Milt Rosenberg

Oh, Chicago. Where did we go wrong? With our shocking fiscal crisis, looming and potentially crippling property tax hikes, rampant crime, out flight of businesses and youth, crumbling infrastructure, education system mired in corruption and under performance, rising cost-of-living…the list of ills goes on and on. What can Chicago teach the rest of the nation?…

Richard Lindberg is one of the foremost authorities on Chicago history. He’s written multiple, fine books on some of the lost history of this city. In his latest book, Gangland Chicago, Richard talks gangsters. From the organized crime outfits to vice to booze and gambling and all that these endeavors entail, this is the book…

After the thoroughly depressing and emotionally exhausting events from Paris last week and lengthy discussions of them this week, we turned to one of our refuges–movies. Here we talk about some of the greatest directors. We’re joined in studio by our mainstay of film talks, John Kupetz of Medill and the College of Lake County,…

On this show we again investigate the events of another devastating attack on the French capitol. We’re joined in studio by W. Rand Smith of Lake Forest College, a political scientist who studies French politics and Daniel S. Kamin, adjunct professor of International Relations at DePaul. Via phone we check in with Fred Kagan of…

Like the rest of the civilized world, we were horrified by the weekend’s events in Paris. Immediately we moved to bring you the most sober and informed analysis possible. In this episode, we’re joined by to fine academics who study terror and its machinations–John Allen Williams of Loyola and Barry Kellman of DePaul–in studio. Via…

What began as a show on the political world at large and the insanity on the campuses (campi?) of American colleges quickly turned into a discussion of the events in Paris, again, following the attacks on a concert venue and other locations Friday evening last. Charles Lipson of the University of Chicago and Richard Baehr,…

“Quotation, n: The act of repeating erroneously the words of another.” So said Ambrose Bierce, at least we hope. In this entry, we discuss some of our favorite quotes. This show could’ve been the length of a week, but we confine it here to one episode along with Gary Saul Morson of Northwestern and David…

Yet another debate was held in Milwaukee and we are on the scene to tell you who won and who lost. Several under-performing candidates have left the big table, and Ben Carson and Donald Trump are at the top of the leaderboard as of this writing. To discuss, we have in studio Dick Ciccone and…

Jim Baggott is an influential science writer. A scientist himself by training, he has turned toward a career in the commercial world as a successful author who popularizes complex scientific theories by making them, well, understandable. His latest, Origins: The Scientific Story of Creation, is a concise history of how we got here, how life…

Dark Matter. How does it differ from Dark Energy? What role has it played in mass extinctions throughout history? To answers those and many, many more questions of cosmological and biological import is Dr. Lisa Randall, one of our nation’s most esteemed physicists and professor at Harvard. Her latest book, Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs:…

When most of us think of the supernatural in the Catholic religion, we think of the Shroud of Turin, or sightings of Mary, or exorcisms. These are just the big ones in a limitless line of claims which the Church must investigate. John Thavis has years of experience working in the Vatican as he was…

When most people hear the name of the town ‘Salem’ they immediately think, “Witches!” To be sure, that is the legacy of Salem in the minds of the masses. But beyond the wrongful execution of some young women for practicing witchcraft and sorcery, most people know nothing. Stacy Schiff is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and…

Here we continue with our series on American music. Today we examine Gospel music. Joining in studio are Bob Marovich, founder and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Gospel Music and the author of the recently published A City Called Heaven: Chicago and the Birth of Gospel Music. Our second in-studio guest is the esteemed Dr.…

With too many quotes to possibly pick one that would sum up his greatness, we won’t try. Instead we present this delightful talk on Mark Twain, his work, his legacy, his wit and his wisdom with two local professors who have studied Twain in depth. Larry Howe teaches Twain in his English courses at Roosevelt…

There’s much going on in the world at the moment, and instead of bringing you a themed show, we thought we’d look to those whose writings on it we admire. And, of course, a little music. First up to join is Bret Stephens, the Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign-affairs columnist at the Wall Street Journal. His latest…

If Chicago’s the Second City, New York is the first to be sure. So where does that leave Washington, D.C.? Without it, what would we be? But we’re not so concerned with prestige on this particular program as we are with what events, characters, considerations and compromises gave birth to these two superpowers of influence…

By most accounts, the third GOP debate was a circus which strangely pitted the Republican candidates banding together to fend off their foes–not the Democrats, but rather their moderators from CNBC. To shed light on the proceedings–if there was any of political value–we turn to a fine panel. In studio, Richard Baehr and Ed Lasky…

English. Our mother tongue. Recently we tackled the Great American Novel, so naturally it merited occasion to look toward Britain. In this episode we discuss the periods from medieval British Literature to the Victorians. Our panel here is a delightful trio from academia, namely Micael Clarke of Loyola, Lesley Koredecki from DePaul, and Regina Schwartz…

Sometimes there are too many moving parts to a program and we need to digress and decompress. Philosophy is a vast field, with limitless options for study and discussion. One person with whom we’ve been meaning to sit down with is Dr. Sanford Goldberg, the Chairperson of Philosophy at Northwestern. So at first opportunity, we…

As you know we are always keen to keep abreast of all of the latest political news. One member of our Political A-Team is Joseph Morris, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General and all-around polymath. We brought him to the show to discuss the upcoming election and the candidates on both sides, the troubles in the…

It’s no secret that Russia is and has always been a propaganda state. Their efforts to control information and influence public opinion at home and abroad are are aggressive and extensive. But Putin’s Russia has a greater goal: to control the internet–the greatest tool in bringing about a total surveillance state. But there’s another side…

What a week it’s been in the political world. Hillary Clinton was back on the Hill again testifying about Benghazi. U.S. troops engaged in the Middle East. Assad visited Putin in Moscow. Putin’s troops continued their assault on ISIS. A wave of terror and retaliation once again grips Israel. Joe Biden dropped out of the…

Dr. Philip Jenkins has written extensively on the ‘Lost Gospels‘. In this newest book, The Many Faces of Christ, he takes on the notion that these books on the life and divinity of Jesus were never really accepted by the church. To the contrary, they were openly and regularly discussed by early church fathers and…

8 Men Out. Shoeless Joe Jackson. Even the most casual baseball fan will know a bit about the 1919 Chicago White Sox–or Black Sox*. But what is the true story behind the scandal? As we all know, Hollywood often takes liberties with the facts when producing a feature length film. And how did that World…

Often when studying history we focus on the major figures. This is no less true in American history, where we may discuss founding fathers, maybe Lincoln, or the great generals of our wars. But one man who was very much a major figure who has been overlooked with the passage of time is Henry Clay.…

Well, not all of it. But today we discuss traditional jazz. Joining Milt in studio is a very talented and traveled jazz guitarist and scholar, namely Michael Allemana. He brought with him a collection of recordings and a vast knowledge of the genre. We go from the beginning up until the mid 40’s or so.…

Somehow the French became the butt of jokes for decades in this country. But the truth is, there would hardly be an America as we know it if it weren’t for French thought and, considering the Marquis de Lafayette, a healthy portion of French might. So as the France many of us loves prepares to…

And then there were five. Will there be a sixth soon? At any rate, the first Democratic debate is in the books and we are here to bring you the finest analysis of what transpired. Who has taken the lead? Who fell on their face? What issues will take the fore as we move forward?…

Dr. Sherry Turkle is a renowned professor who has written extensively on how technology affects the way that humans communicate. You have no doubt experienced how communication has changed as you look around and see people not looking at each other, but rather at their phones. So just how has technology changed human interaction? Is…

Most people know the name Rod Blagojevich. But his brother Robert—Fundraiser A from the title of his new book–was also square in the crosshairs of the U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. He has plenty to say about his ordeal, his brother, corruption, and the justice system. Also joining is a longtime friend of the program Dick…

Christians and Yazidis and other minority groups are being butchered in the Middle East. This is not up for debate. It is a fact. Who are the Assyrians? Why are they being targeted? Who are the Yazidis? Why are their women and children being tortured, forced to marry ISIS fighters, and driven from their homelands?…

With the news of yet more shootings at American schools, we thought it time to move beyond the debate on guns. What is wrong in American culture that has led us to this disturbing phenomenon? The patient is clearly sick. What are the causes that have manifested themselves in this, seemingly, uniquely American symptom of…

When Civil War generals are discussed, most often they are Grant and Lee. But of course both sides had able and noteworthy commanders. One of the most revered on the Confederate side is Stonewall Jackson. S.C. Gwynne has written a very readable history of Jackson, and joins us here in part one to talk about…

Words, language, communication. It’s one of our favorite topics. Language can be beautiful, frightening, coarse, forceful, and arresting and, when under the employ of a master, it is like “wine upon the lips”, according to Virginia Woolf. In the photograph that accompanies this entry is a rendering of the Tower of Babel. As the story…

Russia has moved militarily into Syria, ostensibly to fight ISIS, though those in the know say its true aim is to bolster the Assad regime. Whatever the case may be, the red line was crossed by president Assad a long time ago and ISIS has done nothing if not grown in strength over the past…

Chicago is rife with fascinating libraries and collections. Many of those are located on campus on any number of the fine institutions of higher learning in the area. We invited three professionals in the field to discuss what they do, how they acquire their wares, and to talk about their collections. Included here are Kevin…

We never tire of Chicago crime stories. Professor John Hagedorn is one of the foremost authorities on gangs, gang culture, the drug trade and organized crime in the city of Chicago and beyond. He has just had published his latest work, The In$ane Chicago Way, a fascinating story of an attempt by Latin gangs to…

This program has never made secret its support of the State of Israel. Once again, Israel finds itself in a precarious national security setting as the debate rages on the recent Iran nuclear deal and the migration catastrophe that is engulfing huge swathes of the Middle East. To discuss the current state of the State…

Jay Nordlinger is that most valued sort of journalist: a true intellectual. Not only does he cover politics as the Senior Editor of National Review, he’s also a fine music critic. Nordlinger has a curiosity that lends itself well to writing books. He recently asked himself what might have become of the children of some…

Richard Nisbett is one of the most influential social psychologists in the world. One of his many talents is his ability to explain the inner workings of the mind in plain language, and to explain why we do some of the things we do, why one group acts the way that it does, and how…

Winston Churchill said of capitalism, “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” Our esteemed guest, Dr. Philip Kotler–the great economist from Northwestern–says that capitalism is still the best system, but that it has to “have a heart”. In his latest…

Recently we did a program on the genius of Shakespeare, which got us thinking: why don’t we do a program on the kings of England? There’s no shortage of historical information and anecdotes about them, and they are utterly fascinating. So we gathered some of the best scholars in the area to discuss just that.…

The second GOP debate is in the books. Carly Fiorina is, by most accounts, the big winner, with Donald Trump still standing tall. We turned to several members of the Political A-Team, namely Richard Baehr of American Thinker, Dr. Charles Lipson of the Political Science Department at the University of Chicago, and Joseph Morris, former…

Gilbert Gaul is a two time Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative journalist who has now turned his eye toward the business of college football. Now that the new season is underway, we thought it time to bring him on to discuss his fantastic new work, Billion Dollar Ball: A Journey Through the Big-Money Culture of College Football.…

John Drummond has been on this program and its various iterations a number of times. He always has a story from his days as the venerable crime reporter at CBS2 here in Chicago. Perhaps no man knows the ins and outs of organized crime as much as he does. On this program, we were pleased…

Every child has heroes. The firefighter, the police officer, the soldier. History is rife with tales of the heroic warrior or the quiet and stoic figure who stood tall in the face of oppression. What is a hero? Can anyone be a hero? Must a hero engage in battle against tremendous odds and to emerge…

A good politician knows how to deliver a speech that pulls at the heartstrings. An effective politician knows how to work in a joke or some clever wordplay to put the people at ease. And then there’s the political gaffe, which can sink a campaign or make a mockery of one’s rule. Rich Rubino is…

One of the great humanitarian crises of this still young century is the mass of refugees seeking asylum in Europe. They have blazed trails from various war-torn nations and are knocking on the doors of Germany, France, Hungary and others in the hopes of finding new lives in the new world. To help us understand…

Dick Ciccone is one of the members of Milt’s Political A-Team. He’s also a decorated war veteran, a college professor, a fantastic author, journalist and newsman, and a helluva golfer. He spent decades in the business, including as managing editor of the Chicago Tribune. He’s one of the most fascinating people to ever have appeared…

Though church attendance in this nation has declined over the last several decades, by and large Christianity is still the predominant religion in this nation. But Christianity has not just influenced American values and culture. It has, as our guest James Papandrea writes, changed the world for the better. Along his co-author Mike Aquilana, he…

Joseph Califano is a politician, educator and public servant with decades of experience. He was Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, he was with the Defense Department, and he was–and still is–one of the champions of the anti-drug crusade. But he may be known most for his time working alongside President Lyndon B. Johnson as…