01. The Constitution and a Free Press: Why it Matters
02. Encouraging Charity: Flexible Giving Accounts
03. Let’s Talk Turkey – Last Minute Help
04. Best Wines for Thanksgiving Dinner
05. Ugh! The Annoying Relatives Are Coming
06. Being Grateful Takes Effort
07. When Thanksgiving is Painful
08. Keep Holiday Spending in Check
09. Is There a ‘War on Christmas’?
10. Dog Owners Live Longer, Healthier Lives
11. Women Leading Entrepreneurial Boom
12. Alzheimer’s: It’s Not Just Genes
13. Inspiring Show – Light Your Life on Fire
14. Millennials, Men and Kids: The New Caregivers
15. Jewish Comedy – Just in Time for Hanukkah
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1. ==> The Constitution and a Free Press: Why it
Matters
In March 1960, The New York Times published a paid ad
from a group supporting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
setting off a chain of events that would change the
role of the press in America and help shape our public
discourse for decades. Invite Jonathan Peters, a media
law professor, to discuss the ensuing libel case, and
how the US Supreme Court judged the matter. “Justice
William Brennan Jr. wrote the majority opinion and
opened by saying that the Court had considered the case
‘against the background of a profound national
commitment to the principle that debate on public
issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open,
and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and
sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and
public officials.’” Peters says it’s worth reflecting
on Sullivan today to appreciate why the press is
constitutionally protected and democratically
essential. “This is a critical time. The President
denounces the press nearly every day, and other elected
officials are parroting his rhetoric. Reporters are
being assaulted while covering protests. Arrested, too.
And sued by the wealthy.” Jonathan Peters is a media
law professor at the University of Georgia. He also is
the press freedom correspondent for the Columbia
Journalism Review. Contact him at 706-542-1081;
jonathan.peters@uga.edu, @jonathanwpeters
2. ==> Encouraging Charity: Flexible Giving Accounts
Congress is considering changes to the tax code which
would greatly reduce the proportion of taxpayers who
benefit from incentives for charitable giving. Alyssa
DiRusso says, instead, lawmakers should adopt a new way
to allow more Americans to benefit from giving to
charity. DiRusso, a law professor specializing in
wills, trusts and nonprofits, suggests authorizing
Flexible Giving Accounts (FGAs). Similar to Flexible
Spending Accounts (FSAs) that would allow American
workers — whether they itemize deductions on their tax
returns or not — to set aside money for charities of
their choice. “With FGAs, millions more Americans would
be able to efficiently leverage the tax code to benefit
worthwhile charities, creating a whole new class of
everyday philanthropists. Americans at all income
levels are generous and want to help those in need.
More than two-thirds of households give to charity, and
research has shown that when presented with the
opportunity, people take advantage of new ways to
donate. Those who do should get a tax benefit.” Alyssa
DiRusso is the Palmer Professor of Law at the
Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in
Birmingham, Alabama. Contact her at (205) 726-4325;
aadiruss@samford.edu
3. ==> Let’s Talk Turkey – Last Minute Help
According to a recent Butterball survey, two-thirds of
Americans rank Thanksgiving as one of their favorite
holidays. And while the majority of respondents like to
incorporate new traditions into their celebrations,
people overwhelmingly want a turkey on the table! From
first-time preparers freaked out by the giblets, to
experienced cooks looking to try new recipes to
accommodate an ever-changing tradition, no Thanksgiving
question or concern is off the table for the experts on
the other end of Butterball’s Turkey Talk-Line. “While
we know Thanksgiving can be full of little stresses, we
also know it’s important to not sweat the small stuff,”
says Sue Smith, co-director of the Turkey Talk-Line.
“After all, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate being
together! We take seriously our role in making hosts’
Thanksgivings as seamless as possible.” Butterball
Turkey Talk-Line experts are available via text, live
online chats and by phone. Turkey Talk-Line experts are
available for interview. Contact Shelby Montgomery at
(312) 226-3342; ButterballMedia@Edelman.com
4. ==> Best Wines for Thanksgiving Dinner
Whether you’re hosting this year’s Thanksgiving feast
or you’re bringing wine to the event, how do you know
what to buy and how to serve it? If you only know wine
by red, white and pink, you’re in luck. Winemaker Susie
Selby, is an expert on food and wine pairings. She can
give advice on how to choose wine for your Thanksgiving
meal and discern between “in-law” wine vs. “best
friend” wine. Listeners will learn the best wine
values, how to impress any wine snob, and how to please
yourself on this fabulous food-based holiday. The
proprietor of Selby Winery, Susie has been making wine
for over twenty years. Contact her at (707) 975-0988;
selby@selbywinery.com
5. ==> Ugh! The Annoying Relatives Are Coming
Wish you could stick a fork in … your parents? Want to
turkey drop your brother-in-law? Tired of playing cop
or walking on eggshells? If you’re dreading what’s
likely to happen around the Thanksgiving table, you
should know that you are not alone. Author Carol-Ann
Hamilton has just the advice you need to make this
year’s holiday feast at least tolerable if not
gratifying. The author of “Coping with Un-cope-able
Parents,” and the only child of a demanding,
inflexible, formerly alcoholic father, she has advice
on jettisoning outworn family traditions, establishing
boundaries with relatives who are often out of bounds
and even ways to find happiness in the chaos. Carol-Ann
Hamilton spent 25 years as an organizational
development consultant in Fortune 500 and
entrepreneurial settings and has written several books
on business and personal growth topics. Contact her at
(905) 822-2503; carolann@carolannhamilton.com
6. ==> Being Grateful Takes Effort
Not feeling thankful this week? You’re not alone. And
you’re not being superficial. We’re wired to notice
danger and threats above all, and it can be hard to be
thankful when we’re barraged with bad news daily. Dr.
Robin Burk says, “Thankfulness / gratitude comes when
we take time to look at what is around us. We have far
more resources than we realize – but we’ll miss seeing
them if we don’t intentionally pause to look, to see
their presence and the opportunities they bring.” Burk,
author of Check Your Connections: How to Thrive in an
Uncertain World, says there is a good scientific basis
for the benefits of practicing gratitude, especially
when we don’t feel one bit like doing so. Her Check
Your Connections initiative offers individuals and
organizations concrete, practical tips for expanding
their resources and thriving despite the chaos we feel
around. Contact her at (703) 346-4448;
robin.burk@checkyourconnections.com
7. ==> When Thanksgiving is Painful
The holidays, and Thanksgiving in particular, can be
tough to manage for people who’ve experienced trauma or
loss. The whole day is devoted to being thankful, yet
if you’re suffering, seeing other people surrounded by
love can increase your feelings of isolation. Joyce
Short says you can gain optimism by bolstering both
your mind and your body. “Volunteering at a soup
kitchen or other helpful charity can bring you a new
dimension of self-worth, and pumping your endorphins by
exercise can help you stop dwelling on your sorrow. Any
exercise will do, even simply turning on music, and
dancing around your living room. In spite of your
emotional pain, you can dance your way into a joyful
frame of mind and appreciate that you, not loss,
controls your world.” Joyce Short is the author of
“Combating Romance Scams, Why Lying to Get Laid Is a
Crime.!” She survived three separate incidents of
sexual assault. She advocates for victims, coaching
them to overcome their trauma, seek justice, and regain
their dignity. Contact her at (917) 517-8572;
short.jm@aol.com
8. ==> Keep Holiday Spending in Check
The holiday spending season is about to begin and
Mitchell Walker has some advice before you head to the
mall or go on a cyber shopping spree. He says a little
planning and creativity can keep you from racking up
bills that will come back to haunt you in January.
Walker, author of the “PouchPlan Budget,” will share
spending tips and the top 5 money mistakes people make
during the holidays and how to avoid them. You’ll also
learn the one thing to do on Black Friday and Cyber
Monday that will bring you huge financial gains rather
than financial pains. Mitchell Walker has owned 5
businesses, served as the CFO of a community college
and as a County Commissioner and City Councilman. The
PouchPlan was developed based on his expertise, but
more importantly, was put to the test and proven by
Mitchell and his wife Suzanne over 20 plus years as
they raised their blended family of seven. Contact him
at (903) 563 3396(TX); mfwalker1106@gmail.com
9. ==> Is There a ‘War on Christmas’?
According to singer-actress Renae Baker, who has been
making the Christmas spirit a career for the past 20
years, it’s time to call a truce on the “War on
Christmas” because bullying people into saying “Merry
Christmas” is damaging the holiday spirit. Instead, she
wants us to remember that Christmas can stop wars,
which happened briefly in the Civil War and Franco-
Prussian War. She’ll explain why Christmas does not
need saving but can, instead, save us. In this feel-
good show, Renae will talk about ways the Christmas
spirit can ignite joy and goodwill and bring our
divided country closer together. Renae can also share
the history of Christmas carols, Charles Dickens’
contribution to Christmas and her thoughts on the new
movie “The Man Who Invented Christmas,” and why she
believes more people are in danger of losing their
Christmas spirit this year. Renae, who can sing on your
show, runs the caroling company I S.M.I.L.E in New York
Productions, whose Broadway trained singers include
Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and atheists. Contact her
at (917) 509-9022; ismileny@gmail.com
10. ==> Dog Owners Live Longer, Healthier Lives
In case you need another reason to snuggle your pup: A
new study of more than 3.4 million people finds that
owning a dog is linked to a longer life. The research,
published in Scientific Reports, is the latest in a
growing body of research suggesting that canine
companions may be good for human health—especially for
people who live alone. That’s not surprising news to
Carlyn Montes De Oca, an expert on animal and human
health. She 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.” 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 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.
Reach her at (415) 306-1853 or
cmdo@AnimalHumanHealth.com
11. ==> Women Leading Entrepreneurial Boom
The number of women-owned businesses increased by 45
percent last year. That’s five times the national
average! And, as business and marketing expert Claudia
Newcorn points out, 79 percent of women-owned firms
launched over the past nine years were founded by women
of color. Newcorn says, “A big driver is women’s desire
to chart their own life course and pursue success on
their own terms. But, just as with any new enterprise,
women need to use smart marketing strategies in order
to avoid being among the 80 percent of entrepreneurs
whose businesses fail in their first 18 months.” She’ll
reveal which industries are seeing the biggest surge in
women-owned start-ups, why women need to get personal
in dealing with competitors and the #1 thing every
entrepreneur needs to know about running their own
business. Claudia Newcorn, MBA, is a strategic
marketing consultant and author of “Zipline to Success:
Fast-Track Marketing Strategies to Accelerate Your
Sales & Profits.” Newcorn hosted her own TV show, and
has been featured on numerous radio stations. Contact
her at (209) 204-0502 (CA);
Claudia@ZiplineToSuccess.com
12. ==> Alzheimer’s: It’s Not Just Genes
As many as 5.5 million Americans are living with the
memory-robbing and ultimately fatal disease known as
Alzheimer’s. Adding to the disease’s horrific toll is
the anxiety relatives often experience by believing
that their family history will ensure their future
mental decline as well. But, according to Jeanne
Dockins, R.N., this fear is unfounded. “One may have
inherited a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s but
there are critical steps to take to prevent this
devastating disease from occurring,” she says. “And one
of those steps is treating and eliminating gum disease,
a link with dementia few medical professionals are
currently addressing.” Jeanne can discuss the
relationship between Alzheimer’s and oral health, foods
and supplements that can help prevent Alzheimer’s, and
whether people who consider themselves to be at risk
should have DNA testing. Jeanne Dockins spent more than
three decades as a surgical nurse at a level I trauma
center where she observed that half of her surgical
patients were having surgery with dentist diagnosed
active periodontal infections. She’s appeared on
numerous radio talk shows discussing health topics such
as breast health and how to prevent hospital-acquired
infections. Contact her at (419) 960-5460;
jeanne@masteryofselfhealing.com
13. ==> Inspiring Show – Light Your Life on Fire
Sue Pighini knows what it is like to have been struck
by lightning; when it happened to her at age 28, her
clothes melted. She also knows what it is like to move
32 times, survive cancer, a brain aneurysm and to be
held-up at gunpoint. All of those experiences, as one
might imagine, led her to live her life differently. In
her case, to live fearlessly, saying no to the status
quo and embracing change. “I believe everyone should
live their life as though they were on fire,” Pighini
says. “That means making your life count by embracing
new challenges and jettisoning the word ‘regret’ from
your vocabulary. When you do that, you will add new
people, new excitement and new skills to your world.”
After 25 years in corporate America, Sue is now an
author, motivational speaker, transformational life
coach, certified intuitive healer and horsewoman. She
operates the Livin’ the Dream Ranch, in Virginia, where
she uses horses to help transform people’s lives. Her
newly released audiobook is “Expect the Extraordinary:
Angelic Messages, Spiritual Encounters and the Soul of
Skye.” Contact her at (941) 685-7159;
sue@SuePighini.com
14. ==> Millennials, Men and Kids: The New Caregivers
According to Dr. Camille Superson, 40% of millennials
are now caregivers, 45% are men, and about 1.4 million
children between ages 8-18 are now in this role.
November is National Family Caregivers Month and
Superson says these unsung heroes need help. “Many
don’t know where to begin or how to juggle work, school
and family, along with the ongoing demands of
caregiving. They need valuable resources to help them
but they’re often hard to find, especially if you don’t
know where to look, what’s available, or what you
qualify for.” A former caregiver herself for over a
decade to two bedbound parents, and author of the book
“Essential Resource Guide for Caregivers: Save
Time…Save Money… Save your Sanity!”, Dr. Camille
Superson can provide a wealth of information to help
caregivers and their families find the tools they need.
She’ll also offer hope to the ongoing struggles
caregivers face every day. Contact her at (630)
888-2895 (cell); camillesuperson8@gmail.com
15. ==> Jewish Comedy – Just in Time for Hanukkah
Jews have, over the last century, become known for
humor—and, perhaps, for a particular kind of humor. But
the story of Jewish comedy is vast and variegated; and
if it resolutely resists any single explanatory lens,
it is also surely a tradition. For a fun Hanukkah show
invite Jeremy Dauber to talk about Jewish comedy from a
historic perspective. He’ll explore the history of
Jewish humor from Talmudic anecdotes to Mel Brooks and
explain what it did and what it meant for Jews in
different times and places. Jeremy Dauber is a
professor of Yiddish language, literature and culture
at Columbia University. He’s the author of “Jewish
Comedy: A Serious History.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer
at (703) 646-5137; (703) 400-1099 (cell) or Megan
Bonomo at (703) 646-5188