America Trends

The authors of a book on the subject tell you how to stop hidden anger from spoiling your relationships, career and happiness.

There’s a non-partisan reform coalition called ‘Common Good’ that offers Americans a new way to look at law and government.  They have some creative ideas about restoring common sense to all three branches of government.  Their key principle is simple, but powerful.  People, not rules, should prevail when assessing the effectiveness of laws and regulations. … Continue reading EP 45 UNLOCKING WASHINGTON’S REGULATORY VICE

Derek Scissors By the scope and dimension of Chinese economic ambition it looks like their desire to make the 21st century the Chinese Century is well underway.  The ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative is a massive investment project that spans dozens of countries and is said to involve the most ambitious global engineering feats since … Continue reading EP 44 CHINA’S PLAN TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD

  Our podcast takes an unconventional look at whether the physical barrier that is being proposed to divide the United States from Mexico might be re-examined and found to have any aesthetic or redeeming value from an architectural standpoint.  Ronald Rael an associate professor of Architecture at Berkeley lobs ‘an artistic and intellectual hand grenade’ … Continue reading EP 43 BORDERWALL

Esteemed economist, Laurence Kotlikoff, can hold two seemingly contradictory views at one time.  While he believes that the fiscal gap of the U.S. federal government–sum of all obligations on our books–is about 15 times the published number of $20 trillion, he’s not shy about trying to help individual Americans ‘Get What’s Yours’ from the complex … Continue reading EP 42 CAN YOU ENVISION A SECURE RETIREMENT IN A SEA OF DEBT?

Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson Fellow, Economic & Social Policy Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, got much attention for his commencement address at Harvard University(you know the place where he dropped out) suggesting that America needed to adopt a ‘universal basic income'(UBI) for its citizens.  While the concept is being floated in different parts of the world, … Continue reading EP 41 MARK ZUCKERBERG’S BIG IDEA–ANY TRACTION FOR IT?

Out of sight, out of mind.  Do you give much, if any, thought to the waste stream and how we’re doing as a society to recycle and re-use plastics, glass and other materials as the byproducts of our voracious appetite for consumption?  CJ May has given lots of thought to the subject as one who … Continue reading EP 40 TALKING TRASH WITH C J MAY

Michael Patrick Lynch suggests that in the sub-title of his book, ‘The Internet of Us’.  Now the director of the Humanities at the University of Connecticut and the man who leads the university’s Humility and Conviction in Public Life Project sets about to determine if our society is now capable of finding common reality.  He … Continue reading EP 39 DO WE KNOW MORE AND UNDERSTAND LESS IN THE AGE OF BIG DATA?

The concept of American exceptionalism is often associated with a patriotic sense that our country is better than the rest–and politicians on the left and right both throw the term around.  Yet there are a number of other interpretations of that phrase.  Some say our founding made us destined to be unique among all the … Continue reading EP 38 IS AMERICA EXCEPTIONAL?

Mob historian, Daniel Simone, a prolific author who co-write with Henry Hill ‘The Lufthansa Heist: Behind the Six-Million Dollar Cash Haul That Shook the World’ and, most recently, ‘The Pierre Hotel Affair’, describes the changes in organized crime approaches in the 21st century.  They are certainly not gone and will never be forgotten in the … Continue reading EP 37 IS THE MAFIA DEAD IN AMERICA?

In just 45 words, the American people were afforded the opportunity to tell its government what speech was protected from the overreach and restrictions inherent in all forms of government at the time.  And still, to this day, we have one of the only written and durable protections of this type in the world, including … Continue reading EP 36 HOW GREAT IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT

  Today, more than seven million men between the ages of 25 and 54 in America are out of the labor force.  That can’t be good.  In fact, it’s an awful trend.  It creates a ripple effect–no jobs means fewer families are formed, fewer homes are purchased and more diseases of despair plague so many.  … Continue reading EP 35 HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET MEN BACK TO WORK?

Policy wonks joke that all Americans want from health care reform is unlimited care, from the doctor of their choosing, with no waits for treatment, at no cost. Oh, yes, and that doctors can undo all of the bad decisions we’ve made along the way about diet and exercise.  Dr. Elaina George, author of ‘Big … Continue reading EP 34 CAN AMERICA GET HEALTH CARE RIGHT?

    Amy Goldstein is a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter who spent years documenting the aftermath of the economic meltdown in Janesville, Wisconsin in the wake of the closure of its long standing General Motors plant.  It’s a familiar story with consequences that seep into every crevice of the community.  She tells it through personal … Continue reading EP 33 JANESVILLE: A METAPHOR FOR AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN DECLINE

Today, more than seven million men between the ages of 25 and 54 in America are out of the labor force.  That can’t be good.  In fact, it’s an awful trend.  It creates a ripple effect–no jobs means fewer families are formed, fewer homes are purchased and more diseases of despair plague so many.  While … Continue reading EP 32 HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET MEN BACK TO WORK?

A trend in America is a fuller, more honest discussion of our fears and anxieties surrounding the death process and what concerns us most, it turns out, is the approach we make to our final resting place.  Will it be a long and painful?  Will we have tied up our affairs? Will we be surrounded … Continue reading EP 31 BREAKING THROUGH THE LAST TABOO: AN HONEST DISCUSSION OF DEATH(WITH COFFEE)

It’s kind of sad to see our travel series end because the information has been so good and the possibilities so tempting.  And we’ve tried to share travel trends that offer options no matter the budget or interest.  And while some of the travel suggestions have taken you far away, we now offer thoughts about … Continue reading EP 30 THE SOOTHING EFFECTS OF TRAVEL AND A VISIT WITH THE FONZ!

We’re so glad that we were introduced to Maggie Espinosa for this series on trends in travel.  Talking with her was a joy.  Her energy and love for the trip is infectious and evident in her writing, teaching and touring.  We start with a conversation about a vintage train excursion in Amish country and then … Continue reading EP 29 OUR FASCINATION WITH TRAINS

Elliot Gillies, President of Gillies and Zaiser, has represented travel companies around the world.  He has handled all facets of public relations, including hotel groups, hotel marketing companies, country inns, resort hotels, cruise lines, tour operators and destinations.  In this capacity he’s seen places that most of us can only dream about.  He’s also been … Continue reading EP 28 FORBIDDEN PLACES AND FARAWAY SPACES

According to Green Global Travel, and its excecutive, Bret Love, ecotourism is responsible travel that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.  And it’s the future of travel. On this podcast,  Bret shares his deep love for ecotourism adventures, inspires you to travel and live more sustainably, and encourages us to do … Continue reading EP 27 ECOTOURISM GROWS IN POPULARITY.  SO WHAT IS IT, REALLY?