October 10, 2019
01. US is Escalating Chaos and Helping ISIS
02. The NBA Should Call China’s Bluff
03. Taxes On Rich Have Plummeted
04. Study Finds Huge Waste in Medical Spending: It’s Way Worse
05. RV Road Trip: Spectacular Fall Foliage Drives
06. Why Are We Turned On by Terror?
07. Halloween Can be a Nightmare for Pets
08. Vampires are Real and You May Know One!
09. Immigrants’ Day 10/28 – The American Dream through an Immigrant’s Eyes
10. How the Sexual Revolution Led to Identity Politics
11. Just in Time for 2020 Political Paranoia: Conversation Crisis
12. How the Burning Rainforest is Killing the Entire Planet
13. Why America Needs a Robust African Foreign Policy
14. It’s Not Just Billionaires – The Hidden World of Sex Trafficking
15. Is Your Smart Home Spying on You?
16. Why People Tune You Out (and What to Do About It)
17. Flu Season’s Here – Simple Immune System Boosters
18. Time for a Fall Friendship Cleanse
19. Whatever Happened to the Hare Krishnas?
20. Bass Player’s Tips Transform Toxic Office Culture
1.==> US is Escalating Chaos and Helping ISIS
There are reports that Turkey’s military operation in
Syria has begun, just days after Donald Trump’s
suddenly removed US troops from the country. Director
of the American Kurdish Information Network Kani Xulam
says, “One word describes President Trump’s decision to
withdraw from Syria. Perhaps he loves and thrives on
chaos, which will be its upshot. [Turkish leader Recep]
Erdogan, alas, watched Islamic State grow into a threat
to the Middle East and the world. Kurds and their Arab
allies waged an existential war to rid the world of
this menace. Instead of thanking the Kurds and their
allies, we are now going to witness their slaughter in
the hands of the Turkish army. It is a disaster in the
making with ramifications for the world.” A native of
Kurdistan, Kani Xulam is a commentator on the history
and politics of Kurdistan, and advocates for the right
of the Kurdish people to self-determination. Contact
him at kani@kurdistan.org @akininfo
2. ==> The NBA Should Call China’s Bluff
What Beijing wants in its standoff with the NBA is the
one concession the league has been unwilling to make:
an apology. Adam Minter says the NBA should stand its
ground. While sponsors have left over the controversy,
Minter says hundreds of millions of Chinese watched the
league’s games last year and they’re not going to
abandon it. “If the government cuts off access to games
via official channels, China’s rabid hoops fans won’t
suddenly shift to the CBA. Instead, they’d use common
technical workarounds to evade the block and continue
watching – likely in resentful defiance. The good news
for the NBA, and its millions of Chinese fans, is that
the government understands this risk, and is unlikely
to take it. The NBA may feel like it has the weak hand
in this matchup. But if this game drags on, the
advantage will belong to the player with the crowd
behind it.” Adam Minter is a Bloomberg Opinion writer
and the author of “Junkyard Planet: Travels in the
Billion-Dollar Trash Trade” and the upcoming
“Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale.”
Contact him at aminter@bloomberg.net; @AdamMinter or
Sara Mercurio at (310) 822-4536;
sara.mercurio@bloomsbury.com
3. ==> Taxes On Rich Have Plummeted
In a soon-to-be released book and reported in the New
York Times this week, economists Emmanuel Saez and
Gabriel Zucman highlight the glaring inequality of
America’s tax system showing, among other things, that
last year the 400 richest Americans paid a lower total
tax rate — spanning federal, state and local taxes —
than any other income group. Economist John Miller
isn’t surprised. “In 1950 the wealthiest 400 families
paid out 70 percent of their income in taxes, 47
percent in 1980, and just 23 percent in 2018,” he says.
“Nor have the cuts produced their promised effect of
spurring economic growth. “Economic growth rates slowed
from a rate of 4 percent a year during the 1960s, to 3
percent a year during the 1980s, and then stagnated
after the 1990s. Since 2000 the economy has grown more
slowly than during any of the five decades from 1950 to
2000, inequality has soared, and the economy has done
less and less to improve the lot of most people.” John
Miller is professor of economics at Wheaton College in
Norton, Mass. He is a longtime contributor to Dollars &
Sense magazine, and co-author with Arthur MacEwan of
“Economic Change, Economic Collapse.” Contact him at
jmiller@wheatonma.edu, @dollars_sense
4.==> Study Finds Huge Waste in Medical Spending: It’s Way Worse
An eye-opening new JAMA report finds that a quarter of
total U.S. health care spending — between $760 and $935
billion every year — is waste. The study, led by
William Shrank, Humana’s chief medical officer, found
system-wide bloat, but Deane Waldman, MD, MBA, says the
actual waste is closer to 50 percent. “In 2018, the
U.S. spent $3.6 trillion just on healthcare, nearly the
same amount as the entire GDP of Germany. And nearly
half of that went NOT to doctors to pay for care, but
to administrators to manage the miles of red tape
involving government regulations!” Invite Dr. Deane on
your show and learn why Washington can’t – and won’t –
fix the healthcare problem, why your doctor is often
forced to give you the wrong medicine, and how we can
get the government out of the doctor’ chair. Dr. Deane
was a practicing pediatric cardiologist for thirty-
seven years and chief of pediatric cardiology at three
major medical institutions. He’s currently a
distinguished senior fellow in healthcare policy at
Texas Public Policy Foundation. “Curing the Cancer in
U.S. Healthcare: StatesCare and Market-Based Medicine”
is his latest book. Contact Dr. Deane Waldman at (505)
255-2999; (505) 269-2776 or dw@deanewaldman.com
5. ==> RV Road Trip: Spectacular Fall Foliage Drives
It’s prime leaf peeping season across the nation and
the perfect time for a road trip to take in nature’s
fall spectacle of colors. Jenni Raney Edwards, author
of “Bumping Down Highways: From Boardrooms to Back
Roads in an RV,” can share the most glorious fall
foliage drives across the country right now, and
explain why autumn is one of the best times for a road
trip. Jenni fell in love with the open road while on a
cross-country drive in her SUV. She came home, sold
everything and traded her successful career for a life
on the road exploring the country full-time. Hear the
best places to stay and see in an RV and the biggest
challenges — and misconceptions — about RVing. A
successful business professional and entrepreneur,
Jenni Raney Edwards is the founder of Norsk Tiny
Houses. She designed and built the first LEED Certified
Tiny House on Wheels. Contact her at (904) 234-2891;
jenni@bumpingdownhighways.com
6. ==> Why Are We Turned On by Terror?
Whether it’s a horror movie or a haunted house, there
are a lot of people who love being scared out of their
wits. What’s up with that? Is it normal? And what about
kids? How much is too much for a child? Myke Merrill,
D.Min., author of “Why Do People Act that Way? (And
What Can I Do About It?),” will explain why we get a
thrill from being spooked, whether it’s emotionally
healthy or not, and what parents should consider before
taking their kids to a scary movie or haunted
attraction. The author of 22 books and training
manuals, Dr. Myke was a panelist on the national
television show Ask the Pastor for 18 years. He has
traveled worldwide for training and educational
development in over 20 countries, and speaks or reads
eight languages. Contact Dr. Myke Merrill at (585)
615-6383; inquiries@drmyke.com
7. ==> Halloween Can be a Nightmare for Pets
As children get ready for the hustle and bustle of
trick or treating, we need to remember our furry
friends. Halloween can be a frighteningly dangerous
time for pets! Intuitive expert and animal communicator
Nora Truscello taps into animal energies and shows us
how to make Halloween all treats without the tricks for
our four legged friends. Invite Nora to share her
insights in what your furriest friends want and don’t
want on this spookiest of seasons. A spiritual
navigator for more than 30 years, Nora Truscello is an
author and speaker on a wide range of spiritual topics.
Contact Nora at (302) 803-2307; nora@intointuition.com
8. ==> Vampires are Real and You May Know One!
You can always recognize a vampire in TV shows, movies,
and novels, but a vampire is much harder to identify in
real life. Speaker and author Tom Schneider warns,
“Real-life vampires don’t have fangs or sleep in
coffins, but they can suck the life out of you!” Take
Tom and Lindy Schneider’s quiz and discover if you have
a real vampire or other destructive relationship in
your life AND what to do about it if you do!
Professional college advisors for more than 15 years,
the Schneiders have been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC,
FOX, the CW and Inside Edition. They are the authors of
“College Secrets of Highly Successful People.” Contact
Lindy Schneider at (602) 562-8669;
LSchneider@rtirguests.com
9. ==> Immigrants’ Day 10/28 – The American Dream through an Immigrant’s Eyes
Imagine at 22 leaving your family and friends and
moving to another country with a language you don’t
speak fluently with only a duffel bag and an open heart
to start a new life with your soon-to-be-spouse. That’s
what Rosie J. Pova did when she came to the US from
Bulgaria. When all her papers got stolen in Las Vegas,
she found herself illegal and stuck. Fast forward a few
years, after the birth of her first child, she
rekindled her love for children’s books and started
chasing a crazy dream of becoming a children’s author.
It took 13 years to get three book contracts from a
publisher. Now she inspires both kids and adults to
dream big and persist. Her latest book, Sunday Rain,
will be released in summer 2020. Pova has been featured
on TV, radio, and in print. Contact her at (214)
563-1633 (TX); rosie.pova@yahoo.com
10. ==> How the Sexual Revolution Led to Identity Politics
We live in a very polarized time where people have
divided themselves into ideological tribes. And while
many speculate on how this has occurred, Mary Eberstadt
believes the rise of identity politics is a direct
result of the collapse of the family. In her new book,
“Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created
Identity Politics,” Eberstadt claims that with the
decline of the family, generations of people have been
set adrift and lack a firm sense of who they are. To
fill the void, according to the author, they shape
their identity according to their membership in a
politicized group. She says their constant fury is a
primal scream for the familial root system of which
they have been deprived. Eberstadt is an essayist,
novelist, and the author of several books. She is also
senior research fellow at the Faith & Reason Institute.
Contact her at (202) 289-8775; info@frinstitute.org
11. ==> Just in Time for 2020 Political Paranoia: Conversation Crisis
When’s the last time you had a decent conversation?
Today we find ourselves in an overly connected society
that ironically experiences very little real connection
between individuals. Why? “Much of this can be laid at
the doorstep of technology that reinforces our desire
for convenience (speed and availability) over true
connection – individual to individual – face to face,”
says Ivan Obolensky. Deterioration in the art of
communication can be seen not only across kitchen
tables but also on the national stage. You only have to
look as far as political debates and late-night pundits
to see how far we have fallen. Interview Ivan to find
out what your audience needs to know now to create
meaningful conversations (start by being curious and
interested instead of being interesting!) and what to
avoid at all costs (don’t commit “assumicide!”) Ivan
Obolensky is an author and a true Renaissance man in
his own right. He is the author of “Eye of the Moon.”
Contact Ivan Obolensky at (818) 495-8731;
IObolensky@rtirguests.com
12. ==> How the Burning Rainforest is Killing the Entire Planet
As the world watches in horror, Brazil’s Amazon
Rainforest continues to burn at an unprecedented rate,
and the situation is a lot graver than most people
realize. “The Amazon is the planet’s lungs, producing
20 percent of the oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere,”
says environmental engineer and author Yasmin Davar.
“The fires have immediate impacts on the destruction of
habitat for animals, indigenous people’s homes and the
amount of greenhouse gases produced, which contributes
to a global temperature rise. This in turn leads to
extreme weather events like droughts. Brazilian
president Jair Bolsonaro, whose policies have led to
this disaster, is operating under the outdated beliefs
that the earth is separate to us and exists for us to
destroy as we please, and that the only way to thrive
economically is to exploit the environment.” Yasmin
holds a Master of International Studies in Peace and
Conflict Resolution and is the author of “Our Peaceful
Planet: Healing Ourselves and the World for a
Sustainable Future.” Contact Yasmin at
YDavar@rtirguests.com
13. ==> Why America Needs a Robust African Foreign Policy
Americans have sent millions of dollars to help people
in Africa over the decades, yet the conditions faced by
many there aren’t improving. According to UNICEF, by
2050, Africa will be home to 35% of all adolescents in
the world. A poorly educated, disenfranchised young
population is a perfect recruiting ground for those who
perpetrate evil in our world. Most of the nations of
Sub-Saharan Africa have very poor, or at best, subpar
healthcare systems. Eventually, this situation poses a
serious threat to all mankind. Is foreign aid really
the solution? Invite author, speaker, and neurosurgeon
Dr. Sylvanus Ayeni, to reveal some surprising plausible
solutions. As the president of Pan Africa Children
Advocacy Watch, Inc., he envisions the path forward for
these nations. His new book “Rescue Thyself: Change in
Sub-Saharan Africa Must Come from Within” reveals what
many in the West don’t understand about the root causes
of Sub-Saharan Africa’s plight and the necessary steps
to improve the situation. Contact Sylvanus Ayeni at
(301) 812-4579 (MD); SAyeni@rtirguests.com
14. ==> It’s Not Just Billionaires – The Hidden World of Sex Trafficking
Billionaire Jeffrey will never stand trial for the
heinous crimes he’s accused of, but the case did shine
a light on the prevalence of human trafficking and how
it often goes undetected and unpunished according to
Raleigh Sadler, a Christian reverend and founder of the
human trafficking awareness group Let My People Go. He
says the situation is complicated, and insidious.
“Human trafficking is far more prevalent than the
general public realizes, and it can affect virtually
any community.” Raleigh says awareness is part of the
problem, along with inaccurate information. “Currently,
most who are trafficked come through legal points of
entry,” he reveals. “As we focus on those illegally
crossing the border, we miss the reality that many who
are undocumented and already in the U.S. are potential
targets of would-be traffickers.” Raleigh Sadler is the
author of “Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking.”
Contact him at RSadler@rtirguests.com; (917) 341-6758.
15. ==> Is Your Smart Home Spying on You?
Did you know your C-Pap is transmitting your sleep data
to insurance companies? Did you know the new toilet
seats coming on the market can take your blood
pressure? Where does your data go? Who wants this data?
Join product design expert Lorraine Justice, professor
at Rochester Institute of Technology, for a discussion
on the hidden costs of the technology we love, and the
next new products that may be coming into your future.
Plan now for your future with technology by getting
current information on new products and services.
Lorraine is a TED presenter and international keynote
speaker. She is the author of “The Future of Design,
Global Product Innovation in a Complex World.” Contact
Lorraine at ljustice@rtirguests.com; (585) 206-8823.
16. ==> Why People Tune You Out (and What to Do About It)
When you talk, do others really pay attention?
Probably not, warns communication expert Paul Hellman.
Whether you’re presenting to a large audience, meeting
one-on-one, talking on the phone, or even sending an
email, people’s attention spans have almost vanished.
So you’ve got to engage others fast, before they tune
you out … maybe forever. Hellman will reveal specific
tactics to get heard in a noisy world, with deft
examples from the news and from clients he has worked
with. Hellman’s columns and advice have appeared in the
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNBC.com and on
public radio’s Marketplace and CNN’s Business Unusual.
He is the author of “You’ve Got 8 Seconds:
Communication Secrets for a Distracted World” (AMACOM).
Contact him at (508) 276-7013; phellman@rtirguests.com
17. ==> Flu Season’s Here – Simple Immune System Boosters
As the weather gets colder and people spend more time
indoors the likelihood of getting sick with a cold or
the flu rises. Fortunately, there are steps you can
take to boost your immune system. Nathalie Beauchamp,
D.C., IFMCP, has identified seven simple tips that can
make a difference in the health of entire families. The
most important one; cutting down on sugar. “Sugar can
depress the immune system by reducing the ability of
white blood cells to kill germs by up to 40%, from
anywhere between 30 minutes to five hours after
ingestion,” she says, adding that drinking alcohol has
a similar effect on immunity. Dr. Nathalie, an Ottawa-
based doctor of chiropractic and certified functional
medicine practitioner with the Institute of Functional
Medicine, has owned the Santé Chiropractic and Wellness
Centre, in Ottawa, for 23 years. She is also a public
speaker and a TV and radio personality. Her latest book
is “Hack Your Health Habits: Simple Action-Driven,
Natural Health Solutions for People On the Go!” Contact
her at (613) 852-1770;
drnathalie@drnathaliebeauchamp.com
18. ==> Time for a Fall Friendship Cleanse
We all have them – friends (or family) who do nothing
but criticize, complain about anything and everything,
and make us feel small and undeserving. Well, it’s time
to call them out on their negativity, start a dialog
and if that doesn’t work, take a break or walk away
from that relationship. Annie Evans believes that if
you don’t deal with them, there’s a really good chance
you’ll turn out just like them. Evans personally knows
how negativity breeds negativity. Combined with some
serious life challenges, she went on her own downward
spiral. Being raised by a severely mentally-ill mom and
losing two life partners is just the tip of the
iceberg. Evans will share her startling story, and help
listeners learn real strategies to change their
mindsets, interactions and take charge of their
attitudes. Contact her at aevans@rtirguests.com or
(310) 621-0456.
19. ==> Whatever Happened to the Hare Krishnas?
If you are a certain age, you may recall the incense-
wafting, tambourine-shaking, donation-seeking, shaven-
headed Hare Krishna followers who used to congregate at
airports and other high-traffic spots. If you do, you
may be surprised to find out what they have been up to
these many decades later; for example, did you know
that Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard is
a Hare Krishna? Whether his appearance on your program
is a blast from your past or something entirely new,
Sankarshan Das can offer a primer about who the Hare
Krishnas are today, what they believe, and insights
into what it has been like to live a monastic life and
be a leader in the movement. Sankarshan Das is also a
musician and his mission is promoting peace and
kindness. He’s the author of the upcoming book “A
Hippie Becomes a Happy.” Contact him at (512) 835-8400;
sda@backtohome.com
20. ==> Bass Player’s Tips Transform Toxic Office Culture
Think music and business have little in common?
Professional musician, culture change expert and
certified portfolio management professional Gerald
Leonard may change your mind. Invite him on your show
to share the similarities between the two as he
identifies seven key principles for achieving the
balance, harmony and unified vision many companies
lack. He’ll reveal the most common mistakes companies
make with their culture and explain how to make any
organization perform like a world-class orchestra and
receive a standing ovation from employees AND
customers. Gerald Leonard is president and CEO of
Principles of Execution, a Washington, D.C.-based
Certified Minority Business Enterprise and strategic
project portfolio management and IT governance
consulting practice. He is the author of “Culture is
the Bass: 7 Steps to Creating High Performing Teams.”
Contact him at (443) 622-4740;
Gerald@Principlesofexecution.com