Brainstormin Online! » Brainstormin' with Billy the Brain!: Recent Episodes
Bill Frank
The world’s second largest economy is showing danger signs. The Shanghai Composite index has fallen by a third in one month’s time.
The declines come despite desperate measures by the Chinese government to prop up stock prices.
More than 1,300 companies — representing about 40 percent of the value of companies on the mainland — have halted trading in an effort to stop the slide.
Between June 2014 and June 2015, the Shanghai Composite index rose by 150 percent. A big reason for the stock market rally was that a lot more people started buying stocks with borrowed money. This practice, known as "trading on margin." Margin trading used to be strictly regulated by the Chinese government, but Chinese authorities have gradually relaxed these requirements over the last five years.
What does this plunge in the Chinese stock market mean for the Chinese and the world economies?
Dr. Lei Mao explains the significance and predicts little contagion to other world economies.
Economists view the world differently than you and I, and their perspective often challenges our beliefs.
Some know economics as the “dismal science”. Stephen Dubner is anything but dismal, however. He’s co-written the Freakonomics series of books that make economics fun.
We tackle some of life’s perplexing problems from an economist’s point of view to provoke your thinking.
Did you know there’s a trait common to all creative people? Whether it’s Steve Jobs, Pablo Picasso, George Lucas, Thomas Edison or Henry Ford, they all share one thing—they’re highly emotional about what they create. Barnet Bain explores the connection between creativity and emotion and provides different ways to help others re-establish—or reconnect—with their inner creativity.
We discuss the implications of what this means for the individual and society, in general, from his book titled, The Book Of Doing And Being.
When you think of high-speed, high-impact businesses, you might think of Google, Facebook, Apple or Amazon. These four businesses, however, are the tip of the iceberg.
Jason Jennings believes businesses—including legacy, low-tech ones—can create urgency and growth in a nanosecond culture.
We discuss the implications business, the economy and society in general from his book, The High-Speed Company.
Oil and gas prices continue to fall to the some of the lowest levels in decades.
The availability of shale oil and gas available in the United States has lowered our overall dependence on foreign oil and driven prices downwards.
What impact will the falling gasoline prices have on the future of electric cars?
Joining me to discuss this issue is Michael Farkas, CEO of Car Charging Group, Inc.
At the outbreak of World War II, the United States was in no way prepared for war.
And, to defeat Nazi Germany, the Allies had to crush the vaunted Luftwaffe—the most powerful and battle-hardened air force in the world. No invasion of Europe could be fought without air superiority.
The United States was faced with the challenge of turning “amateurs” into an air force to take down the Luftwaffe.
Jay Stout has written the first in-depth examination of America’s most distinguished bomber group—the 303rd Bomb Group flying from Molesworth, England.
His book, Hell’s Angels: The True story Of the 303rd Bomb Group in World War II, chronicles America’s efforts to destroy Nazi Germany’s ability to wage war.
When you think of transformational businesses, you might think of Google, Facebook, Apple or Amazon. These four businesses, however, may be the tip of the iceberg.
John Sculley believes now is the best time ever to build a transformational business. Four digital technologies make launching a revolutionary business possible.
We discuss the implications to entrepreneurs, the economy, the Middle Class and to society in general from his book, Moonshot: Game-Changing Strategies to Build Billion-Dollar Businesses.
Nuclear power is the redheaded stepchild in the US Energy puzzle. An abundance of inexpensive oil and gas has put nuclear power on the back burner.
What is nuclear energy’s fate in the US? Is it the missing piece of the clean energy revolution?
Dr. Michaele Brady Raap believes nuclear energy deserves a better fate.
She’s the president of the American Nuclear Society.
China is, by far, the single biggest emitter of the mainstay greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in human history.
How it earned that dubious distinction is clear. China made the decision to become the world’s manufacturer. Every minute of every day during the mid-2000s Americans purchased about $460,000 dollars worth of Chinese goods.
Growing reports of labor and environmental malpractice surfaced during that same period of time, but American consumers shrugged off these reported violations in favor of cheaper good.
But is society better off because of this? Chip Jacobs argues, No.”
He looks at the environmental catastrophe happening in China and worries we’re rapidly reaching a point of no return in environmental damage.
In this constantly-connected, 24/7, three-screen world in which we live, there’s incredible pressure being put on traditional brands and brand marketers. We’re seeing decades-old brands—like Radio Shack, Nokia and Pontiac—disappear.
How will brands survive? And, which ones are more likely to survive?
Owen Shapiro is a futurist, market researcher and strategist for some of the world’s biggest brands.
We examine the future of brands and marketing from his latest book Brand Shift.
The US Economy is emerging from the Great Recession of 2008-2009 after five years of moribund GDP and job growth.
Thousands of US families were devastated by the economic downturn—many of them still recovering their losses.
While it’s impossible to predict these economic disasters, one can be better prepared to weather the consequences with proper financial planning and management. Bob Dickie runs a company that specializes in training people in sound financial practices according to “God’s financial principles.”
The 35-year old company proselytizes both its financial and spiritual message using the Internet.
We examine how a ministry can take advantage of the Internet to reach a wider audience.
You may not know it, but there’s an association of personal historians whose profession is to help others write their family history and personal journey.
Libby Atwater is a member of that society.
After years of helping others investigate and write their stories, she’s learned that everyone has a tale to tell and an interesting background. Often times, it simply takes a skilled person, such as herself, to ferret out the good stuff.
Now, she’s turned the microscope on her own life and written Part One of her memoir, What Lies Within.
Here’s a riddle for you. What do you get when you put three economic academics in a car with a GPS system and a mission to interview small business owners?
You get a book—in this case, Roadside MBA: Back Road Lessons For Entrepreneurs, Executive and Small Business Owners.
Co-author Paul Oyer and I explore some of these lessons to see if academics can apply economic theory to small business realities.
In an age of growing entitlement, you’re going to meet an author who believes we should “suck it up. Do our jobs. Do it right. Nobody is coming to save is. If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” His name is Ryan Holiday.
He’s drawn on the ancient philosophers of Stoicism and applied their principles to modern life in an attempt to show the universal truths of how to overcome obstacles.
We discuss his philosophy and show how you can use it to improve your daily life.
As the world shifts to more of a knowledge economy, companies that can attract and retain the best and brightest employees will be the winners.
The most highly sought-after executives will be those that can create an environment where employees can grow, contribute, and feel rewarded. Adam Bryant draws on interviews with more than 200 CEOs to offer business leaders the wisdom and guidance to move their organizations faster, quicker and more nimbly.
The book, Quick and Nimble: Lessons from Leading CEOs on How to Create a Culture of Innovation, taps into the collective wisdom of CEOs like Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, Tony Hsieh of Zappos, Angie Hicks of Angie’s List and Steve Case formerly of AOL. Adam uses his unprecedented access to the CEOs to map out best practices that other business managers can put into effect.
Those of us watching the evening news on television expect our reporters to be objective, professional and truthful when it comes to the stories they report.
But few of us stop to consider what goes on inside the head of these reporters we invite into our homes.
Melissa McCarty takes behind the facade that news reporters project on the camera. She brings humanity to the otherwise sterile persona most news people project from her book, News Girls Don't Cry
There’s a new meaning to the slogan, “Mile High City.”
In January 2014, Colorado made history to became the first US state to allow the legal sale of marijuana for recreational use—beginning what many believe will be the next great rush for Colorado’s economy.
CNBC is airing a special titled Marijuana In America: Colorado Pot Rush that will examine all sides of this groundbreaking new law.
Joining me to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the legalized marijuana roll out in Colorado is veteran journalist, Harry Smith.
Documentary director, Kasey Kirby, visited Santa Barbara, CA for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival where he debuted his latest movie, Dog Days. The documentary examines whether free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity through the lens of two food truck street vendors in Washington, D.C.
A recent Oxford University study argues that jobs are at risk of being automated in 47% of all occupational categories over the next 20 years.
Couple that with the fact that the proportion of American adults participating in the labor force recently hit its lowest level since 1978, and you can see there is an unemployment crisis looming.
How are governments and schools prepared to deal with this looming crisis?
Joining me today to discuss this is Joyce Gioia, one of this country’s most sought-after experts in human relations and employment trends.
Twitter is set to launch its Initial Public Offering later this week and it’s expected to raise $1 billion—depending on the IPO price. Twitter’s estimated market capitalization is between $17 billion and $20 billion.
Yet, like so many Internet companies before, Twitter makes no money. It generated a $69 million loss on revenue of $254 million for the first 6 months of 2013.
Why, then, is Twitter’s IPO so highly anticipated by Wall Street investors?
Julia Boorstin, CNBC's crack journalist covering media and entertainment is with me to discuss this.
A lot of attention is paid to excellence and quality among companies today.
When it comes to defining quality in the automotive industry—and, subsequently other industries, Dave Power literally created the standard.
He’s the founder of the J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction award and he joins us today to discuss the voice of the customer and his years as an eyewitness to automotive history.
The Jump-Start Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act is designed to encourage funding of United States small businesses by easing various securities regulations pertaining to acquiring capital—principally crowd funding and the number of shareholders a company may have prior to registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission. President Obama signed it into law in April 2012. Title II of the JOBS Act, concerning crowd funding, passed into law in September 2013.
Crowd funding is hailed as the revival of small business in America and reviled as the next great Ponzi scheme. Designed to help small business—the creators of most new jobs in America—start up more quickly and easily, will it live up to its expectations, or will it become the means by which to bilk unwitting investors?
Joining me to discuss the benefits of the JOBS Act is Greg Writer, the author of Saving America One Crowd @ A Time.
So much of our country’s attention has been focused on domestic policy since the Great Recession of 2007-2009 that foreign policy has taken a backseat to the recovery and the implementation of Obamacare.
Yet, it may be foreign policy that defines the success, or failure, of President Obama’s Administration.
The US response to events such as The Arab Spring, the nuclear buildup in Iran, Syria’s repressive regime, US-Russian relations, alleged NSA surveillance of Germany and Great Britain and Sino-American relations will have profound effects on the United States’ relationship with the rest of the world that last long after the memory of the Great Recession has been forgotten.
Bruce Herschensohn joins me to discuss how US foreign policy may be abandoning our allies around the world.
The Great Recession of 2007-2009 refocused many people’s relationship to money and redefined their financial goals.
It goes without saying that the average person’s attitude towards debt, retirement, investment and living a comfortable lifestyle changed during this period.
But, in what ways have these relationships changed?
Joining me to discuss this is Karrie Movsesian, a financial expert from Merrill Edge. She’ll share with us the exclusive findings of a Merrill Edge report from September 2013 that shows how Southern Californians have changed their attitudes towards money from even as recently as their last survey in the Spring of 2013.
Philip Giroux shared the common experience of losing both his parents. Being a landscape architect by training and profession didn’t prepare him for this loss. Furthermore, when he went looking for information on the subject, he discovered a dearth of material available. So, he and Sally Lamb decided to write a book to help others avoid the stress and confusion they experienced themselves.
Some claim TV is dead because of the Internet. Others believe the Internet adds a 3rd Screen viewing experience to television watching—the first two screens are the TV screen and the computer screen.
What TV’s always lacked for couch potatoes has been a way to interact with one’s favorite TV shows and characters. Previously, it’s happened ad hoc around the water cooler at work or out with friends.
Enter Stuart Crane who plans to use technology to unite fan bases worldwide to discuss and interact with their favorite shows.
Healthcare expert, Sally Pipes, provides The Cure For Obamacare during a candid discussion about the Affordable Care Act. Sally believes President Obama's end game may be for Obamacare to fail so he can push for a single-payer model as seen in Canada, Great Britain and throughout Europe.
As Congress struggles to pass a national budget, a similar budgeting nightmare is being played out in Ventura.
In Ventura’s case, a budget has been proposed and approved. The only problem? The budget is pure fiction, according to City Councilmember Neal Andrews.
In this fiscal year, Ventura will run a budget deficit of $1.6 million. The City has run budget deficits for the preceding 4 years ranging from a loss of half a million dollars to a loss of $11.4 million—cumulatively $21.6 million.
Joining me to explain the budget deficit is Bob McCord.
Coach Ron Tunick, owner of FirstAppTree.com, discusses business applications for mobile Apps and the burgeoning App industry.
Michael Farkas is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Car Charging Group, Inc.— a company dedicated to a clean, sustainable environment and an economically strong, energy-independent America. We discuss electric cars and his company’s plans to install, manage and maintain car chargers ubiquitously.
George Gilder is the father of Supply-Side Economics. He’s also the most quoted living author during the Reagan presidency.
He’s now says, “Forget about supply and demand,” he’s got a new theory of capitalism that’s revolutionary. We discuss his latest findings from his book Knowledge And Power.
Mike Hais is an authority on engaging Millennials—children born after 1982. We examine the impact this generation is having and will have on society.
Peter Godinez, the Xerox Ambassador, discusses coping with change in the rapidly evolving business world with me on the Ventura County Nightly Business Report.
Bob Patison is blazing the trail in the highly competitive world of cable TV. He’s president of MAV TV. Donny Caccamise, Tom Spence and I discuss television, advertising, entertainment and MAV TV’s connection to Lucas Oil.
The depletion of $7.7 million from the City of Ventura's Contingency Fund is one of the most under reported examples of "creative" accounting to mislead Ventura's elected officials and citizens that has come to light. Listen as I lay out the size and scope of the problem on The Lyn Fairly and Fabulous Friends radio show.
Johnny Crawford is the proud owner of—not one, but—two 1930 Chryslers.
He’s also a well-know actor appearing in The Rifleman re-runs on Memorable TV on cable.
Donny Caccamise, Tom Spence and I discuss his acting career, his musical career and his vintage Chryslers.
Adam Carolla is a pioneer in the automotive entertainment field with his show CarCast.
Donny Caccamise, Tom Spence and I talk cars with him and get his unique, “manly” perspective on the auto industry.
Larry Webster is the editor-in-chief of a venerable brand with a deep footprint in the automotive world. He oversees the longest-running automotive magazine in the United States.
He’s been hired to relocate his company’s offices from Newport Beach, CA, to Ann Arbor, MI—to place the company right in the middle of all the exciting developments the automotive industry has to offer.
Donny Caccamise, Tom Spence and I talk to him about the trends in the automotive industry that being the foremost authority on the subject gives him the perspective to see.
Mark Goulston is a former trainer of hostage negotiators for the FBI. He returns to the show to share his findings on what it takes to influence others. We examine his latest book on the subject, Real Influence.
Bill Watkins answers questions about his 2013 Economic Forecast for Ventura County. He elaborates on the non-existent job growth he foresees in 2013. He also expresses his concern over the weak economic recovery the economy has experienced, thus far.
Julia Brownley is the Democratic contender for the US House of Representatives from the newly formed 26th Congressional District that includes much of Ventura County—excluding Simi Valley. We discuss her platform and her campaign in the general election.
Bob Roper guest is a non-partisan contender for the Ventura County Board of Supervisors—1st District. We discuss his platform and his campaign for the general election on November 6, 2012.
Cecily Sommers is a futurist with an unorthodox background in medicine and dance, combined with experience in brand strategy and product development. We discuss what changes, what doesn’t and what’s next from her new book Think Like A Futurist.
Steve Forbes knows a little about both business and politics. He is an internationally respected authority in economics, finance, and corporate leadership. He also understands politics having campaigned twice for the Republican nomination for the presidency. We discuss why free markets are moral and big government isn’t, from his latest book, Freedom Manifesto.
Dan Kainen is attempting to change the book industry. While the attention is being focused on e-books, he’s concentrating on improving traditional print book with his patented technology The Motion Viewer. We discuss the first book of its kind that uses Photicular image processing titled Safari.
Chris Anderson is a business and technology visionary who changed business vocabulary forever when he coined the term The Long Tail. He’s focused his attention on the new DIY Maker economy. We discuss his latest thesis on the new Industrial Revolution from his book Makers.
Randy Bachman is a Rock ‘n’ Roll legend for his work with two super groups of the 1960s and 70s. Today’s he’s migrated into radio with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation with his own show which features the music he’s so passionate about. We discuss his latest book Vinyl Tap Stories: Stories That Rock From A Guitar Legend.
Ron Zayas is an entrepreneur who became frustrated with giving gift cards to friends and family, only to discover that some of them were never used, and others caused more trouble than they were worth. We discuss his latest venture, Gift Cards Online.
Danny Simon is a 35-year-plus veteran of the licensing industry and one of its true pioneers. Beginning with the television smash hits, Dallas and Dynasty, he was among the first to license adult prime-time shows and apply branding techniques to them. We discuss licensing American products and culture abroad as an engine of our economy.
Mike Stoker is the Republican candidate running for California State Senate. We discuss his bid for election in November.
Ann Coulter likes to—in her words—"stir up the pot" and does not "pretend to be impartial or balanced.” We tackle the issue of race relations in the United States on the eve of the 2012 Presidential election from her latest book, Mugged: Racial Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obama.
Jeffrey Solomon is the leader of one of the world's largest non-profit foundations—the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies. As more MBAs and businesspeople leave corporate America to work as social entrepreneurs, they need a road map of how to begin. We discuss his latest book The Art Of Doing Good.
Oliver Miles is the former British Ambassador to Libya. We discuss the turmoil in that country following the murder of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
Don McPherson received a big boost of confidence by being appointed Ventura Fire Chief after serving as Acting Chief since June. We discuss his vision for the fire department now that he’s at the helm.
Andrew Erlich is the nephew of one of Hollywood’s most astonishing silent screen actors, Jack Earle. We discuss the exceptional life of his uncle Jake Erlich, aka Jack Earle.
In an educational climate consumed with leaving no child behind and closing achievement gaps, the education system has neglected to raise the ceiling while we’ve struggled to lift the floor. Chester Finn takes us inside America’s most selective high schools to learn how high achieving students perform. We discuss his latest book Exam Schools.
Patricia Aburdene has transformed the lives of millions of people and countless companies through her social forecasts. She’s turned her attention to achieving prosperity by tapping into the power of values, consciousness and sound economic principles. We discuss her latest book titled Conscious Money.
Michael Lennon is a medical doctor, a futurist and author of The Next 2000 Days. We discuss his prediction of an easy victory for President Obama in the 2012 presidential election and what that victory means for the country and the world.
Robert Frank is former Wall Street Journal correspondent who’s transitioned to television with CNBC. This week marked the 1st Anniversary of Occupy Wall Street. We look back at the first year of the movement to determine its impact on US business and history.
Bruce Herschensohn is a fixture in American politics. He has received the Distinguished Service Medal, served as Deputy Special Assistant to President Nixon, and was appointed to the Reagan Transition Team. With the turmoil across the Arab world, we discuss his latest book Obama’s Globe: A President's Abandonment of US Allies Around the World.
Marc Eliot is a celebrity biographer who is known for his biography of Ronald Reagan during his Hollywood years, among many others. He’s turned his attention to one of America’s legendary movie stars—and a member of a Hollywood royal family. We look inside the business of show business by examining the biography of Michael Douglas.
Tony Nuzzo is a successful businessman whose career has crossed several industries and several decades. He’s distilled his business acumen into 50 short stories that connect business thinking with daily living. We discuss his insights contained in his book The Business PACT.
Roger Stone has been called the High Priest of Political Mischief. A Republican Party Consultant turned Libertarian; he’s influenced elections from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush. We discuss his defection to the Libertarian Party from the GOP and political tactics in the 2012 Presidential Campaign.
Sasha Issenberg takes us inside the war room of campaigns on both the left and the right to show how the smartest campaigns now believe they know who you will vote for even before you do. We discuss his latest book The Victory Lab.
Gene Griessman has made a study of successful people and, in the process, became an expert on the tactics successful people employ. He’s discovered some parallels and similarities between Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama that showcase what high achievers do. We discuss his latest book Lincoln and Obama.
Craig Unger writes about Karl Rove—a key figure in Republican politics for over a decade. We look at Rove’s influence on American politics—particularly his involvement in 2 crucial Supreme Court decisions that changed the country forever from his book Boss Rove: Inside Karl Rove’s Secret Kingdom of Power.
Ken Winans is the show’s investing guru. I invited him to return to the show to forecast what the financial markets for the balance of 2012.
Mike Tracy is Mayor of Ventura. We discuss the changes in City Hall following the resignation of City Manager, Rick Cole.
Dan Rather is an award-winning journalist who anchored the CBS Evening News for decades. He is one of America’s most decorated news journalists of all time. We discuss his 60 years in journalism from his memoir, Rather Outspoken.
Tara Ross is a staunch defender of the Electoral College in Presidential elections. During this election year, we examine the continuing need for the Electoral College from her book Enlightened Democracy.
Marian Merritt is an advisor to Norton on Internet safety. We discuss the new threats cropping up on the Internet in the 21st Century.
Cass Ingram has turned his attention to the 2012 US election. His latest book, Rigged, examines the fraud and dirty tricks being used to keep health freedom advocate Dr. Ron Paul off the Republican Presidential ticket and out of the Oval Office.
Senator Tony Strickland is the Republican contender for the US House of Representatives from the newly formed 26th Congressional District that includes much of Ventura County—excluding Simi Valley. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
Bruce Schneier is a security expert. When people want to know how security really works, they turn to him. We discuss enabling the trust society needs to survive from his book Liars & Outliers.
Margie Cochrane is new to the community. She’s the newly installed Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer for the Ventura County Star. We discuss her plans for the newspaper and journalism in the 21st Century.
Marilu Henner is a well-known actress and a producer who has a special gift. She was featured on 60 Minutes for her Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. We discuss how to uncover our pasts and take charge of our futures from her book Total Memory Makeover.
Jeanne Hopkins and Jamie Turner are gurus in the burgeoning area of mobile marketing. We discuss location-based marketing, apps and other mobile strategies to grow a business from their book Go Mobile.
Stephen Schochet has the “scoop” on many of Hollywood’s actors and legends. He’s compiled his accumulated knowledge into a fascinating book titled Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About The Stars And Legends Of The Movies.
Daniel Coyle has taken tips from the talent hotbeds he’s visited for the past five years: top music academies, sports teams, the Navy SEALs, Olympic training centers, and world-class businesses and schools. We discuss his findings that he condensed into a portable manual for coaches and success-oriented people titled The Little Book of Talent.
Niels Nielsen is a professor emeritus at Rice University in Religious Thought. He’s examined the role of religion and ethics among the Presidents of the United States. We discuss his latest book God in the Obama Era.
Ken May is a local computer services company owner, former radio show host and author of the book The Boss’s Guide to Smarter IT. We analyze the Winners & Losers in Google-Facebook-Apple Triangle.
David McCallum guest is known to television viewers as Illya Kuryakin in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and as Donald “Ducky” Mallard from NCIS—the #1 drama on television. He’ll be in Oxnard celebrating the Military Appreciation Dinner hosted by the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce. We discuss his many TV and film roles plus his strong connection to the military—particularly the Marines.
George Gilder wrote the Bible for Supply-Side Economics at the beginning of the Reagan Presidency in the early 1980s. He’s recently updated it for the 21st Century. We discuss why we need Supply-Side Economics today more than ever from his book Wealth & Poverty: A New Edition For The 21st Century.
Joyce Blonskij is a financial planner focused on the fast-growing segment of the computer industry—Cloud Computing. She breaks down cloud computing and discusses what to look for as an investor in these high-flying companies.
Jacques Ferraris lived under tyrannical rule in France in the 1930s and 40s. He worries that America is moving backwards while the rest of the world progresses. He sees a 2nd term by President Obama as the solution that will put America on the right track for the future. We discuss his findings in his book Obama 2012 for a Compassionate America.
Rob Walter is the challenger for the 35th Assembly District in the California State Assembly, which includes over half of the Santa Barbara County, as well as nearly a quarter of Ventura County. We discuss his bid to unseat the incumbent in the fall.
Bill Walsh puts a luster on the seemingly stodgy world of municipal bonds. With the economic uncertainty surrounding several California cities like Stockton, Mammoth Lakes and San Bernardino, we discuss why muni bonds may be the right investment for many people looking for safe returns on their investments.
Frans Johansson is an entrepreneur, an author, a speaker and an observer of business paradoxes. We examine the role of unpredictability and how one can seize opportunity in an unpredictable world from his book The Click Moment.
Lisa Bennett is an educator and an environmentalist. She explains how educators can cultivate emotional, social and ecological intelligence from her latest book, Ecoliterate.
Jordan Goodman is a former editor at Money magazine where he covered Wall Street. He bills himself as “America’s Money Answers Man.” He shares with us how to slash our monthly payments and become debt free from his latest book Master Your Debt.
Jim Charette is a high-energy consultant who challenges his clients to examine their beliefs and habits, expand their thinking, and realign their priorities. We discuss how he realigns one’s thinking based on his book The Answer Is Yes.
David Johnson is a political consultant who will break down presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s decision to select Representative Paul Ryan as his vice-presidential running mate. We examine Gov. Romney’s selection and discuss its merits.
Kerri Zane is a divorced, single-mother who’s had enough family trauma, male drama and kid adventures to fill a book—which she’s done. We discuss America’s changing perception about single-motherhood and the impact single moms have on society.
Chris Hillman has roots in gospel, folk, country and rock & roll music. He’s navigated the music scene from obscurity to the pinnacles of popular success eventually finding his own “groove” back in the folk/country rock where he began.
Dan Russell-Pinson embraces the App Economy. He’s created several of the top educational apps in the world. We discuss the App Economy, and how apps are changing the way we live, work and learn.
Tom Stanton has examined the financial crisis of 2007-2008 from a different perspective. He’s extracted the governance and management lessons learned from the crisis and distilled them in his new book Why Some Firms Thrive While Others Fail.
Stanley Kurtz argues there is a redistribution of wealth from suburbanites to city dwellers directed by the Federal Government to involuntarily amalgamate all suburbs into the inner cities they surround. We discuss how President Obama is robbing the suburbs to pay for the cities from his book Spreading the Wealth.
Brendan Miniter is the senior editor at The George W. Bush Institute is the policy research arm of the Bush Presidential Center and Library in Dallas, Texas. He’s polled a variety of scholars to solve the economic malaise the United States is suffering. We discuss what he learned in his book The 4% Solution.
Coach Ron Tunick is the CEO of Nation’s Transaction Service—a credit card processing company. He’s also a radio personality on KVTA every Saturday. We discuss the credit card processing debacle at this year’s London Olympics that left many fans at Wembley Stadium without any purchasing power.
Das Williams represents the 35th Assembly District in the California State Assembly, which includes over half of the Santa Barbara County, as well as nearly a quarter of Ventura County.
Assemblymember Williams lashes out at the Tri-Counties Central Labor Council for their allegations in the Ventura County Star.
David Wessel simplifies the complex—and often confusing—subject of the Federal Budget. He explains where the trillions of dollars come from, where they go and why inaction over the budget imperils our future from his book Red Ink.
Janie Hampton is the leading authority on the social history of the Olympic games in London. We discuss the 1948 Olympics based on her book The Austerity Olympics.
John Lott has conducted the most comprehensive data analysis ever on crime statistics and right-to-carry laws. His conclusions have drawn both lavish praise and heated criticism. We discuss his findings from his book, More Guns, Less Crime.
Joyce Gioia is a sought-after expert in human relations and employment trends. Her company—The Herman Group—tracks the trends of the job market in this country. We discuss an unprecedented event in human workplace history—workers 55+ outnumber workers aged 25-34 in the workforce and what it means for society.
Doc Searls believes we’re entering a new era of consumerism—one in which demand will drive supply far more directly, efficiently, and compellingly than ever before. We discuss his ideas contained in his latest book The Intention Economy.
Politics is very much in the news. Michael Ian Black has a long history writing and performing comedy. You may have seen him on the Comedy Channel, MTV or VH1. He’s partnered with Meghan McCain—that’s right, daughter of Senator John McCain—to pay tribute to America. We discuss the book titled America, You Sexy Bitch.
Rebecca Coffey is journalist who’s examined murderous rampages—such as the one at Aurora, CO. She’s concluded that “Criminals Are Made, Not Born.” We discuss her findings contained in her latest book, Murders Most Foul.
John McManus is an expert on one of World War II’s most infamous battles—the planned invasion of Germany code named Operation Market Garden. We talk about the failed attack from the American perspective from his latest book, September Hope: The American Side Of A Bridge Too Far.
Robert Zubrin is an outspoken critic of pseudo-scientists who assert that humanity blights the planet. We discuss his repudiation titled Merchants of Despair.
Maria Cardona is a top Democratic strategist for a leading public affairs firm in Washington, DC. We discuss the importance of the Latina vote in the 2012 election.
Andrew Roberts is a renowned historian who—among other things—commentated on Prince William and Kate Middlebury’s royal wedding with Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera of NBC’s Today Show. We focus our attention on the Greatest Generation as we discuss his latest book The Storm of War.
Dr. Sal Giorgianni believes men at risk for prostate cancer are the first victims of government-directed medical care. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force just axed the only test that detects prostate cancer. President Obama got a PSA test when he turned 50, but millions of American men won’t. We discuss the first example of healthcare rationing directly attributable to Obamacare.
Bill Davidow is a former Silicon Valley executive, explains how the almost miraculous success of the Internet Web has also created a unique set of hazards, in effect overconnecting us, with the direst of consequences for our political, economic, and day-to-day lives. We discuss his latest book Over Connected.
Jack Myers is considered a Media Ecologist. He’s examined the generation of 21.2 million Americans born between 1991-1995 and drawn some remarkable conclusions about this generation’s view on sex, politics and saving the world. We discuss his findings contained in his book Hooked Up.
Bob Zorn has thoroughly investigated a story ripped from the headlines. No—not today’s headlines—the headlines 80 years ago. He’s discovered the missing mastermind behind the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and tells all in his book, Cemetery John.
Steven Hintz is Ventura County's Treasurer. He discusses Ventura County's current financial situation, in light of the recent bankruptcies among California cities.
Ted Geltner writes about the top sports columnist of his generation—Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times. We peek behind the curtain to learn of the legendary sports writer’s life and career from his book the Last King of the Sports Page.
Robert Guffey has examined conspiracy theories from all angles to discover new connections between wide swaths of events. We discuss his latest work, Cryptoscatology.
Bob Brill is a news anchor with a global perspective. You’ll recognize his voice from KNX 1070 in Los Angeles. He’s a published author, in addition to being a newscaster. We discuss the massive dislocation of jobs as a result of the development of the Internet from his latest e-book No Barriers.
John Ellis believes we have a crisis of competence in the University of California educational system. He objects to the corrupting effect of political activism in the UC System. We discuss his findings based on a study by the California Association of Scholars prepared for the Regents of the University of California.
Troy Evans was convicted for bank robbery and served his sentence with some of the most hardened criminals in the federal penitentiary system.
He had to overcome significant obstacles to better himself, once he decided to change for the better.
He helps us understand the prisons in which we find ourselves, and how to overcome obstacles to reach our goals.
Joseph McClendon III has been a successful music mogul at CBS Records, an entrepreneur, a best selling author with Anthony Robbins and a peak performance coach to business professionals around the world. We discuss his ground breaking method to get happy in 10 minutes, feel happy in 10 days and be happy for life from his latest book, Get Happy Now!
David Cruz Thayne was a Democratic contender for the US House of Representatives from the newly formed 26th Congressional District that includes much of Ventura County—excluding Simi Valley. He returns to the show to help us handicap the election between Democrat Julia Brownley and Republican Tony Strickland.
Sylvia Muñoz Schnopp is a City Councilwoman in Port Hueneme. In a departure from her “day job” as the head of a consulting company, she has written an historical novel about a nearly forgotten period of Mexican history. We discuss her first book, Abandoned Angels.
Loral Langemeier is considered one of today’s most visible and innovative money experts. She’s put together a plan to help us start dreaming again about our financial futures and our dreams. We discuss her upcoming Millionaire Makeover Tour to put us on the right path for the future.
Seana-Marie Sesma is a “hot tamale.” She’s been selected to represent the Bell Arts Factory in the 2012 Dancing with our Community Stars Dance Contest & Charity Fundraiser. We discuss the contest and her connection to the Bell Arts Factory.
Kevin Allen knows a few things about advertising and marketing in the 21st Century. He developed the “Priceless” campaign for MasterCard. We discuss his proven way to win business and create a following from his book The Hidden Agenda.
Carmine Gallo is an expert on all things Apple. He’s examined Apple’s retail secrets and reveals the keys to building insanely great customer loyalty in his book The Apple Experience.
Peter Mullin is an international expert on 1930s French cars—and he has one of the world’s foremost museums of Bugatti and classic French cars right here in Oxnard.
Rohit Bhargava is a founding member of the world's largest group of social media strategists at Ogilvy—a top, worldwide advertising agency. He explains the unexpected truth behind earning trust, influencing behavior and inspiring action from his book Likeonomics.
Tim Clark believes we can become more entrepreneurial without becoming entrepreneurs and we can develop our careers by design rather than by default. We discuss how he’s applied a revolutionary methodology for examining careers from his latest book Business Model You.
Peter Ferrera believes the United States is hurling towards another recession in 2013. We discuss his dire predictions in his book Obama and the Crash of 2013.
Ed Hess says forget your assumptions about success and successful businesses. They’re wrong. He explains the mindsets, systems and processes utilized by high growth companies detailed in his book The Physics of Business Growth.
Danny Quintana is an immigration attorney and author. He explores the thorny issue of Immigration Reform in the United States. We discuss his solutions proposed in his book Caught in the Middle.
Local ophthalmologist, Dr. Paul Dougherty, is pioneering vision care to improve near vision in people with excellent distance vision that find themselves needing reading glasses. We discuss Presbylens Corneal inlays.
Dan Ariely explores the human capacity for both honesty and dishonesty. He explores where cheating comes from. We discuss his findings from his book The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty.
Steven Kotler believes “humanity is now entering a period of radical transformation where technology has the potential to significantly raise the basic standard of living for every man, woman and child on the planet.” We discuss his thesis contained in his book Abundance.
Gary Johnson is a Presidential Candidate in the 2012 election. He is also the former governor of New Mexico. He’s running on the Libertarian ticket. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
Hans Eysink Smeets is the managing partner of a worldwide retail strategy consultancy. He began his career in banking and now offers some advice for bankers from his latest book Porn For Bankers: What Bankers Can Learn From Porn.
Bill Hicks is the Director of the Casitas Municipal Water District—Division 1. He’s also a prominent Ventura citizen with an interesting background. Ww discuss the Water District and many aspects of his past.
Bill Watkins is the chief economist for CERF at California Lutheran University. Each year, he produces an economic forecast for Ventura County. He gives us a mid-year update on Ventura County’s 2012 economic picture.
Ed Klein has changed the lexicon surrounding the 2012 Presidential Election. He’s also penned this country’s #1 best selling. We discuss his scathing biography of President Barack Obama titled The Amateur.
Kevin Williamson is an editor for National Review. He uncovers the hidden politics of the welfare state and documents the historical evidence that it was created to keep Democrats in power. We discuss his latest book The Dependency Agenda.
Barbara Gaughen Muller is a book publicist par excellence. She tells us about her forthcoming speech to the Book Publicists of Southern California on the subject of publicity in the Internet Age.
Dr. Song Won Sohn, the man The Wall Street Journal once named the most accurate economist in the United States, gives his forecast for Ventura County's economy for the remainder of 2012.
Jason Jennings is an authority on leadership, growth and innovation. He explains how extraordinary companies pursue radical continuous change from his book The Reinventors.
David McAlvany forecasts what may happen to the Greek and world economies if Greece drops out of the Eurozone and returns to the Greek Drachma as its currency.
Doug Halter tells us what it takes to grow the Ventura Botanical Gardens from an embryonic idea to a public asset benefiting the community.
John Graham is a financial analyst in the healthcare field for the Pacific Research Institute. We discuss the possible outcomes of the Supreme Court’s ruling on Obamacare and their impact on healthcare, the economy and medicine.
Cynthia Montgomery offers a radically new perspective on any leader's most vital role—strategy. She defines organizational greatness in terms of a Great Leader fused with a Great Strategy. We discuss how to be the leader your organization needs from her book The Strategist.
Navi Radjou is an internationally recognized voice of business innovation and leadership. He explains how to think frugal, be flexible and generate breakthrough business growth from his latest book Jugaad Innovation.
Ozzie Zehner believes we’re looking at the energy problem backwards. We don’t have an energy crisis. We have a consumption crisis. We examine his views contained in his book Green Illusions.
Michael Casey believes our global financial system is broken and is destroying the Middle Class. We discuss his findings contained in his book The Unfair Trade.
David Limbaugh gives the definitive indictment against the Obama Presidency as he explains how President Obama is waging war on the Republic. We discuss his latest book, The Great Destroyer.
Cindy Cash is the daughter of Johnny Cash. She’s trying to keep the spirit and memory of her father alive with the help of a partner, Ross Emory. Together, they’re putting on the 4th annual Johnny Cash Music Festival—this year known as the Road Show Revival.
Ed Summers is the CEO of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. We discuss doing business in Ventura and how businesspeople can take advantage of what that organization has to offer.
Bruce Anderson is an expert in Cyber Intelligence and Internet Forensics. With this week's news about the Stuxnet Virus of 2012 and the Flame Malware of 2012, we discuss the disturbing facts about cyber threats on the Internet.
This is the opening screen and theme music for the Ventura County Nightly Business Report.
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Christy Weir is a non-partisan contender for the Ventura County Board of Supervisors—1st District. We discuss her platform and her campaign.
Bob Roper is a non-partisan contender for the Ventura County Board of Supervisors—1st District. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
Neal Andrews is a non-partisan contender for the Ventura County Board of Supervisors—1st District. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
Fred Eckert believes mainstream media is far too lenient towards the remarks by President Barack Obama. While the media portrays President Obama as brainy and knowledgeable, my guest will show that much of what the president says is “incredibly dopey.” We discuss his book That’s a Crock, Barrack.
Steve Bennett is a non-partisan contender for the Ventura County Board of Supervisors—1st District. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
Dion Hinchcliffe believes we need to rethink the modern organization in the social media era. Based on his research and work through the Dachis Group, he explores how the social, cultural, and technological trends provoked by the social media explosion are transforming every business environment. We discuss his latest book, Social Business By Design.
Jess Herrera is a Democratic contender for the US House of Representatives from the newly formed 26th Congressional District that includes much of Ventura County—excluding Simi Valley. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
Ken Druck help us keep a healthy outlook on all the political rhetoric we’ll be hearing between now and the election on November 6, 2012. We discuss the psychology behind the news we hear from his book The Real Rules of Life.
Dr. Pericles Lantz is a stem cell therapy expert. He’ll explain what stem cell therapy is, how it benefits users and tackle the confusion surrounding stem cell therapy in the minds of consumers.
Al Goldberg is a Democratic contender for the US House of Representatives from the newly formed 26th Congressional District that includes much of Ventura County—excluding Simi Valley. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
David Cruz Thayne is a Democratic contender for the US House of Representatives from the newly formed 26th Congressional District that includes much of Ventura County—excluding Simi Valley. We discuss his platform and his campaign.
Linda Parks is an Independent contender for the US House of Representatives from the newly formed 26th Congressional District that includes much of Ventura County—excluding Simi Valley. We discuss the negative advertising waged against her, her platform and her campaign.
Dan Frederickson is a Ventura businessman and serial entrepreneur. Until last year, he was Managing Director of OFFCO—the group that built, manages and maintains the newest office building in Ventura, 60 California Street. We discuss the building of 60 California Street and what it’s like to do business in Ventura.
Laurence Vincent believes branding lies at the heart of every great business. It is a strategic discipline that simplifies how people think about your organization, your products and your services. We discuss how smart companies live their brand promise and inspire customer loyalty from his book Brand Real.
Mitch Rothschild is a serial entrepreneur who’s started 6 web-based businesses. He’s created Vitals.com, a website where doctors are examined. We discuss his recent study on patient wait times and the impact the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) may have on the quality of healthcare.
Debra Benton is an internationally recognized communications and interpersonal relations expert. She coaches us on how to present ourselves using today’s technology as she teaches us how to act like a CEO online and offline from her book The Virtual Executive.
Harold Kwalwasser is the former General Counsel of the Los Angeles Unified School District. He knows something about remaking America’s schools for the 21st Century. We debate his solutions contained in his book Renewal.
Mike Tracy is Mayor of Ventura. We discuss issues surrounding water—specifically, Ventura’s proposed water rate increases and the connection to the WAV Project and the new water ordinances.
Brad Bjelke is a candidate for judge in California’s Superior Court, Place 4. We discuss his candidacy, the importance of judgeships and why citizens should be concerned about this race.
Bruce Piasecki believes the Age of Consumerism has blinded society to many of the simple truths we learned in our youth. Drawing heavily on Benjamin Franklin’s The Way To Wealth, he shows us the new way to wealth in the 21st Century from his book Doing More With Less.
William Bertram MacFarland describes himself as “a patriot, a soldier, a spy, and an assassin.” The description does not do him full justice. He is an amalgam of James Bond, Jason Bourne and Jack Ryan. We discuss his years of service as a Presidential Assistant during the John F. Kennedy Administration from his book Back Channel.
Harry Walsh is the serving judge for California’s Superior Court, Place 4. We discuss his candidacy for re-election, the importance of judgeships and why citizens should be concerned about this race.
Grant Cardone has been called The Entrepreneur for the 21st Century. He’s written several sales, motivational and success books. We discuss the only difference between success and failure from his book The 10X Rule.
Robert McCord is a local attorney and member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. National Safe Boating Week is May 19 to May 25. Locally a Safe Boating Week Expo is conducted at Station Channel Islands on May 12, 2012. In light of the recent boating deaths along California’s coast, we discuss boat safety and the role of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Rick Cole is Ventura’s City Manager. We discuss several hot topics around Ventura including the WAV project.
Gayl Murphy is known as the Celebritizer. If you’ve ever wanted to gain more media visibility or attention for your business or cause, she’s the one who can help you do it. We discuss her latest book titled Interview Tactics! How to Survive the Media Without Getting Clobbered! The Insider’s Guide to Giving a Killer Interview!.
Suz Montgomery and Doug Halter are deeply concerned about local politics. Both are residents of Ventura. Both have been vocal and active in local politics. We have a roundtable discussion about local politics.
Christy Weir explain the reasons she's running for the Ventura County Board of Supervisors in the November 6, 2012 election.
I'm joined by Captain Larry Vasquez, Naval Base Ventura County's new Commanding Officer to discuss military maneuvers at NBVC beginning on Monday and continuing through next Saturday.
Gayle Washburn is the mayor of Fillmore. We discuss what’s happening in Fillmore with Her Honor the Mayor.
Robert Evans has reported extensively from the region and is here to help make sense of a nuclear Iran and the threat it poses to the United States and the world.
Israel, the US and other Western countries believe Iran's nuclear program is a cover for developing atomic weapons.
Concern over what to do about Iran came to a head during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited President Obama at the White House.
Israel asserts his country's right to defend itself militarily against the Iranian nuclear threat.
President Obama prefers sanctions to military action in the region. A logical concern with US troops already stretched thin across the globe.
Recently, Iranian Officials Offered 'Permanent Human Monitoring' of Nuclear Sites softening earlier belligerent talk of closing the Straits of Hormuz if attacked.
Joan Lunden is no stranger to most of us. As the host of Good Morning America, we invited her into our homes for 17 years. Now she is an advocate for family caregivers with a new book titled Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Caregivers: 101 Stories of Love, Sacrifice, and Bonding.
Indra Nooyi at Pepsico, Ursula Burns at Xerox, Angela Braly at Wellpoint, Irene Rosenfeld at Kraft Foods, Michelle Gass at Starbucks, Beth Comstock at GE and Virginia Rometty at IBM are women in key positions at major US corporations.
And women are rising to key positions in business all around the country—and it’s not going to change.
What’s less clear is the interaction between men and women in the workplace. Much of it revolves around the different communicating styles of men and women.
To help us make some sense of these differences is Mark Goulston—a former trainer of hostage negotiators for the FBI.
He’ll share communication skills and techniques—based on what he used in life-or-death situations. Mastering these skills will accelerate your career.
Michael Klare explains the global scramble for the world's last resources in his book The Race For What's Left
Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks explains why she is running for the US House of Representatives from California's 26th District.
Meg Hirschberg knows first-hand about life inside a startup and the impact of business on a family. She's the wife of Gary Hirschberg, founder and CEO of Stonyfield Yogurt—the nation's leading organic yogurt manufacturer. She'll discuss balancing work and life from her book For Better Or For Work.
Ever wonder what happens to all the data collected on you each day—from your credit card purchases, to your membership card purchases to your browsing on the Internet?
Katherine Albrecht has thought about it a lot and is concerned—very concerned. Maybe by the end of this discussion, you’ll be concerned, too.
Ever wanted to know what it takes to be unstoppable? Cynthia Kersey knows. She's researched unstoppable people for seven years. We'll discuss powerful stories of perseverance from her book Unstoppable.
Paul Polak revolutionized how to help people lift themselves out of poverty. He developed an ingenious, affordable irrigation system that improved the lives of millions.
He shares with us what works to resolve poverty when traditional approaches fail from his book titled Out of Poverty.
Kevin Cope has discovered the 5 proven drivers that lead to business success. He’s encapsulated his knowledge into a new book, Seeing the Big Picture. We get the “secret sauce” of business success for entrepreneurs, business leaders or employees looking to get ahead in their organization.
We hear about it frequently. A decorated soldier—a war veteran—sees the futility of war and speaks out against it.
Paul Chappell is one of those veterans. An Iraqi veteran, he now advocates for a peaceful revolution to sweep the planet.
Alex Mandossian is a highly successful Internet marketer, trainer, author, and international motivational speaker. His unique methodology and techniques have generated over $233 million in sales and profits for his clients. We discuss membership sites as a tool to generate Internet revenue.