01. Great Labor Day Show: Minimum Wage and Productivity
02. The Harm the Fed Hopes to Avoid
03. Who Profited from the War in Afghanistan?
04. The Biggest Myths about Happiness
05. Vacation Horror Stories: Sometimes You Just Gotta Laugh
06. Students Are Back and More Unruly than Ever
07. Help for Stressed-Out, Anxious Students
08. Emmy-Nominated Pro: Behind TV’s Best Visual Effects
09. Life is Short: Tips from a Time Management Expert
10. Bar Fights: New Podcast Takes on Sexual Abuse
11. Are there New Rules for Job Hunting Now?
12. How Your Dinner Plate Can Save the Planet
13. Alzheimer’s at 30, 40, or 50? What to Look for, How to Cope
14. Nutritional Thieves in Your Medicine Cabinet
15. Want to Pretend to Live on Mars for a Year?
1.==> Great Labor Day Show: Minimum Wage and Productivity
The latest calculations show the minimum wage in the U.S. today would be roughly $26 per hour if it had kept pace with productivity growth as it did for the first 30 years after a national minimum wage first came into existence in 1938, according to Dean Baker, co-founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. As Baker explains, “The $26 an hour [figure] is useful as a thought experiment for envisioning what the world might look like today, but it would not be realistic as a policy for local, state, or even national minimum wage without many other changes to the economy. If the bottom half or 80 percent of the workforce got the same share they got 50 years ago we would have an enormous problem with inflation.” Baker can explain how our economy has been restructured in ways that ensure a disproportionate share of income goes to those at the top. Dean Baker and Mark Weisbrot founded The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in 1999 to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people’s lives. CEPR conducts both professional research and public education. Contact Karen Conner at (202) 281-4159; conner@cepr.net
2. ==> The Harm the Fed Hopes to Avoid
Higher inflation has sparked a fierce debate among economists and generated enormous interest in the Fed’s response, which has far-reaching implications for the U.S. and global economies. Last Friday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the bank is in no rush to raise interest rates despite the recent inflation spike. Economist Roger Ferguson can discuss the Fed’s current policy, whether he believes the forces driving up inflation in recent months are transitory, and which economic indicators to watch and why. Roger W. Ferguson Jr. is the Steven A. Tananbaum Distinguished Fellow for International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. Ferguson is the immediate past president and CEO of TIAA. Contact him at rwferguson@cfr.org
3. ==> Who Profited from the War in Afghanistan?
The departure of U.S. troops from Afghanistan is being called a disaster by much of the world, but Harper’s Magazine’s Andrew Cockburn says the war was a success for one group in particular, the American military and those who feed at its trough, with trillions of taxpayer dollars flowing through their budgets and profits for the past 20 years. Cockburn recently wrote the piece “How the U.S. military got rich from Afghanistan” for The Spectator. He is the author of the upcoming book, “The Spoils of War: Power, Profit and the American War Machine.” He also wrote the piece “The Long Shadow of a Neocon” about Zalmay Khalilzad, architect of the Doha agreement with the Taliban “who originally set up the Afghan ‘government’ to fail.” Contact Andrew Cockburn at amcockburn@gmail.com, @andrewmcockburn
4.==> The Biggest Myths about Happiness
You might be surprised to learn that despite a history of childhood sexual assault, institutional racism, domestic violence, divorce and single parenting, Trish Ahjel Roberts is a happiness expert. “One of the most common misconceptions about happiness is that it’s based on your situation,” she explains. Roberts, founder of Mind-Blowing Happiness LLC and Black Vegan Life™, can explain how your listeners can experience mind-blowing happiness no matter what’s going on in their world, or the world at large. The self-actualization coach says, “The trick is learning to find joy even when things aren’t going your way. That could be when the job, home, or relationship isn’t working out. For the country, that could be when we are experiencing trauma as a nation or not living up to our own ideals as Americans.” While Roberts’ business is focused on personal development, she has a diverse background including finance, economics, yoga and Buddhism. She is an MBA, certified life coach, and yoga and meditation instructor. Contact her at (917) 887-3689; hello@trishahjelroberts.com
5. ==> Vacation Horror Stories: Sometimes You Just Gotta Laugh
Vacations are supposed to be our time to unpack, unwind and refresh, but trips don’t always go as planned. Author Mary Oves has tips and advice to travel safely, confidently and deal with the unexpected, all while keeping your sense of humor. As a woman who traveled with a sick husband for 25 years, she’s got plenty of stories and can share what she learned from her experiences, how that’s changed how she now prepares for a trip, and ways to make the best of a difficult situation while away from home. She says, “My friends used to show me their family vacation pictures in Disney parks, the Grand Canyon and Central Park. My family’s photo album also had those pictures, but also a different kind — pictures in front of wrecked rental cars, waiting in emergency rooms, and sitting in ambulances!” Oves’ writing has appeared in the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, the Erma Bombeck Humor website and many other publications. She teaches English at Stockton University. She’s the author of “The Chrysalis Collective.” Contact Mary Oves at (609) 408-8762 (NJ); maryoveschrysaliscollective@gmail.com
6. ==> Students Are Back and More Unruly than Ever
Educators knew they’d have to deal with academic gaps in the classroom when kids returned for in-person learning this year, but now they’re also discovering social and behavioral issues. “If you have a younger child, they’ve also missed out on crucial opportunities for the development of social skills, the ability to delay gratification, and emotional intelligence,” says child behavior expert and family coach Rebecah Freeling. “These latter skills are actually more important for kids this age, and the lost opportunities have a real impact!” She says even though it’s early in the year, some schools are already threatening to kick kids out because they’re not playing well with others. Freeling will explain what parents can do to help their child “catch up” and make a successful adaptation to the social demands of the classroom. As CEO of Wits’ End Parenting, Rebecah Freeling specializes in kids with problem behaviors. She’s the author of “Your Rules Are Dumb: How to Maintain Your Parental Authority While Creating a Partnership With Your Spirited Child.” Contact her at (510) 619-5920; witsendparenting@gmail.com
7. ==> Help for Stressed-Out, Anxious Students
The back-to-school season always brings with it emotional stress and anxiety for children, but the uncertainty and constantly changing regulations due to COVID-19 are causing children even more stress than usual. Former teacher Peggy Sideratos will share seven simple strategies that adults can use with children to help them better handle emotional stress. She says, “Children are not inherently born with a skillset of knowing how to handle difficult emotions, they must be taught and modeled for them.” Your listeners can also download Sideratos’ advice to have on hand to help them create a positive shift in their kids’ mindsets and emotions and help support them through some of the most difficult challenges. Peggy Sideratos is the author of “The Light Giver Stories,” a series of children’s stories and corresponding lessons that reinforce the values of good character and self-esteem along with strategies to empower kids to better handle negative emotions. Contact Peggy Sideratos at (718) 833-3100 (until 9/8); (917) 715-8788 (after 9/8) or perdika1@yahoo.com
8. ==> Emmy-Nominated Pro: Behind TV’s Best Visual Effects
Ever wonder how they create the special effects on your favorite TV shows? Go behind the scenes with Emmy-nominated visual effects expert Ryan Freer from Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ). Freer is up for two Emmys next month for his work on visual effects on the shows WandaVision and The Umbrella Academy. He can discuss those projects and what he’s working on for the upcoming fall TV season. Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ) is a tech company and VFX studio that focuses exclusively on premium TV. Contact Virginia Chavez at (415) 939-8318 (cell)
9. ==> Life is Short: Tips from a Time Management Expert
We’re living on borrowed time. “The average human lifetime is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short,” says Oliver Burkeman. If we’re lucky enough to live until we’re 80, we get just four thousand weeks. The pandemic brought home how short life is and caused many of us to rethink how to better apportion our time between jobs, family, friends and community. Most time management gurus preach becoming more efficient and maximizing every minute. But Burkeman contends that approach doesn’t meet the post-pandemic moment and leaves us more stressed, anxious, and isolated from each other. Burkeman, author of the popular Guardian psychology column, “This Column Will Change Your Life,” proposes a blueprint for less stressful living: accept the truth of our finitude and make choices. He’ll invite listeners to drop the futile struggle to carry off the impossible and focus on what’s “gloriously possible” instead and share five questions to help them simplify and identify areas where they can let go. He says, “The last year left many of us feeling utterly unmoored from our familiar routines. As we re-emerge, we have a unique opportunity to reconsider what we’re doing with our time — to construct lives that do justice to the outrageous brevity, and shimmering possibilities, of our four thousand weeks.” Oliver Burkeman’s latest book is “Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com or Briana Caywood at (703) 646-5188 (office)
10. ==> Bar Fights: New Podcast Takes on Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse attorney Sarah Klein’s new podcast “Bar Fights” tackles the truth about sexual abuse in candid conversations with survivors and high-profile change-makers. Klein is a former gymnast and the first identified victim of former Olympic women’s gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Her first guests include Olympian Jamie Dantsczher, New York Times best-selling author Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, U.S. Women’s National Team’s mental skills coach Dr. Colleen Hacker, and the first female analytics expert for NFL Media, Cynthia Frelund. Sarah Klein has become a leading voice on sexual abuse and other legal issues on television, radio, and in print media including ESPN, the “Today” show, “CBS This Morning,” “Dr. Oz,” NPR, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. She also appears regularly as a legal analyst on Court TV. Contact Mara Quigley at mara@steveallenmedia.com
11. ==> Are there New Rules for Job Hunting Now?
Whether you’re looking to switch careers or you’re a recent college grad trying to land your first real job, nearly everyone could benefit from the straight-shooting career advice of Beverly Williams. She can explain how the pandemic has changed the job search process and share tips for everything from how to motivate yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally for a job search to why it isn’t always a good idea to answer every question honestly during a job interview. Ask her: How can watching ESPN or the Food Network help with your job search? What are some inconvenient truths job seekers need to hear? What can people learn from LeBron James’ career? Beverly is an employment professional, arbitrator, and speaker, and a former HR executive in both the private and public sectors. She also hosts the podcast Your Employment Matters with Beverly Williams. Her book, “Your GPS to Employment Success: How to Find and Succeed in the Right Job,” contains 125 solid tips and more. Contact Beverly Williams at (973)769-7823; bwilliams99@comcast.net
12. ==> How Your Dinner Plate Can Save the Planet
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently released a new report, and the message is clear: Deadly and irreversible effects of climate change are already here. Unlike previous assessments, the report also concludes it is “unequivocal” that humans have caused the climate crisis. Invite health coach Ximena Yanez Soto (pronounced He-men-a) to explain how our current diet and lifestyle have contributed to the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. Ask her: Does eating organic produce really matter? Have we been manipulated about the importance of animal protein in our diets? What’s so bad about GMO ingredients? What should you include in every meal? How can we eat to save the planet? Ximena is the author of the upcoming book “Healthy Planet, Healthy You: Simple Habits to Create a Brighter Future” and the former CFO of an environmental fund. Contact her at (720) 277-8617; xiyaso@gmail.com
13. ==> Alzheimer’s at 30, 40, or 50? What to Look for, How to Cope
Did you know that people as young as 30 can have Alzheimer’s, the memory-robbing disease we think only affects older people? Would you recognize the warning signs besides forgetfulness? Carlen Maddux’s very active wife was just days past her fiftieth birthday when she was diagnosed with the fatal disease with no cure. They were blindsided, but your audience doesn’t have to be. Carlen, a former reporter, will share his family’s 17-year coping journey with your audience that included becoming his wife’s caregiver while deep in his career and their children were young. Highly articulate, he has done dozens of interviews about this moving topic. Carlen is the author of “A Path Revealed.” Contact him at (727) 351-8321; CMaddux@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Nutritional Thieves in Your Medicine Cabinet
If you regularly take aspirin, Pepcid, or other common prescription medicines you may be causing some nutritional deficiencies you don’t know about. Here to enlighten you is health expert and senior advocate Linda Mac Dougall, who says taking any OTC or prescription drug may be akin to “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” Invite Linda to share the supplements and foods you should be taking to compensate. For example, she’ll say that if you regularly take aspirin, you should know that it depletes your body of Vitamin C, iron, potassium and folic acid and will explain how to correct that shortfall. Linda has an M.A. in counseling psychology and has worked with hundreds of seniors through her business. She is the author of “The SPIRIT Method of Massage for Seniors.” Contact her at (805) 202-6379; speakerholistic@gmail.com
15. ==> Want to Pretend to Live on Mars for a Year?
Want to find your inner Matt Damon and spend a year pretending you are isolated on Mars? NASA has a job for you. To prepare for eventually sending astronauts to Mars, NASA is recruiting four people to live in Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700-square-foot setting — made by an Icon 3D printer — located at Houston’s Johnson Space Center. The paid position entails taking part in a simulated Martian exploration mission complete with spacewalks, limited communications back home, restricted food and resources and equipment failures. Grace Douglas, lead scientist for NASA’s Advanced Food Technology research effort, says, “The analog is critical for testing solutions to meet the complex needs of living on the Martian surface.” She adds, “Simulations on Earth will help us understand and counter the physical and mental challenges astronauts will face before they go.” Applicants will need to hold a master’s degree in engineering, math, or computer science and have at least two years of pilot experience. For interviews and more information, contact Shaneequa Vereen at (281) 483-5111; (281) 792-7441 or shaneequa.y.vereen@nasa.gov