The Lean to the Left Podcast

Jeffrey Archer has topped the bestseller lists around the world, with sales of over 275 million copies in 115 countries and 49 languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (19 times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction.In this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, we learn some of the secrets of this best selling author as he takes us inside the process that turns an idea into a book that eventually will be purchased by many of his more than 750,000 loyal readers worldwide.Jeffrey Archer’s latest novel, Traitor's Gate, is the sixth of his William Warwick series and was published in September. It's a story about a dastardly plot to steal Britain's cherished Crown Jewels, something that has happened only once since the 1600s. Can you believe 14 drafts and a year of writing and research on average?Archer is an art collector and amateur auctioneer, conducting around 10 charity auctions a year, and he’s raised over £51m in the last 30 years for good causes.He has been married to Dame Mary Archer DBE, Chair of the Science Museum Group, for 55 years, and they have two sons, two granddaughters and three grandsons. Here are some questions we posed to discover the secrets of best-selling author Jeffrey Archer:Q. Tell us about Traitors Gate and how you came to write it.Q. The story is rich in intrigue and presents a wonderful inside look at Great Britain’s traditions involving the monarch and the king’s – or in the case of the book – the queen’s crown…which in the theft of the century, gets stolen. Where did the idea for this plot originate?Q. Your website, with summaries and links to all of your books, also includes your original manuscripts – all hand written. Is that how you actually write your books – in longhand?Q. Your work includes 28 fiction books, seven short story collections that comprise 95 stories, three prison diaries, three plays, and three childrens’ books, all managed by the Jeffrey Archer Company, which deals with all TV and film interests related to your books. Tell us about that.Q. Tell us about the prison diaries. What’s their origin and what do they cover?Q. What are some of the themes of your short stories? Q. You are an art collector and Traitors Gate trades on that experience. Tell us about that. Is that something that finds its way into your other novels?Q. You also were a member of the House of Lords. How does that experience provide fodder for your books?Q. You are so prolific – how many drafts do you customarily go through, and how long does it take you to research and write your novels?Q. I understand you’re working on two more William Warwick novels. Tell us about them, and when do you expect them to be published?Q. Do you prefer writing novels or short stories? Q. Are your adaptations available on video or DVD?Q. I understand you have a new TV series about to come out.Q. Of the books you have written, who is your favourite character and why?Q. Is it true that you often don’t know how a book will end?Q. Do you write with a specific reader in mind or do you write for yourself?Q. How long does it take you to write a book?Q. What is your writing day like? Q.Do you ever plan to quit?Q. Who are your favorite authors?Q. What advice do you have for aspiring young novelists who want to become the next Jeffrey Archer?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Would you buy into a plan to reduce violence & crime and make our streets, schools, workplaces, and homes safe again from an ex-con who spent nearly five years in prison for defrauding investors? Well, that’s our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast. Herbert Kay spent nearly five years in prison for defrauding investors, convincing them that risks were fall smaller and rewards far greater than they really were. Today, freed, he continues to pay restitution to his victims.In between, Kay has been a retailer, insurance salesman, stock broker, registered principal, public speaker, bestselling author, venture capitalist, business turn-around expert, TV talk show host, network talking head, consultant, direct marketer and real estate developer.And, now he’s the front man for a 501c3 non-profit that promotes what he calls the 1964 Plan, which he says would make America the safest country in the world if implemented.During the interview, Kay explains how his experience in prison provided the insight that has resulted in his plan, which includes making all drugs legal, restoring the nuclear family and ending no-fault divorce, moving welfare programs from the federal government to the states, providing humanitarian care for the homeless, and advocating for a return to celibacy until marriage.Kay tells a story from prison where he, a Jew, deliberately tried to pick a fight with a White supremacist so the guards would stop it and he would be placed in protective custody. The ploy backfired and the Nazi-loving con became Kay's prison tutor, helping him safely survive his time behind bars.Here are some questions we covered with Kay as he discussed his plan to reduce violence & crime:Q. First, tell us what happened that landed you in prison?Q. You’ve told me that prison was the best experience of your life, why was that?Q. What did you learn in prison that resulted in your 1964 Plan? And where did the name come from?Q. Your website says the 1964 Plan would irradicate mass murder, homelessness, human trafficking, violent crime, and addiction. How would it do that?Q. OK, let’s talk about the restoration of the nuclear family. Are you saying that you want women to stay home, cook and clean and tend to the kids while hubby is the bread winner?Q. Really, you want to ban birth control pills, end no-fault divorce as well as government welfare payments?Q. Ok, you want to legalize drugs – all drugs. What good would that do? Aren’t drugs the reason why there is so much violent crime today?Q. Prison reform is a core component of your plan. What needs to happen?Q. Your plan establishes a national compulsory service requirement for every teenager. How would that work and what would it accomplish?Q. Your plan addresses homelessness. Tell us about that.Q. Back to drugs. What are your thoughts about Trump’s wall as a way to keep illegal drugs out of this country?Q. In the white paper introducing your plan, You say “Our politics have descended into a pit of obsequious gladhanding weasels without a single vertebrae, and they have spent us to the brink of destruction.” What makes you think these “gladhanding weasels” would embrace your plan, parts of which would be hated by those on the right and the left?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

According to the National Institutes of Health, 20 million Americans suffer from substance abuse at some point in their lives. Mary Beth O’Conno was one of those, but since 1994 has been sober from methamphetamine use disorder. She wrote about her journey in an award-winning memoir, “From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction.” Mary Beth shares her story with us in this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast and answers the question: how does a junkie get clean & become a judge?Within a week of being born, Mary Beth was dropped off at a convent. Eventually, she moved in with her mom, but she -- her mom -- was more focused on her own needs and desires than her young child. At age nine, her stepfather kicked her in the stomach for spilling milk, beat her when she displeased him, and molested her at age twelve. A few months later, she took a sip of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill wine, which made her feel euphoric and relaxed. So, she drank as much as possible, added pot, then pills, then acid. At sixteen, she found methamphetamine and experienced joy, but when this high was no longer sufficient, she turned to the needle and shot up. That began 16 years of severe addiction, resulting in destroyed relationships, problems at work, and damage to her physical and emotional health. But, today, Mary Beth O’Connor is a retired federal administrative law judge. She is director, secretary, and founding investor for the She Recovers Foundation, a director for Life-Ring Secular Recovery, and a member of the advisory council for the Hyer Calling Foundation. Her opinion pieces have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Recovery Today, and other publications. Six years into her recovery, Mary Beth attended Berkeley Law. She worked at a large firm, then litigated class actions for the federal government leading to her appointment as a federal administrative law judge in 2014, a position from which she retired in 2020.Here are some questions we discussed with Mary Beth as she answers the question: How does a junkie get clean & become a judge?Q. Tell us more about your background and what made you to turn to meth.Q. What happened that prompted you to seek help?Q. The Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program didn’t work for you. Why not? What did you do?Q. What peer support options are available to those seeking recovery, and why is that important for the recovering addict?Q. How can your book, “From Junkie to Judge,” help those individuals win their battle against addiction?Q. Tell us about the She Recovers Foundation. Why was it started and what does it do?Q. How about LifeRing Secular Recovery?Q. Back when you were struggling as a drug addict, did you ever think you would be in this position today – a published author, counselor, and retired federal judge?Q. How can your story inspire others? Q. I just interviewed a guest who spent five years in prison for a white collar crime. After his experience in prison where most inmates were incarcerated because of illegal drugs, he now believes all such drugs should be legalized; that this would drastically reduce crime and save billions by ending an unwinnable war against illegal drugs. How do you feel about that?Q. Where can people learn more about your work and obtain your book?\Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

For baseball fans, October is a great month. It’s the month when the best teams – after a grueling 162-game schedule – are fighting to get into the World Series, which begins October 27. So, today we’re talking baseball with author William R. Douglas, who’s written a captivating book, “The Death and Resurrection of Baseball.” So, stay with us, because this episode will answer the question, can basebal help bridge the political divide in America?"I think that as we move along in time and we've entered this very perilous time, it's really important for the people that are not on either end of the extreme to be the reasonable ones and to engage in reasonable dialogue," Douglas says in the interview, "To listen and to offer up constructive dialogue that tries to bring both extremes, back towards the center, which historically is where the country has always been anyway. "Anytime in American history when the pendulum has gone way too far in one direction politically, the voters have showed up and brought the pendulum back towards the center. And I think we're at that moment again, where we need to figure out, as a people Now, where do we want to go in the future with all these things that are been so divisive what needs to be compromised, what, what needs to be scuttled altogether and how do we relearn the art of compromise and the art of agreeing to disagree and getting along with those that we don't agree with or may not agree with us."And we have to find our way back to that point. I think we can as personally as a person of faith. I think that's going to play a huge part in any such movement like that. But time will tell. Time will tell."But baseball, he says, can provide hope, which is the underlying theme of his book."If you recall times when you or myself have been in a ballpark or even with a group of people watching a ball game and just enjoying the sport, just watching the magic of the game with someone that you know, or love, or even with a stranger," Douglas says. "On a political spectrum, you can be on total opposites, but you come together. peacefully and enjoy the game, share a beverage or a hot dog or a bowl of chili or whatever. And y'all get along for a time. And that's a powerful metaphor of how things used to be in this country, where we did know how to get along with one another."We voted and then if our person didn't win, we let bygones be bygones and you supported whoever was put in office. You went along and and you went about your business."William R. Douglas is a first-time novelist. After obtaining a Journalism Degree in 1980, his career took a turn down the road of Information technology, working for numerous well-known companies, including The Boeing Company, where he still works.However, throughout his career, Douglas enjoyed writing, no matter if it was technical documentation, websites, newsletters, or other material. He lives an hour northwest of Chicago in McHenry, Illinois, with his wife Laurie and cat Peaches. Here are some questions we discussed to see how baseball can help bridge the political divide:Q. You are a debut author who’s written a unique futuristic novel with a heavy dose of sports fiction and a sprinkling of Dystopian relevant to our current time. Tell us about your book.Q. So, your book takes place in 2166 and baseball is a distant memory, lost to history following a devastating second American Civil War a century before. That would be 2066, 43 years from now. What prompted you to include that in the book?Q. In some of the promo material I read about your book, it says “The Death and Resurrection of Baseball will take you back to the happy days of your youth and your coming of age. The story will thrill you, move you, and make you think long and hard about where The United States of America is currently, and where we could be headed.” Please elaborate on what you mean.Q. That same material also says, “Baseball has always been a metaphor for America and has always brought Americans together. In The Death and Resurrection of Baseball, you will find its greatest strength, hope!” How does baseball provide hope?Q. Today, in 2023, millions of baseball fans have hope as this year’s drive to the World Series continues. There are interesting story lines, including the juggernaut Atlanta Braves with their incredible pitching and power, the upstart Baltimore Orioles, winners of 101 regular season games compared to 110 losses two years ago, perennial playoff participants like the New York Yankees who are watching the playoffs on TV, and much more. What are your thoughts?Q. How about the new rule changes with the pitch clock, the ghost runner, and larger bases. What do you think about that?Q. As this World Series approaches, politics in the U.S. is in turmoil. Ex-president Donald Trump still holds a commanding lead among Republican candidates for the GOP nomination, but he also faces serious criminal charges stemming from his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. All of thi

"The risk of climate change is substantial, and it puts people's lives at risk. We need to stop talking about it, and we need to take real positive action."Those are the words of energy scientist and renewable energy advocate Jack Kerfoot on the Lean to the Left podcast as he wrapped up a five-part series of episodes analyzing regional progress as states establish and implement policies in varying degrees to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming.In this episode, Kerfoot examines actions in five western states, Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to determine which states are making real progress at addressing climate change and which ones are indeed paper tigers."The type and power potential of renewable energy resources (wind, solar, hydropower, etc.)vary significantly across our nation," Kerfoot explains, noting that states in the West have a diverse range of climates, ranging from semiarid in Arizona to temperate in Washington. As a result, the dominant type of renewable energy resources in western states range solar to hydropower."Environmental philosophies and policies also vary from state to state," the renewable energy guru says. "Identifying which states are making real and timely progress at reducing greenhouse gas emissions is best done by comparing states in the same region of the country, which have similar renewable resource potential."His conclusion in this episode is that of those five states, only Washington and Idaho are making real progress in fighting climate change, while he says California, Oregon and Arizona are paper tigers -- talk, but little real action.Climate Change Puts People's Lives at Risk"The clock," warns Kerfoot, "is ticking," and the wildfires in the western states are evidence of that."The intensity of the forest fires in California have increased, particularly over the last 20 years," says Kerfoot. "And they've marched steadily north, and they've gotten into Oregon, and they've also gotten into other parts of the U. S. as well. So climate change, the risk of climate change is substantial, and it puts people's lives at risk."Editor's note: This is the conclusion of a five-part series, "Climate Change: Progress or Paper Tigers," in which energy scientist Jack L. Kerfoot analyzes regional progress as states take varying degrees of action to increase the use of renewable energy resources and reduce reliance on coal and natural gas, both fossil fuels.Here are links to each of those episodes:Southeast -- North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, West Virginia, Kentucky.Southwest -- Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota.Midwest -- Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, IllinoisNortheast -- Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode IslandYou can learn more about Jack Kerfoot and his work here.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

We are all living in the aftermath of January 6, 2021, the day that an angry mob of thousands of Trump supporters violently attacked the U.S. Capitol, the symbolic seat of democracy, and tried to stop the certification of Joe Biden as president of the United States.Our guest today was there – not as a protestor, but as a historian, and the result is his fascinating book, “Sorry Guys, We Stormed the Capitol.”Ben Hamilton created the Chasing History Project to try and throw himself into dangerous situations to create historical records for future history students to study. While chasing history, he was a first-hand witness to the events of January 6, and he interviewed people as they left the Capitol building to create an accurate record of what happened in those chaotic hours.Hamilton’s interviews and photographs piece together a fascinating first-person account of what happened that day, from Trump’s speech where he urged supporters to go to the Capitol, to the often crazy comments by those who did so, the actions – and inactions – of the police, and of the politicians who the mob forced into hiding until the uprising was quelled.All of it was done by this former high school history teacher so future generations will understand what happened that day. It was the culmination of Hamilton’s research for his Chasing History Project, which involved attending many rallies, both by Trump’s MAGA supporters as well as Black Lives Matter.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s deal to prevent shutting down the government omitted a $6 billion request for aid to support Ukraine in its war with Russia.Today on the Lean to the Left podcast we have a guest who will describe her parents’ experience in Nazi slave camps and who is writing a book drawing parallels between WWII and the Russo-Ukraine war today.Oksana Kukurudza’s parents were in Nazi slave camps during WWII, then liberated by the U.S. Army, placed in refugee camps, and then finally settled in America where they raised their 12 children.We’ll talk about the parallels between little known events of WWII to post-WWII Germany, including the 12 million Eastern European Nazi slaves, and the last million refugees --and how these events are eerily familiar to events in Ukraine.Oksana Kukurudza, the American born daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, is an author and management consultant living in New York City. Since the events of February, 2022, she is writing a narrative non-fiction to shine a light on her parents' experience as slaves of the Third Reich and how today's Ukraine differs from the Ukraine she worked in for 18 months in 1996-97.in this episode, Kukurudza discusses both the similarities between Hitler's actions in World War II as he enslaved Slavs and Vladimir Putin's actions today, including taking children from their Ukranian families and settling them with Russian families where they are indoctrinated to become Russian, as well as the atrocities that stem from Russia's bombing of civilian targets resulting in the death of innocent non-combatants, including women and children.It's a piece of history that is little known and is related first-hand by this daughter of Ukranian parents who had been enslaved by the Nazis.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Today we’re talking politics, and with me are Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. I’m a Maryander transplanted into South Carolina, and together we’re the Dixie Dems.There is a ton to talk about today, from the debacle of the second Republican presidential debate, to Trump, his indictments and all that, Joe Manchin and the No Labels party, lewd public activities by to female politicians, book bans, the ridiculous GOP effort to impeach Biden, the right wing nutcase Republicans efforts to shut the government down, and much more.In fact, here are just some of the highlights we cover in this episode:The fiasco of the 2nd GOP debate.The Republicans seeking the presidential nomination.A new civil war?The Trump New York City case and the threats to his businesses.A possible government shutdown.Citizens United.Uneducated Republicans voting against their own interests.Stacy Abrams and identity politics.Jim Jordan Speaker of the House?Matt Goetz Speaker of the House?The toothless Speaker McCarthyRepublicans attempt to impeach Joe Biden.Rep. Lynne Boebert kicked out of the Beatlejuice musical.Dem legislative candidate's sex videos to raise money.Sen. Tim Scott's Christian girlfriend.Cassidy Hutchinson dating Matt Goetz?Alabama Congressional map struck down.North Carolina redistricting.Joe Manchin a No Labels presidential candidate?Ralph Nader supports Biden.Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s candidacy.Book bans in South Carolina and elsewhere.Freedom of speech.How to combat the book banning effort.We Stormed the Capitol by Ben HamiltonThe Trump bail bondsman.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

In today's podcast, we delve into the vital aspects of a Women and Power and explore Helping women master power and achieve success. Our guest is Nicole Devlin, life coach and host of the From the Nth Power podcast, and we talk about power and how it relates to us in our careers and personal lives.Nicole Devlin's passion comes from 30 years' experience guiding and coaching intelligent people. Her purpose is to help people grow in alignment with their vision and goals, motivating people into better realities. She believes we will change dysfunctional government and business systems by strengthening personal power through spiritual connection and growing self-awareness. Helping women master power and achieve success? Explore its impact on productivity and well-being. Key Highlights: - Nicole Devlin life coach- Helping people get unstuck in their personal lives and careers- Key issues women face todayStay connected with us on social media for more insights and discussions on Helping women master power and achieve success: Facebook at The Lean to the Left Podcast. Twitter at Leantotheleft1. Instagram at BobGatty_LeantotheLeft. TikTok at @leantotheleft.Join us on this enlightening journey as we explore the profound synergy between a Women and Power and overall success. Embrace positivity and observe its impact on workplaces with Nicole Devlin life coach ,Helping people get unstuck in their personal lives and careers and discussing key issues women face today. Regarding Helping women master power and achieve success and Women and Power themselves, have I addressed your curiosity? Don't miss out on the transformative insights shared in this video addressing the Nicole Devlin life coach, helping people get unstuck in their personal lives and careers, key issues women face today and helping women master power and achieve success.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

John Neral was 10 years old when his mom told him not to go to bed with a woman until he was married. 18 years later, he came out to his parents as gay. Today, he stresses that how we "show up matters.So Neral coaches clients on strategies to “get unstuck” and achieve their potential. He's our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast. A certified professional coach, Neral helps mid-career professionals find a job they love or love the job they have.For 25 years, his career was in education and as a corporate consultant for Casio America. He’s the host of “The Mid Career GPS Podcast” and author of “SHOW UP – Six Strategies to Lead a More Energetic and Impactful Career” and “Your Mid-Career GPS – Four Steps to Figuring Out What’s Next.”On the show, Neral describes what it was like coming out as gay to his parents, something that took him 18 years to accomplish after the day when his mom cautioned him, at age 10, not to ever have sex with a woman without being married. He also expresses deep concern about the political situation today with conservative politicians across the nation targeting the LGBTQ+ community with restrictive laws and proposals."As a gay man who has been very comfortable in his male identity, I have no context of what it must be like for somebody who is transgendered to realize that they're born in the wrong body," he says. "I know people who are transgendered. I respect them. What I'm saying is that I don't understand their walk, but I do believe that their rights must be protected."Their rights, he says, "are being weaponized or politicized", but he believes in fighting for their rights. With the election coming at a time when the presumed GOP candidate, Donald Trump, could be facing jail time because of issues related to the Jan. 6, 2021 efforts to overturn the 2020 election."You almost think we're headed for another civil war," he says. "The next year and two months. Is going to be pivotal. It's going to be very pivotal in terms of where we're headed and what rights are going to be protected and what rights are going to be in jeopardy, and it is more important than ever in my opinion that we make sure we honor our right to go out and vote and to do so and get informed."What Does it Mean to 'Show Up'?"The way I think about showing up is to not be silent. I'm not saying it's about being militant, but in some ways, I think there are ways we can be very emphatic. about what's important. Showing up means going out to vote."Showing up means standing up for basic civil rights that have been taken away or compromised in some way. The divisiveness that we're seeing right now, more so than ever, I feel, sets us back 50, 60 years, decades of progress. And showing up is to ensure that those basic civil rights are honored and they're protected."And so when I think about what it means to show up, absolutely, I will always vote. I will have conversations with people not who are as necessarily far on the left, but to maybe try to understand a little more where they're coming from, and see if there is an avenue to have an intentional conversation to move that relationship forward."Strategies to Get Unstuck in Life and CareerQ. Tell us what you mean when you say “How you show up matters.”Q. How did you learn what that meant?Q. During your career, you were a local union leader. Tell us about that and what that taught you about yourself.Q. What are the six strategies that you write about in your book and where did they come from?Q. How can people benefit from them?Q. What does “showing up” mean for people who tend to lean left politically, especially with all of the divisiveness that is prevalent today?Q. You waited until you were 28 years old to come out to your parents? Why did it take so long and what did doing that mean to you?Q. What’s your advice to people who are facing that decision in their lives?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

It's a common experience for a woman to look a man in the eye, and tell him "no." Regardless of her reason, "no" should be a simple word that carries little weight beyond the moment. Unfortunately, for too many women simply saying "no" can put them at risk of verbal abuse, online harassment, or even physical violence. Our guest today, Dr. Pamela Gurley, says that's toxic behavior that needs to stop. Why do some men react negatively to rejection, and why is it important to call out this toxic behavior? Dr. Gurley is with us today to explain.We’re thrilled to have Dr. Gurley as a contributing writer to our Lean to the Left blog site, something that evolved after she appeared as a guest on this podcast last year.She’s a retired U.S. Army veteran, holds a BA in Psychology, a Master’s in Health Service Administration, and a Doctorate in Management.In November 2019, Dr. Gurley released her first book, “I Am Not A Stereotype: I Am H.E.R.,” and in March 2021, she released her second book, “Black Girl Activist”, instantly becoming an Amazon Best Seller.Dr. Gurley also is the author of the popular multilingual Brown Girl and Brown Boy children’s books series.Here are some questions we dicuss with Dr. Gurley in this episode:Q. Dr. Pam, talk to me about this issue of rejection and the reasons why some men take it so badlly.Q. Is this an issue of ego and entitlement, or what? Or a threat to their masculinity?Q. Why do some men turn into stalkers and how should a woman handle them?Q. What needs to happen to ease this situation and reduce the risk for women? How can men be held accountable for their behavior?Q. Do you believe these behaviors vary according to race?Q. What new projects do you have underway?Q. Where can people find your books? How’s the children’s series doing?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Today we’re focusing on the environmental challenges facing our world today with Rebecca Bratspies, founding director of the Center for Urban Environmental Reform.She’s the author of an award-winning environmental justice comic book series, The Environmental Justice Chronicles. The three books, Mayah’s Lot, Bina’s Plant, and Troop’s Run, are designed to bring environmental literacy to a new generation of environmental leaders.Justice Counts podcast host Mark Bello and I are delighted to welcome Rebecca Bratspies to the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts. Rebecca is an award-winning author, scholar, and speaker, and as I said, executive director of the Center for Urban Environmental Reform. That’s a social justice Initiative of the City University of New York School of Law, where Bratspies is a professor of law.Her most recent book, Naming Gotham: The Villains, Rogues and Heroes Behind New York Place Names, uses the names New York gives its roads and bridges to tell bigger stories about racial and class politics, and to highlight who has the power to name things and who gets to define what counts as history.Rebecca Bratspies, thanks for joining us for our podcast today.Bob: Please tell us about the Center for Urban Environmental Reform. You’re the founding director of the Center. Why was it established?Mark: What’s its goal?Bob: As a law professor, why are you making environmental justice comic books? Tell us about them.Mark: How are you using the books to build a next generation of environmental leaders?Bob: A Montana court recently ruled that the state’s constitution guarantees the right of all citizens to live in a clean, safe, and healthy environment. Efforts are underway to convince other states to enact such guarantees in their constitutions. What are your thoughts about this?Mark: How would you characterize the state of our climate today and the importance of moving our energy sources from fossil fuels like coal to renewable sources like wind and solar?Bob: Nearly 150 million Americans were under heat alerts just yesterday, after July marked the planet’s hottest month on record. Devastating downpours dumped two months of rain on Vermont in two days. Smoke from Canadian wildfires choked East Coast skies, causing the worst air quality on record for some locations. And Hawaii is reeling from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century.Yet, a new Washington Post-University of Maryland poll, only 35 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents think climate change is a major factor, compared to 85 percent of Democrats.What will it take to convince the doubters that the extreme weather patterns that we are now experiencing are caused, at least in large measure, by man and our reliance on fossil fuels?Mark: Why did you write a book about New York City history and what did it teach you about racial justice?Bob: What are some of your favorite stories from the book?Mark: How did writing Naming Gotham lead you to get involved with the Renewable Rikers project, which I understand is a restorative environmental justice plan to close the jail at Rikers and convert the island to renewable energy to remove the polluting infrastructure from overburdened communities?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

What are individual states doing to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by turning to renewable resources like the wind and the sun? As we see in this episode with energy scientist Jack Kerfoot, that North Carolina and Virginia are making remarkable progress, while Florida and West Virginia continue to pretend that climate change is a hoax, while Kentucky is making some progress but has a long, long way to go.The type and power potential of renewable energy resources (wind, solar, hydropower, etc.) vary significantly across our nation. States in the Great Plains have very strong and consistent winds, while states in the Southwest have an abundance of sunny days. Environmental philosophies and policies also vary from state to state, and these episodes explore where progress is being made and where much more action is needed. Often, the political leadership in individual states determine the extent to which climate change is being taken seriously and effective policies being implemented -- or not.This is the fourth of five podcasts that explore these questions in various regions of the country. Episode one, focusing on four Northeastern states, and the second episode, analyzing five Midwestern states, and the third show, examining five Southwestern states, are now streaming, and the fifth episode, focusing on several western states, will stream soon."The clock is ticking," warns Kerfoot, a scientist, energy expert and author of the book Fueling America an Insider's Journey. Kerfoot began his career in the energy industry in 1976 when America was paralyzed by an oil embargo and is now a strong advocate for renewable energy as the solution for combating climate change. He's the principal of JL Kerfoot Energy Services and blogs on his website, Our Energy Conundrum at JackKerfoot.com. One conclusion that has become clear in all of these episodes, including this one, is that efforts to preserve coal mining for the production of energy in order to save jobs are misguided. In fact, over and over again it is shown that renewable energy -- principally solar and wind -- provide far more jobs than does coal.So, says Kerfoot, the idea that coal must be preserved to protect jobs is simply "fake news."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Do you believe equity has finally come to the workplace; that women are now being treated equally with men in business today?This episode of the Lean to the Left podcast features Dr. Regina Lark, author of the new book, Emotional Labor: Why a Woman’s Work Is Never Done and What to Do About It.In the interview, conducted by Lean to the Left host Bob Gatty and Mark M. Bello, host of the Justice Counts podcast, Dr. Lark traces developments over the years that were intended to close the male-female work equity gap, and explains why inequality still exists and what can be done about it. She also blasts efforts by Republicans to interfere with women's reproductive health, ban books, and attack the LGBTQ+ community. Their stacking of the U.S. Supreme Court with three conservative justices during the Trump administration while refusing to even consider President Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland was "despicable," she contends.In 2008, before founding her 7-figure company, Dr. Regina Lark excelled in a career in higher education. When budget cuts eliminated her position at UCLA at age 50, Regina started over and created A Clear Path from scratch. Today, Lark and her ninja organizers provide professional physical, emotional, and psychological support to people who wish to clear clutter and chaos from their lives.Dr. Lark holds a Ph. D. in Women’s History from the University of Southern California. She helps women rid their lives of emotional labor by offering concrete ways to identify and mitigate the costs of women’s unseen, unnoticed and unwaged work at home, and to unleash women into the full potential in the paid workplace.She delivers keynote addresses, retreats and corporate speaking engagements on women’s leadership, emotional labor, time management, productivity, hoarding and ADHD.Dr. Lark also is the author of Psychic Debris, Crowded Closets: The Relationship Between the Stuff in Your Head, and What’s Under Your Bed.Here some questions we discussed with Dr. Lark:Mark: Quite the resume. Bob and I are proud to have you on our show. This is 2023 and this is a show about justice and injustice. Historically, women have not been treated equally in the workplace. However, here we are, almost a quarter into the 21st Century. Women have finally achieved equality in the workplace, right?Bob: You’ve often used the term “household management.” What is it and why is it considered “women’s work?” And, if you can, please give our audience some historical context.Mark: You also use the term “emotional labor,” especially in your Ted Talk. Please define the term in the context of the inherent inequities women still face in the workplace.Bob: How is emotional labor performed at home? What does it look like?Mark: The saying goes “a woman’s work is never done.” Is that still true? And, if so, what can society do about it?Bob: What are some reasons for the unequal distribution of work in the home? Are men inherently better at certain things and women better at others?Mark: If you could wave a magic wand, how would you create equity in your own household and in society’s unequal, unjust workplace?Bob: If couples and their children thought of their home as a business, would the structure and delegation of the work inside the home change? If so, how?Mark: A person out there is what society still calls a “stay at home Mom.” She’s frustrated by the burdens of Emotional Labor. What can she do to stop the never-ending cycle?Bob: Why is delegating and outsourcing so integral to lifting the burden of emotional labor? Mark: How do we become better delegators?Mark: I believe that men have had since the beginning of time their chance to rule the world and they’ve screwed it up. It is high time for woman to ascend to the throne—I believe that will do a far better job. Is that possible sometime soon? Is there any hope for true equality or a world led by women?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Here we are in the middle of a ton of political news with a bunch of GOP wannabes challenging Trump for the nomination, Trump’s four indictments and upcoming trials, the Republicans going after Hunter Biden…and what are we going to talk about today on the Lean to the Left podcast? Rock ‘n Roll, time travel, and baseball. Great to have Andy Frye with us today. Andy’s the author of the novel "Ninety Days In The 90s: A Rock N Roll Time Travel Story." Andy’s written for Rolling Stone, ESPN and other publications, and currently writes about sports business for Forbes.Over his career, Andy has interviewed hundreds of rock stars, celebrities and athletes, including Billie Jean King, Megan Rapinoe, Tom Brady, Tony Hawk, and more. You can check out Andy’s sports writing for Forbes by going to SportyFrye.comSome Rock N Roll, Time Travel & Baseball HighlightsDuring the episode, Andy looks back at some of the music of the '90s and the movement away from "showy, big Los Angeles record company labels" and from "airbrushed, polished corporate rock stars" to singers and songwriters doing their own thing, "writing songs in their terms, playing their own instruments, writing their own songs, and if they feel like wearing a T-shirt on stage, that's the way it's going to be, and that's the real them."The music, he says, "was all about authenticity and variety and, really, diversity." Andy talks about interviewing sports stars and reveals how they often wanted to talk about anything but sports -- like cooking, for example. He's a huge Chicago Cubs baseball fan and the conversation turns to this year's pennant races, the imbalance between large and small market teams, and the new baseball rules designed to speed up the game, like the pitch clock which has helped slash average game times significantly. Johnny Bench was one baseball star who Andy interviewed and talks about on the show.We also moved into politics, the Trump indictments, and much more."It seems like it's been going too slow for too long," Frye says. "I'm not a super fan of (Attorney General) Merrick Garland. Put a beer in me. I might call him Milktoast Merrick Garland. I think we're all at a place where we fear that democracy's at risk and justice doesn't mean the same thing that it used to.'Some questions we discussed with Frye:Tell us about your book, 90 Days in the 90s. What’s it all about?What prompted you to write this story? Your first novel.The 90s brought us the Gulf War, a recession, Bill Clinton, the reunification of East and west Germany, the launching of the Hubble Space Telescope from the Space Shuttle, and the birth of the Internet. But what about music?Compare the popular music of the ‘90s to the music of today.You’re from Chicago and you love the Cubs. You work that into your book, right?The Cubs are having a good year…as of today, 65 and 60 for 2ndplace in the NL Central. Will they make the playoffs?You write about money in sports, right? What are your thoughts about the disparity between large market and small market teams and their ability to compete?The Baltimore Orioles are having a breakthrough year after years in the doldrums. It’s happening largely because of young stars bringing athleticism, talent and excitement. But the other day, team owner John Angelos threw cold water on the future by saying the team can’t afford to offer these young stars long-term contracts. Is that a mistake?What do you think of the changes made by MLB, including the pitch clock, ghost runner in extra inning games, etc.?The 90s brought some important developments for the O’s, with the opening of Camden Yards and Cal Ripken breaking Lou Gehrig’s consequitive games record of 2130. Given the way the game has changed, can that happen again?World Series prediction?Politics today…Russia, Ukraine WarWhere can people find your book and learn more about you?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Do you want to live to 100? That's the goal of Mark Barnes, co-author of Hacking Life After 50: 10 Ways to Beat Father Time and Live a Long, Healthy, Joy-Filled Life. He’s a longtime educator, entrepreneur, and not only does he hope to live past 100, he wants to bring anyone interested along for the ride.Mark is our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast, and his episode will stream on YouTube and podcast audio channels on Thursday, September 7, so mark your calendar and check it out. On the show, he talks about basic steps that can be followed to improve health and joyfulness as we age, including fending off dementia, including Alzheimer's.Here are some additional questions we cover in the show:So you’re trying to beat father time and live to or past 100. So, what exactly is Hacking Life After 50 and why would anyone want to do it?Your parents both lived into their 90s, right? What were they like? Is that where you got the idea for this book?You state clearly in the book that you and your co-author, James Sturtevant, are not doctors or a nutritionists; you're educators. Why should anyone take your advice?So how can people live to 100 and outperform people half their age?What is Momentum Mindset and what role does it play in living a long, healthy, joy-filled life?Apart from strength training, you share some pretty simple strategies around movement. Talk about how these basic movements impact longevity.Speaking of strength training, you say anyone--even people in their 80s and 90s--can do it. How is this possible?You advise After 50s to Master Meal Planning. Isn't this just a fancy name for another fad diet?Nurturing the mind and soul seems abstract; how does this work?In the book, you claim to have cured your own insomnia. How did you do it?One of your hacks for health and longevity is just called "Dabble." What’s that?.Every chapter has a What-You-Can-Do-Tomorrow feature. If you have to choose just one of these, which one can listeners do right now to improve physical or mental well-being?Where can people find your book and how can they reach out to you?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast, where we talk about progressive politics and the important social issues of our time. Today we’re looking at leadership and what some might think is an unlikely resource – the LGBTQ+ community.Our guest is Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is the Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos LLC, a management consulting and coaching firm based in San Francisco, USA, and Nairobi, Kenya, specializing in organizational strategy and culture, transformational leadership, global inclusion, executive coaching, conflict resolution, and strategic storytelling. Joel is the author of a new book, “The Soul of Queer Folk, How Understanding the LGBTQ+ Culture Can Transform Your Leadership Practice.”He is also the co-founder of metaPrincipleTM, a global institute designed to train practitioners on how to facilitate equity work anywhere around the world. Joel is an adjunct professor at the IESEG School of Management in Paris & Lille, France, where he teaches Storytelling for Leaders and Story Listening.As a change agent, Joel works strategically to cultivate innovative, creative, and adaptive environments where the cultural genius of everyone can be harnessed and leveraged successfully.On the podcast, Dr. Davis Brown says prejudice and violence against the queer community is on the rise in this country and elsewhere, and he blames right wing politicians and religious zealots for making that situation work.“Anytime there is quote unquote advances in equity and advances in progressive politics, if you will, there's always a backlash, and I think it's become sport, unfortunately, for a number of factions in our country to denigrate queer people because it helps to raise money, helps generate clicks. It helps to get people riled up,” he says.“They know that they don't have anything substantive to talk about. And so, it's a way for them to stay relevant, to stay in power and queer people have always been, for whatever reason, easy scapegoats because we still are a relatively marginalized community.”However, Dr. Davis Brown stresses that there is much that can be learned about leadership from the LGBTQ+ culture, which is the topic of his book, ““The Soul of Queer Folk,” including the ability to “interrogating itself to figure out who we are.”In addition, he says, “recognizing that there's a connection between all of us and that what I do for myself and what I do for others also impacts the world around us, but also recognizing that supporting justice in the world and such, creating a more just society is something that can't just be born out on social media and it just can't be talked about in private circles is something that you actively have to take action to achieve. And so those are some of the key lessons that I think we could learn from the LGBTQ+ community.”Here are some questions we addressed with Dr. Davis Brown: ● Why did you name the book “The Souls of Queer Folk”?● Why should a person who is not LGBTQ+-identified read this book?● What key themes should readers take away from this book?● Who could benefit from this book? Is this only for corporate professionals? Who’s the ideal audience?● What does the LGBTQ+ community possess that makes it an ideal case study for leadership?● What is Cultural Genius™? And how does it apply to leadership and the theme of your book?● What does it mean to be a transformational leader, and how does the LGBTQ+ community exhibit transformational leadership?● Why is this book timely right now?● Don’t other ethnic or social communities exhibit leadership? Why should we focus on the LGBTQ+ community?● How do you define transformational leadership?● How is this book different from traditional books on leadership?● What does it mean to be Queer-minded?● How is the LGBTQ+ community able to survive despite such daunting circumstances and how can they continue to persevere?● It seems like the LGBTQ+ community increasingly is confronted with acts of hate and violence. Has this worsened in recent years, and if so, why?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The renewable energy industry -- wind, solar, and geothermal energy -- generates far more jobs than coal, and those jobs pay well and won't end when the coal mines are depleted and shut down.That's the conclusion of energy scientist Jack L. Kerfoot in this, the third in a series of podcasts exploring climate change progress in five states in the southwest.Episode one, focusing on four Northeastern states, and the second episode, analyzing five Midwestern states, are now streaming on YouTube and major podcast channels. This episode moves to Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.Jack Kerfoot is a scientist, energy expert and author of the book Fueling America an Insider's Journey. He's the principal of JL Kerfoot Energy Services and blogs on his website, Our Energy Conundrum at JackKerfoot.com.Highlights:Q. How do we differentiate between states that are making real progress at reducing greenhouse gas emissions versus states that are “paper tigers” at addressing climate change?Kerfoot:We should look at these factors:1. Renewable Energy Potential.2. Environmental Standards.3. Eliminating Barriers.4. Eliminating Coal.5. Pollution.6. Economics.7. Climate Change.8. Resilient Power Grid.State Analysis:ARKANSAS – Natural StateArkansas has a diverse range of renewable energy resources including hydropower, solar, biomass, and wind. However, only a small portion of Arkansas’ renewable energy resources have been developed by state utilities. Verdict – Paper TigerCOLORADO – Centennial StateColorado has significant wind energy resources on the eastern plains and mountain crests of the state. Colorado also has substantial solar, hydropower, and biomass renewable energy resources. However, only a small portion of Colorado’s vast renewable energy resources have been developed by state utilities. Verdict – Some progress, more action needed.NEW MEXICO – Land Of EnchantmentIn 2002, New Mexico enacted a Renewables Portfolio Standard, mandating all utilities sell 40% of their electricity from renewables by 2025 and 80% by 2040. legislators overwhelmingly approved the Energy Transition Act, requiring utilities to sell 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon sources (renewables or nuclear) by 2045.Verdict – ProgressOKLAHOMA – Sooner StateIn 2010, Oklahoma enacted a Renewable Energy Goal for all utilities to sell 15% of the electricity from renewable sources by 2015. In 2010, Oklahoma used coal to generate 48% of the state’s electricity. In April 2023, only 2% of Oklahoma’s electricity was generated from coal. In 2021, 3,521 people were employed in renewable energy power plants, compared to 1,331 in the lone coal mine and coal-fueled power plants. Verdict – ProgressSOUTH DAKOTA – Mount Rushmore StateIn 2008, South Dakota asked investor-owned, municipal, and cooperative utilities to sell 10% of their electricity from renewable energy by 2015.In 2010, South Dakota used coal-fueled power plants to generate 35% of the state’s electricity, but that dropped to 5% in April 2023. In 2021, 2,536 people were employed in renewable energy power plants, compared to 168 in natural gas power plants, and 88 in the state's lone coal power plant. Verdict – ProgressQ. What can we learn from the energy policies of these five states in the Southwest?Two states, Colorado and New Mexico have mandated renewable energy standards. Two states, Oklahoma and South Dakota only had nonbinding, renewable energy goals or objectives. Arkansas, has neither a renewable energy standard nor a goal. The states that have made the most progress at reducing greenhouse gas emissions are South Dakota, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.Question:How would you summarize the progress of Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and South Dakota at reducing GHG emissions and addressing climate change?Neither Arkansas legislators nor utilities have shown any interest at saving tax payers money, reducing pollution, or addressing climate change.Colorado has made progress at moving from fossil-fueled power generation to renewable energy. The export of coal, oil, and natural gas (fossil fuels) has been the cornerstone of the economies for both New Mexico and Oklahoma for over one hundred years. However, both states are now moving from a fossil-fuel economy to a green, renewable energy economy.The people of South Dakota have embraced renewable energy and are reaping the benefits of green energy. South Dakota is already generating over 85% of the state’s electricity from renewables, primarily wind. I expect South Dakota will generate 100% of the state’s electricity from renewables by 2030.Conclusion:The clock is ticking to address climate change. Voters should support knowledgeable and committed legislators that will actively work to support the development of renewable energy projects in their state and continued reduction in greenhouse gas emission. The next episode focusing on five Southeastern states will stream Sept. 18.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://ww

To counter negative stereotypes afflicting probation clients across the country, award-winning filmmakers/editors, Jonathan Fisher and George Carrano handed cameras to people in the probation system including its officers.What transpired was an exercise in "participatory photography*" now represented in a book and PBS documentary called, In A Whole New Way: Undoing Mass Incarceration By A Path Untraveled.Introduced in the book are tools and possible ways to transform a system that comprised 4 million people in 2020. The focus of “In a Whole New Way” is keeping people out of jail and informing readers and viewers about probation, a sorely misunderstood and effective alternative to incarceration.It’s both a film and book by the nonprofit Seeing for Ourselves, charting a whole new way to criminal justice reform. In this visually powerful medium, Fisher and Carrano share the intriguing history of probation which dates to the 19th century.Prior to producing In a Whole New Way, the duo applied participatory photography inside of NY's project housing. Seeing For Ourselves is the non-profit umbrella. and the former book and documentary were called Project Lives.Jonathan joined Mark Bello and myself for this episode on both the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts. Here are some questions we asked Fisher:Q. You guys wrote “In a whole New Way” to shine a light on problems involved in our probation system today, right? Tell us about that.Q. The book talks about probation reform, but isn’t much more needed when it comes to our system of criminal justice?Q. Can you explain for us generally how the probation system works and why it needs reformed?Q. In the book’s preface, you write that “By reforming probation and re-establishing it as a viable option for many ordinarily bound for jail or prison, we Americans will have embarked on one of the most promising paths toward this end.” So, are you advocating an expansion of probation to replace incarceration, at least in some cases?Q. What piqued your interest in working on this project? What's your background; how did you get into this practice of participatory photography?Q. What exactly is participatory photography and how is it used in this project?Q. You were working in the NYC housing projects. What was that initiative like?Q. How did you wind up serving New Yorkers on probation? What did you do?Q. What surprised you most about probation as a criminal justice sanction?Q. How are you leveraging the film and book for criminal justice reform?Q. Who were the photographers and where are they now?Q. You have a new initiative planned. Tell us about that.Q. Many of those caught up in the New York City justice system are people of color. You and Carrano obviously are not. So, are you seen by some as sort of “white saviors?” Is that a bad thing?Q. Tell us about the film, where it can be seen, and where your book can be purchased.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast. Today we’re talking politics, and with me are Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. I’m a Maryander transplanted into South Carolina, and together we’re the Dixie Dems.Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals. Me, I do communications work for the Horry County, SC Democratic Party in addition to hosting this podcast and producing the Lean to the Left blog site.Today, it’s all – or at least mostly – about Georgia and the latest indictment of Donald Trump. Many experts say this could be the most serious of the four separate cases in which Trump has been indicted. Robert…you’re living the dream in Georgia. Fill us in on what’s happening there. Why is this case, with 13 charges against Trump, perhaps the most serious threat to his freedom compared to the others in which he has been charged. What’s your take on the Fulton County prosecutor, Fani T. Willis?Because these are state charges, Trump couldn’t pardon himself if elected president. But could he be pardoned by the Georgia governor, the Republican, Brian Kemp?Former Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said the Georgia charges had “the purpose of framing President Donald Trump and anyone willing to take on the ruling regime.” Another Trump lawyer, Jenna Ellis said “The Democrats and the Fulton County DA are criminalizing the practice of law.”Then, she added, “I am resolved to trust the Lord and I will simply continue to honor, praise, and serve Him.” That was on X (or Twitter). “The lord will protect you as well as he protects us from gun violence,” responded another Xer. What do you guys think about that?How are Georgia Republicans responding to all of this? Incredible that polls still have Trump dominating in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Also incredible that some of Trump’s rivals are echoing his attacks on Prosecutor Willis. DeSantis called the indictment against Trump “an example of this criminalization of politics.” These characters who supposedly are seeking the GOP presidential nomination, but really are angling to win Trump’s nod for the vice-presidential nomination…don’t they see what happens to people who line up with Trump? For some, it’s been the death knell for their careers; for others, it’s federal prison. You’d think they’d run as far away from this guy as possible.Seems to me that former Georgia lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan showed some integrity, though, saying that GOP voters should “hit the reset button,” adding, “To think that we are going to stand behind somebody that’s in that level of trouble—times four—is ridiculous,” he said. He was one of the state officials Trump contacted urging them to reverse his Georgia loss.Did you guys hear about Trump’s new campaign ad attacking the three prosecutors who have charged him with felonies, as well as NY AG Letitia James who sued the Trump family and organization on charges that they engaged in widespread fraud?More than half the 60-second ad focuses on Willis, and according to Washington Post fact checkers three of the four claims made in the ad are false. Trump has until August 25 to surrender at the Fulton County Jail for booking, and apparently will have his mug shot taken and be fingerprinted. Think about this…it was about a year ago, last June, that Trump was trying to get his image on Mount Rushmore with Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Jefferson. Now, probably the most famous of all Trump photos will be his mug shot, taken as a common criminal.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

A couple years ago, a long-time labor activist, Dan McCrory, wrote a book called “Capitalism Killed the Middle Class: 25 Ways the System is Rigged Against You.” He firmly believes that a strong labor movement is the key to saving the middle class.McCrory has been a labor activist for 30+ years and a writer even longer. “Capitalism Killed the Middle Class” was a finalist in the UK’s Page Turner Awards.is novel, “You Will Forever Be My Always,” was a winner in the 2022 Los Angeles Book Festival. His poetry appeared in the 2020 anthology of California’s Best Emerging Poets, and two of his screenplays have reached quarter finalist status in the NYC International Screenplay Awards.Dan chairs the book division of the National Writers Union. His next book will be Leonard Peltier and the Family He Left Behind, a look at Leonard Peltier, the family man rather than the cold-blooded killer of two FBI agents for which he was wrongly convicted. He lives in southern California with his wife, Terri and two fussy dogs."The rich and powerful have managed to, over the years, shift a lot of the costs for infrastructure, for healthcare, all sorts of things onto the backs of the middle class," McCrory says on the podcast. "And we just can't take it anymore. It's ridiculous to the point that it's actually hurting and killing the middle class."While McCrory talks about the need to strengthen labor unions as a solution to the economic problems facing the average wage earner, he uses efforts to organize Starbucks baristas and even entertainers at strip joints as examples of efforts currently underway.Here are some questions we discussed with McCrory:Q. You say the middle class needs saved, and that a strong labor movement is what’s needed. From what does the middle- class need saved, and how can labor unions address that?Q. You had a long career with a huge corporation, AT&T, and you acknowledge that you were well paid and that AT&T retirement benefits are helping you today. So, what’s the problem?Q. In a video promoting your book, you say the current situation is rigged so the rich get richer and the powerful gain more power. Please explain how the system is rigged against the average wage-earner?Q. You also say that there is a “well-concerted effort to wipe out the middle class,” and you see it as your job to blow the whistle. Why would there be an effort to wipe out the middle class? Who gains from that?Q. Have developments over the past few years, such as the Trump presidency, the Republican tax cuts, the pandemic and the growth of the gig economy, worsened this situation?Q. With your book, you offer a study guide and a copy of a sort of manifesto that you prepared called “Labor 360: Saving the Middle Class.” What’s that all about?Q. You wrote that in response to something called the Powell Memo. What was that?Q. You’re now trying to gain traction for your Labor 360 plan? What does that involve? Q. Tell us about your latest book, “You Will Forever Be My Always.”Q. Where can people find your books and how can they reach out to you?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

When Shana Francesca, our guest today, was just three years old, she was raped by her babysitter's boyfriend. When she was older, she was the victim of attempted sex abuse by her father, an evangelical minister. Today, Shana has turned those experiences into a mission of helping others cope with life's challenges and achieve joy in their lives.You’re rolling along with your life, busy with work, the family, your special interests, but before you know it, you’re reaching your “golden years,” so you begin to reflect. What has my life meant? But before you reach that stage, what can you do to make sure you are happy with the answer?That's where Shana Francesca comes in. She is a much-in-demand speaker, writer, and entrepreneur whose goal is to help people live more joyful and connected lives through the principles of life design.Shana says our present and future are transformed when we “infuse our lives with intention and accept ourselves as the author of our own story.” She’s the founder and lead designer at Concinnate, a multi-discipline interior design and life design firm that helps people achieve what is possible in their own lives so when they approach those golden years that I mentioned they can be satisfied with what they’ve accomplished.Shana does this through speaking engagements, podcast appearances, and workshops, and we’re happy to have her with us today.Here are some questions we discussed with Shana:Your story is a powerful one of healing from abuse, trauma and PTSD. Tell us about that.You grew up in and around the performing arts, tell us what you did and how it prepared you for the work you do today.What did you do professionally before launching Concinnate?Tell us about Life Design. What is that?You talk about the power of “intention.” What is that? Why is that so powerful?On your website, you talk about the importance of curiosity. How has that led you to where you are today?Our world seems so divided today, with people on the right and the left at each other’s throats, it seems, especially on social media. Tolerance and empathy seem to have been lost. What’s needed to overcome this? What can we as individuals do to make it better?Is your message meant for young people who are just embarking on their life journey? Or, is your target audience adults who are struggling with work, family, the responsibilities of daily life?What about the rest of us…seniors who may not have that many years left…is it too late?How can people connect with you and learn more about your work?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

As a single mom to her only child, Barbara Legere journeyed alongside her son through his mental health issues and addiction. She wrote a memoir about her son’s suicide, called “Keven’s Choice: A Mother’s Journey Through Her Son’s Mental Illness, Addiction and Suicide.” And, she’s just written a second book, "Talk to Me I'm Grieving - Supportive Ways to Help Someone Through Grief.” We have Barbara with us today to hear her story.Keven Legere had spent half his life struggling with substance use disorder while Barbara, his single mom, battled courts, healthcare companies, rehab facilities and mental health professionals trying to protect him.As their relationship strained Keven’s drug use progressed, and Legere was forced to accept and love Keven as he was … until he took his own life.In Keven’s Choice, Legere tells the story of trying to navigate her son’s dark world while also addressing her own complicated guilt and regret over how she handled it. She shines a light on the hidden anguish of countless parents who are taking care of children that society tells them to abandon.For parents who have borne witness to overdoses, arrests, treatment, incarceration and even death, Keven’s Choice is a raw and intimate memoir that shows it’s possible and necessary to go on, even amidst the unimaginable. "We have a saying. It says, as long as they're breathing, there is hope," Barbara says during the interview. "So never give up on your child. Let them know that you're there for them, that you're willing to support them in getting treatment, in, getting mental health care, whatever it is that they need. And you make sure that they know how much you love them. Keven understood how much I loved him. He didn't love himself."Today, Barbara is an advocate for harm reduction for addicts and an active member of groups for parents of addicts and parents surviving the loss of their child through suicide. She hopes to keep her son’s memory alive through her writing as a way of helping others who suffer from similar afflictions.Barbara, thanks for sharing your story with us today.Q. Can you begin by sharing with us what happened to Keven and why?Q. I’ve read that you suffered from guilt. Why, and how did that manifest itself?Q. What led you to write your first book, "Keven's Choice"?Q. Let’s talk about your latest book, “Talk to Me, I’m Grieving.” Why did you do that one, and what’s its focus.Q. Why is it important for parents to teach their kids about drugs and watch for warning signs. Q. What advice would you offer to parents who face a similar situation with a child who’s in trouble?Q. How about parents who are suffering, grieving a loss? Q. What can others do to support grieving parents?Q. You wrote a blog called “Tapping Into Grief.” Tell us about that.Q. Looks like from your Facebook page you’re big into hockey. Was that part of Keven’s life?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Warning that the environmental consequences of climate change are already upon us, energy scientist Jack Kerfoot and Maya van Rossum, originator of the Green Amendment, are calling upon voters to elect state and federal legislators who recognize that challenge and are determined to take concrete action. Speaking on the Lean to the Left podcast with host journalist Bob Gatty, Kerfoot and van Rossum agreed that replacing reliance on fossil fuels, like coal and natural gas, with solar and wind energy sources is the key to reducing the environmental dangers that already are affecting many regions of the world.“The sword of Damocles over all of us is the environment, and if we don't take action collectively together, then we will severely face devastation of biblical proportion,” warns Kerfoot, who noted that in June temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, commonly in the 60s and 70s, reached 120F.“People, are experiencing the climate crisis and the science really is bearing out whether you're talking about heat waves, floods, drought, wildfires,” says van Rossum. “All of these different manifestations of the climate crisis can be tracked back to greenhouse gas emissions, and the transformation of what is happening within the Earth's atmosphere as the result of methane emissions carbon dioxide and more.”During the interview, van Rossum and Kerfoot discuss actions that are taking place in specific states in the U.S. aimed at increasing the use of renewable sources for the generation of electricity, and stress additional actions that are needed.Jack Kerfoot is a scientist, energy expert, and author of the book FUELING AMERICA, An Insider’s Journey, and articles for The Hill, one of the largest independent political news sites in the United States. Kerfoot began his career in the energy industry in 1976, when America was paralyzed by an oil embargo. He spent over 45 years traveling the world, working with scientists, bureaucrats, ministers, tycoons, sheiks, and heads of state on a diverse range of energy issues. He is the principal of JL Kerfoot Energy Services and blogs on his website, Our Energy Conundrum, at www.jackkerfoot.com. Lean to the Left is now in the midst of presenting analysis by Jack Kerfoot of how various regions around the country are doing in terms of moving away from reliance on fossil fuels for energy production. Two of those episodes covering four Northeastern and five Midwestern states are now streaming.With the new episode focused on the Southwest scheduled for August 28th and then the Northwest on September 18.Maya K. van Rossum is the Delaware Riverkeeper and leader for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, which works throughout the four states of the Delaware River watershed (NY, NJ, PA & DE) and at the national level using advocacy, science and litigation.During van Rossum's 30 years leading the Network, she and her organization were the lead plaintiffs in a successful case that had the PA Supreme Court breathe legal life into PA's long ignored environmental rights amendment.Now, van Rossum is advancing The Green Amendment movement, seeking to inspire and secure constitutional protection for environmental rights across the nation.van Rossum is author of a book titled “The Green Amendment, The People's Fight For a Clean, Safe & Healthy Environment”.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Our guest today is author William C. Judge, whose new book “The Wonder of it All” shares the inspirations of his life experiences and profound reflections that shape his view of the world. As the Foreword by Linda Gardner Crandall states, “Judge writes poignantly about his hopes and past disappointments, his travels and the people in his life who have influenced him in unique ways.”Bill is a veteran of the fire service. He’s an award winning videographer and 3D modeler for a DoD contractor. As Bill puts it, he’s a writer, traveler, photographer on a quest for spiritual truth and understanding.Here are some questions we discussed with Bill:Q. First, please tell us about your book and what you’re looking to achieve with it.Q. Tell us about some of your favorite stories in your book.Q. You helped produce an award-winning documentary about Native Americans in South Carolina. Tell us about that video, what it covers, and what you learned from it.Q. Early in the book, you have a chapter, “Our Stories Lost with the Stars.” Tell us about that.Q. You’ve traveled a lot and many of your stories are based on that. What has all of this taught you about our world?Q. You write, ”To travel to far-off lands can be transformative if you are willing to embrace the differences between us and recognize the fundamentals that make us all a part of this human family. Explain.Q. What is your view of the state of our world today from an environmental perspective? Are you concerned? Climate change, for example.Q. Many of us face forks in the road in our life…choices to make that will, perhaps, shape the rest of our lives. Talk to me about some of the choices you’ve faced and how they’ve worked out.Q. In a chapter entitled “Human Being,” you write about how the population is changing and that it won’t be long before living to age 100 and beyond will not be all that unusual. What challenges does all this bring?Q. Not long ago it was the one-year anniversary of the horrific mass killing of children and teachers in Uvalde, Texas. What are your thoughts about these shootings and what lawmakers should do to answer victims’ plea to “do something?”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Can you be a big-time Trump supporter and still lobby to protect animals and family farmers at a right wing organization? In the case of our guest today, the answer is no, and it’s cost him the leadership of FreedomWorks, the conservative group that came to symbolize the tea party movement. But he’s not fading quietly into the sunset.Marty Irby, former COO of the right-wing lobbying group, FreedomWorks, has left that post following attacks by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and other influential conservative critics. They claimed he was embracing Democrats’ “woke” agenda by advocating for animal rights and supporting such organizations as Animal Wellness Action.Irby has launched a new lobbying organization called “Capitol South,” and was quickly retained by Farm Action Fund to lobby for the inclusion of the bipartisan Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (Off) Act in the 2023 Farm Bill. That legislation is backed by some 200,000 farmers in 58 farm groups that seek to reform the government’s checkoff program, which Irby and the bill’s supporters contend is corrupt.In November 2019, Irby was recognized by President Trump at the signing of the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act that he helped get passed. He has been an unabashed Trump supporter, but also is committed to the humane treatment of animals.Marty grew up on a South Alabama farm with horses, cattle, and other animals and eventually became president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association. It was then that he shifted his attention to animal protection and joined efforts to eliminate cruel training practices in the equine world.Marty…this is quite the story. Thanks for joining us on the Lean to the Left podcast. Conservative lobbyists usually shy away from us.Q. Tell us the story. What happened and why did you leave FreedomWorks and Animal Wellness Action? What happened?Q. Why is the OFF Act needed? What’s going on? Exactly what is the checkoff program and how does it work?Q. Is this a battle between corporate interests and independent farmers and ranchers? Q. This legislation has been kicking around for a while. Why has it been held up? What are the chances of it being included in the Farm Bill this year?Q. Why should people care? Q. Talking politics…what’s your take on the GOP presidential sweepstakes and those who would challenge Trump. DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott, Pence, Nikki Haley and others like Chris Christie or Liz Cheney?Q. What about Trump’s legal issues. How will they come into play?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Renewable energy sources, including solar and wind, far outpace coal when it comes to generating jobs even in states where fossil fuels are the primary source of energy, according to scientist and energy expert Jack Kerfoot.In this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, Kerfoot says politicians bought and paid for by the fossil fuel industry continue to claim they support coal, primarily, because they want to protect jobs and not put industry employees out of work. However, he says the facts prove that's a false claim. Indeed, renewable jobs outpace coal -- dramatically.For example, in Indiana, which had 13 operating coal mines in 2021, there were only 1,808 employees compared to the10,500 people employed by wind farms, solar, and hydro electric energy operations."So the reality is that closing coal in the state of Indiana does not put jobs at risk," Kerfoot says on the podcast. "In fact, the more they can do to accelerate the development of renewable energy, they can increase job activity and improve the economy."In March 2023, fossil fuels generated 82 percent of Indiana's electricity, according to Kerfoot, while only 18 percent was from renewables.Meanwhile, in Missouri, where 50 percent of the state's electricity was from coal, down from 80 percent in 2010, there were only eight coal miners, while renewable energy operations provided 4,500 jobs. "(If) they put up another wind farm or another solar park, those eight coal miners are going to be knocking on the door saying 'We'd like to go over there,'" says Kerfoot.In Ohio, where 26 percent of the state's energy comes from coal, down from 83 percent in 2010, there are nine operating coal mines with 354 workers in 2021 -- compared to over 9,000 in the renewable energy industry, according to the longtime energy scientist and renewable energy advocate."So, when you see legislators talking about 'I'm supporting the coal industry for the jobs,' usually what that means is that there are lobbyists on the side providing the candidates substantial funding to support their industry because (they) don't want to one pushed to cut coal and go out of business," says Kerfoot.He challenges voters in states where fossil fuel sources are being protected to support candidates who are knowledgeable about renewable energy and recognize that this brings jobs and cheaper electricity, while improving the environment and helping to combat climate change.Meanwhile, Kerfoot credits Iowa and Illinois for making substantial progress by embracing renewables. Today, 68 percent of Iowa's electricity is powered by wind and solar at some of the cheapest electricity costs in the US. Only 14 percent of Illinois' electricity comes from coal, down from 50 percent in 2010. In 2021, there were 2017 coal jobs, compared to 15,000 people who worked on wind turbines and solar parks."When a coal mine is mined out, they close it. As long as the wind blows and the sun shines, they don't close the wind turbines," he says.This is the second in a series of episodes examining various regions around the country. The first episode addressed four Northeastern states and is now streaming. The next episode will focus on the Southwest and stream on August 28.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

On this Dixie Dems episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, you'll hear Georgia Republican wacko Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene laud President Biden for all of the great work he's done since his election. Yes, that's true. In fact, so true that the Biden campaign has turned those comments by Greene into a killer TV ad.Also on this episode, you'll hear a Republican Congressman inside a couple's bedroom while they are preparing to have sex telling them they're not allowed to use contraception. Yep, that's right. It's an ad Democrats are running in Ohio, and while funny, it's a warning of how the GOP is trying to interfere with our personal lives on many fronts.All of that, plus discussions about the No Label party and efforts by some moderates to establish a bipartisan ticket to challenge Biden and the eventual Republican nominee, as well as key political issues percolating in southern states and nationwide.Remember, the Dixie Dems is the monthly podcast from Lean to the Left, which takes an irreverent look at politics in our region and nationwide. Joining me on the episode, as always, are Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia.Arthur is first vice chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals.Me, I’m based in South Carolina, the state where two Republican candidates are taking on Donald Trump in the Republican presidential sweepstakes. They, of course, are former SC governor Nikki Haley, former UN ambassador for Trump, and Sen. Tim Scott, the only African American GOP US Senator.On July 1, Trump took over Main Street of the tiny town of Pickens located in the hills of our state, where he drew a big crowd of supporters…some estimates as high as 50k, although that was in dispute by some attendees. However, it was hot and thousands stood for hours to hear this man. Some even got sick from the heat. Incredible.At any rate, it was on the home-state turf of Haley and Scott, two long-shot candidates who are trying to wrest the GOP nomination from him.“2024 is our final battle,” declared Trump. “Under our leadership, the forgotten men and women will be forgotten no longer.” Same old message, reprised from his previous campaigns. Same old song. And the people lap it up.In North Carolina, Arthur Hill discusses a groundbreaking decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on gerrymandering, which he said Democrats were applauding as crucial to fair elections, both in the Tar Heel State and nationwide.In Georgia, Thompson discusses upcoming potential indictment of Donald Trump in the case involving the former president's ill-fated effort to convince state officials to simply "find" him the 11,000 votes he would have needed to carry the state in the 2020 election. There is much, much more in this episode as the Dixie Dems cut through typical and ongoing GOP BS.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

With the Supreme Court’s rejection of President Biden’s debt relief program, millions of borrowers will have to resume their payments in October.For about 804,000 others, recent executive action by the president mean that their student debt will be wiped away. Since Biden has been president, he’s been looking for ways to ease this burden, an effort that’s been thwarted by Congressional Republicans and now the Supreme Court. What’s all this meant for borrowers who counted on this promised relief?For many, it's no less than a financial catastrophe. They owe thousands that they thought would be forgiven by the government, and so they used their student loan money for other things -- like paying bills, covering credit card debt, or paying their rent. For some, it was a vacation or a new car.On the Lean to the left podcast, Diane Gayeski, Ph,D. a recognized thought leader in trends impacting higher education, business, and the connection between both worlds, looks at those issues and offers some ideas about how the federal government could help students manage their debt -- without spending a ton of money.Gayeski has some 50 years experience in education and knows what she's talking about. She is Professor of Strategic Communication at Ithaca College's Roy H. Park School of Communications where she served as Dean for 11 years.Diane is an active consultant and speaker through Gayeski Analytics and works with clients in business, education and the government. She is the author of more than 100 articles and fourteen books, some of which are the principal texts used in undergraduate, graduate, and corporate curricula in corporate communication, human resources, and instructional systems design.So, are student borrowers to blame for their own financial difficulties? Here are some questions we discussed with Prof. Gayeski:Q. An Intelligent.com survey of 977 borrowers who qualified under Biden’s original plan for up to $20K in student loan relief shows that many borrowers were perhaps mistakenly confident about their loans being forgiven. Can you talk about some of the key results of that survey?Q. Why do college students take out loans they know they can’t repay in the first place?Q. Is it fair to be critical of those who used their loan money for things like rent, buying a house or a car, or paying off other debt?Q. Why is it that more than half of those surveyed – 58 percent – say they are unprepared for payments to resume?Q. What steps should borrowers who do not qualify for Biden’s latest relief plan take so they don’t get in trouble over their loans?Q. You’re an adviser to leaders in business, education and the government. What reforms should be made in the student loan system so that it’s more fair for borrowers?Q. Of course, the underlying problem is the high cost of education to begin with, right? Any thoughts about that?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

President Biden had to cut a deal with the Republicans to get the debt limit extension passed and avoid an economic catastrophe. But in doing so, he had to water down his climate change initiative…and that’s causing a lot of concern among environmentalists. We’re going to talk about that today with someone who’s in the trenches.Maya K. van Rossum is the Delaware Riverkeeper and leader for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network works throughout the four states of the Delaware River watershed (NY, NJ, PA & DE) and at the national level using advocacy, science and litigation.During van Rossum's 30 years leadin the Network, she and her organization were the lead plaintiffs in a successful case that had the PA Supreme Court breathe legal life into PA's long ignored environmental rights amendment.Now, van Rossum is advancing The Green Amendment movement, seeking to inspire and secure constitutional protection for environmental rights across the nation. On the podcast, she cautions that the budget deal Biden cut with Congressional Republicans will weaken current federal environmental initiatives and jeopardize other critical environmental laws, like the Clean Water Act.van Rossum is author of a book titled “The Green Amendment, The People's Fight For a Clean, Safe & Healthy Environment”.Meanwhile, she’s just returned from Montana for a groundbreaking climate trial in which the young plaintiffs argued that Montana officials and agencies must be held accountable for exacerbating the climate crisis and thereby violating their constitutional rights. It marked the first constitutional climate trial in U.S. history.Here are some questions we discussed with Maya:Q. First off, let’s talk about that trial in Montana. What’s happening and what are the implications?Q. Why were you there?Q. What is a Green Amendment and how does it bring transformational change to environmental protection?Q. Let’s talk about the debt ceiling deal and the fallout from that. You’ve said that it will undermine environmental protection and people’s safety. How is that?Q. The deal overhauls the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), rewriting this iconic environmental protection law. What’s the problem with that?Q.The debt deal mandates approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. How is that a problem?Q. Tell us about your work with the Riverkeepers and what you do?Q. Let’s talk about your book, The Green Amendment: The People's Fight to Secure a Clean, Safe & Healthy Environment, now in it's 2nd edition.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Artificial Intelligence is gaining tremendous momentum, a development that has caused some experts like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak to warn that AI development should at least be paused. We’re going to explore that today with Tom Riley, a retired NASA instrument engineer and prolific author who believes AI offers tremendous potential for the world.In an open letter released in April, more than 1,000 tech experts called for AI-labs to “immediately pause for at least six months.” The signatories include Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Elon Musk, among a who’s who of brainiacs who worry that the world is “in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one — not even their creators — can understand, predict or reliably control.” The letter came from the Future of life Institute, a non-profit determined to steer us away from “extreme large-scale risks.” One researcher, Eliezer Yudkowsky, who has been warning about AI for two decades, says we should “shut it all down.”Stephen Hawking, the English theoretical physicist and author who died in 2018, put it even more directly, saying: “The development of artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” That sounds pretty serious. Sounds like there is more to worry about that whether students are cheating on their term papers by using an AI-app to write those papers for them. Our guest today, Tom Riley, who has worked on instruments for the Space Shuttle and NASA satellites, puts all this into perspective. Here are some questions we discussed with Tom:In a note to me, you said AI was like “dancing on a landslide.” Do these warnings that I just mentioned concern you? Should the rest of us regular people be concerned about the implications of AI?Does AI mean that people will be losing their jobs to AI?What about privacy violations…and deepfakes…like the fake pics of Donald Trump being arrested that received thousands of hits on social media?But what about the good it can do? Like addressing the climate crisis, for example? You wrote a great book, “A Climate of Revenge.”Tell us about your Climate Crisis Stories? There are two books, right? Plus, you have versions on YouTube, right?Is there a movie in the works? Or a Climate Crisis TV series?There still are a lot of climate change deniers out there. What do you think the response to this project would be?Can you give us a taste of the plot? Is the AI character a robot?There are a lot of Misconceptions about our climate crisis. For example, “Greenhouse.” Is that a good explanation?If the major problems are coming on slowly, is this then a real crisis?What other big problems are now clear, and where does AI come into play?How can people find out more about you and your work, including your books?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The U.S. Supreme Court has effectively ended affirmative action at universities, an action that ends a decades-old policy aimed at increasing diversity and addressing the underrepresentation of minority students.We’ll look at that far-reaching action today with our guest, Dr. Omékongo Dibinga, author of a new book, "Lies About Black People: How to Combat Racist Stereotypes and Why It Matters."Dr. Dibinga is the founding director of UPstander International, a professor at American University, motivational speaker, TV talk show host, and rapper. He has studied at Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Georgetown, Morehouse, and The Fletcher School, where he earned his M.A. in Law & Diplomacy. He earned his Ph.D. in Education from The University of Maryland where his dissertation focused on JAY Z and global hip-hop.Dibinga’s book, “From the Limbs of My Poetree”, was described by Essence Magazine as “a remarkable and insightful collection of exquisite poetry that touches sacred places within your spirit.” His latest book, "Lies About Black People," is the focus of this discussion. You can find more info at upstanderinternational.com.Here are some questions we addressed with Dr. Dibinga:Q. First, let’s talk about the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision and your thoughts about its implications.Q. Now that affirmative action is no longer a requirement, what can colleges and universities do to uphold diversity and inclusiveness?Q. Are Black people the only, or at least the primary, beneficiaries of affirmative action?Q. The Washington Post published an opinion piece by senior political reporter Aaron Blake that cites an Economist/YouGov poll that shows Americans approving the decision more than 2 to 1 and other polls showing similar support. Why do you think that is?Q. The Economist/YouGov poll showed that more than 4 in 10 Black Americans approved of the decision and that 31 percent “strongly” approved. In addition, just 11 percent of Black Americans felt that affirmative action had impacted them “positively.” Does that surprise you?Q. What is the case for continuing affirmative action policies?Q. Do you feel the Supreme Court’s decision will have broader implications than simply college and university admissions? Q. Talk about your new book and what it covers. Who is your target audience?Q. What are some of the lies and racist stereotypes that you discuss?Q. In your book, you say “The world we live in today is based on lies.” Please explain.Q. Do you believe racism in the U.S. has worsened in recent years? Why?Q. You write that “Being Black in America is like being constantly connected to a lie detector.” Why?Q. Has the Black Lives Matter movement helped or hindered the fight for racial equality? Why?Q. Talk about the preschool-to-prison pipeline. Why is it that Blacks are disproportionately incarcerated in our prisons today?Q. Do you believe Black people in America deserve reparations and other forms of remuneration for the suffering they’ve endured because of racism, including slavery?Q. Dr. King expressed the hope that someday in our world people will be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Are we anywhere near achieving that goal?Q. What do you think of Ron DeSantis and the other GOP presidential candidates?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded in American society, and many experts say it will be as life-changing as the internet, revolutionizing our economy and everyday lives. But there are huge concerns, and our guest today will address some of them. Stay with us. Coming to us today from Highland Park, IL is Michael Pickard, a prolific author who’s had a successful career in information technology and we’re going to lean on that expertise for today’s discussion.Michael is inspired by ideas. What is, what isn’t, and what could be. Back in 1993, he started writing fiction when his daughter Samantha asked him to write daily letters to her at overnight camp. So, he mailed her chapters of a story she could relate to: an alien who came to Earth and attended overnight camp. Specifically, her camp.Those letters continued every summer at her request. After 5 years’, he’d accumulated enough material for his first novel. And then, he couldn’t stop writing.You can visit his catalog at http://www.gerfnit.com. You’ll find nine novels (paperback and ebook), a collection of short stories, and a children’s book. We’ll get him to fill us in on all of that later, but first our focus is AI, which Michael calls “Machine Learning Systems.”A new Stanford University report makes this observation:“As the technical barrier to entry for creating and deploying generative A.I. systems has lowered dramatically, the ethical issues around A.I. have become more apparent ….”And, noted Goldman Sachs last month, if generative A.I. lives up to its potential, up to 300 million jobs could be at risk in the U.S. and Europe, with legal and administrative professions the most exposed. So, clearly, there are many concerns – as there should be.Michael, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast.Q. Before we get to your books, let’s dive right into your concerns about AI. But first, what expertise do you have in this field?Q. Why do you refuse to use the term “artificial intelligence?”Q. What are your concerns about how it might be used, and what dangers do you forsee?Q. In a note to me, you said “People who build language models for these systems ignore aspects of ethics. Garbage in, hatred out.” You said there is a “fatal flaw in the current techniques underlying machine learning and no one in the industry is stepping up to solve it…or even talk about.” Please explain.Q. What should be done to guard against these types of abuses?Q. Many companies already are racing to use “machine learning” and the Stanford survey said this:“At its current developmental speed, research is moving on from generative A.I. to creating artificial general intelligence, according to 57% of researchers surveyed by Stanford. Artificial general intelligence, or AGI, is an A.I. system that can accurately mimic or even outperform the capabilities of a human brain.”That is no small statement, which begs this question:Should there be government regulations developed to protect against abusive, perhaps even criminal, behavior with this technology?Q. Please tell us about your books, maybe focusing on your latest since you have so many!Q. Planning on a book focused on the use of “Machine Learning?”Q. How can people find your books and how can they reach out to you?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Joshua Shea is a former pornography addict now on a mission to get the world talking about pornography addiction, and the potential ramifications of being addicted to porn.He's written four books on the subject. Joshua’s most recent book, I'm Reading This Book About Porn Addiction For a Friend, introduces readers who are struggling in early recovery, or looking for more information about a suspected addiction. It includes symptoms, stories of addicts with whom Shea has worked, and a series of activities to personalize the process. His third book, Porn and the Pandemic: How Three Months in 2020 Changed Everything was released in July 2020. It looks at how the world of online pornography changed overnight during the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, with analysis and interviews from current and former pornography addicts, "cam models" who use sites like Chaturbate and OnlyFans, and a bevy of mental health and addiction professionals.Online pornography exploded during the pandemic. Joshua also is the author of The Addiction Nobody Will Talk About: How I Let My Pornography Addiction Hurt People and Destroy Relationships (2018), a memoir about his descent during the final days of his addiction.He also wrote He’s a Porn Addict…Now What? (2019) written for female partners of male porn addicts who are grappling with the revelation their loved one is an addict. It was co-written with Tony Overbay. Since 2018, Shea has appeared on over 350 podcasts, television and radio shows using his personal story to promote the ideas that porn addiction spans all demographics and those with a problem should seek help before it’s too late.Prior to admitting his addiction, Joshua was a prominent magazine publisher, award-winning journalist, film festival founder and politician in central Maine. Sober since early 2014, Joshua comes to us from Central Maine, where he lives with his wife and two children, 4 dogs and 8 cats.Here are questions we discussed with Joshua:Q. Can you give us the cliff notes version of your journey? How did your addiction begin and what happened that made you realize you had a serious problem?Q. In 2017, you launched pAddictRecovery.com. Tell us about that. You’re doing some coaching, right?Q. Your notes that you provided me indicate that your favorite presentations are to college-age students. Why is that?Q. Online porn exploded during the pandemic. What is the state of online pornography and pornography addiction today. Q. What are some of the signs of pornography addictionQ. Is this a solitary act with few consequences or does it affect others, like partners, for example? Q. What can partners do when they learn that this is going on?Q. How do we prevent the next generation of kids from also becoming addicted to porn?Q. So what's wrong with looking at pornography? Q. Why should any of us non-addicts really care about porn addiction?Q. Is Porn Addiction ever the partner's fault?Q. What do you say to partners who discover their loved one is a porn addict?Q. How is porn addiction like other addictions?Q. Where can viewers get more resources about pornography addiction? Q. Where can people find your books?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

This is the first in a series of episodes analyzing climate change progress in various regions around the country with energy consultant Jack Kerfoot. Which states are making real and timely progress at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and what are the factors that are contributing to their success? Which states are really just paper tigers…all talk and little action?That’s what we explore in a new series of episodes with scientist and energy expert Jack Kerfoot that begins today as we analyze climate change progress in four states in the Northeast: Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.Jack Kerfoot is a scientist, energy expert, and author of the book FUELING AMERICA, An Insider’s Journey. Kerfoot began his career in the energy industry in 1976, when America was paralyzed by an oil embargo. He spent over 45 years traveling the world, working with scientists, bureaucrats, ministers, tycoons, sheiks, and heads of state on a diverse range of energy issues. He is the principal of JL Kerfoot Energy Services and blogs on his website, Our Energy Conundrum, at www.jackkerfoot.com.During the episode, Kerfoot explains the basics of climate change, including the necessity of reducing greenhouse gases generated by fossil fuels. He details why New Jersey and New York states deserve A+ marks for their efforts, while Massachusetts and Rhode Island are "paper tigers", having enacted written goals and objectives but not doing the detailed work needed to make them a reality.The clock is ticking on climate change. Legislation without active and committed support from our elected officials ismeaningless.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Just over three years ago George Perry Floyd Jr. was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis during an arrest after a store clerk suspected that Floyd had used a counterfeit $20 bill.Derek Chauvin, one of four police officers who arrived on the scene, knelt on Floyd’s neck and back for more than nine minutes. “I can’t breathe,” Floyd wheezed to no avail.The incident renewed calls for police reform. However, with Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives, nothing has happened. We’ll talk about police reform with our guest, conflict resolution expert Dwayne Bryant. So stay with us.Best-selling author, Dwayne Bryant founded Inner Vision International, Inc. (IVI) which provides results-oriented social emotional curricula and professional development workshops for students, parents, teachers, law enforcement, academic institutions, and corporate America.Dwayne provides leadership, life management, and social emotional training. As a result of Dwayne’s work improving police and community relations and educating parents about the potential dangers of social media, he was awarded The FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award.In the wake of the public outcry against police brutality, Dwayne created THE STOP™ series which includes an online 17-part series, The NEW Conversation – Improving Police and Community Relations™, explaining the tensions between police and Black and Brown communities.Dwayne…welcome to our podcast. Please tell us what your work is all about.Q. I read today that a new Justice Department report says the Minneapolis Police Department engaged in the systemic use of excessive force and discriminated against minorities for years before the Floyd killing in 2020. What needs to be done to resolve conflicts between the police and residents, particularly those in Black and Brown communities?Q. You made the comment that electing Brandon Johnson as Chicago’s mayor “shows a turn for the better” when it comes to improving the relationships between cops and the community. Is that because he supports having more mental health workers employed within law enforcement?Q. Last year Congress passed the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act of 2022, requiring the Department of Justice to develop training curriculums on topics including alternatives to the use of force, de-escalation, and responding to a person in crisis. Was that a positive step and what else is needed?Q. What is your view of the political situation in the US these days? Did actions by the Trump administration affect relationships between the community and the police?Q. In 2021, the then Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on a mostly party-line vote passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, but it died in the evenly divided, but Democratic controlled, Senate amid opposition from Republicans. Negotiations between Republican and Democratic senators collapsed, and the bill died. The intent of the bill was to hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct, improve transparency, and reform police training and policies. It was opposed by the police unions. What are your thoughts about that?Q. One of the provisions would restrict the application of the qualified immunity doctrine for local and state officers. Can you explain what that’s all about? Should that doctrine be scrubbed?Q. Another provision would require state and local law enforcement agencies that receive federal funding to adopt anti-discrimination policies and training programs, including those targeted at fighting racial profiling. Does that need to happen?Q. What about the bill’s mandate that federal law enforcement officers use deadly force only as a last resort and that de-escalation be attempted. Federal funding would be contingent on the adoption of such a policy. Is that needed?Q. Tell us about The New Conversation, which you developed to reduce tensions between police and communities of color.Q. What is the STOP program all about? How does that work? You have a book based on that, right?Q. Your company, Vision International, Inc., has been developing results-oriented curricula and workshops for over 26 years. Tell us about that work and those workshops. What do they cover?Q. As a graduate of the FBI Citizen’s Academy, you are community advisor to the Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability. Tell us about that.Q. What strategies can cities like Chicago and Minneapolis employ to reduce excessive use of force and misconduct by police when it comes to communities of color?Q. How can people find your book and reach out to you for engagements?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

We’re back with another episode of Dixie Dems, the podcast from Lean to the Left that takes an irreverent look at politics in the south, as well as nationwide. We’ll talk about candidates, Trump’s legal troubles, Trump pardon talk, the big Supreme Court gerrymandering decision, and much more. --- Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast and the June 2023 episode of the Dixie Dems with my partners, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia.Arthur is first vice chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals. Me…I’m based in South Carolina, the state where two Republican candidates are taking on Donald Trump in the Republican presidential sweepstakes.They, of course, are former SC governor Nikki Haley, former UN ambassador for Trump, and Sen. Tim Scott, the only African American GOP US Senator. Oh, it’s also the state where Sen. Lindsey Graham, still sucking up to Trump despite his indictment for violating the espionage act in that classified records case, said of Trump: At least he isn’t a spy. Good grief.So, welcome guys… Arthur…tell us about what’s going on in North Carolina? Big state supreme court decision on gerrymandering, right?How about you, Robert. Looks like Trump’s next legal challenge could come from Georgia, right?What’s happening in South Carolina?With two GOP presidential candidates running against Trump, a big question is what would they do if elected about pardoning Donald Trump for his crimes? Well, Nikki Haley says she’d be “inclined” to pardon him even though his actions inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol put first responders in danger. She dragged in the plea deal between the Justice Department and Hunter Biden, saying there’s a double standard…one for Republicans like Trump and another for Democrats like Biden.Also, on Twitter, Haley accused Barack Obama of dividing America “by race and gender” because he took issue with her claim that America is not racist. Excuse me…but it was her old boss, Trump, who set out to divide America that way and was spectacularly successful. Haley should just shut up.By the way, while some support Haley for taking down the Confederate flag at the State House when she was governor, the Washington Post reported that she did so only after the massacre at a church in Charleston, where worshipers were murdered by a gunman, forced her hand. She previously had said the flag was “about heritage.”Meanwhile, when asked what he would do about a Trump pardon, Sen. Tim Scott avoided the question, but said he would “clean out” the Department of Justice. Where was he when Trump was using DOJ as his own personal police force? Please. What do you guys think about how the GOP candidates are twisting themselves into knots over a potential Trump pardon?Scott visited Myrtle Beach the other day trying to drum up support. He had a pretty good crowd, according to reports, but the problem was that while attendees said they liked him well enough, they still support Trump but would like to see Scott as his vice president. That’s probably not what Scott wanted to hear, unless that’s his angle, anyway. Could be Haley’s angle, too, for that matter.As for Trump, he’s scheduled to make his first visit to South Carolina since being indicted twice – on Saturday, July 1, at the city of Pickens, ahead of their Independence Day celebration. Can’t wait for that one.Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court, which earlier this month unexpectedly upheld a prohibition against racial gerrymandering in an Alabama case, has agreed to consider a lower court decision that struck down a congressional district as an illegal racial gerrymander. The lower court held that the congressional district – which includes Charleston – “constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because race was the predominant factor in the adoption of the” plan. South Carolina Republicans asked the Supreme Court to take up the case and arguing that the Republican-led legislature took politics into consideration when drawing the map, not race.Given the Alabama decision, it will be especially interesting to see what the conservative-dominated Supreme Court will do. The results likely will have broad ramifications nationally. There was another development here in South Carolina…the city of Conway, not far from Myrtle Beach, passed a resolution declaring June to be Pride Month only to be met with a bunch of protesters, including pastors and evangelical Christians. But to their credit, Conway’s mayor and city council stuck by their resolution, which said LGBTQ residents “deserve to feel safe and respected in their homes, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces.” Please tell me why that would be objectionable?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-po

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), one in ten older adults in the US suffers from elder abuse, so since June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, we’re speaking with bestselling investigative journalist and true-crime biographer Stephen G. Michaud, who has written a riveting book about a tragic case involving a wealthy Texas rancher who was victimized by those who were charged with caring for him.Stephen Michaud is the author of “Robert’s Story: A Texas Cowboy’s Troubled Life and Horrifying Death.” It’s the story of rancher Robert East, which until now was buried deep in old legal records that were discovered by Michaud.The elderly owner of a vast Texas cattle ranch, Robert East was no match for the greedy lawyers, doctors, and household staff who took over his life and isolated him on his remote ranch – all to gain access to his wealth and the natural gas on his family’s land. In the end, he was an old, rich cowboy who was victimized by elder abuse.On the podcast, Michaud reveals East's sad story and discusses some of the abuses he suffered before his death -- abuses that are often typical in cases involving elderly people.According to the CDC, there are a number of factors that may increase or decrease the risk of perpetrating and/or experiencing elder abuse. To prevent elder abuse, the agency says, we must understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence. Here are recommendations provided by the agency:Listen to older adults and their caregivers to understand their challenges and provide support.Report abuse or suspected abuse to local adult protective services, long-term care ombudsman, or the police.Use the National Center on Elder Abuse Listing of State Elder Abuse Hotlines external icon to find your state’s reporting numbers, government agencies, state laws, and other resources.Educate oneself and others about how to recognize and report elder abuse.Learn how the signs of elder abuse differ from the normal aging process.Check-in on older adults who may have few friends and family members.Provide over-burdened caregivers with support such as help from friends, family, or local relief care groups; adult day care programs; counseling; outlets intended to promote emotional well-being.Encourage and assist persons (either caregivers or older adults) having problems with drug or alcohol abuse in getting help.The older adult population is growing faster in the U.S. than are younger populations. Many older adults require care and are vulnerable to violence perpetrated by a caregiver or someone they trust. More research is needed to uncover the causes for, and solutions to, violence against older adults, CDC says.On the Podcast Michaud is an internationally recognized author, co-author, investigative reporter, and editor whose decades-long career includes 20 books and multiple contributions to periodicals including Newsweek, Businessweek, The New York Times, Maxim, Reader’s Digest, Salon, Boys’ Life, and Playboy.His published works―in an impressive variety of genres ranging from World War II, the Cuban revolution, true crime, and mountain-climbing to Texas history and serial murder―have sold over 2 million copies, translated into 15 languages.The New York Daily News named The Only Living Witness (a biography of serial killer Ted Bundy co-authored with Hugh Aynesworth) one of the 10 best true-crime books ever written. Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer, a compilation of Michaud and Aynesworth’s death-row interviews with Bundy, was a New York Times bestseller, and a Netflix four-part series.Here are questions we discussed with Michaud:Q. Before we get into your book, I’d like to discuss the issue of elder abuse overall. To what extent is this a problem in America?Q. What are some of the forms that this abuse takes? Q. What are some of the tactics used by abusers to take advantage of their victims?Q. Were those tactics evident in the case of Robert East? In fact, why don’t you tell us the story about what happened with East and how he was victimized?Q. In your experience, have you found that law enforcement and social services personnel are properly equipped and trained to support elder abuse victims and their loved ones?Q. What about medical professionals and caretakers? In Robert’s case, they were perpetrators of the abuse, isn’t that true?Q. Was anyone charged in the case of Robert East?Q. What do you think should be done to better protect our elderly citizens from become victims of elder abuse?Q. What should someone do if they suspect elder abuse is taking place? Q. You’ve written about outlaws and criminals from Ted Bundy to a rogue Trappist monk named Brother Leo. How does Robert’s Story fit into your true crime book shelf?Q. What attracted you to the story?Q. What’s the major challenge in writing such a complex family saga?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/suppor

In a new poll, nearly 40% of respondents said the thought of a Biden-Trump match-up in 2024 made them feel exhausted, and according to politics and satire expert Dr. Sophia A. McClennen, the only way to cure this overwhelming political fatigue is through comedy, specifically satire.We have a former president who’s under indictment for obstruction and mishandling classified documents after his defeat, a violation of the Espionage Act.That certainly isn’t funny.That same former president also is under indictment for hush money paid to former adult film star Stormy Daniels, and is the subject of investigations relating to the Jan. 6, 2020 attack on the Capitol and efforts to rig the Georgia election results.None of that is funny either.But Dr. McClennen believes that comedy, especially satire, can provide the antidote for the depression, anxiety, and frustration that we feel in having to pay attention to the politicians and issues that exhaust us.A Harvard and Duke University alum and founding director of Penn State's Center for Global Studies, she is the author of a new book, “Trump Was a Joke: How Satire Made Sense of a President Who Didn’t”.Here are some questions we discussed with her:For many Americans, the Trump presidency and its aftermath have been exhausting and for many, emotionally draining. How does political fatigue like that endanger our democracy?What are some ways satire helps to improve civic engagement and political knowledge, and creates better, more informed citizens?Examples?Why are people more likely to remember and share information that is delivered to them with humor?How are social movements that use satire in their tactics more likely to succeed?Common misconceptions about satire: that it’s bad for democracy, that it undermines important institutions, that it’s only aim is to distract and entertain?Tell us about your book. Can it help keep us sane?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Artist Elizabeth Mikotowicz was nearly beaten to death while being pregnant. She became addicted to pain killer drugs and eventually was sent to prison where she was regularly humiliated and treated as a slave.Elizabeth served more than four years in Maine jails and then the federal prison in Danbury on a variety of drug charges. On the podcast, Elizabeth reveals how she was mistreated by guards, both male and female, forced to stand naked for the guard's cameras, and how female inmates were unable to obtain even basic sanitary products, resulting in many experiencing infections from the tampons they tried to make themselves.She says that after Donald Trump became president many women, both immigrants and American citizens, underwent forced sterilizations and other inhumane treatment.Now, she's working to expose corruption and cruelty that she experienced in America’s prison system, even as she’s launched an environmentlly friendly clothing brand using art that she created while being incarcerated. In fact, Elizabeth went from painting murals as a federal inmate to having her own environmentally friendly clothing brand based onthat art.More importantly, Elizabeth is working with state representatives to get better laws to protect people in vulnerable positions. She describes two laws sthat she initiated and helped get passed in Maine and that she hopes can be enacted nationwide.Towards the end of the episode, Elizabeth offers advice to women who are experience domestic violence, experiences that contributed to her drug abuse and the criminal acts that landed her in prison.Here are some questions we discussed with Elizabeth:Q. What landed you in prison?Q. You ended up having two kids with this man…why?Q. What was it like having to go to prison when you were a mom?Q. What was it like in prison? Why did you turn to art?Q. Were there restrictions on your art in prison?Q. When you got out, what did you do? Were you afraid?Q. How did your clothing line begin? Where did you get the confidence to do that?Q. What’s it called? Your brand?Q. Who makes your products? What makes them environmentally friendly?Q. Where can people find your stuff?Q. You’re working with state lawmakers in Maine, right? What laws are you working to change?Q. What needs to change nationally?Q. What would you like to tell women who are in abusive domestic situations or are otherwise struggling?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

America continues to deal with a tide of unprecedented violence and divisiveness that is tearing at the soul of our country.It is an epidemic of abuse and neglect, according g to psychotherapist and author Phyllis Leavitt, who believes America needs a good therapy session or two.Leavitt is the author of a new book, “America in Therapy,” and believes some of the basic principles of good therapy can help heal the divisiveness that is besetting our country today.She graduated from Antioch University with a Masters’ Degree in Psychology and Counseling in 1989. Initially, she co-directed a sexual abuse treatment program and then she launched a full-time private practice, treating children, families, couples, and individual adults.After 30 years, Phyllis has mostly retired, if you can call writing books retiring! In addition to "America in Therapy," her most recent are "A Light in the Darkness," and "Into the Fire". You can learn more by checking her website, www.phyllisleavitt.com.Some questions we discussed with Phyllis:Q. You say this is “a national and global mental health crisis that is not being addressed,” that “we are on a collision course with our own extinction.” Please explain.Q. Do you believe there is a direct correlation between destructive family dynamics and many of the actions of some of our most powerful institutions and leaders. Anybody in particular come to mind?Q. We continue to experience mass shootings—instances where aggrieved individuals wade into a school, a shopping center, a high school prom, and begin shooting leaving blood and tears and tragic loss in their wake. Why? What needs to be done about this? What should our political leaders do?Q. What is the solution, in your view?Q.How can we interrupt the cycle of violence and restore peace and safety in our country?Q. When will your book be ready and where can people find it? Q. Tell us briefly about your other two books.Q. What can we, as individuals, do about all this?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Are you planning for retirement? Already there? Are you working with a financial adviser but wonder if you could be doing better? That's an important question to consider.Greg Aler, founder and CEO of the financial planning firm Golden Reserve, is our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast. Greg believes that many people planning for retirement are being hoodwinked by financial advisors to whom they have given too much power over their investments and who are ripping off customers with percent-based fees.Greg was born and raised in small-town Ohio, and after attending law school, he worked at one of the largest law firms in the world. Greg went on to build three multimillion-dollar companies before the age of forty: an elder care law firm, a financial services firm, and a real estate company. He re-thinks and re-builds industries to help service the other 99 percent of America. Greg has his own TV, radio, and podcast show: Expedition Retirement.The only thing Greg loves more than cooking, scuba, boating, and laughing with friends on his back porch is being with his wife, Fernanda, and three kiddos (Lilly, Lola, and Louie).We’re happy to welcome Greg to Lean to the Left today to talk about financial planning for retirement…a really important topic. Time to fire your financial advisor?Questions we discussed with Greg:Q. On your website in which you promote your book, “Fire Your Financial Advisor: 40 years of greed and exploitation of the American Retiree,” you say this: “there are wolves everywhere. Shockingly, most retirees have no idea what is going on with their money - or worse, what they’re being charged.” Can you please explain?Q. Your book makes the case that financial advisors have massively failed retirees. How is that?Q. Many retirees have seen their IRAs and other retirement plans grow significantly. So, why should they care about the fees their financial advisor charges them to manage their retirement accounts?Q. Does working with a fiduciary advisor guarantee that a retiree can avoid these problems?Q. Not feeling confident in my ability to manage my own portfolio, some people default to their financial advisor, telling them to do what’s best. Is it a mistake for people to do that?Q. How can retirees increase their own financial literacy?Q. What is a fixed index annuity, and how can it help retirees?Q. What is a “Retirement Planner” and why should retirees work with them instead of financial advisors?Q. What advice do you have for someone who wants to fire their financial advisor, but isn’t sure how to do that?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Extreme weather events across the country and around the world make it clear that we are facing a climate crisis, and that we all are in it together. But what can we as individuals do to combat this? That’s our topic today with an expert who will share with us existing solutions and technologies that can have a significant impact on climate change, and what the average person can do to help reduce our carbon footprint. So stay with us.Beth McDaniel is co-founder and President of the paint and coatings company, Reactive Surfaces, where she also serves as legal counsel. Beth also is a partner in McDaniel and Associates, a law firm specializing in patent and trade secret law.As a serial entrepreneur, she has guided this bleeding-edge innovation company, operating in the paint and coatings and specialty chemicals industries, for the past 15 years. She has served in leadership roles for numerous organizations, including as a Pathways to Peace Fellow, a premier social justice organization.Beth is also the co-founder of the leading XPRIZE team for carbon reduction. Their technology can remove massive amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and convert it into hydrogen, biochar, and other environmentally friendly solutions that have already begun to transform the carbon reduction and energy security space.Here are some questions we cover with Beth:Q. What’s your take on the climate crisis facing the world today? What happens if we continue on our current track?Q. You’re involved with the Embassy Row Project, a philanthropic initiative that offers various services to organizations to promote environmental sustainability. Please tell us about that.Q. As a female c-suite executive in the science and technology arena, a successful entrepreneur, an accomplished attorney, and an advisor on climate technology, what is your perspective on women’s leadership in the entrepreneurial, technology, and science space?Q. What's being done right now in the international government space that's truly having an impact on climate change?Q. You recently addressed UN, World Bank, and European embassy officials on new technology your firm has developed. Can you please share with us that experience and talk about the technology that’s involved?Q. What's it like to brief senior diplomats and government officials who are seeking solutions in climate and environmental technology? Any special challenges simply because of your sex?Q. What are carbon capture coatings and how is this scientific breakthrough transforming the environmental science space?Q. How can the average person have a real impact on climate change and carbon reduction?Q. As a female entrepreneur, what prompted you to get into the paint and coatings industry and start your own company?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

For a fascinating, inside look at the criminal justice system and the work of one of America's most prominent trial attorneys, check out this interview with ames J. Brosnahan, a veteran of more than 50 years of experience in both civil and criminal trial work.During his notable career, Brosnahan regularly undertook complex cases that were about to go to trial. He has tried, to conclusion, 150 cases that have ranged from anti-trust to wire fraud and from patent litigation to white collar crime and murder. Some of those cases made national headlines, including those that helped provide important First Amendment free speech protections.Brosnahan is named among the top 30 trial lawyers in the United States, according to the Legal 500 US. A lion of the trial bar, Brosnahan is one of the most respected and recognized trial lawyers in the United States. Recently, he completed a book on notable trials from his career, "Justice at Trial: Courtroom Battles and Groundbreaking Cases," now available at Amazon and other booksellers.The interview was conducted by Bob Gatty, host of Lean to the Left and co-host of the Justice Counts podcast, and Justice Counts host, legal thriller author Mark M. Bello. The episode also will stream on Justice Counts June 5.Here are some questions we discussed with Brosnahan:MARK: Welcome Jim—it’s an honor to have you on the podcast. Before we talk about your writing, I’d like to talk about Professor Chemerinsky’s forward. High praise for your memoir from the famous law professor. There is a lot packed into those two pages, but I was struck by two comments he makes. I’d like your reaction to them: 1. Practicing law requires hard work and attention to detail-many lawyers work hard. But it also requires creativity-Chemerinsky considers you and your team very “clever,” the term he uses. How much of your success is related to hard work and how much to creativity? For young lawyers out there, after learning what they need to know to pass the bar, how do they develop these creative skills the professor talks about? 2. Professor Chemerinsky talks about a topic near and dear to my heart. At that is, essentially, the bad rap lawyers get. He points to you as an example of how an ethical lawyer and decent guy, (you) can also be highly successful. That being a successful lawyer requires “bad behavior” which is patently false. We can chew gum and walk—can you please talk about being successful and ethical at the same time? BOB: The book reveals that you were diagnosed with rheumatic fever and a possible heart problem at age 3, confined to bed until you were six. Your connection to the outside world was a radio with Jack Benny and a window that looked out onto a driveway where you could see kids playing. Do you remember those days, and do you think they played a role in shaping the adult you became? MARK: Like Chemerinsky, my favorite legal quote is “Justice, Justice, Shalt Thou Pursue.” Having read your book, alongside might be: “Sometimes, doing your best is your only reward.” I love that lesson for young lawyers.BOB: Tell our listeners about the Secody Murder Trial-you had only been a lawyer for 18 months and you have this major murder trial involving the native American community. Tough case for a young guy. MARK: As a side note, I was struck by your voir dire in that case and want to hear more. How does a trial lawyer get a potential juror to admit bias on voir dire?BOB: In the book, you indicate that you were influenced by Cecil Poole, Melvin Beli, and other prominent trial lawyers. You worked under Poole, who was the first African American US Attorney in the United States. Obviously, mentoring was important in your career. Is it still? BOB: In 1966, you switch sides after how long as a prosecutor? Tell us about the transition from prosecutor to criminal defense and civil plaintiff attorney?MARK: One of those cases involved representing two young black activists in the Oakland California poverty movement. Tell us about the case. What were they accused of? Why were they prosecuted? And what was the outcome?BOB: I’m an old newspaper guy. In 1968, at the age of 34, you handled a 1st Amendment case that literally would decide the fate of daily papers in America. Or, was it really an anti-trust case? There was a similar issue in Detroit when the News and the Free Press entered into a joint operating agreement. Tell us about your case and the outcome.MARK: In 1978, you take another 1st Amendment case, this one centering around the movie Born Innocent, starring Linda Blair of “The Exorcist” fame. Interesting issue in that case. The plaintiff attorney argued “People who see movies are inspired to act out what they see,” and argued for censorship. Lots of publicity in this one. Tell the story of an attempt to prove what you refer to in the book as “negligent imitation.” BOB: You were a prosecutor—prosecutors have a lot of power in making decision about whether to prosecute or not prosecute, what you call in

Having trouble with money and building wealth? Is there something more going on than simply not having enough cash to start with? Could it be something psychological? Really? Take a listen to this interview. Richard Friesen is the founder of the Mind Muscles Academy, and creator and developer of the innovative and exclusive “Mind Muscles™” training process that turns the psychology of money and wealth on its head. Richard works with financial professionals, independent traders, business leaders and entrepreneurs of all types who want to expand their mental game to make more consistent profits. With experience as a broker, floor trader, financial software developer and entrepreneur, he brings concrete real-world experience to his clients.Richard is offering a free course exclusively for our listeners that will help improve financial results. You can check it out at https://conversations.money/left.During the years dedicated to building Mind Muscles™, Rich was an independent consultant to the financial industry specializing in intellectual property development and management. He also founded and built ePIT Systems, a software company which produced internet exchange software solutions. And, before that, Rich founded, built and sold Trade Management LLC, one of the most consistently profitable options and equity trading firms on the floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange. Friesen is a popular speaker on the psychology of money management, politics and personal transformation. His latest book entitled: “A Private Conversation with Money” is available on Amazon.Here are some questions we discussed:Q. So are you saying that one reason why a lot of us haven’t been able to build as much wealth as we’d like has its roots psychologically? In other words, money makes us crazy?Q. You say that your training as a therapist opens the door to money behaviors that no longer serve us, yet we repeat them constantly. Please explain.Q. Tell us about the Mind Muscles Academy and the training process that you’ve developed. Q. What is the SET Awareness Workout?Q. Tell us about your book, A Private Conversation with Money. What’s that about?Q. You say that “Everyone can build new “Mind Muscles” designed to expand their personal awareness.” Please explain.Q. You wrote a blog, “Uncover Your Creative Victim in 15 minutes.” What’s that about?Q. You wrote another blog, “The Value of Information and Belonging.” It talks about filling our emotional need for “belonging” and our critical thinking need for surprises, reframes and challenges. Can you elaborate?Q. After all of this, what would you say are the keys to financial freedom?Q. What is the difference between financial success and failure?Q. You have an online course in which you present 10 money-liberating exercises. What are they? Q. You have an offer for my listeners. How can we take advantage of that.Q. How can people connect with you and find your book?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

What’s it like to be a liberal in a conservative state or a fantasy writer who’s also an English teacher at a time when books are being banned in some states?Terry Bartley is a journalism, literature, and English teacher at Scott High School in Madison, West Virginia, and writer of the upcoming collection of short stories, Tyranny of the Fey. Terry is the host of the podcast “Most Writers are Fans,” about the intersection between writing and fandom. He has professionally written for the Coal Valley News and Screenrant. He’s won awards for writing and broadcasting from the West Virginia Associated Press, the National Broadcasting Society, and MarCom. Terry has a B.A. in English from the University of Phoenix and an M.A. in English Education from Western Governor’s University.Living in West Virginia, Terry is an unabashed liberal who worked for the Obama Campaign in 2012. He’s done a lot of community and economic development work in Southern West Virginia, as well.Here are some questions we discussed with Terry: Q. Well, Terry, what’s it like being a liberal in conservative, Trump loving West Virginia?Q. What did you do for the Obama campaign? What was that like?Q. You’re a fantasy writer. Is it a fantasy to think that Joe Manchin will ever vote like a Democrat? Is he vulnerable in WVA?Q. Tell us about your community and economic development work in Southern WVA.Q. Let’s talk about your podcast. What’s it all about?Q. Now let’s talk about Tyranny of the Fey. Tell us about it.Q. What is there about colonization and institutional oppression that prompted you to write this book?Q. When will it come out and where will people be able to find it?Q. What are your thoughts about the effort by Ron DeSantis and others to restrict what books can be carried in school libraries and courses that can be taught in school?Q. Is it Trump or DeSantis in West Virginia? Or somebody else?Q. If Trump is convicted and sent to prison, would he still carry West Virginia?Q. West Virginia is a pretty religious state, right? How do those fundamentalists justify in supporting this man?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Check out the latest episode of The Dixie Dems, the Lean to the Left podcast episode that takes an irreverent look at politics in the South, as well as across the U.S, featuring Arthur Hill of North Carolina, Robert Thompson of Georgia, and myself in South Carolina.In this episode we take a look at the horrible abortion laws that are being passed in many red states, a right-wing effort in SC to restrict drag shows, developments in NC and GA involving the entertainment industry, and offer our thoughts regarding the GOP presidential sweepstakes.Will Trump succeed in garnering the Republican nomination despite his legal challenges or will someone else emerge as the GOP standard bearer. What if something happens to Biden? Who would the Democrats turn to?There was a CBS News/YouGov poll just published that showed Trump with a 30- point margin over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, with some additional revealing findings:Even though election deniers cost the GOP dearly in the 2022 election, this poll shows that a large majority of Republican-leaning voters continue to believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump and they want candidates who agree.While DeSantis is trying to claim Trump has electability problems, this poll shows that 75 percent of Republican-leaners say Trump’s supposed 2020 victory is sufficient reason to vote for him again, and 84 percent said Trump would beat Joe Biden. Only 38 percent said Trump could lose to Biden and that’s a reason to vote against him.Sixty percent said they prefer a candidate who does not comment about the January 6 insurrection, but 24 percent they support a candidate who supports those who entered the Capitol.Trump’s message of retribution against his enemies is supported by 32 percent of Republican-leaners, even if it’s at the expense of getting things done.Only 7 percent of Republican-leaners want a candidate who criticizes Trump.All of this and more is on tap in this episode. Check it out:Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The way things are today with so many divisions among us, sometimes it seems like we can’t even have a discussion about what’s going on in the world without being at each others’ throat. Today, we’re going to talk about that on the Lean to the Left podcast.Our guest is Corey Nathan, host of the popular podcast ""Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other," who's work is focused on collaborating with people across religious, political and social divides to help understand and repair some of our culture’s rancor.Corey started out as a stockbroker by day while studying at a theatre conservatory at night. Since then, he’s been an entrepreneur with one foot in creative pursuits having built such endeavors as a niche executive search firm; a theatre and film ensemble; a residential and commercial service company; a 501c3 to help folks during the pandemic; and most recently a new media/content company.Corey’s growing audience has been enjoying the engaging, provocative and fun conversations about these subjects on his podcast.During our interview, we talk some politics with Corey saying he thinks Ron DeSantis will flame out in his quest for the GOP presidential nomination, that Donald Trump will emerge as the nominee, but that former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Rep. Liz Chaney are interesting alternatives.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

What would you do if your child was bullied to the point where they decided life wasn't worth living…and so they committed suicide? In an instant, all of your hopes and dreams for your child would be gone. Could you have done something? What would you do now?That's what happened to Kirk and Laura Smalley, who lost their son, Richard Ty Field-Smalley, in 2010 following a bullying episode. After that, Kirk and Laura worked tirelessly to prevent other families from suffering the same pain and loss.They traveled all across the United States and visited several other countries spreading the message of love and support to children who need it, even meeting with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to talk about what can be done to ensure our children grow up safe and whole.In 2020,after suffering a brain aneurysm, Laura was reunited with her beloved son. Kirk knows they are still with him, giving him the strength he needs to continue his mission: to give our children a safe future where each one can grow into the amazing individuals they are meant to be.Kirk is our guest on both the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts, co-hosted by Bob Gatty and legal thriller author Mark M. Bello, who has just published a new children's book, "Happy Jack, Sad Jack--a Bullying Story."Smalley explains that while most reported bullying happens in the school building, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the bus. It can also happen travelling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the Internet.Bullying prevention in schools is a full-time exercise, he says, adding that for true change to take place, the culture of a school must be transformed. With a year-round bullying prevention program, clear expectations of faculty and staff and established guidelines for how to treat incidents, students and adults can be a part of a culture of caring.Ten strategies to prevent bullying in schools: Establish school-wide policies and classroom procedures pertaining to bullying that are distributed to students, parents, and teachers.Depict on bulletin boards and in hallways that school and classrooms are bully-free zones, and that students treat each other with respect.Develop strategies to recognize and reward positive social behavior.Speak with ALL involved in a bullying situation separately and in private.Develop separate intervention plans for children who are bullied, children who participate as bystanders, and children who bully others.Be mindful of class seating arrangements to promote positive role models and limit access.Hold periodic class meetings and assemblies to remind children of bullying prevention.Contact parents of all students involved in a bullying incident; meet separately with parents of each student to provide information about bullying; explain school’s bullying protocol; and address the specifics of the situation. Do not identify names of other students.Establish procedures for documenting episodes of bullying and intervention.Assign all students classroom allies/buddies and periodically re-arrange the assignments.Keeping kids safe online It’s important for parents to be informed about their kids’ digital lives, especially when it comes to issues that involve their safety. These simple tips can help make sure their online experience is a positive one.Use your router or internet service provider’s security app to configure child-safe internet filtering. This works just like the filtering system on library and public school computers and lets you control which websites your child can access.Blocking websites and keywords is the easiest way to ensure your child only has access to trusted internet content. You can block websites and keywords through your router or internet service provider’s security app. Another way to configure internet filtering is by only allowing your child access to certain websites and keywords. Rather than blocking specific content, you grant access to approved website URLs and keywords. This means all other content is blocked.Setting an internet schedule, or a window of time when your child has internet access, is another great option for keeping him or her safe online. Similar to blocking websites and keywords, you can set up access times through your router or internet service provider’s security app.Add your “trusted devices” to bypass parental control settings. Some internet service providers let you set your personal devices as “trusted devices.” These devices will be able to access websites blocked by parental control settings. This way, you can keep parental controls in place on your child’s devices while bypassing them on your own. Know the child safety laws in your state.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Mother’s Day is coming up soon and today we’re delighted to have as our guest Lynne Bowman, a mom, grandmother, and author of a healthy eating cookbook, “Brownies for Breakfast.”It’s Lynne’s second appearance on the Lean to the Left podcast. In the first episode, we talked a lot about how people with issues like diabetes can improve their health by improving their diet, cutting out sugar and bad fat. Lynne has been dealing with type 2 diabetes more than 30 years ago.Her mom died when she was in her mid-40s, so when she became a single mom and the sole support of three young kids, she knew she had to take aggressive steps so she would be around to take care of them. So, by modifying her diet, she’s been able to get by with a minimal daily dose of just one prescription.In her wonderful new cookbook, she shares tons of recipes that she’s created to help those with diabetes, and those who care for them, live a healthy life. It’s truly a beautiful book.Here are some of the questions we discuss in the show:Q. Mother’s Day is such an important occasion when we honor our moms and all they’ve done to care for their families. How did your diabetes affect you as a mom and what you knew you had to do for your kids?Q. What challenges are out there because of changes in the food industry that affect our diets today?Q. You say there is a “culture of crappy food,” where it becomes politically incorrect to eat the “wrong” things. What are you talking about?Q. Why is our life span now shortening, and what can we do about it? Do we really want longer lives?Q. On page 7 of your book, you say this: “You can improve your health, lift your spirits, help stop plastic pollution, save the earth, give your kids a better start in life…and save a boatload of money…all by fixing your food yourself. That’s a lot! What’s the secret to making all that happen?Q. But what about if you’re not a diabetic. Do you need to be concerned about all this stuff?Q. How can you still make tasty foods while losing the sugar? Q. What’s the big deal about plant-based foods? Seems boring and tedious.Q. I drink a glass of orange juice every day for breakfast. Is that a bad idea?Q. What should moms do when their schedule is crazy, they’ve got kids to manage, and yet they want to prepare healthy meals for their family? And dads…they need to pitch in, too, right?Q. What about family meals? Are they still important?Q. When I was growing up, my mom tried to have dinner ready for us at 5 pm. Is that still a good idea?Q. Tell us more about your book, “Brownies for Breakfast,” and where people can get hold of it.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.