01. How a Debt Ceiling Default Could Affect You
02. What We Really Want From Local News
03. Can Books Make Kids Queer?
04. 5 Ways to Commemorate Memorial Day
05. A Historic Road Trip With 4 American Legends
06. ‘Scamanda’ – True Story of a Blogger’s Fake Cancer
07. The Dangerous Distortion of ‘Queen Charlotte’
08. Got Career Questions? Get a Psychic’s Perspective
09. How to Give Up the Ghost When You’ve Been Ghosted
10. Be More Resilient in 5 Minutes a Day
11. Advantages Doubters Have That Self-Confident People Miss
12. Why You Have to Move On to Move Up
13. Everything You Never Knew About Elephants
14. How This Former Drug Dealer Turned Her Life Around
15. Small Steps Can Avert Big Health Issues
1. ==> How a Debt Ceiling Default Could Affect You
What could happen on Main Street if Washington’s political showdown over the debt ceiling stopped the government from cutting checks that fund a quarter of the economy? Experts say Americans could quickly notice painful blows to their retirement accounts as stock markets drop, and within days the lack of federal payments could weigh heavily on doctors’ offices, retirees and workplaces throughout the country. According to Shai Akabas, director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, people would keep one eye on their bank accounts for missed deposits and the other on Wall Street. One eye is focused on “days of delays for their Social Security check, and the other is a 20% drop in their 401(k),” she says. The Bipartisan Policy Center is a not-for-profit think tank that estimates Washington’s day-to-day schedule of bills due. Contact Erin Meade at emeade@bipartisanpolicy.org
2. ==> What We Really Want From Local News
TV stations continue to have the widest reach when it comes to local news but digital outlets are an important part of the equation as local newspapers disappear from many areas of the country. The American Journalism Project recently surveyed 5,000 people in eight local markets across the country about their experience with journalism in their communities and what kinds of local information would be most useful to them. Researchers found a number of common themes across every market, that aren’t centered on topics. Among them: Americans want more local news, a shared, trusted source of facts, and they want the full stories of their communities to be told. They also want newsrooms to play a role in connecting and convening communities. The American Journalism Project provides grants to nonprofit news organizations, partners with communities to launch new organizations, and coaches leaders as they grow and sustain their newsrooms. For more information and survey results, contact Roshni Neslage at roshni@theajp.org or Hannah Ross at hannah@theajp.org
3. ==> Can Books Make Kids Queer?
Books about LGBTQ people are fast becoming the main target of a historic wave of school book challenges. An analysis of all book challenges in the 2021-2022 school year by “The Washington Post” found the main factor in the push is a stated wish to shield children from sexual content. Nearly half of the filings targeted titles with LBBTQ characters or themes, with many challengers believing that reading books about LGBTQ people could cause children to alter their sexuality or gender. There is little research into the effects of LGBTQ literature on children, in part because the books have only recently become widely available. But “we do have a lot of data about other topics that don’t lead us to think that reading a book would make a child suddenly become gay,” says Amy Egbert, a University of Connecticut assistant professor who studies youth mental health. And, she says, there is a clear risk to removing the books. “Any time a certain identity is stigmatized, that tends to lead to more discrimination, more bullying, increased mental health challenges,” she says. “Everything we know suggests this is very harmful to LGBTQ kids.” Contact Amy Egbert at (860) 486-4936; amy.egbert@uconn.edu
4. ==> 5 Ways to Commemorate Memorial Day
Memorial Day is seen as the unofficial start of summer, marked by picnics, BBQs and relaxing with family and friends, but the real meaning behind the day is to honor and remember the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Retired Air Force pilot Col. Lee Ellis can discuss ways to include that aspect into your weekend activities. Many communities will hold local parades and ceremonies and flags will be flying, but Ellis says you can also honor fallen veterans by expressing gratitude to present and former military personnel who are among us today. Listeners will learn why the poppy holds great significance in relation to Memorial Day and how disabled and disadvantaged veterans in VA hospitals have been crafting Buddy Poppies since 1924. Lee Ellis is the founder and president of Leadership Freedom® LLC and FreedomStar Media®. He is a leadership coach and the co-author of “Captured by Love,” with love expert Greg Godek. The book features inspiring stories of POWs who returned from the Vietnam War after years of incarceration and mistreatment and offers a rare glimpse into the resilient and enduring love and romance that emerged from such a challenging and heartbreaking situation. Contact Ryan McCormick at (516) 901-1103; ryan@goldmanmccormick.com
5. ==> A Historic Road Trip With 4 American Legends
For a fun show that paints a nostalgic portrait of rural America, invite writer, historian, and Yale University professor Wes Davis to share the story of historic road trips four American legends took in August 1918. Hear about the friendships that sprang up among automobile tycoon Henry Ford, naturalist John Burroughs, inventor Thomas Edison, and tire industrialist Harvey Firestone as they took road trips together in Ford’s miraculous vehicle, exploring parts of rural America that had been largely inaccessible. Learn how the relationship began in 1913 between Burroughs, then 75, and Ford, nearly 50, when Burroughs wrote in an article in “Atlantic Monthly” that the automobile “was going to kill the appreciation of nature.” In response, Ford sent him a new Model T, which changed the old naturalist’s life by prompting him to set out on wide-ranging road trips beyond his Hudson River homestead. Wes Davis is the author of several books including his latest, “On the Road with Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and John Burroughs.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com
6. ==> ‘Scamanda’ – True Story of a Blogger’s Fake Cancer
The story of infamous cancer-faking early social media influencer Amanda C. Riley, who is now behind bars for fraud, is the topic of a new podcast. Through exclusive access to her now-defunct blogs and new interviews with the people who thought they knew her best, award-winning journalist Charlie Webster explores this unbelievable tale of a scam that ripped a family apart and left a community in shock. The series unravels the surprising and bizarre story behind Riley’s long-running scam to use her growing online presence to take advantage of the social media community. Ultimately, the young woman pleaded guilty to soliciting over $100,000 in donations to help pay for cancer treatments that she never received. Webster says, “The psychology of what this woman did to manipulate and infiltrate her community using the power of social media is fascinating and I know listeners will be enthralled by what unfolds in the series.” The eight-episode limited series podcast Scamanda is available now. Contact Katie Fuchs at (646) 493-0215 (NY); kfuchs@lippingroup.com or Kevin Broderick at kevin@lippingroup.com
7. ==> The Dangerous Distortion of ‘Queen Charlotte’
At the center of Shonda Rhimes’ latest Netflix historical miniseries is the “Great Experiment,” an attempt to introduce, by royal fiat, greater racial and social equity in the realm and the show features a Black noblewoman married to the King of England. But historian Shaun Armstead reminds us that “Queen Charlotte” is fantasy. “The series offers viewers a racially integrated world that upholds Eurocentric paradigms. The diversity championed in these shows is one in which Black and Asian characters are welcomed as long as they conform to the values and norms governing Western societies,” she says. “Reimagining history in this way ignores the painful truths of the era: Imperial domination and dispossession as well as slavery.” She adds, “We are served a sanitized version of history at the very moment when more accurate narratives of the past are under attack.” Shaun Armstead is a historian whose research centers on Black women’s international activism in the 20th century. She will be a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Africana Studies at Brown University this fall. Contact her at sta50@history.rutgers.edu
8. ==> Got Career Questions? Get a Psychic’s Perspective
Although many economists predict a downturn in the job market over the next year, more than half of workers (56%) are likely to look for a job within that same timeframe, Bankrate’s 2023 job seeker survey found. With unemployment recently at its lowest level in decades, the tight labor market has given many workers the confidence to do things like switch jobs and even careers. But how do you know where to go when thinking about a new career? Find out when you talk to top psychic Ann Johnson. Ann can guide your audience toward job success as well as provide instant personality analysis, relationship advice, and more. The real deal among psychics, Ann has been featured by top media outlets including “New York Magazine,” MTV Network, and “Rolling Stone.” She is the author of “Facing Forward: A Memoir About Choices, Intuition, and Insights in a Show Busy Life.” Contact Ann Johnson at (516) 862-4405; ajohnson@rtirguests.com
9. ==> How to Give Up the Ghost When You’ve Been Ghosted
Relationships are important. So whether it is a lover, former love, date, friend, parent, or sibling, no one likes being ghosted — having their texts, phone calls, and emails ignored leaves them in limbo and feeling minimized. Some research indicates that as many as 23% of us have been ignored by people we care about. Marcia Chang Vogl, a pastor and mentor in “spiritual maturity,” says we can’t prevent people from ghosting us but we can control how we react when it happens. Invite Marcia to explain the process she recommends people go through and what to say to yourself out loud that will help you move on from the most challenging relationships. Vogl has been ghosted by a relative for decades and is an expert on forgiveness as a powerful weapon in one’s mental health arsenal. She is the author of “The Path Forward.” Marcia Chang Vogl is an ordained minister with more than 30 years of experience in pastoral counseling, teaching and mentoring. Vogl is the director of Bethany Projects of Hidden With Christ Ministries. She is a former public school music teacher, university lecturer, and mortgage industry professional. Contact Marcia at (714) 454-7194; marciavogl@gmail.com
10. ==> Be More Resilient in 5 Minutes a Day
Why are some people better able to handle life’s blows than others? Can you learn how to bounce back from your challenges? Linda Karimo, who has developed a course on being more resilient, has researched this issue and says she can teach anyone — even those whose personalities struggle with change — to be more resilient, starting with a personalized five-minute activity that will lower your stress and help you think clearly about what you can change, what you can’t and how to deal with the difference. In addition to her upcoming resilience course, Linda is the developer of Initiative: “After Hours” by Linda Karimo, an education-focused community of individual and family members concerned about eye and mental health, and the author of her mother’s story, “I Know My Way Memoir,” which explores how normal living is possible with a little bit of adaption. Contact Linda Karimo at (914) 944-1474; lkarimo@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Advantages Doubters Have That Self-Confident People Miss
In our culture, self-confidence is lauded as a virtue. So what happens when doubt creeps in? Does that mean you’re broken? Or could you have an advantage others lack? Invite leadership expert Marc A. Pitman to reveal why doubt can be a surprising gift that forces leaders to look inward to gain special insight. His book, “The Surprising Gift of Doubt,” provides a framework for leaders to move past feeling like a fraud and manage teams more effectively. Ask him: How could the words in your head be sabotaging your efforts? Why are people who are experiencing doubt some of the strongest leaders? Contact Marc Pitman at (317) 751-1610; mpitman@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Why You Have to Move On to Move Up
Are you ready to take the journey from poverty to prosperity? Sylvia O’Connor, the “Moving On Expert,” did so and says if you believe it, you can achieve it! Invite Sylvia to share her personal story of overcoming poverty and how listeners can do the same. You’ll learn why you have to move on in life in order to move up, the power of the gift of goodbye and how to discover opportunities and successes available by moving on. Sylvia grew up poor in a small town in Louisiana but shed the seeming restraints that held her back and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and succeeded in a 30-year career in the health-care industry while being an adjunct professor. Proving that it is never too late, she has now ventured into entrepreneurship by forming her own company. Contact Sylvia O’Connor at (225) 916-3588; sdanielrich@yahoo.com
13. ==> Everything You Never Knew About Elephants
People the world over have a deep affection for elephants. But did you know that they could help save the planet? “Not only are elephants adorable, super-loving and brilliant, they are also important ecosystem engineers,” says author and animal/environmental advocate Georja Umano. “They are so large that rain in an elephant’s footprint can create a microsystem that can provide a home for tadpoles and other organisms. The effects of their movements in both savannahs and forests help restore and maintain the balance of nature.” Georja can share why it’s so important to protect this endangered species, and other fascinating pachyderm facts, as well as her experiences living in Kenya. She is the author of “Terrier in the Jungle.” Contact her at (213) 568-1764; gumano@rtirguests.com
14. ==> How This Former Drug Dealer Turned Her Life Around
As a single teenage mother who grew up in a highly dysfunctional broken home, author Tressa Mitchener fell in with a bad crowd and turned to drug dealing. She was ultimately arrested and received a 30-year-to-life federal prison sentence. Miraculously, that sentence was reduced to five years, something she attributes to her strong belief in a higher power. Tressa went on to earn a B.A. in psychology, became a respected Christian counselor and best-selling author, and married the love of her life. “While I was in prison, I was strongly focused on God,” she says. “He was giving me instructions and guiding me. My mind began to change.” She is the author of “Looking Out from the Inside: The United States v. Tressa Oliva Parker.” Contact Tressa at (919) 582-5992; Tmitchener@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Small Steps Can Avert Big Health Issues
You probably have some lifestyle choices that are hurting you, but it can seem overwhelming (not to mention unappealing) to tackle them. But Emily Gold Mears says you only need to take small steps toward better health to postpone the onset of chronic disease. “Forget the urge to change everything at once,” Mears says. “Every incremental change you make will result in a positive impact. Every lifestyle alteration will contribute to your living a longer, healthier and happier life.” She’ll share ways to reduce your toxin exposure at home, explain why you should prioritize your oral health, and reveal the surprising benefits of optimizing your indoor light exposure. Emily Gold Mears is a former attorney and a citizen scientist whose research focuses on the intersection of functional and allopathic medicine and the critical requirements for individuals to become their own health-care advocates. She is the author of “Optimizing Your Health: An Approachable Guide to Reducing Your Risk of Chronic Disease.” Contact her at emily@emilygoldmears.com; egoldmears@aol.com