Being on this earth at this time represents a unique opportunity–and a special challenge.  As you’ll learn in this podcast, it’s the first time in history that six generations have shared the planet.  And while we talk about many divides and schisms–race, ethnicity, gender orientation–what has happened to the generation gap?  It was a big talking point in the 1960’s when ‘no one over 30’ could be trusted.  Today, the gulf that is most important is between the baby boomers, living longer and showing no signs of relinquishing control, and the other large cohort, the millennial’s.  Whether many of us feel we are in conflict with our children, it’s clear that technology, lifestyle and values do make communications a challenge.  And, we’re all having our equilibrium tossed about with the speed of change.  You’ll soon see that this makes for a fascinating conversation to sort things out with Hayim Herring, author of ‘Connecting Generations who makes an attempt to bridge the boomer, Gen X and Millennial divide.  Just hit play or download now

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The title of this episode is one of the most misunderstood aspects of intimate partner violence which runs rampant in our society and virtually every other. The World Health Organization deems it a ‘global epidemic’, fueled in our society by guns in the home and many reasons to keep it locked in silence. The perpetrator, most times a male, tries to make the perimeter of a victim’s life smaller and less connected and the victim is playing for time trying to figure out the best strategy to keep herself, and children, safe while an escape plan evolves. Both knowing that the mechanisms put in place to protect the victim–restraining orders key among them–are very inadequate for the personality traits that fuel the perpetrator. In a society that has contributed to the reluctance to make these ‘family matters more public, even in the last quarter century in the wake of the O.J. Simpson case, progress has been slow. Finally, we have a brilliant journalist who has given us new literature through which to see this devastating problem for what it is. Rachel Louise Snyder, author of ‘No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us’, joins us to walk through these personal, and societal, tragedies. Listen as she describes why it’s a crime like no other. And then, please, share this information with others.

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  Even if Democrats often seem to drive the policy agenda forward in American politics, the Republicans long game strategy of chipping away at those gains has been remarkably(or appallingly)successful, depending upon how you look at it.  How do they do it? Caroline Fredrickson, author of ‘The Democracy Fix’ explains, in detail, the conservative strategy of building permanent institutions–think tanks, media outlets, rules changes, court packing mechanisms and funding modes–to quietly shift the power balance in their favor over decades.  And they’ve done it at every level of government. Even if the dots have been apparent in this effort for years, her writings, for the first time, connect them all in a way that helps you understand that while the GOP may often lose on policy, their determined approach to changing the rules is severely undercutting Democratic initiatives.  Do the Democrats have an answer to this? Listen in and find out.

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Have you seen anyone wearing a mink stole lately? What was once so fashionable is now considered cruel and uncivil. Will eating the meat of an animal fall into this category twenty to 30 years from now? I wouldn’t bet against it. Perhaps we move in this direction because of the impact of meat harvesting on the environment or for health related reasons or the barbaric practices of many slaughterhouse operations. Regardless, the reason the sins of what’s called ‘species ism’,–the practice of discriminating against living things based on their species affiliation’–is coming under attack by diverse groups. And when Burger King starts offering a plant based ‘Whopper’, you know something is afoot in the culture. We discuss these issues with Amy Jean Davis, founder of LA Animal Save and spokesperson for the Save Movement. It is definitely a time when the line between more humane practices that fall under the rubric ‘animal welfare’ are giving way to ‘animal rights’, where even these practices seem unacceptable. We will help you understand the distinctions on today’s podcast.

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 If the fog of political misdirection could ever clear, perhaps we could have an adult conversation about the true goings on on our southern border.  Unlikely. Except in this podcast, scholar Pia Orrenius, of the more conservative think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, clearly explains that our greatest imperative going forward is to ensure enough workers are available to meet American needs.  And with our aging population and low fertility rates, those workers are going to come from abroad and often from Mexico. After decades of stricter border security measures, we no longer have an undocumented immigrant crisis, but rather one of families and unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the United States.  We try to unravel one issue from the other and, in the process, point out that a wall is a remedy whose time has come and gone. So, let’s move on to discuss asylum, increasing caps on workers and simplifying rules or we won’t have the low skilled workers–yes, low skilled–to perform necessary tasks like home care, agriculture and construction.

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 Did you realize that seventy percent of the businesses in America are family run?  As we approach an inflection point where many in the baby boom generation are ready to hand those businesses off to the next generation, we thought it would be a good time to explore the complications that exist when emotion and profit collide. Henry Hutcheson, consultant and author of the book, ‘Dirty Little Secrets of Family Business’, discusses the complexities of this transfer from one generation to the next.  He talks about the special attribute that makes family businesses more successful than others, but also points to that factor which can be the ‘family business killer’. If you are in this circumstance or know someone who is, please listen to his compelling presentation now.

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 Could an international institution, based on moral principles and ethical standards, handle a crisis any worse than has the Catholic Church and child sexual abuse?  I’m waiting. It’s gone on for decades and church protection has generally superseded child protection. With cover-up and denial no longer working, in a different moment in time, finally the Catholic Church is taking some concrete steps to deal with the matter as a crime, rather than a sin or a problem to managed.  Father Thomas Reese, senior analyst for the Religion News Service, is one of the most compelling writers and critics on this topic. It was an honor to have him join us to discuss this very difficult issue. You will gain perspective and insight into a crisis that has bled the church of parishioners and money, thus jeopardizing its mission. Can it restore faith?  Hear the anguished words of a thought leader on what’s been done and what needs to be done going forward.

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 Did you ever know someone who, about every 15 to 20 years, decides that the old house has too many problems, so they just build a new one.  That’s been my MO for years. And it’s worked for me, as I’m not the most handy around the house. However, Mike Berners-Lee tells us that won’t work for the problems we have been making on earth during this unique period, called the anthropocene(he’ll explain).  In his book, ‘There Is No Planet B’, he sounds the alarm about the next period which he calls the make or break years as to the condition of the planet, but assures us that the changes we need to make are achievable and that we will actually enjoy and benefit personally from new food choices to new energy sources to new modes of transportation.   He offers hope within the confines of a clear warning that changes must be made. This continues our commitment to keep this issue in front of our listeners in understandable and compelling ways.             

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The suicide rate among white teens, between 10 and 17, was up 70 percent between 2006 and 2016 and while black teens kill themselves less often than white youth, the 77 percent increase was even higher.  And a study of pediatric hospitals recently found admissions of patients ages 5 to 17 for suicidal thoughts and actions more than doubled from 2008 to 2015. White males are at the highest risk for suicide(which goes along with earlier podcasts we have published on the boys’ crisis in America).  Enough with the numbers. Why is this happening and what can we do about it? Florence Ann Romano, ‘the Windy City Nanny’ and I aren’t experts on the subject, but we are two concerned adults who discuss factors and warnings anyone within reach of a teen should consider and know. That’s what makes this episode an important one to listen to.With complicit social media, spotty mental health services, access to firearms and a range of other issues, like unaware or irresponsible adult role models, we have a problem.  Hopefully, you will gain a bit of information here that might put you in a position to recognize the signs of danger and be able to do something about it, before it’s too late.

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Or, at least, that’s the ‘conventional’ wisdom.  Perhaps, however, these quiet, leafy, homogeneous places have more to offer than meets the eye.  Our guest, Amanda Kolson Hurley, author of ‘Radical Suburbs’ will challenge your thinking about suburbs and open our eyes to today’s suburbs which are more diverse, interesting and challenged than we might consider.  In her book, she presents case studies on suburbs that had most interesting beginnings and invites us to think again about the historical and present day role of the suburbs in a vibrant metropolis. These ‘little boxes’ still have the majority of Americans within their borders and present an option Americans have long coveted to live out the American Dream.  And to add a layer of complexity to the conversation, don’t confuse inner ring with outer ring suburbs. They each have very distinct characteristics. We also discuss the fascination that millennials have with urban life and its impact on suburbs as more creative alternatives need to be designed to attract them back to where many grew up.  

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