01. Will Iran Become a Forever War?
02. Is Social Media Facing Its Big Tobacco Moment?
03. Women and the Military: 50 Years of Service
04. Business is Moving Fast. People Need More Time
05. Weight Loss Drugs Linked to 50% Increase in Divorce
06. Great B-T-S Show: Safety Skills Every Teen Needs
07. How to Ease the Back-to-School Transition
08. Erasing Black History Is Dangerous
09. The New Career Survival Skill Isn’t Hustle—It’s Recovery
10. The Invisible Tax Women Silently Pay at Work
11. Former TV Exec Reveals Life As A Closeted Clairvoyant
12. Forty Years of Life Lessons from an Alaska Garden
13. The Negative Side of Relentless Positivity
14. Nearly 40% of Americans Under 40 Have No Religion—Why Are They Still Searching?
15. Better Than a Vacation: 60-Second Joy Reset
1. ==> Will Iran Become a Forever War?
For decades, politicians and generals have obsessed with how to coerce middle-sized powers, like Cuba and Iran, into complying with U.S. mandates. Given the impracticalities of total war, leaders have inevitably relied on the gradual escalation of military force, signaling to adversaries the mounting cost of continued defiance. Ray Takeyh says the logic is compelling, but the record is one of repeated failure. “From Vietnam to Iran, successive American administrations have not learned the lessons of their own misapprehensions. And the results have too often been forever wars and humanitarian catastrophes,” he says. He cautions that like Lyndon Johnson in Vietnam, Donald Trump risks entering a war whose end may be impossible to control. Ray Takeyh is Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His areas of specialization are Iran, U.S. foreign policy, and the modern Middle East. His latest book is “The Last Shah: America, Iran and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty.” Contact him at rtakeyh@cfr.org; (202) 509-8432
2. ==> Is Social Media Facing Its Big Tobacco Moment?
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found 61% of Americans support stronger government regulation of social media companies, including majorities of both Democrats and Republicans. The findings come just days after a New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $567 million toward addressing harms to young people and required changes to how its platforms operate for minors, including autoplay and infinite scroll. Cydney Adams, the former global head of editorial for Snapchat, says these developments could mark a major turning point for an industry that has spent much of the past two decades largely policing itself — and believes the Meta case could be just the beginning. She’ll discuss why social media may be approaching its “Big Tobacco moment,” how bipartisan public support could accelerate government intervention, and why tougher rules around age verification and platform design could fundamentally reshape the industry. Cydney Adams is product head for SaySo, a new short-form video news and information app. Contact Paul Clarke at paul@newsworthypress.org
3. ==> Women and the Military: 50 Years of Service
2026 marks fifty years since the doors of the Air Force Academy first opened to women. On June 28, 1976, 157 young women entered the academy marching into a world that had never imagined them. They and the more than 12,000 women who have followed faced a contentious culture, inadequate facilities, and a system designed to break them. Told they were destroying military standards, and promised they would never graduate, more than 7,000 women have proved them wrong. Former US Air Force commander and decorated combat pilot Eileen Isola is one of them. She’ll share stories from her life and others’. From the crucible of Basic Cadet Training to the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, from shattering the Combat Exclusion policy to leading at the highest military and civilian positions, hear how women have reshaped the military—and the nation. Given Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent interventions in military promotion lists, stripping multiple highly rated female officers from advancement slates, this segment is particularly timely. Isola was the first woman to serve as an Advance Agent to the President of the United States, flew high-performance jets, trained combat pilots, invaded other countries, airlifted humanitarian relief, resupplied Amazon jungle radar sites and commanded an Air Force squadron. She is the lead editor of “Necessary Turbulence: Fifty Years, One Unbreakable Sisterhood Forged in the Crucible of the Air Force Academy.” Contact Lissa Warren at (617) 233-2853; LissaWarrenPR@gmail.com
4. ==> Business is Moving Fast. People Need More Time
Companies are moving faster than ever, rolling out AI, restructuring teams, and introducing new systems at scale. Yet many of these efforts stall after launch. Steve Reiner says the issue isn’t strategy or technology, it’s leadership. He says most organizations fail because they don’t close the gap between how quickly business evolves and how slowly people adapt. “Business can change overnight, but people need time, clarity, and support to change with it. When that gap is ignored, even well-designed initiatives fail.” While the common belief is that employees resist change, in Reiner’s experience, resistance is usually a leadership failure, not a people problem. He’ll discuss why most change initiatives fail after rollout, the gap between business speed and human adaptation and why “people don’t like change” is the wrong diagnosis. He says, “Companies don’t fail because they move too fast. They fail because they don’t bring people with them.” Steve Reiner is a leadership expert and the author of “Business Changes Fast, People Change Slow: A Leadership Guide to Accelerating Organizational Change and Building Competitive Advantage.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or Erin Bolden at (703) 980-2705 (office)
5. ==> Weight Loss Drugs Linked to 50% Increase In Divorce
A University of Gothenburg study of over 12,500 married patients found that those who underwent rapid weight loss were nearly 50% more likely to divorce within six years. A separate University of Pittsburgh study corroborated the findings, showing gastric band patients were more than twice as likely to divorce. Researchers say the same pattern will extend to users of GLP 1 drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy, Experts emphasize that the weight loss is not destroying healthy marriages but rather empowering individuals to leave unhealthy ones, as improved self-confidence drives broader life changes that can create tension with partners who do not adapt alongside them. Matrimonial law attorney Jacqueline Newman can discuss what she’s seen in her practice and whether a partner losing weight should be viewed as a relationship red flag. Jacqueline Newman is the managing partner at the matrimonial law firm Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein LLP in Manhattan. The author of “The New Rules of Divorce,” Newman has appeared on various TV and radio shows and has been quoted in numerous publications. Contact Ryan McCormick at (516) 901-1103
6. ==> Great B-T-S Show: Safety Skills Every Teen Needs
Keeping teenagers safe isn't as simple as giving them more rules. After 40 years in crime and violence prevention, Stephanie Mann says the teens best equipped to navigate danger are the ones who develop their own inner strength. As students return to classrooms, sports, friendships, and greater independence, Mann will reveal how self-awareness, emotional strength, and a centered sense of identity can help young people navigate risky situations. She'll explain what can make teens vulnerable to gangs, toxic relationships, and other dangers, why tighter restrictions can create false security, and how parents can build genuine resilience instead. Her book, “Magical YOU! Empowering Teens to Stay Safe and Healthy in an Unsafe World,” gives families a different way to think about protection: empower teens rather than simply shelter them. After 40 years as a crime and violence prevention specialist, Mann brings decades of firsthand experience understanding the conditions that put young people at risk. Contact Stephanie Mann at (925) 438-0716; smann@rtirguests.com
7. ==> How to Ease the Back-to-School Transition
Everyone wants to enjoy the last few weeks of summer, but if you’ve got tweens and teens heading back to school, some adjustments now could make the start of the school year easier. After months of unstructured summer days spent scrolling on screens, suddenly asking a child to sit still and concentrate for hours can be a difficult transition. Senior mindfulness educator Mitra Manesh says constant stimulation can train the brain toward distraction, reactivity, and "survival mode." She'll share practical ways to interrupt patterns of distraction and help kids regain focus as they move from summer freedom back to structured routines. A senior mindfulness educator and author, Manesh has spent decades guiding individuals and organizations in attention, consciousness, and personal transformation. Her novel, “The Attentionist: New Choices for a New World,” explores many of these themes. Contact Mitra Manesh at (310) 807-3031; mmanesh@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Erasing Black History Is Dangerous
As battles intensify over DEI rollbacks, book bans, and the removal of Black history references from schools, museums, and national parks, Lauraine White warns America is repeating one of its oldest mistakes: erasing the truth to avoid accountability. White—whose ancestry includes both enslaved people and Confederate slaveholders—says today’s political climate mirrors earlier attempts to sanitize slavery, segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement from public memory. Drawing from her genealogical research and themes in her book “A Daughter of the Confederacy,” she explains why recording history honestly is essential to healing racial division today. White argues when a nation edits its past, it shapes who has power, whose pain matters, and what future generations are allowed to understand. Ask her: Why do you believe current efforts to limit Black history education are dangerous to all Americans—not just Black communities? Can acknowledging painful history unite people rather than divide them? Contact Lauraine White at lwhite@rtirguests.com (email preferred) or (770) 525-8743
9. ==> The New Career Survival Skill Isn’t Hustle—It’s Recovery
For decades, professionals were told the path to success was simple: work harder and out-hustle the competition. Yet burnout is now affecting employees at younger ages than ever before, with some studies showing Gen Z workers reaching peak burnout by age 25. Executive coach and former Fortune 500 HR leader Lindsay K. Barnett says the most valuable career skill today isn't productivity, it's recovery. On your show, she'll explain why constant pressure is quietly eroding performance, how "the power of the pause" improves decision-making, and why sustainable success requires planning, pacing, and play. She’ll offer practical strategies for thriving without sacrificing health, relationships, or ambition. Having advised leaders and teams across industries worldwide, Barnett brings both executive-level insight and real-world solutions to today's workplace challenges. She is the author of “Working Hell to Working Well.” Contact Lindsay K. Barnett at (310) 340-2579; lbarnett@rtirguests.com
10. ==> The Invisible Tax Women Silently Pay at Work
Women have never been more represented in leadership, yet many still report higher levels of stress and exhaustion than their male counterparts. Why? After 33 years in global banking and technology, executive leader Amanda Christian says many women are paying an invisible tax: the constant pressure to adapt, translate, and reshape themselves just to be heard. On your show, she'll reveal how this hidden burden impacts confidence, performance, and well-being. She’ll also share why traditional leadership advice often falls short and what organizations can do to create more sustainable paths to success. Amanda offers a fresh framework for leading with authenticity rather than constant self-adjustment. Having built an executive career in industries where women remain underrepresented, Christian speaks from firsthand experience, not theory. She is the author of “SoulFIRE Leadership.” Contact Amanda Christian at (704) 610-1637; achristian@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Former TV Exec Reveals Life As A Closeted Clairvoyant
Nearly half of Americans say they've had a spiritual experience they can't explain, yet most never talk about it. Former television executive Kim Bantle spent more than two decades working at Paramount, Viacom, and Group W Productions while keeping her own extraordinary experiences private. She says she could read minds, predict events, sense energy, and communicate with those who had passed – abilities that intensified after a near-death experience in college. On your show, Bantle explores why successful professionals often trust instincts they can't explain, why intuition remains one of society's least-discussed human experiences, and what the growing interest in spirituality says about a culture searching for meaning beyond traditional institutions. She also discusses dreams, signs, synchronicities, and why skeptics and believers may have more in common than they think. Having spent 23 years producing content for mainstream audiences, she knows how to discuss extraordinary topics in a way that is thoughtful, relatable, and engaging. Bantle shares her experiences with honesty, humor and self-awareness in her new memoir “Confessions of a Closeted Clairvoyant.” Contact Kim Bantle at ksbantle@gmail.com; (310) 418-5758
12. ==> Forty Years of Life Lessons from an Alaska Garden
With over 71 million U.S. households tending gardens, it remains America's top outdoor hobby. Marion Owen has spent 40 years gardening in Kodiak, Alaska, and built her career on one idea: the garden is a place of healing, not just a hobby. On your show, she’ll reveal life lessons we can all learn from tending the earth, including gratitude, patience, and slowing down in an increasingly hectic world. Ask her: Why do you call the garden "a place of healing" instead of just a hobby? How did a single plant help a hospitalized veteran move for the first time in years? What's one gardening myth you wish would finally die? Marion Owens is the “New York Times” bestselling co-author of “Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul” and is now writing “Cultivating Joy Through Gardening: 365 Daily Meditations.”
Contact Marion Owen at (907) 891-7980; mowen@rtirguests.com
13. ==> The Negative Side of Relentless Positivity
Millions of struggling people try to be positive by setting intentions and making vision boards, but what if that relentless optimism is working against them? Author Lydia Samaniego is the guest your audience didn't know they needed. She brings a rare, refreshing honesty to a conversation that's long overdue: why positive thinking culture can quietly disconnect people from their own inner truth, and what to do instead. Summer is the perfect time to explore this. Audiences are already asking, "Why isn't this working for me?" Lydia helps them understand that real transformation isn't about thinking harder or "manifesting more." It's about listening to the quiet conflict between the mind and the heart, shedding inherited beliefs that no longer fit, and building an inside-out life. Contact Lydia Samaniego at (530) 443-5826; lsamaniego@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Nearly 40% of Americans Under 40 Have No Religion—Why Are They Still Searching?
A growing number of young Americans are walking away from religion—but not from deeper questions of meaning, purpose, and truth. Author Gary Meisner understands this shift firsthand. After more than two decades as a skeptical materialist, grounded in reason and evidence, an experience he couldn’t explain forced him to reconsider everything he believed. Known worldwide for his work on patterns in nature, Gary now asks a deeper question: If there is design, is there meaning behind it? He speaks directly to skeptics, agnostics, and seekers—inviting them to consider whether their rejection of faith may be based on assumptions they’ve never fully examined. What if the God they’ve doubted is real—and wants to be known? Gary is the author of "Life Through a New Lens—Finding God Where Reason and Faith Meet." Contact him at (615) 703-3637; gmeisner@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Better Than a Vacation: 60-Second Joy Reset
Vacations are supposed to help us recharge, yet many people arrive home feeling just as stressed as when they left! Artist Edi Matsumoto believes joy isn’t something we find after everything slows down. It’s something we can practice in the middle of everyday life. She’ll introduce her simple 60-second Joy Reset, a creative mindfulness technique that helps people pause, reconnect with the present moment, and experience more gratitude wherever they are. Through heartwarming stories, playful exercises, and lessons inspired by her beloved otter paintings, Edi shows that even the busiest lives have room for wonder. It’s a refreshing reminder that happiness often begins with noticing what’s already around us. Edi Matsumoto is an award-winning artist and internationally collected painter. She wrote “Otter Therapy” to help people cultivate more joy every day. Contact her at (831) 290-6491; ematsumoto@rtirguests.com
