul or abrasive humor. Contact Todd Brabender at (785) 842-8909; toddb@spreadthenewspr.com
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