Podcasts about american character

Author Lawrence Perelman shares his book "American Impresario William F. Buckley, Jr., and the Elements of American Character".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On any given day, you could pick 20 American movies that would show a different cross section of the complex contradictory conflicting aspects of the American character. Today, Secret Movie Club founder.programmer Craig Hammill picks 20 including 1928's King Vidor directed The Crowd, the biting 50's satire Ace in the Hole, 70's masterworks like Husbands, Girlfriends, Nashville, Killer of Sheep, Black Caesar, and more recent works that wrestle with American identity like He Got Game, Better Luck Tomorrow, Nomadland, and Killers of the Flower Moon (+many more). On this 4th of July, Secret Movie Club tries to aid the American experiment by taking a look at how our national character has expressed itself in our cinema. 

Sometime ago I had the pleasure to have as a guest a gentleman named Rob Wentz. Rob appeared in episode 212 on March 8, 2024. Recently Rob introduced me to a man he described as amazing and definitely unstoppable. That introduction led to me having the opportunity to have today, Ken Kunken, the man Rob introduced me to. Ken's story is atypical to most. He had a pretty normal childhood until he went to Cornell. Rob was pretty short, but he loved all things sports and active. In his junior year he participated in a lightweight football game against Columbia University. On a kickoff he tackled an opponent but broke his neck in the process. Immediately he became a quadriplegic from the shoulders down. As he tells us, his days of physical activity and sports came to an abrupt end.   I asked Ken how he dealt with his injury. As he tells me, his family rallied around him and told him they were all there to help with whatever he needed to continue in school and to move on with his life. They were true to their word and Ken did continue to attend school after nine months of hospitalization. He secured a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering. He went on to get a Master's degree from Cornell in Industrial Engineering and then a second Master's degree this time from Columbia University in Psychology as he decided he really wanted to “help people especially those with serious disabilities” rather than continuing in the Civil Engineering arena. Ken then secured a job that led to him becoming a successful rehabilitation counselor in New York.   Ken wasn't done growing nor exploring. After two years working in the rehabilitation field through circumstances and advice from others, he went to Hofstra school of law where he obtained a Juris Doctor degree in 1982. He then went to work in the office of a district attorney where, over 40 years he progressed and grew in stature and rank.   Ken tells us how his life changed over time and through the many jobs and opportunities he decided to take. Twenty-two years ago, he married Anna. They ended up having triplet boys who now all are in school at the age of Twenty.   Ken is as unstoppable as it gets. He refused to back down from challenges. He is now retired and loving the opportunity to be with his family and help others by telling his story.     About the Guest:   In 1970, while a junior in Cornell University's College of Engineering, Ken Kunken broke his neck making a tackle on a kick-off in a lightweight football game against Columbia University. Ken sustained a spinal cord injury at the C 4-5 level, rendering him a quadriplegic, almost totally paralyzed from the shoulders down. Ken spent more than 9 months in various hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. While still a patient, Ken testified before a United States Senate Sub-Committee on Health Care, chaired by Senator Edward Kennedy. In 1971, almost 20 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ken returned to the Cornell campus, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering. Ken estimates that he had to be pulled up or bounced down close to 100 steps just to attend his first day of classes.   Ken is the first quadriplegic to graduate from Cornell University. Upon graduation, Ken decided to change his career goal. He wanted to work with and help people, particularly those with disabilities. Ken went on to earn a Master of Arts degree at Cornell in education and a Master of Education degree at Columbia University in psychology. Ken is the first quadriplegic to earn a graduate degree from Cornell University. In 1977, Ken was hired by Abilities Inc. in Albertson, NY to be its College Work Orientation Program Coordinator. Ken coordinated a program which provided educationally related work experiences for severely disabled college students. He also maintained a vocational counseling caseload of more than 20 severely disabled individuals.   While working at the Center, Ken became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor and made numerous public presentations on non-discrimination, affirmative action and employment of the disabled. In 1977, Ken was named the Long Island Rehabilitation Associations “Rehabilitant of the Year” and in 1979 Ken was the subject of one of the Reverend Norman Vincent Peale's nationally syndicated radio broadcasts “The American Character”. Wanting to accomplish still more, Ken enrolled in Hofstra University's School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1982. Ken then went to work as an assistant district attorney in Nassau County, Long Island.   Ken was promoted a number of times during his more than 40 years with the District Attorney's Office, eventually becoming one of the Deputy Bureau Chiefs of the County Court Trial Bureau, where he helped supervise more than 20 other assistant district attorneys. In addition, over his years working in the Office, Ken supervised more than 50 student interns.   In 1996 Ken received the Honorable Thomas E. Ryan, Jr. Award presented by the Court Officers Benevolent Association of Nassau County for outstanding and dedicated service as an Assistant District Attorney. In 1999, Ken was awarded the George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award presented by the Hofstra Alumni Association, Inc. Beginning in 2005, for nine consecutive years, “The Ken Kunken Most Valuable Player Award” was presented annually by The Adirondack Trust Allegiance Bowl in Saratoga Springs, NY, in recognition of Ken's personal accomplishments, contributions to society and extraordinary courage.   In 2009, Ken became a member of the Board of Directors of Abilities Inc., and in 2017 he became a member of the Board of Directors for the parent company of Abilities Inc., the Viscardi Center.   In 2020, Ken was inducted into “The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame,” as a member of the class of 2019.   In December 2023, “The Kenneth J. Kunken Award” was presented by the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, for the first time, to an outstanding Nassau County Assistant District Attorney who personifies Ken's unique spirit and love of trial work, as well as his commitment and dedication, loyalty to his colleagues and his devotion to doing justice. The Award will be presented annually.   In March 2024, Ken was named one of the Long Island Business News Influencers in Law. Ken retired from full-time employment in 2016, but continued to work with the District Attorney's Office for the next eight years in a part time capacity, providing continuing legal education lectures and litigation guidance.   For years, Ken has tried to inspire people to do more with their lives. In October 2023, Ken's memoir “I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story” was published. In 2003 Ken married Anna and in 2005 they became the proud parents of triplet boys: Joey, Jimmy and Timmy. On June 23, 2023 the triplets graduated from Oceanside High School, fifty-five years after Ken had graduated from the same school. Ways to connect with Ken:   https://www.facebook.com/ken.kunken https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566473121422 https://www.instagram.com/ken.kunken/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-j-kunken-b4b0a9a8/ https://www.youtube.com/@Ken.Kunken https://bsky.app/profile/kenkunken.bsky.social   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hello once again, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. I am your host, Michael hingson, and today we have a fascinating guest, I believe. Anyway, his name is Ken. Kuan, kunken. Am I pronouncing that right? Yes, you are. Oh, good. And Ken, in 1970 underwent a problem when he was playing football and doing a tackle on a kickoff. Namely, he broke his neck and became a quadriplegic, basically from the shoulders down. I'm sort of familiar with the concept, because my wife, from birth was in a wheelchair. She was a paraplegic, paralyzed from the t3 vertebrae down, which was like right below the breast, so she was able to transfer and so on. So not quite the same, but a lot of the same issues, of course, and we're going to talk about that basically, because when you're in a wheelchair, like a lot of other kinds of disabilities, society doesn't tend to do all they should to accommodate. And I can, can make that case very well. Most people are light dependent, and we have provided reasonable accommodations for them by providing light bulbs and light on demand wherever they go, wherever they are, whatever they do, while at the same time for people who are blind, we don't get the same degree of access without pushing a lot harder. And people in wheelchairs, of course, have all sorts of physical issues as well, such as stairs and no ramps and other things like that. And I know that Ken's going to talk some about that from university days and my wife Karen face some of the same things. But anyway, we'll get to it all. Ken, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. And I think your wife, Anna is visiting with us also, right, right? Thank you. Michael, so Anna, welcome as well. Thank you so Ken. Why don't we start if we could by you telling us sort of about the early Ken, growing up and all that from being a child, and tell us a little bit about you.   Ken Kunken ** 03:40 Okay, well, if you're going back to my childhood area, Yeah, it sure is. It's quite a while ago, but I was born in 1950 and that happened to be in the midst of the polio epidemic, and unfortunately, my mother contracted polio and died when I was less than one month old. So I have an older brother, Steve, who's two years older than me, and my father brother and I ended up moving in with my grandparents for a few years before my father remarried when I was four years old. A long shot. But what's your birth date? Right? My birth date is July 15, 1950 on   Michael Hingson ** 04:23 February 24 1950 So, okay, was was just kind of hoping there was the possibility, right? Anyway, go ahead.   Ken Kunken ** 04:30 So, um, during my father's second marriage, that's when my sister Merrill was born. She's 10 years younger than I am, but unfortunately, that was not a happy marriage, and it ended in a divorce. And when I was 18, my father married for the third time. So you know, growing up in a household with a number of individuals seemingly coming and going was a little different than most people's   Michael Hingson ** 04:57 households when they were growing up. How. Was that for you?   Ken Kunken ** 05:01 Well, you know, it was nice in the sense that I got involved with a lot of different family members in my extended family. I'm very close, growing up with my grandparents, with aunts, uncles, cousins, as well as my sister and brother. And you know, I had the opportunity to interact with a lot of different people. It was difficult during my father's second marriage, because it was not a happy marriage, and, you know, it worked out in everybody's best interest when that ended in divorce. But I look back at my childhood, and I just basically call it as a very happy childhood?   Michael Hingson ** 05:42 Oh, good. Well, so no real major traumas, certainly differences, but no real harrowing kinds of things that just threw you into a complete topsy turvy at least as far as you're concerned, right? Yeah. Well, then you decided to go to Cornell, as I recall, and I know Cornell has a, I think it's a master's program, but an advanced program in hospitality. So did they feed you well at Cornell?   Ken Kunken ** 06:13 Yes, they had a very good system and fed us very well. And they have a program in hotel management, right, which I was not involved in, but there was a lot of good food at Cornell when we were there.   Michael Hingson ** 06:28 Well, that's that's always important, you know, you got to have good food at UC Irvine. We were okay. Food wise. I was on the food committee for the dorms, actually, and the food was all right, but when they had steak night that they always made a big deal about the steak was usually pretty tough, and so we we had sometimes that the food wasn't great, but they had a great soft serve ice cream machine, so lot of people took advantage of that. But anyway, so when you were at Cornell, you played football,   Ken Kunken ** 07:01 right? I was on their lightweight football team. It's for people that were smaller than the heavyweight team. When I was playing, you had to weigh 154 pounds or less two days before the game. So most of the people had played on their high school teams was too small to play on the varsity college team, but it was a varsity sport. Most of the people were very good athletes and very fast, and it was very competitive sport.   Michael Hingson ** 07:35 So tell us about that and what happened.   Ken Kunken ** 07:38 Well, during my junior year, I was injured making a tackle on a kickoff in a game against Columbia University, and when I tackled the ball carrier, I broke my neck and damaged my spinal cord, and as a result, I'm a quadriplegic. I'm almost totally paralyzed from the shoulders down,   Michael Hingson ** 08:01 and so, what kind of effect? Well, that clearly that that was pretty bad news and so on. So what kind of effect did that have on you, and how did that shape what you did going forward?   Ken Kunken ** 08:15 Oh, it totally changed my perspective on everything about myself. I mean, growing up, my life seemed to center around sports. In high school, I played on the varsity football team. I wrestled on the varsity wrestling team. I played on four different intramural softball teams. I worked on the summer as a lifeguard. Everything in my life revolved around athletics and being physically active. Now, suddenly, I couldn't be physically active at all. In fact, I am totally sedentary, sitting in a wheelchair, and I need assistance with all my activities of daily living now.   Michael Hingson ** 08:54 So what did you do when the injury happened and so on? So how did you deal with all of that?   Ken Kunken ** 09:01 Well, it was a really difficult adjustment to make. I mean, suddenly I became dependent on everybody around me, because there was not one thing I could do for myself. So it was very difficult knowing that now not only was I dependent on others, but I had to be more outgoing to be able to have asked for help when I needed it, which was difficult for me, because I had always considered myself a bit of shy person, a bit of an introvert, and now I needed to be more vocal with respect to all of my needs. So I swear, go ahead. Well, I spent the next nine months and 20 days in various hospitals and rehabilitation centers, and it was really, really difficult getting used to my new physical condition.   Michael Hingson ** 09:52 But at the same time, you could have taken the position that you just hated yourself and you just wanted to I. Make life end and so on. And it doesn't sound like that was the approach that you took.   Ken Kunken ** 10:04 Mike, I was so fortunate that I had a very supportive family who were with me and helped me every step of the way. In fact, they basically assured me that they would act as my arms and legs to make sure I could still do everything I wanted to do in my life   Michael Hingson ** 10:22 doesn't get much better than that, having a real supportive village, if you will.   Ken Kunken ** 10:27 Right? I was so fortunate, and you know, I think that helped me be able to do many things in my life that most people thought would not be possible for someone in my condition, and I was able to do it because of the help I received from my family.   Michael Hingson ** 10:44 So what did you major in at Cornell? Let's say, before the injury.   Ken Kunken ** 10:50 I before my injury, I was majoring in industrial engineering, okay? And you know, after my injury, I went back to school and continued my studies in industrial engineering and actually obtained my degree, a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering.   Michael Hingson ** 11:08 Now, what primarily is industrial engineering?   Ken Kunken ** 11:12 Well, you know, it's kind of a technical aspect of dealing with men, material, machines, and, you know, most likely working at a business where there are a lot of different people working there, where you would try and find out what the best way of people to operate, whether it be in a factory or just in a large business setting, when you're dealing with technical aspects of the job. But I never actually worked as an engineer, because, following my degree, based on the recommendation of one of my psychology professors, I stayed at Cornell and pursued a career in counseling. And I find that a lot more suitable to not only my physical condition, but what I really wanted to do. Because, following my injury, I knew that what I really wanted to do was to devote my life and career to helping others.   Michael Hingson ** 12:08 So you very well could have made the same switch and made the same choices, even if you hadn't undergone the accident,   Ken Kunken ** 12:17 absolutely and hopefully, I would have, because I found it a lot more enjoyable, and I believe it taught me a lot about dealing with people, and it made me feel very good about myself to know that I was still in a position, despite my disability, where I could help others.   Michael Hingson ** 12:40 So you stayed at Cornell and got that master's degree in counseling, which, which really gave you that opportunity. What did you do after that?   Ken Kunken ** 12:50 Well, to increase my counseling credentials, I then went to Columbia University, where I obtained my second degree. This one was also in counseling. That degree was in psychological counseling and rehabilitation, and I decided to look for a job in the rehabilitation counseling field. And now that I had two degrees from Cornell and one from Columbia, three prestigious Ivy League degrees, two master's degrees, I didn't think I'd have much difficulty securing employment, but to my dismay, no one would hire me. This was in the mid 70s, and everyone seemed to feel I was just too disabled to work.   Michael Hingson ** 13:32 Now, why did you go to Columbia to get your second degree, your masters in rehabilitation,   Ken Kunken ** 13:39 you know? And incidentally, it that was the school I actually was injured against during the football   Michael Hingson ** 13:44 I know that's why I asked the enemy, right?   Ken Kunken ** 13:47 Yeah, but I actually applied there for my doctorate, doctorate in counseling psychology. And initially I didn't get into that program, but they invited me to participate in their master's program, and said that they would reconsider my application when I finished that degree. Now, I thought that was a special letter that I got from them because of my injury, and I thought they just wanted to see me that I could do graduate work. As it turned out, virtually everybody that applied for that program got a similar letter, and when I first met with my advisor there at Columbia, he said, you know, if you didn't get in the first time, you're probably not going to get in even when you graduate. So since I had nothing else to do at that point, I enrolled in the master's program, and I completed my second master's degree. And you know, at the time, even my advisor was pessimistic about my work prospects, wow, just because of my ability, because of my disability, and despite. Fact that here they were training people to be rehabilitation counselors and encouraging people to go into that field, they felt that due to my disability, I would still have a very difficult time gaining employment,   Michael Hingson ** 15:14 which is as ironic as it gets,   Ken Kunken ** 15:17 absolutely, absolutely and I was just very fortunate that there was a facility on Long Island called abilities Incorporated, which was part of what was then called the Human Resources Center. Is now called the Viscardi Center, after its founder, Dr Henry Viscardi, Jr, and they hired me to work as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for other individuals who had severe disabilities.   Michael Hingson ** 15:46 I'm a little bit familiar with the buscardi Center, and have found them to be very open minded in the way they operate.   Ken Kunken ** 15:54 They were terrific, absolutely terrific. And I was so fortunate to get involved with them, to be hired, to work for them, and, you know, to be associated with all the fine work they were doing it on behalf of helping other individuals with disabilities.   Michael Hingson ** 16:13 So was it primarily paraplegics and quadriplegics and so on, or did they do blind people and other disabilities as well.   Ken Kunken ** 16:21 They did a lot of different disabilities, but they did not work with people that were visually impaired. For that in New York state, there was a special agency called the commission for the visually handicapped that helped people with visual impairments, but we dealt with all different types of disabilities, whether people were hearing impaired or had not just spinal cord injuries, but other disabilities, either from birth or disabilities that they developed through diseases. And as it turned out, I was probably one of the most severely disabled of the people that I dealt with.   Michael Hingson ** 17:02 Well, but you were also, by any definition, a good role model.   Ken Kunken ** 17:06 Well, I was fortunate that I was able to help a lot of different people, and I felt that when they looked at me and saw that I was able to work despite my disability, I know it encouraged them to do their best to go out and get a job themselves.   Michael Hingson ** 17:24 And of course, it really ultimately comes down to attitude. And for you, having a positive attitude had to really help a great deal.   Ken Kunken ** 17:34 I think it made all the difference in the world. And I was very fortunate that it was my family that instilled that positive attitude in me, and they gave me so much help that after a while, I thought I'd be letting them down if I didn't do everything I could do to make something out of my life.   Michael Hingson ** 17:53 So what did you do? Well, not only   Ken Kunken ** 17:57 did I go back to school and complete my education, but I went to work and, you know, got up early every day, and with the aid of a personal care attendant, I was able to go to work and function as a vocational counselor and help others in trying to achieve their goals.   Michael Hingson ** 18:17 Now, were you going to school while you were doing some of this?   Ken Kunken ** 18:20 No, I finished my second okay, and now was able to work full time.   Michael Hingson ** 18:27 Okay, so you did that, and how long did you work there?   Ken Kunken ** 18:32 Well, I worked there for a little over two years, and you know, my duties and responsibilities kept expanding while I was there, and one of my duties was to speak at conferences before groups and organizations concerning affirmative action and non discrimination for people with disabilities. And often after my talks, I would be asked questions, and while I would do my best to respond appropriately, I was always careful to caution the question is that they should really consult with a lawyer about their concerns. And I guess it didn't take long before I started to think, you know, there's no reason why I couldn't become that lawyer. So after a little over two years, I decided to leave the job, and I went to Hofstra University School of Law.   Michael Hingson ** 19:20 So now what? What year was this?   Ken Kunken ** 19:24 I left the job. I started the job in 77 I left in 79 when I started law school.   Michael Hingson ** 19:32 Okay, so you went to Hofstra,   Ken Kunken ** 19:35 right? And while I was at Hofstra through my brother's suggestion. My brother was working as a public defender at the time, he suggested I do an internship at the district attorney's office. So after my second year of law school, I did an internship there during the summer, and I found a new way. I could help people and serve the community as a whole, and I really enjoyed that work. So when I was in my third year of law school, I applied for a full time position with the district attorney's office, and I was very fortunate that the district attorney was a very progressive, self confident individual who based his hiring decision on my abilities rather than my disability.   Michael Hingson ** 20:27 Wow, that had to be, especially back then, a fairly, as you said, progressive, but an amazing thing to do, because even today, there are so many times that we get challenges and too many things thrown in our way, but you had someone who really thought enough of you and obviously decided that your abilities were such on the job that you could do   Ken Kunken ** 20:51 it. I was very fortunate to have come in contact with the district attorney at the time. His name was Dennis Dillon, and he seemed to know that when I'd go to court, a jury was not going to base its verdict on my inability to walk, but rather on my skill and competence as an attorney. And thanks to the training and guidance I received in the office, I became a very confident and competent, skilled trial attorney   Michael Hingson ** 21:22 well, and it had to be the way you projected yourself that would convince a jury to decide cases in the right way. So again, kudos to you.   Ken Kunken ** 21:33 Thank you. Well, I certainly did my best to do that, and at the time that I applied for this job, I didn't know of any quadriplegics that were trial attorneys. May have been some, but I didn't know of any. Certainly there were none on Long Island, and certainly no assistant district attorneys at the time that I knew of who were quadriplegics.   Michael Hingson ** 21:59 Now, of course, the question that comes to mind is, so was the office accessible?   Ken Kunken ** 22:05 No question. And you know, let me just go further by telling you that my first day in court, I couldn't even fit through the swinging doorways in the courtroom. They were too narrow to let me get through to get to the prosecutor's table, because my electric wheelchair was too wide.   Michael Hingson ** 22:24 What did you do? Or what happened?   Ken Kunken ** 22:27 Well, eventually they had to take off the swinging doorways and the screws and bolts that kept them in place, but usually I had to go very roundabout on a long way to get to the back of each courtroom and go through the back, which was really difficult. And one of my assignments happened to be to our traffic court Bureau, which was in a neighboring building on the second floor, and unfortunately, there the elevator was broken. So after three days, I was actually received my first promotion, because they didn't know when it would be fixed. But eventually I was able to get into court, and I did a lot of litigation while I was   Michael Hingson ** 23:10 there. How did judges react to all of this?   Ken Kunken ** 23:15 You know, it was very new to them as well. And you know, there are times when you needed to approach the bench and talk very quietly, you know, to so the jury wouldn't hear you, and it was very difficult, because benches are elevated, yeah. And I had difficulty approaching the bench or even turning my head side enough to look up at the judges and then for them to hear me. And sometimes they would have to get off the bench, and, you know, meet me on the side of the courtroom to have conferences and but for the most part, I thought they were very supportive. I thought they appreciated the hard work that I was doing, and I think they tried to be accommodating when they could.   Michael Hingson ** 23:58 Did you ever encounter any that just were totally intolerant of all of it,   Ken Kunken ** 24:02 sure, you know, many of them were very impatient. Some of them had difficulty hearing and when I was trying to look up and talk to them without the jury hearing, some of them had trouble hearing me because, you know, they were much higher up than I was in my wheelchair. So it was very challenging.   Michael Hingson ** 24:23 I was involved in a lawsuit against an airline because they wouldn't allow me and my guide dog to sit where we wanted to sit on the airplane, which was in direct violation of even the rules of the airline. And when it went to court, the judge who was assigned it was a federal judge, and he was like 80, and he just couldn't hear anything at all. It was, it was really too bad. And of course, my and my wife was was with me, and of course, in her chair, so she wasn't sitting in a regular row. And he even grilled her, what are you doing? Why aren't you sitting in a row? And she said, I'm in a wheelchair. Oh, yeah, it's amazing that hopefully we are we have progressed a little bit from a lot of that the last thing. So, yeah, the lawsuit was 1985 so it was a long time ago, and hopefully we have progressed some. But still, there are way too many people who don't get it, and who don't understand nearly as much as they should, and don't internalize that maybe we're not all the same, and we can't necessarily do everything exactly the same every single time,   Ken Kunken ** 25:35 right? And you know, I had the added misfortune of having my injury 20 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, and that made an enormous difference for not just people in wheelchairs, but people with all different types of disabilities.   Michael Hingson ** 25:53 So how did you, in general, learn to deal with people's perceptions of you, rather than the reality? Well, that is a lot. Yeah, there are lots of perceptions, right?   Ken Kunken ** 26:07 You know, many people think that because you have a physical disability, that you must also have an intellectual disability. And people would often come into my room and wherever I was, whether it was when I was first in the hospital or later at the office and speak to the person next to me and ask them questions about me, as if I couldn't speak for myself, yeah, even as if I wasn't even there. And it took a while for me to be more outgoing and convince people that, yes, they can deal with me. You know, I can still talk and think. And I think whenever a jury came into the courtroom for the first time, I think they were very surprised to see the prosecutor as somebody with a disability who was sitting in an electric wheelchair.   Michael Hingson ** 26:56 I know once we went to a restaurant, and of course, having a family with two people in two different disabilities, went to this restaurant, and we were waiting to be seated, and finally, Karen said the hostess is just staring at us. She doesn't know who to talk to, because I'm not making eye contact, necessarily. And Karen, sitting in her chair is way lower. And so Karen just said to me, Well, this lady doesn't know who to talk to. So I said, Well, maybe we can get her to just ask us what what we want and what help we need. Are carrying on the conversation. Got this, this nice lady to recognize. Oh, you know, I can talk with them. And so she said, Well, how can I help you? And we both kind of said we'd like to sit and have breakfast. Oh, okay, and it went well from there. But it is, it is a challenge, and people have crazy perceptions, I know, going down the stairs at the World Trade Center on September 11, when I encountered the firefighters coming up for a while, they blocked me from going because they decided that I needed help, and they would, they would ask me questions, like, we're going to help you. Is that okay? And I said, No, it's not. But they always talked loud, because if you're blind, you obviously can't hear either, right? And it was difficult to get them to deal with all of that. And finally, I had to just say, Look, I got my friend David over here, who can see we're working together. We're fine, and they let us go because I had a sighted person with me, not that I had the ability to go downstairs, even though I had to help keep David focused sometimes, and also, there's no magic for a blind person to go downstairs. You know, you go down the stairs, you hold the rail, you turn left there, in this case, and you go down the next batch of stairs. But people don't recognize that. Maybe there are techniques that we use to deal with the same things that they deal with, only in a different way.   Ken Kunken ** 29:03 Absolutely, and that applies to work as well. I mean, people assume that if you can't do a job the way most people seem to do it, who don't have a disability, they automatically assume you're not going to be able to function at all at the job. Yeah, and a lot of times, it takes a lot of convincing to show people that there are other ways of approaching a problem and handling a work situation.   Michael Hingson ** 29:27 One of the common things that we as blind people face, and it happens in schools and so on, is, Oh, you don't need to learn braille that's outmoded. You can listen to books that are computer generated or recorded and so on. And the reality is, no we need to learn braille for the same reason the sighted people learn to read print, and that is, it's all about learning to spell. It's learning about sentence structure and so on, and it's learning about having better ways to be able to truly enter. Interact with the text as I tell people, I don't care what anyone says, you will not learn physics as well from recordings as you can by truly having access to everything in a braille book, because you can refer back easier, and they've done some improvements in recording, but it's still not the same as what you get when you do Braille, which is the same thing for you reading print, or any other sighted person reading print. You read that print because there are various reasons why you need to do that, as opposed to learning how to just listen to books recorded anyway,   Ken Kunken ** 30:36 right? Well, I had the added misfortune of being injured well before they had laptop   Michael Hingson ** 30:41 computers. Yeah, me too. Well, I yeah, not. I wasn't injured, but yeah,   Ken Kunken ** 30:46 right. So trying to do my schoolwork or later work at a job, you know, it posed even more challenges. Now, of course, having ebooks and being able to use a computer, it's made a big difference, not just for me, but for many individuals.   Michael Hingson ** 31:04 Sure, do you use like programs like Dragon Naturally Speaking to interact with the computer?   Ken Kunken ** 31:10 You know, I tried that, and I had a lot of difficulty with it. I know you need to train it. And when I first tried it, which was in its infancy, it just wasn't responding well to my voice, so I don't use that. I've been fortunate with that with advancements in wheelchairs, my wheelchair now has a Bluetooth device connected to my joystick, and I could actually move my left arm a little bit where I could work the joystick and move the mouse on my computer, moving my joystick. You   Michael Hingson ** 31:45 really might want to look into dragon again. It is just so incredibly different than it was years ago. I remember when Dragon Dictate first came out, and all of the challenges of it, but they have done so much work in developing the language models that it's it's a whole lot better than it used to be, and, yeah, you have to train it. But training isn't all that hard nowadays, even by comparison to what it was, and it gives you a lot of flexibility. And I am absolutely certain it would recognize your voice without any difficulty?   Ken Kunken ** 32:22 Well, it's good to hear that they've made those advancements,   Michael Hingson ** 32:26 and it's not nearly as expensive as it used to be, either. Well, that's good   Ken Kunken ** 32:30 to hear. I know when I first tried it, it was incredibly frustrating, yeah, because it wasn't responding well to my voice, and   Michael Hingson ** 32:38 it was like $1,500 as I recall, it was pretty expensive right now, it's maybe two or $300 and there's also a legal version of it and other things like that. Yeah, you really ought to try it. You might find it makes a big difference. It's worth exploring Anyway, okay, but be that as it may, so you you dealt with people's perceptions, and how did you, as you continue to encounter how people behave towards you, how did you keep from allowing that to embitter you or driving you crazy?   Ken Kunken ** 33:15 Well, you know, certainly at work, I needed to go in a jacket and tie, and I found that when you're wearing a jacket and tie, many people treated you differently than when you're just wearing street clothes. So I think that certainly helped that work. But I later became a supervisor in the district attorney's office, and people saw that, you know, not only could they talk with me on an intellectual level, but they saw I was supervising other assistant district attorneys, and I think that convinced a lot of people pretty quickly that I knew what I was doing and that they should treat me no different than they would any other lawyer, Assistant District Attorney.   Michael Hingson ** 33:59 Yeah, well, and it is projecting that confidence in a in a positive way that does make such a big difference,   Ken Kunken ** 34:08 absolutely. And I think when people saw me at work, one of the things that I appreciated was I never even needed to mention again that somebody with a disability could work, and not just at an entry level position, that a very responsible position. I was convinced them, just by showing them, without ever having to mention that somebody with a disability could do this kind of work.   Michael Hingson ** 34:35 I never bring it up unless it comes up, and a lot of times, especially when talking on the phone and so on, it never comes up. I've had times when people eventually met me, and of course, were themselves, somewhat amazed. I'm a blind person and all that I said, nothing's changed here, folks. The reality is that the same guy I was when you were just talking to me on the phone. So let's move forward. Word. And mostly people got it and and dealt with it very well.   Ken Kunken ** 35:08 Well, I used to have a lot of people, when they meet me for the first time, were very surprised to see that I was in a wheelchair. I never would say, Boy, you didn't sound like you were disabled. Yeah, right. And I think they were very surprised when they met me.   Michael Hingson ** 35:23 I've had some people who've said that to me, Well, you didn't sound blind on the telephone. And so depending on how snarky I feel or not, I might say, Well, what does a blind person sound like? And that generally tends to stop them, because the reality is, what does a blind person sound like? It doesn't mean anything at all, and it's really their attitudes that need to change. And I know as a keynote speaker for the last 23 years, just by doing the things that I do, and talking and communicating with people, it is also all about helping to change attitudes, which is a lot of fun.   Ken Kunken ** 36:03 You know, Michael, when I first went back to college, I was approached by a student on campus, and when he asked if I was Ken kunken, and I responded that I was, he asked, aren't you supposed to be in the hospital? Now, you know, I was very tempted to say yes, but I escaped. Please don't tell anyone. But you know, it even took a while to just show people, somebody with a disability does not need to be permanently in a rehab facility or a hospital or staying at home with their families, that there's an awful lot somebody could do and to be seen out in public and show people that you can work, you can go to school, you can do basically what everybody else does once you're given the opportunity.   Michael Hingson ** 36:55 Of course, being spiteful, my response would have been, well, yeah, I should still be in the hospital doing brain surgery, but I decided that I didn't want to be a doctor because I didn't have any patients, so I decided to take a different career, right? Oh, people, yeah, what do you do? And we all face it, but the reality is, and I believe very firmly and have have thought this way for a long time, that like it or not, we're teachers, and we do need to teach people, and we need to take that role on, and it can be difficult sometimes, because you can lose patience, depending on what kind of questions people ask and so on. But the reality is, we are teachers, and our job is to teach, and we can make that a very fun thing to do as we move forward, too.   Ken Kunken ** 37:44 You know, Michael, I found most people really want to be helpful. Yeah, a lot of times they don't know how to be helpful or how to go about it, or what to say or what to do, but most people are really good people that want to help. And you know, the more they come in contact with somebody with a disability, the more comfortable they will feel   Michael Hingson ** 38:04 right, and they'll learn to ask if you want help, and they won't make the assumption, which is, of course, the whole point.   Ken Kunken ** 38:14 You know, Michael, when you leave the job the district attorney's office, you would go through what they call an exit interview, where they would ask you what you thought was the best part of the job, what you thought could be improved. And I'm so happy and proud to say that I was told that a number of assistant district attorneys said that one of the best parts of their job was meeting and getting to know and working with me. And the reason why I wanted to highlight that was I know they weren't talking about me being Ken kunken, but me being somebody with a disability. Because unless they had a close relative with a disability, people rarely came in daily contact with somebody with a disability, and for them, it was often a revelation that they found helped motivate and inspire them to work harder in their job, and they were very appreciative of that,   Michael Hingson ** 39:12 but they also learned that the disability wasn't what defined you. What defined you was you and your personality and what you did not necessarily exactly how you   Ken Kunken ** 39:24 did it, absolutely. And I think it was also a revelation that working with me did not involve additional work for them, right? I was able to carry my own weight, and often was more productive than many of the people I was working with. Right?   Michael Hingson ** 39:42 Well, and I think that's a very crucial point about the whole thing. When you became a lawyer, did that change your view of yourself? I mean, I know it was a kind of an evolution that got you to being a lawyer. But how did becoming a lawyer and when go. Answer, and getting the law degree and then working in a law office. How did that change your perceptions and your attitudes and outlook?   Ken Kunken ** 40:06 You know, it really changed it a great deal, because I had people look at me with a very different eye when they were looking at me. You know, I enjoyed my work as a vocational rehabilitation counselor very much. And I encourage people to do that work. But I felt that there were people that looked at me and thought, you know, he has a disability. Maybe he could only work with other people had disabilities. And I was very proud of the fact that when I became a lawyer, I was working with very few people that had disabilities. Most of them were able bodied. And I wanted to show people that you're not limited in any way with who you're going to work with and what you could do. And I think it's so important for people to keep their perceptions high, their expectations high when they're dealing with individuals, because just because somebody has a disability does not mean they cannot perform and do as much as virtually anybody else on the job   Michael Hingson ** 41:14 well, and you clearly continue to have high expectations of and for you, but also I would suspect that the result was you had high expectations for those around you as well. You helped them shape what they did, and by virtue of the way you functioned, you helped them become better people as well.   Ken Kunken ** 41:38 Well, I certainly tried to and from the feedback that I've gotten from many of the people I worked with, that seemed to be the case, and I'm very proud of that. In fact, I might add Michael that two years ago, the district attorney, now her name is Ann Donnelly, actually started an award in the district attorney's office that's given out annually that they named the Kenneth J kunken award. They named it for me because they wanted to recognize and honor the outstanding Assistant District Attorney each year who displayed the work ethic and the loyalty and devotion to the office as well the person in the wheelchair, right? And I'm very proud of that,   Michael Hingson ** 42:25 but I will bet, and I'm not trying to mitigate it, but I will bet that mostly that award came about because of the things that you did and your work ethic, and that the wheelchair aspect of it was really somewhat second nature. And far down the list,   Ken Kunken ** 42:41 I'm very proud of the fact that that seems to be the case and and one of the aspects of that award was they talked about the effect that I had on my colleagues, and the beneficial effect that that was Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 42:56 because the reality is, it ultimately comes down to who you are and what you do and and I'm not, and again, I'm not mitigating being in a wheelchair or having any kind of disability, but I really, truly believe ultimately the disability isn't what is not what defines us, it's how we are and what we do and how we behave in society that really will be what helps us make a mark on whatever we're involved with,   Ken Kunken ** 43:28 right? And I think for some, as I say, it was a revelation to see that somebody with a disability had the same needs, wants and desires as everybody else. We were certainly no different with respect to that right.   Michael Hingson ** 43:43 So how long did you work as a lawyer and in the district attorney's office?   Ken Kunken ** 43:49 Well, I worked there full time for more than 33 years, and then I worked there in a part time capacity for an additional eight years. So all told, more than 40 years I worked there, and in fact, I'm one of the longest serving Nassau County assistant district attorneys that they've ever had.   Michael Hingson ** 44:09 Now, why did you go back to part time after 33 years?   Ken Kunken ** 44:15 Well, there are a number of reasons. You know, I I thought that due to some health issues, I wanted to play it safe and make sure that I locked in my pension, because I thought there would be a bigger payout if I retired while I was still working than if I died while I was working on the job. As it turned out, my health issue seemed to resolve itself, but I decided that, you know, retiring, when I did, gave me some more time to spend at home with my family, and I really appreciated being able to do that.   Michael Hingson ** 44:53 That's a very admirable thing. Can't complain about that. So what keeps you going?   Ken Kunken ** 45:00 What keeps me going now is my family. Just so your listeners know, I'm married to the wonderful woman that's actually sitting to my right right now. My name is Anna, and we're actually the parents of triplet sons. We have three incredible boys, Joseph, James and Timothy. They're now 20 years old, and they're currently sophomores at three separate colleges in upstate New York, and they're the light of my life. I couldn't be more proud. And they're what keeps me going these days.   Michael Hingson ** 45:33 What colleges?   Ken Kunken ** 45:36 Well, James is going to the State University of New York at Morrisville, where he's studying renewable energy. Timothy is pursuing a dual major at the SI Newhouse School of Communications in the Maxwell School of Public Policy at Syracuse University. And my son Joseph is actually attending my alma mater, Cornell University, where he's majoring in mechanical engineering.   Michael Hingson ** 46:06 And do they all go watch football games on the weekend? I mean, given the fact that least a couple of those are at schools with good football   Ken Kunken ** 46:13 teams, right? But you know what? They never wanted anything to do with football. But they are all physically active, in great shape, and in fact, all of them have pursued the martial arts, and all three of them are second degree black belts in Taekwondo. And they've all even worked as instructors in the Taekwondo studio here in Long Island.   Michael Hingson ** 46:35 So dad has to be careful, though they'll take you out, huh?   Ken Kunken ** 46:39 You bet. In fact, I've got my own three personal bodyguards when   Michael Hingson ** 46:43 I got right, you can't do better than that. And and Anna, which I'll bet is more formidable than all of them   Ken Kunken ** 46:53 on, is incredible. I mean, she is just a force that is unstoppable. She's incredible.   Michael Hingson ** 47:01 Well, that's cool all the way around, and it's, it's great that you, you have a good neighborhood around you to support you, and I think we all need that. That's that's pretty important to to deal with. So with your job and all that, now that you are retired, I don't know whether you have much stress in your life, but how do you deal with stress? And how does stress affect you and or does it make any difference with a disability?   Ken Kunken ** 47:30 It sure does. It's an interesting question, because before my injury, one of the ways I would deal with stress would be out of the football field, yeah, you know, being physically active, running into an individual, you know, to tackle or block, that was a great way to relieve some of my stress. Once I had my injury, I no longer had that outlet, so I had to find different ways of dealing with it. One of my ways was, you know, trying to sit outside and sit in the garden or by water and, you know, just enjoy nature and try and relax and clear my mind. But now my best stress relievers are my three children. I'm spending time with them, watching all that they're doing. I find that the best way of me to be able to relax and relieve any anxieties that I have?   Michael Hingson ** 48:23 Well, I think there's a lot of value in doing things that keep you calm and focused. I think that is the best way to deal with stress. All too often, we don't think or be introspective about ourselves and our lives, and we don't really step back and get rid of that stress mentally, and that's where it really all comes from. I mean, I know people have physical manifestations of stress and so on, but I would submit that typically, stress is so much more an emotional thing because we haven't learned how to deal with it, and you clearly have   Ken Kunken ** 49:02 it took a while, but yeah, now I have my family to help every step of the way, and that includes relieving the stress that I've under.   Michael Hingson ** 49:10 Yeah, and stress is important to get rid of and not have around. It will help you live a whole lot longer not to have stress I just went through a week ago and op was, you know, an operation to change a heart valve. And people keep asking me, well, Weren't you worried? Weren't you stressed over that? And my answer was, No, I had no control over it really happening to my knowledge, I don't think that I've been a very poor eater, and all of my arteries and everything were good. And so no, I wasn't stressed, even when I first learned that there was an issue and wasn't an emergency room for over 24 hours, mostly sitting around, I chose not to be stressed, and it was a choice. And so I just listened to things around me and became quite entertained at some of the people. People who were in the emergency room with me, but being stressed wasn't going to do anything to help the process at all. So I refuse to get stressed.   Ken Kunken ** 50:09 That's great. And you know, I think this finally retiring has helped me deal with stress as well, because working as an assistant district attorney, there can be a lot of stressful situations in the office, and it's, it's nice to finally be retired and be able to enjoy all of my activities outside of the office.   Michael Hingson ** 50:33 What would you say is probably the most stressful thing that you had to endure as an attorney? You were, I mean, you did this for 40 years, or almost 40 years? So what? Well, actually, yeah, for 40 years. So what would you say is the most stressful thing that you ever had to deal with?   Ken Kunken ** 50:50 Well, I had to rely on, you know, my memory, because it was difficult for me even turning pages of a book or pulling, you know, pieces of paper out of a file, and there was a lot of paperwork that you get to be familiar with, whether they be grand jury testimony or prior witness statements. And I had to rely a lot of my memory and through the help of student interns or paralegals or secretaries, and it was very difficult. And I might add, you know, just to give you one anecdote, one day after I had convicted a defendant of, you know, felony, you know, he was a person with a lot of prior involvement with the criminal justice system, and I was about to go down for his sentencing, he jumped in the elevator with me, and now we're alone in the elevator riding down, and here I am with this person that I convicted of a serious case, and I'm about to recommend that he go to an upstate prison. And he approaches me and says, I have a proposition for you. If you don't send me to jail, I'll agree to work as your personal care attendant for a year, which really struck me as odd. I mean, he must have thought that working for me for a year would be the equivalent of going to prison for a few years. But fortunately, the elevator door opened and I politely turned down his request and went to court, and he was sentenced to two to four years in an upstate prison.   Michael Hingson ** 52:28 Still was creative,   52:30 right?   Michael Hingson ** 52:33 So in all of your life and all the things you've done, what are you most proud   Ken Kunken ** 52:36 of, well, but definitely most proud of my family life? I mean, as I indicated, I'm married now, married for more than 21 years now, my three boys are sophomores in college and doing absolutely great, and make me proud every single day. But I'm proud of the fact that I was able to go back to school, complete my education and work at a job and earn a living where I was able to support myself and able to purchase a house and live now with my wife and children and lead as just about as normal a life as any other family would lead.   Michael Hingson ** 53:18 Now being married to Ana is that your first marriage? It sure is. So there we go. Well, I hear you and but you guys met late, and I'm going to step out on a limb and say it proves something that I've always felt, which is, you'll get married when the right person comes along, especially if you're mature enough to recognize it,   Ken Kunken ** 53:41 you're right. And I was very fortunate that the right person came along in my life, and we have a very happy marriage that I cannot picture life without him right now,   Michael Hingson ** 53:56 my wife and I got married when I was 32 she was 33 but we knew what we wanted in a partner, and when we first met each other, it just sort of clicked right from the beginning. We met in January of 1982 and in July, I asked her to marry me, and we got married in November of 1982 and so we were married for 40 years before she passed. And you know, there are always challenges, but, but you deal with it. So it must have been really an interesting time and an interesting life, suddenly discovering you have three boy triplets.   Ken Kunken ** 54:31 You know, it really was well, you know, when I decided to get married, she told me that she wanted to have my baby, and not just any baby my baby, she said she wanted to see a little pumpkin running around our home. And this really seemed impossible at the time. I had been paralyzed for more than 30 years, and I was already in my 50s, but we looked into various options, including in vitro fertilization and. And we're very excited, excited to learn we could still, I could still father a child. So we pursued it. And you know, through good fortune, good luck, and I guess somebody smiling on us from above, Anna became pregnant with triplets, and I couldn't be happier to have these three wonderful boys in my life.   Michael Hingson ** 55:21 So did becoming a father change you? Or how did you evolve? When that all happened,   Ken Kunken ** 55:26 it sure did. I mean, you know, it went from me being number one in honors life to suddenly being number four after all, three boys got the attention they needed, but it was wonderful for me to be able to help shape their lives and guide them so that they would develop the right character and values and learn the importance of helping others throughout their lives, which they do, and It's I think it's made me a better person, being able to help and guide them. That's cool.   Michael Hingson ** 56:07 Well, the the other thing I would ask is, if you had a chance to go back and talk to a younger Ken, what would you say? What would you teach them so that they would maybe make mistakes that you made?   Ken Kunken ** 56:18 Well, I'd say there's an awful lot you could still do in life, even without your physical movement, and sometimes it takes a lot of patience and a lot of self reflection, but to realize there's an awful lot you can do and that they need to keep their expectations high for themselves as well as for others, and to realize that just because something has not been done before doesn't mean they cannot do it now. They've got to find different ways of approaching problems and handling it and developing some self confidence in themselves and their ability to deal with difficult situations.   Michael Hingson ** 57:03 How did the Americans with Disabilities Act improve all that you did and make your life, especially on the job, better?   Ken Kunken ** 57:12 Well, it, you know, made facilities so much more accessible. When I first went back to college, there was not one ramp or curb cut on the entire campus. On my first day back in school, I had to be either pulled up or bounced down close to 100 steps just to attend my classes, and as I indicated, in the DAs office, I couldn't even fit through the swinging doorways to get in the courtroom. So it made it tremendously easier to not have to deal with all the physical challenges, but it also made it better for dealing with other people and their attitudes about dealing with people with disabilities, because thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, you see more people with disabilities out in public. So people are more used to seeing, dealing, interacting with people, and seeing what they can do and that they're just like everybody else. And as a result, people's attitudes have been changing, and I think that's helped me as well, in many different ways.   Michael Hingson ** 58:20 Cool, well, you have written a book about all of this. Tell me about the book.   Ken Kunken ** 58:27 Okay, I actually started writing a book when I was still in the rehab facility. Not long after I was hurt, a friend of my aunt Lorraine's by the name of Albert meglan visited me in the hospital and thought that one it may help me deal with my depression by talking about what I was going through, but also inform other individuals what a spinal cord injury was like and what's involved with rehabilitation. So he used to visit me in the rehab facility one day a week for a number of weeks for me to start writing a book about my experiences. And then when I went back to school, I started working on it on my own, but I would pick it up and stop and start and stop again over the course of 50 years. And then once I retired, I had more time to sit down with my wife, and I would dictate to her, and she would type it on her laptop computer until we finally finished my memoir, which is called I dream of things that never were, the Ken kunken story, and it's published by a company called 12 tables Press, and they could learn more about my book by going on my website, which is kenkunkin.com and I might add that where I got the title of my book was six months after my injury. I was asked to testify before a United States Health subcommittee chaired by Senate. Senator Edward Kennedy. And eight days after my testimony, Senator Kennedy sent me a glass paperweight in the mail that had an inscription on it that the senator said his late brother Robert Kennedy liked very much. And the inscription read, some men see things as they are and say, Why I dream of things that never were. And say, why not? And that's where I got the title of my book. I dream of things that never were.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:28 Yeah, that's cool. And where can people get the book?   Ken Kunken ** 1:00:35 Well, it's available on Amazon. It's also available at the Cornell bookstore, and if they go on my website, Ken kunken.com spellkin For me, please. It's K U N, as in Nancy. K e n that tells of a number of ways that they could purchase the book, both the hardcover book, it's also available as a Kindle version as an e book, and just recently, we put it out as an audio book as well. And they could learn all about it by going to the website, but certainly it's available on Amazon. If they wanted to order in bulk, they could contact my publisher directly, and he could help them fulfill that type of order. Cool.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:22 That is great. So now the real question is, are there any more books in Ken to come out?   Ken Kunken ** 1:01:28 Well, this book took me 50 years to I know you got to go a little bit faster. So no, I think I wrote down everything that I wanted to convey to people in that book, and now I'm actively just promoting the book like you. I've spoken at a number of different events as a motivational speaker, and you know, the book has given me a way to get m

Author Lawrence Perelman shares his book "American Impresario William F. Buckley, Jr., and the Elements of American Character".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In September 1994, an 18-year-old musician named Lawrence Perelman sent a letter to William F. Buckley Jr., offering to perform a piano recital for him as a thank you for Buckley's political work. The friendship that ensued lasted until Buckley's final moments, all of which Perelman recounts in his new book, American Impresario: William F. Buckley Jr. and the Elements of American Character.One hundred years after Buckley's birth, Perelman joins “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover” to discuss his friendship with the original host of the program, which became the “centerpiece” of his life as he performed regularly at Buckley's dinner parties. Perelman says Buckley had a “superpower” for friendship, enabling him to develop relationships across the political spectrum and influence the world."If not for William F. Buckley Jr., there would be, I believe, no Ronald Reagan," says Perelman, whose parents were Soviet immigrants. "There would have not been an end to the Soviet Union, and we wouldn't have the freedoms that we had."Perelman also reflects on Buckley's character, the values he represented, and how Buckley might understand what's become of American conservatism since his death. Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. 

Author Lawrence Perelman shares his book "American Impresario William F. Buckley, Jr., and the Elements of American Character".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Joseph Postell, Lawrence Perelman, & Michael Tripepi Host Scot Bertram talks with Joseph Postell, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, about the origins of the bureaucratic state as laid out in his book Bureaucracy in America: The Administrative State's Challenge to Constitutional Government. Lawrence Perelman, founder & CEO of Semantix Creative Group, shares the […]

Guests: Joseph Postell, Lawrence Perelman, & Michael Tripepi Host Scot Bertram talks with Joseph Postell, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, about the origins of the bureaucratic state as laid out in his book Bureaucracy in America: The Administrative State’s Challenge to Constitutional Government. Lawrence Perelman, founder & CEO of Semantix Creative Group, shares the lessons he learned as a close friend of National Review founder William F. Buckley Jr. and takes us inside his new book American Impresario: William F. Buckley, Jr., and the Elements of American Character. And Michael Tripepi, assistant professor of physics at Hillsdale College, explains why physicists study infrared light.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John J. Miller is joined by Lawrence Perelman to discuss his new book, 'American Impresario: William F. Buckley, Jr., and the Elements of American Character.'

In this wide-ranging conversation, writer and editor Titus Techera explores how media has evolved from America's founding to today's social media landscape. We discuss how different forms of media - from Revolutionary War pamphlets to modern podcasts - have shaped American democracy and character.Techera breaks down how technological changes have repeatedly disrupted elite institutional control, and why legacy media's attempts to maintain power in the digital age keep backfiring. We explore the roles of figures like Joe Rogan, Christopher Rufo, and Elon Musk in transforming modern media dynamics.The Third Wave of Journalism: https://lawliberty.org/the-third-wave-of-journalism/The Postmodern Conservative: https://pomocon.substack.com/Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In 1970, while a junior in Cornell University's College of Engineering, Ken Kunken broke his neck making a tackle on a kick-off in a lightweight football game against Columbia University. Ken sustained a spinal cord injury at the C 4-5 level, rendering him a quadriplegic, almost totally paralyzed from the shoulders down. Ken spent more than 9 months in various hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. While still a patient, Ken testified before a United States Senate Sub-Committee on Health Care, chaired by Senator Edward Kennedy.  In 1971, almost 20 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ken returned to the Cornell campus, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering. Ken estimates that he had to be pulled up or bounced down close to 100 steps just to attend his first day of classes.  Ken is the first quadriplegic to graduate from Cornell University.  Upon graduation, Ken decided to change his career goal. He wanted to work with and help people, particularly those with disabilities. Ken went on to earn a Master of Arts degree at Cornell in education and a Master of Education degree at Columbia University in psychology. Ken is the first quadriplegic to earn a graduate degree from Cornell University.  In 1977, Ken was hired by Abilities Inc. in Albertson, NY to be its College Work Orientation Program Coordinator. Ken coordinated a program which provided educationally related work experiences for severely disabled college students. He also maintained a vocational counseling caseload of more than 20 severely disabled individuals.  While working at the Center, Ken became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor and made numerous public presentations on non-discrimination, affirmative action and employment of the disabled. In 1977, Ken was named the Long Island Rehabilitation Associations “Rehabilitant of the Year” and in 1979 Ken was the subject of one of the Reverend Norman Vincent Peale's nationally syndicated radio broadcasts “The American Character”.  Wanting to accomplish still more, Ken enrolled in Hofstra University's School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1982. Ken then went to work as an assistant district attorney in Nassau County, Long Island.  Ken was promoted a number of times during his more than 40 years with the District Attorney's Office, eventually becoming one of the Deputy Bureau Chiefs of the County Court Trial Bureau, where he helped supervise more than 20 other assistant district attorneys. In addition, over his years working in the Office, Ken supervised more than 50 student interns.  In 1996 Ken received the Honorable Thomas E. Ryan, Jr. Award presented by the Court Officers Benevolent Association of Nassau County for outstanding and dedicated service as an Assistant District Attorney. In 1999, Ken was awarded the George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award presented by the Hofstra Alumni Association, Inc.  Beginning in 2005, for nine consecutive years, “The Ken Kunken Most Valuable Player Award” was presented annually by The Adirondack Trust Allegiance Bowl in Saratoga Springs, NY, in recognition of Ken's personal accomplishments, contributions to society and extraordinary courage.  In 2009, Ken became a member of the Board of Directors of Abilities Inc., and in 2017 he became a member of the Board of Directors for the parent company of Abilities Inc., the Viscardi Center.  In 2020, Ken was inducted into “The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame,” as a member of the class of 2019.  In March 2024, Ken was named one of the Long Island Business News Influencers in Law.  Ken retired from full-time employment in 2016, but continued to work with the District Attorney's Office for the next eight years in a part time capacity, providing continuing legal education lectures and litigation guidance.  For years, Ken has tried to inspire people to do more with their lives. In October 2023, Ken's memoir “I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story” was published.  In 2003 Ken married Anna and in 2005 they became the proud parents of triplet boys: Joey, Jimmy and Timmy. On June 23, 2023 the triplets graduated from Oceanside High School, fifty-five years after Ken had graduated from the same school. 3 Top Tips 1 . Try to improve your knowledge, your skills and your performance. Get the best education possible, and never stop learning. Don't be satisfied with the status quo.  2 . Strive to make the impossible, possible. Just because something has not been done before, does not mean that you cannot do it now.  3 . Find time to help others. Years from now be able to say that you did everything you possibly could to make not only your life, but the lives of those around you better as well. Social Media https://www.facebook.com/ken.kunken  https://www.instagram.com/ken.kunken/  https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

The Dean's List with Host Dean Bowen – The current state of the American character is under attack, shaped by distorted political ideologies and false teachings. I explore how the values of hard work, individualism, and progress are being replaced with socialism and equity. Reflecting on the true essence of America, I call for a return to the principles that once made our nation great.

From writing under pen names in the newspaper as a teenager, to the Poor Richard maxims we all know, to the autobiography he created to show the path toward American virtues, Ben Franklin literally wrote the books on what it means to be American. But how close was the real Ben Franklin to the character he created? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our dear friend Dr. W. B. Allen recently received the prestigious award of this year's Bradley Prize. We have the special honour of airing Dr. Allen's acceptance speech. His remarks lifts up ordinary citizens, highlight America's national character, and merit the virtue of self government. His words are approachable, timely, and profound. Please join us today on The Public Square® - and tell a friend.  Topic: Our Mission The Public Square® Long Format Program with host Dave Zanotti. thepublicsquare.com Release Date: Friday, June 5, 2024  

Leadership Lessons From The Great Books #98 - True Grit by Charles Portis w/John Hill aka Small Mountain---00:00 Welcome and Introduction - True Grit by Charles Portis w/John Hill aka Small Mountain.02:56 On Leadership Lessons From the Great Books Getting to 100 Episodes.07:00 Exposed by the Large Language Algorithms.08:30 On Not Being Succinct on This Podcast. 14:56 True Grit by Charles Ports - The Book and the Movies. 16:44 Introducing Mattie Ross.18:56 Negotiating with Colonel Stonehill. 21:33 The Literary Life of Charles Portis.28:00 The Moral Righteousness of Mattie Ross. 30:00 John Wayne vs. Clint Eastwood - An Analysis of Movie Stardom. 37:00 Doing the Work of Sales Leadership and Doing the Art of Sales Leadership. 47:00 Having Better Sales Conversations Through Consultive Selling. 48:11 "Taking Ownership Over Your Content" by Mattie Ross.  52:50 Toxic and Tough Language in Fiction Books and Films.54:20 Jesan Didn't Think Django Unchained Could Have Been Made. 57:20 Just Erasing the Statues of History Does Not Eliminate the Hurt of History.59:00 Statues are a Form of Worship and Public Homage and Reverence.1:00:00 Leaders Remember That the First Report is Often a Wrong Report.1:02:30 Imagine Not Having Access to Global News. 1:10:00 Giving Matt Damon Credit for Being an Actor.1:11:49 John Isn't Burning His Kanye West Albums, but He's Also Not Listening to Kanye's Streaming Music.1:15:30 Mattie Ross, Rooster Cogburn, LaBeouf and Being a Young Salesperson.1:20:14 The Western United States is Far Away from the Eastern United States.1:22:31 Rooster Cogburn is the Veteran Sales Professional.1:24:20 Manifest Destiny and the Role of Ensuring Civilization in the Wild West. 1:31:47 Leaders, is it Okay to Eat Your Neighbor?1:34:00 Leaders, What is the Bedrock of Your Ethical Worldview?1:37:45 Just 17% of Americans are Attending Church More Than 1x Per Month.1:43:11 Everything Moves in True Grit Because of Mattie Ross's Leadership.1:52:30 Leaders Sometimes Compromise.1:55:00 The Conceit of the Creed of Freedom in the United States.1:57:00 Patrick Henry and the Anarcho-Libertarian Strain in American Character.2:00:00 Lucky Ned Pepper, Crime and Punishment, and Genuine Evil. 2:04:48 Leaders Struggle to Unite Themselves Psychologically.2:06:15 Charles Portis and True Grit's Sense of Humor. 2:11:14 Which Version of the True Grit Films Should Leaders Watch? 2:13:05 Staying on the Path with Leadership Lessons from True Grit by Charles Portis. ---Opening and closing themes composed by Brian Sanyshyn of Brian Sanyshyn Music.---Check out John Hill's Adapted Growth - https://adaptedgrowth.com/Join the Adapted Growth Sales Practice Lab - https://offers.adaptedgrowth.com/AGSaleslabConnect with John Hill on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/Get Selling From Scratch: How to Sell More by Simply Being Human here - https://www.amazon.com/Selling-Scratch-Simply-Being-Human-ebook/dp/B097CM5BQ2Get the audiobook of Selling From Scratch: How to Sell More by Simply Being Human here - https://www.audible.com/pd/Selling-from-Scratch-How-to-Sell-More-by-Simply-Being-Human-Audiobook/B09NP7NZTL---Pick up your copy of 12 Rules for Leaders: The Foundation of Intentional Leadership NOW on AMAZON!Check out the Leadership Lessons From the Great Books podcast reading list!---Check out HSCT Publishing at: https://www.hsctpublishing.com/.Check out LeadingKeys at: https://www.leadingkeys.com/Check out Leadership ToolBox at: https://leadershiptoolbox.us/Contact HSCT for more information at 1-833-216-8296 to schedule a full DEMO of LeadingKeys with one of our team members.---Leadership ToolBox website: https://leadershiptoolbox.us/.Leadership ToolBox LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ldrshptlbx/.Leadership ToolBox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershiptoolbox/videos.Leadership ToolBox Twitter: https://twitter.com/ldrshptlbx.Leadership ToolBox IG: https://www.instagram.com/leadershiptoolboxus/.Leadership ToolBox FB: https://www.facebook.com/LdrshpTlbx.

Summary Curators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY's collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale.  What You'll Learn Intelligence Bond vs. Real Life Spies The birth of James Bond  Ian Fleming's intelligence past Bond and MI6 Reflections What makes a character timeless? Pop culture mirroring real life And much, much more … *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Episode Notes This week on SpyCast, curators Andrew and Alexis join forces to put the past 70 years of Bond into historical perspective. To help frame their conversation, our collections team brought out a fantastic selection of Bond artifacts for Andrew and Alexis to interact with during the recording of this episode.  Quotes of the Week “I think in general the spy genre always has to have one foot, often two, in the real world. It's part of what makes that genre appealing and not science fiction. It takes place in the real world. And whether that is, you know, some of the technology or real-world threats, it has to be relatable and recognizable in that sense.” – Alexis Albion. *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Resources  SURFACE SKIM *SpyCast's* Espionage and the Two Queens with Kent Tiernan (2023) Secrets Revealed with Curators Alexis and Andrew on SPY's Pop-Up Exhibit (2023) CIA Officers Turned Authors with David McCloskey and James Stejskal (2022) The Spy of the Century with Curators Alexis and Andrew on Kim Philby (2022) My Life Looking at Spies and the Media with Paul Lashmar (2022) *Beginner Resources* MI6 History & Facts, Encyclopedia Britannica (2022) [Brief history of MI6] The Evolution of James Bond, Fandom Entertainment, YouTube (2021) [15 min. video] Ian Fleming, Famous Authors (n.d.) [Short biography] *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Primary Sources  Primos Bionic Eye, Collection of the International Spy Museum (2021) James Bond's Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Watch, Collection of the International Spy Museum (2021)  007 Fragrance Commercial, YouTube (1965) James Bond Action Pak Toy Commercial, American Character, YouTube (1964) Aston Martin DB5, Collection of the International Spy Museum (1964) The Zimmermann Telegram, National Archives (1917)  *Wildcard Resource* Everyone has a favorite James Bond theme song. If you just can't choose just one, check out The Ultimate James Bond Medley – A production from Alchemistic Records featuring all 25 Bond songs.   *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*

Ray Nowosielski is a documentarian, podcaster, and journalist. He produced the new show, "George Bailey Was Never Born," a ten episode podcast series from I Heart Radio. The show is an examination of the massive changes in American character over the last half century as made visible by looking at the classic film, It's a Wonderful Life. In this episode Ray describes how Frank Capra's film accidentally fell into the public domain and how greedy corporations clawed it back. He talks about the real life towns and people who inspired the film, and what's become of them in modern America where antitrust laws no longer seem to apply.

In this episode, Lisa interviews Senator Ron Johnson, discussing his views on COVID vaccines, the potential challenges for Donald Trump in the 2024 election, and the influence of TikTok on young voters. Senator Johnson criticizes the government's handling of vaccine information and discusses a poll indicating public concern over vaccine safety. The conversation also covers the potential political strategies of Democrats for the 2024 election, concerns over TikTok's influence, and the controversial proposal to accept Gazan refugees. Senator Johnson suggests a solution for the Israel-Palestine situation, advocating for peaceful coexistence under Israeli law. The Truth with Lisa Boothe with new episodes every Monday & Thursday.Follow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Lisa interviews Senator Ron Johnson, discussing his views on COVID vaccines, the potential challenges for Donald Trump in the 2024 election, and the influence of TikTok on young voters. Senator Johnson criticizes the government's handling of vaccine information and discusses a poll indicating public concern over vaccine safety. The conversation also covers the potential political strategies of Democrats for the 2024 election, concerns over TikTok's influence, and the controversial proposal to accept Gazan refugees. Senator Johnson suggests a solution for the Israel-Palestine situation, advocating for peaceful coexistence under Israeli law. The Truth with Lisa Boothe with new episodes every Monday & Thursday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson reviews the second republican debate. He shares how Independent and unaffiliated voters will determine the next President and how they view the major talking points from the debate. Paul starts by describing how the second republican debate will affect Independent voters. The effect of Independent voters' impact on primaries are not easy to poll. According to Paul's background in presidential campaigns, Independent voters will determine the winner in the New Hampshire, and the debate will undoubtedly shape their opinions.  The debate at the Reagan Library raised Ronald Reagan's unique qualities that set him apart from other presidents. Paul goes through critical points from the debate and how each contestant addressed the controversial issues plaguing America today. Some of the main topics covered include: The Federal Deficit. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said his top priority would be to rein in federal spending. Growing Powers of the Presidency. Mike Pence critiqued Donald Trump's new plan to centralize power in the Presidency if he wins, and shared his thoughts on why we should not increase the power of the presidency; instead make the federal government smaller. Child Care. Tim Scott talks about the ever-increasing childcare costs and how lowering taxes will mean Americans will have more in their pockets to take care of their families. The Ukraine Issue. Arguably the most important question asked in the debate. The presidential candidates showed a deep divide over America's involvement in the war. Supporters of Ukraine included Christie, Halley and Pense. Opponents included DeSantis and Ramaswamy. Abortion Rights. The pro-life and pro-choice debate was another controversial issue regarding being 100% pro life versus finding middle ground.  Paul believes this will be crucial in swaying the independent voters. Paul supported Halley's position on fixing healthcare in America until we figure out how to reduce claims costs. In healthcare, there is no better way to do that than the private sector route. If allowed to do so, the private sector can do a better job of cutting claims costs than the government. The candidates discussed whether AI technology is good or bad for Americans. Paul explains that although AI technology may have some risks, it's a much bigger risk if we allow China to get AI technology before we do. For Paul, the clear winners from the debate were Governor Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Both had a solid performance and will undoubtedly see their numbers grow.     Mentioned in This Episode: optamerican.com Addictive Ideologies: Finding Meaning and Agency When Politics Fail You by Dr Emily Bashah and Hon Paul Johnson The Optimistic American on YouTube - @optamerican Become a premium supporter of the show: OptAmerican.com/premium Optimistic American Worksheet Downloads - OptAmerican.com/worksheets Dr. Emily Bashah A Nation of Victims: The Decay of the American Character by Charles J. Sykes

Summary Curators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY's collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale.  What You'll Learn Intelligence Bond vs. Real Life Spies The birth of James Bond  Ian Fleming's intelligence past Bond and MI6 Reflections What makes a character timeless? Pop culture mirroring real life And much, much more … *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Episode Notes This week on SpyCast, curators Andrew and Alexis join forces to put the past 70 years of Bond into historical perspective. To help frame their conversation, our collections team brought out a fantastic selection of Bond artifacts for Andrew and Alexis to interact with during the recording of this episode.  Quotes of the Week “I think in general the spy genre always has to have one foot, often two, in the real world. It's part of what makes that genre appealing and not science fiction. It takes place in the real world. And whether that is, you know, some of the technology or real-world threats, it has to be relatable and recognizable in that sense.” – Alexis Albion. *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Resources  SURFACE SKIM *SpyCast's* Espionage and the Two Queens with Kent Tiernan (2023) Secrets Revealed with Curators Alexis and Andrew on SPY's Pop-Up Exhibit (2023) CIA Officers Turned Authors with David McCloskey and James Stejskal (2022) The Spy of the Century with Curators Alexis and Andrew on Kim Philby (2022) My Life Looking at Spies and the Media with Paul Lashmar (2022) *Beginner Resources* MI6 History & Facts, Encyclopedia Britannica (2022) [Brief history of MI6] The Evolution of James Bond, Fandom Entertainment, YouTube (2021) [15 min. video] Ian Fleming, Famous Authors (n.d.) [Short biography] *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Primary Sources  Primos Bionic Eye, Collection of the International Spy Museum (2021) James Bond's Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Watch, Collection of the International Spy Museum (2021)  007 Fragrance Commercial, YouTube (1965) James Bond Action Pak Toy Commercial, American Character, YouTube (1964) Aston Martin DB5, Collection of the International Spy Museum (1964) The Zimmermann Telegram, National Archives (1917)  *Wildcard Resource* Everyone has a favorite James Bond theme song. If you just can't choose just one, check out The Ultimate James Bond Medley – A production from Alchemistic Records featuring all 25 Bond songs.   *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*

Summary Curators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY's collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale.  What You'll Learn Intelligence Bond vs. Real Life Spies The birth of James Bond  Ian Fleming's intelligence past Bond and MI6 Reflections What makes a character timeless? Pop culture mirroring real life And much, much more … *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Episode Notes This week on SpyCast, curators Andrew and Alexis join forces to put the past 70 years of Bond into historical perspective. To help frame their conversation, our collections team brought out a fantastic selection of Bond artifacts for Andrew and Alexis to interact with during the recording of this episode.  Quotes of the Week “I think in general the spy genre always has to have one foot, often two, in the real world. It's part of what makes that genre appealing and not science fiction. It takes place in the real world. And whether that is, you know, some of the technology or real-world threats, it has to be relatable and recognizable in that sense.” – Alexis Albion. *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Resources  SURFACE SKIM *SpyCast's* Espionage and the Two Queens with Kent Tiernan (2023) Secrets Revealed with Curators Alexis and Andrew on SPY's Pop-Up Exhibit (2023) CIA Officers Turned Authors with David McCloskey and James Stejskal (2022) The Spy of the Century with Curators Alexis and Andrew on Kim Philby (2022) My Life Looking at Spies and the Media with Paul Lashmar (2022) *Beginner Resources* MI6 History & Facts, Encyclopedia Britannica (2022) [Brief history of MI6] The Evolution of James Bond, Fandom Entertainment, YouTube (2021) [15 min. video] Ian Fleming, Famous Authors (n.d.) [Short biography] *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Primary Sources  Primos Bionic Eye, Collection of the International Spy Museum (2021) James Bond's Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Watch, Collection of the International Spy Museum (2021)  007 Fragrance Commercial, YouTube (1965) James Bond Action Pak Toy Commercial, American Character, YouTube (1964) Aston Martin DB5, Collection of the International Spy Museum (1964) The Zimmermann Telegram, National Archives (1917)  *Wildcard Resource* Everyone has a favorite James Bond theme song. If you just can't choose just one, check out The Ultimate James Bond Medley – A production from Alchemistic Records featuring all 25 Bond songs.   *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*

“Dilbert” comic strip creator Scott Adams, reacted to a Rasmussen poll by saying that blacks have become so anti-white, he wants nothing to do with black people who think that way. Hundreds of newspapers canceled his strip in response. Why does he feel this way after we've had affirmative action or race-based preferences for over 50 years? And why is it still that when a black suspect is allegedly mistreated by the cops, no matter the race of the cops, or whether the city has a black police chief, activists—with the support of political leaders like former President Barack Obama—yell systemic racism.  Is America a country founded on racism? Joining Larry Elder to reflect on our first president, George Washington, the father of the country, is Brenda Hafera, the assistant director and senior policy analyst at the Simon Center for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation.  In her piece “Presidents Day Reflections on George Washington's American Character,” she wrote: “to establish a ‘sacred regard to Public Justice,' Washington believed just conduct on the national level would need to replicate virtue on the individual level.” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass vows to root out cops with ties to right-wing extremist organizations, and signals lowering the bar for new recruits. Joining Larry Elder to discuss this is Venice Neighborhood Council Board Member Soledad Ursua. “Could you imagine a situation where there are zero LAPD recruits?” Ursua asked. The Larry Elder Show is sponsored by Birch Gold Group. Protect your IRA or 401(k) with precious metals today: http://larryforgold.com/ ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

For the past several months leading up to the 2022 midterm election here in the U.S., a red wave has been predicted. Now, the day after Election Day, the actual results are looking rather underwhelming. Though we're told it may take days or weeks for final counts, the initial press is that Republicans may have to settle for retaking the U.S. House of Representatives. Republicans were banking on high unfavourability ratings for President Biden, plus economic troubles at home and abroad. Wokeness regarding gender and racial issues has been self-evidently bad for America. The fight against Climate Change is hurting our budgets for fuel and electricity. Inflation is out of control, depressing the standard of living for many Americans. How could Republicans not sweep the field? The easy answer to that question has to do with the character of the American people. If that has not changed much, if at all, in the past two years, then it should not be all that surprising if the election outcomes are still coming in upside down. Character, after all, is upstream of every step in the process. Who runs for office, and what their positions are - that is a factor of character. Whether we actively support good candidates - that is a consequence of character. Who all shows up to vote, and how they vote - that is a result of character. How we respond when cheating and dishonesty overshadow the entire process - that too is a matter of character. Sadly, so long as our character is such that those for corruption and untruth are more passionate about winning power for themselves than those who love goodness and truth are about good government founded on sound principles, America will keep on getting what it got in 2020. Yet this is not a call to fatalism. A pox on that. My family and friends live here, and I won't accept throwing in the towel. But the work continues, and must proceed apace, to think and act in relation to the big picture and the long-game. Even if sometimes only for an audience of one, that is enough, since we know what it profits a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/support

Do you want to know the secret to getting more U.S. auditions, callbacks and jobs?Hint: it's not your perfect accent. It's not your perfect analysis of the scene. It's not even your amazing acting. It's whether or not we believe your character is All American.In today's episode you'll learn:Why your character isn't passable as AmericanWhy casting director's are telling you to keep working on your accentThe 4 main characteristics to crafting an All American CharacterLINKS MENTIONED: Join me for the Animation Voiceover Masterclass. Grab all the details and register right here: https://www.katherinebeck.com/animationSupport the show LEARN MORE FROM KATHERINE BECK: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE| TIK TOKReady to start practicing your American accent? Join my Practice Club today and start practicing in a fun & easy way! Join The Practice Club here. If this episode inspires you then I'd love to hear from you! Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @allamericanactorspodcast Have you left a review? If you loved this episode show your support by leaving a rating and review right here. Thanks for supporting the show!

David Swenson speaks with President Jefferson about the American character, both as citizens and as a nation. This program originally aired in May of 2017. Mentioned on this episode. Support the show by joining the 1776 Club or by donating to the Thomas Jefferson Hour, Inc. You can learn more about Clay's cultural tours and retreats at jeffersonhour.com/tours. Check out our merch. You can find Clay's books on our website, along with a list of his favorite books on Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, and other topics. Thomas Jefferson is interpreted by Clay S. Jenkinson.

Matthew Spalding is the Kirby Professor in Constitutional Government at Hillsdale College and the Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C., campus. As Vice President for Washington Operations, he also oversees the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship and the academic and educational programs of Hillsdale in the nation's capital. He is the best-selling author of We Still Hold These Truths: Rediscovering Our Principles, Reclaiming Our Future, which details America's core principles, shows how they have come under assault by modern progressive-liberalism, and lays out a strategy to recover them. Spalding is also executive editor of The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, a line-by-line analysis of each clause of the U.S. Constitution. His other books include A Sacred Union of Citizens: Washington's Farewell Address and the American Character; Patriot Sage: George Washington and the American Political Tradition; and The Founders' Almanac: A Practical Guide to the Notable Events, Greatest Leaders & Most Eloquent Words of the American Founding. Produced by Show-Me Opportunity

In the preface to his History of Rome Livy wrote that he wanted to explore, “what was the life, what the mores, by what men, and by what arts—at home and at war—imperium was born and augmented.” In the course, “Exodus and the American Vision,” What was the life, what the mores, by what men, and by what arts? are questions Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos's senior humanities students are asking about the American character with the help of authors including John Adams, Edmund Burke, Thomas Jefferson, and others.

As a country, we are once again at a cross roads, with the majority of us wishing to protect voting and human rights, and a powerful, loud, and potentially violent minority determined to stop America from living up to its ideals, all in a misguided attempt to keep their power. They're trying to change the rules before the demographic clock runs out on them, and equality finds its way to the rest of us. In this week's commentary, I cite Bruce Springsteen, Abraham Lincoln, and Heather Cox Richardson for historical perspective. I hope you'll give it listen on the PV app or at ProgressiveVoices.com.

Journalist and historian Colin Woodard is the author of six wonderful books: American Nations, American Character, Union, The Lobster Coast, Ocean's End and The Republic of Pirates. In this episode of Paid by the Word, Colin talks about the 11 rival cultures of North America. For me, this conversation was like having a loud alarm go off while I'm trying to sleep. Understanding the long and complicated history of North America's competing cultures is essential, especially now, when it seems as though the United States has entered a new age of political instability.I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and that you are inspired to learn more about our common past -- and our likely future.

Don't forget to subscribe. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/beau-of-the-fifth-column/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/beau-of-the-fifth-column/support

Today we are talking about why you DO NOT need a perfect American accent to book a U.S. role. Instead if you think about your American accent practice in a different way, you'll stand a much better chance of booking the role.In today's episode, I'm going to show you why striving for a perfect American accent is getting in your way of booking roles.Using this method you'll notice a difference in your American character development and your American accent will sound more authentic too. By the time you finish listening, you'll know:Why you don't need a perfect American accent.What to do instead.Support the show LEARN MORE FROM KATHERINE BECK: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE| TIK TOKReady to start practicing your American accent? Join my Practice Club today and start practicing in a fun & easy way! Join The Practice Club here. If this episode inspires you then I'd love to hear from you! Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @allamericanactorspodcast Have you left a review? If you loved this episode show your support by leaving a rating and review right here. Thanks for supporting the show!

Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Trump visited Kenosha, Wisconsin this week after protests and violence roiled the quiet Midwest city in an important swing state. And President Trump responded to reporting from The Atlantic that he called Americans who died in combat “losers” and “suckers.” The panel discussed the latest from Washington and the campaign trail.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Trump visited Kenosha, Wisconsin this week after protests and violence roiled the quiet Midwest city in an important swing state. And President Trump responded to reporting from The Atlantic that he called Americans who died in combat “losers” and “suckers.” The panel discussed the latest from Washington and the campaign trail.

Join Jimmy Sengenberger at the Crossroads with Tracy Stone Manning and David Mark. As the Trump Administration continues apace to make more oil and gas leases available on federal lands, is it time to halt making such leases available onshore? Jimmy (@SengCenter) discusses with Tracy Stone Manning, Associate VP at the National Wildlife Federation, which says Yes. Then, Jimmy talks with the Washington Examiner's David Mark about the new Examiner series Reputation Politics: The history of character assassination in America.

Colin Woodard's new book Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood (Viking, 2020) tells the story of the struggle to create a national myth for the United States, one that could hold its rival regional cultures together and forge, for the first time, an American nationhood. It tells the dramatic tale of how the story of our national origins, identity, and purpose was intentionally created and fought over in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. On one hand, a small group of individuals--historians, political leaders, and novelists--fashioned and promoted a history that attempted to transcend and erase the fundamental differences and profound tensions between the nation's regional cultures. America had a God-given mission to lead humanity toward freedom, equality, and self-government and was held together by fealty to these ideals. This emerging nationalist story was immediately and powerfully contested by another set of intellectuals and firebrands who argued that the United States was instead an ethno-state, the homeland of the allegedly superior "Anglo-Saxon" race, upon whom Divine and Darwinian favor shined. Their vision helped create a new federation--the Confederacy--prompting the bloody Civil War. While defeated on the battlefield, their vision later managed to win the war of ideas, capturing the White House in the early twentieth century, and achieving the first consensus, pan-regional vision of U.S. nationhood in the years before the outbreak of the first World War. This narrower, more exclusive vision of America would be overthrown in mid-century, but it was never fully vanquished. Woodard tells the story of the genesis and epic confrontations between these visions of our nation's path and purpose through the lives of the key figures who created them, a cast of characters whose personal quirks and virtues, gifts and demons shaped the destiny of millions. Colin Woodard is a New York Times bestseller writer-historian, and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and The San Francisco Chronicle, he is a reporter at the Portland Press Herald, where he received a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist a 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and Politico. He is the author of American Nations, American Character, The Lobster Coast, The Republic of Pirates, and Ocean’s End. Diana DePasquale is an Associate Teaching Professor at Bowling Green State University. She teaches courses on race, gender, sexuality, and American culture. Diana has been published in Studies in American Humor, and online at In Media Res. She is also a proud winner of The Moth Story Slam in Detroit.

Colin Woodard's new book Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood (Viking, 2020) tells the story of the struggle to create a national myth for the United States, one that could hold its rival regional cultures together and forge, for the first time, an American nationhood. It tells the dramatic tale of how the story of our national origins, identity, and purpose was intentionally created and fought over in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. On one hand, a small group of individuals--historians, political leaders, and novelists--fashioned and promoted a history that attempted to transcend and erase the fundamental differences and profound tensions between the nation's regional cultures. America had a God-given mission to lead humanity toward freedom, equality, and self-government and was held together by fealty to these ideals. This emerging nationalist story was immediately and powerfully contested by another set of intellectuals and firebrands who argued that the United States was instead an ethno-state, the homeland of the allegedly superior "Anglo-Saxon" race, upon whom Divine and Darwinian favor shined. Their vision helped create a new federation--the Confederacy--prompting the bloody Civil War. While defeated on the battlefield, their vision later managed to win the war of ideas, capturing the White House in the early twentieth century, and achieving the first consensus, pan-regional vision of U.S. nationhood in the years before the outbreak of the first World War. This narrower, more exclusive vision of America would be overthrown in mid-century, but it was never fully vanquished. Woodard tells the story of the genesis and epic confrontations between these visions of our nation's path and purpose through the lives of the key figures who created them, a cast of characters whose personal quirks and virtues, gifts and demons shaped the destiny of millions. Colin Woodard is a New York Times bestseller writer-historian, and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and The San Francisco Chronicle, he is a reporter at the Portland Press Herald, where he received a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist a 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and Politico. He is the author of American Nations, American Character, The Lobster Coast, The Republic of Pirates, and Ocean’s End. Diana DePasquale is an Associate Teaching Professor at Bowling Green State University. She teaches courses on race, gender, sexuality, and American culture. Diana has been published in Studies in American Humor, and online at In Media Res. She is also a proud winner of The Moth Story Slam in Detroit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colin Woodard's new book Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood (Viking, 2020) tells the story of the struggle to create a national myth for the United States, one that could hold its rival regional cultures together and forge, for the first time, an American nationhood. It tells the dramatic tale of how the story of our national origins, identity, and purpose was intentionally created and fought over in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. On one hand, a small group of individuals--historians, political leaders, and novelists--fashioned and promoted a history that attempted to transcend and erase the fundamental differences and profound tensions between the nation's regional cultures. America had a God-given mission to lead humanity toward freedom, equality, and self-government and was held together by fealty to these ideals. This emerging nationalist story was immediately and powerfully contested by another set of intellectuals and firebrands who argued that the United States was instead an ethno-state, the homeland of the allegedly superior "Anglo-Saxon" race, upon whom Divine and Darwinian favor shined. Their vision helped create a new federation--the Confederacy--prompting the bloody Civil War. While defeated on the battlefield, their vision later managed to win the war of ideas, capturing the White House in the early twentieth century, and achieving the first consensus, pan-regional vision of U.S. nationhood in the years before the outbreak of the first World War. This narrower, more exclusive vision of America would be overthrown in mid-century, but it was never fully vanquished. Woodard tells the story of the genesis and epic confrontations between these visions of our nation's path and purpose through the lives of the key figures who created them, a cast of characters whose personal quirks and virtues, gifts and demons shaped the destiny of millions. Colin Woodard is a New York Times bestseller writer-historian, and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and The San Francisco Chronicle, he is a reporter at the Portland Press Herald, where he received a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist a 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and Politico. He is the author of American Nations, American Character, The Lobster Coast, The Republic of Pirates, and Ocean’s End. Diana DePasquale is an Associate Teaching Professor at Bowling Green State University. She teaches courses on race, gender, sexuality, and American culture. Diana has been published in Studies in American Humor, and online at In Media Res. She is also a proud winner of The Moth Story Slam in Detroit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colin Woodard's new book Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood (Viking, 2020) tells the story of the struggle to create a national myth for the United States, one that could hold its rival regional cultures together and forge, for the first time, an American nationhood. It tells the dramatic tale of how the story of our national origins, identity, and purpose was intentionally created and fought over in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. On one hand, a small group of individuals--historians, political leaders, and novelists--fashioned and promoted a history that attempted to transcend and erase the fundamental differences and profound tensions between the nation's regional cultures. America had a God-given mission to lead humanity toward freedom, equality, and self-government and was held together by fealty to these ideals. This emerging nationalist story was immediately and powerfully contested by another set of intellectuals and firebrands who argued that the United States was instead an ethno-state, the homeland of the allegedly superior "Anglo-Saxon" race, upon whom Divine and Darwinian favor shined. Their vision helped create a new federation--the Confederacy--prompting the bloody Civil War. While defeated on the battlefield, their vision later managed to win the war of ideas, capturing the White House in the early twentieth century, and achieving the first consensus, pan-regional vision of U.S. nationhood in the years before the outbreak of the first World War. This narrower, more exclusive vision of America would be overthrown in mid-century, but it was never fully vanquished. Woodard tells the story of the genesis and epic confrontations between these visions of our nation's path and purpose through the lives of the key figures who created them, a cast of characters whose personal quirks and virtues, gifts and demons shaped the destiny of millions. Colin Woodard is a New York Times bestseller writer-historian, and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and The San Francisco Chronicle, he is a reporter at the Portland Press Herald, where he received a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist a 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and Politico. He is the author of American Nations, American Character, The Lobster Coast, The Republic of Pirates, and Ocean’s End. Diana DePasquale is an Associate Teaching Professor at Bowling Green State University. She teaches courses on race, gender, sexuality, and American culture. Diana has been published in Studies in American Humor, and online at In Media Res. She is also a proud winner of The Moth Story Slam in Detroit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colin Woodard's new book Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood (Viking, 2020) tells the story of the struggle to create a national myth for the United States, one that could hold its rival regional cultures together and forge, for the first time, an American nationhood. It tells the dramatic tale of how the story of our national origins, identity, and purpose was intentionally created and fought over in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. On one hand, a small group of individuals--historians, political leaders, and novelists--fashioned and promoted a history that attempted to transcend and erase the fundamental differences and profound tensions between the nation's regional cultures. America had a God-given mission to lead humanity toward freedom, equality, and self-government and was held together by fealty to these ideals. This emerging nationalist story was immediately and powerfully contested by another set of intellectuals and firebrands who argued that the United States was instead an ethno-state, the homeland of the allegedly superior "Anglo-Saxon" race, upon whom Divine and Darwinian favor shined. Their vision helped create a new federation--the Confederacy--prompting the bloody Civil War. While defeated on the battlefield, their vision later managed to win the war of ideas, capturing the White House in the early twentieth century, and achieving the first consensus, pan-regional vision of U.S. nationhood in the years before the outbreak of the first World War. This narrower, more exclusive vision of America would be overthrown in mid-century, but it was never fully vanquished. Woodard tells the story of the genesis and epic confrontations between these visions of our nation's path and purpose through the lives of the key figures who created them, a cast of characters whose personal quirks and virtues, gifts and demons shaped the destiny of millions. Colin Woodard is a New York Times bestseller writer-historian, and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and The San Francisco Chronicle, he is a reporter at the Portland Press Herald, where he received a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist a 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and Politico. He is the author of American Nations, American Character, The Lobster Coast, The Republic of Pirates, and Ocean’s End. Diana DePasquale is an Associate Teaching Professor at Bowling Green State University. She teaches courses on race, gender, sexuality, and American culture. Diana has been published in Studies in American Humor, and online at In Media Res. She is also a proud winner of The Moth Story Slam in Detroit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colin Woodard's new book Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood (Viking, 2020) tells the story of the struggle to create a national myth for the United States, one that could hold its rival regional cultures together and forge, for the first time, an American nationhood. It tells the dramatic tale of how the story of our national origins, identity, and purpose was intentionally created and fought over in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. On one hand, a small group of individuals--historians, political leaders, and novelists--fashioned and promoted a history that attempted to transcend and erase the fundamental differences and profound tensions between the nation's regional cultures. America had a God-given mission to lead humanity toward freedom, equality, and self-government and was held together by fealty to these ideals. This emerging nationalist story was immediately and powerfully contested by another set of intellectuals and firebrands who argued that the United States was instead an ethno-state, the homeland of the allegedly superior "Anglo-Saxon" race, upon whom Divine and Darwinian favor shined. Their vision helped create a new federation--the Confederacy--prompting the bloody Civil War. While defeated on the battlefield, their vision later managed to win the war of ideas, capturing the White House in the early twentieth century, and achieving the first consensus, pan-regional vision of U.S. nationhood in the years before the outbreak of the first World War. This narrower, more exclusive vision of America would be overthrown in mid-century, but it was never fully vanquished. Woodard tells the story of the genesis and epic confrontations between these visions of our nation's path and purpose through the lives of the key figures who created them, a cast of characters whose personal quirks and virtues, gifts and demons shaped the destiny of millions. Colin Woodard is a New York Times bestseller writer-historian, and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and The San Francisco Chronicle, he is a reporter at the Portland Press Herald, where he received a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist a 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and Politico. He is the author of American Nations, American Character, The Lobster Coast, The Republic of Pirates, and Ocean’s End. Diana DePasquale is an Associate Teaching Professor at Bowling Green State University. She teaches courses on race, gender, sexuality, and American culture. Diana has been published in Studies in American Humor, and online at In Media Res. She is also a proud winner of The Moth Story Slam in Detroit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

General Summary: Dr. Roderick P. Hart talks about his research on Donald Trump's rhetoric: what he says and why viewers listen to his words and speeches. Several undergraduate students at UT reflect on Hart's research by examining Professor Hart's book “Trump and Us”. Detailed Summary: Ryan Chandler's introduction regarding the rhetorical analysis of Trump's rhetoric and the work of Professor Hart in evaluating Trump's speech. Hart introduced his book and why Trump drew him in and how many people were made to understand Trump as a bizarre creature rather than a normal person. (00.00-03.50); Ryan discusses the character of Donald Trump (03.50-05.14); Trump's 2016 rhetorical style is further discussed (05.20-7.35); Ryan further asks questions regarding Trump and how he came across to the public in regards to the two party system and where he fit in it (7.39- 10.53); Hart discusses Trump's less attractive qualities and how they appear to the American people especially in recent times with a pandemic (10.54-14.50); Hart further discusses Trump's rhetoric and his utilization of rhetorical tools such as parrhesia. (14.50-16.38); Hart states how people see what they want in Trump depending on their personal beliefs. Hart closes up explaining that the people can easily tell what Trump is against due to his simple speech (16.38-23.10). Scholarly Article Informing this Production: Hart, Roderick P. Trump and us: What he Says and why People Listen. Cambridge University Press, 2020. Credits: This podcast was produced by Nicholas Ronk, Xiangrui Pan, Juo-Lin Tsai, Jordan Ta, Raul Soldevilla and Ryan Chandler, with resources and assistance provided by the Digital Writing and Research Lab (Links to an external site.) at the University of Texas at Austin. It features the voices of Ryan and Professor Hart. Music featured in this podcast, titled “commonGround was created by airtone and has been repurposed here under Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial license 3.0. Additionally, conversation.wav was adapted and incorporated under Creative Commons 1.0 license .

In his popular book, American Nations, award-winning journalist Colin Woodard argued for the existence of 11 separate stateless nations within the United States, where rival cultures explain history, identity, and voting behaviors. With his new book, UNION: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood (Viking), Woodard expands on a theme from Nations: how the cherished idea of a unified country has ignored the basic facts of our history. In this fascinating study of a fractured America, he examines how the myth of our national unity was created and fought over by five men—George Bancroft, William Gilmore Simms, Frederick Douglass, Woodrow Wilson, and Frederick Jackson Turner—and how it continues to affect us today. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Colin Woodard is a New York Times bestselling writer, historian, and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and The San Francisco Chronicle, he is a reporter at the Portland Press Herald, where he received a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian and Politico. He is the author of American Nations, American Character, The Lobster Coast, The Republic of Pirates, and Ocean's End and lives in Maine. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/steve-richards/support

So what is wrong with US politics? The answer is a simple equation that has changed over the last 20 years. So what is the formula? It is the individual versus the common good.When that formula has equal representation either fighting against or working together with the other side, America flourishes.But right now the individual is over running the common good.Read Colin Woodard's book American Character. Here is my blog review: https://informednotinflamed.com/best-book-ive-read-this-year-i-dont-care-when-it-was-published/

Over the past 50 years, the purpose of the American government has radically transformed. Whereas its main goal in domestic matters used to be to protect liberty, it is now an entitlements machine, transferring over $2 trillion per year from some people's pockets to others. Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute explains how the explosions in social security, medicare, medicaid, and other welfare programs are changing the American character for the worse--from one that is focused on individual responsibility and giving, to one that is focused on grabbing as much of the pie as possible.

Can Conservatives defeat the identity politics of the Left with facts and logic? On this episode of Against The Current, City Journal Contributing Editor and best-selling author Heather Mac Donald joins Dan Proft to talk about diversity, categories of victimhood, indoctrination in education, and the social justice mafia.

This event is a part of the Student Lecture Series at IWP. About the Lecture: The United States, like most Western liberal countries, is a secular nation, as the American Founders established a political system that effectively separates Church and State. Nevertheless, religion has played an important role in developing the “American Character.” The speaker will discuss how religion was indispensable for the success of the young American Republic and argue that it is nearly impossible to imagine the United States without it. This lecture is an installment of IWP's Student Speaker Series. About the Speaker: Tobias Brandt is originally from Germany and graduated from the University of Hamburg with a degree in Middle Eastern and Religious Studies in 2015. For his Bachelor's Thesis, he analyzed al-Qaeda's propaganda strategy on the basis of original Arabic documents. He is currently studying Statecraft and International Affairs with a specialization in International Politics at the Institute of World Politics. His key research areas are U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, the role of religion in politics, as well as the transatlantic relationship. Mr. Brandt's lecture is based on a paper he submitted for IWP's course on American Founding Principles.

While the two parties gripped one another in mock mortal combat, struggling for votes more than for principles, some precious few Americans remained unimpressed. In corners all over the country, people saw through the myth making and the gamesmanship. Put frankly, American democracy was a sham and the evolving two parties were vast conspiracies against the public’s liberty, security, and well-being.Further Readings/References:Clay’s “American System” SpeechesKohl, Lawrence. The Politics of Individualism: Parties and the American Character in the Jacksonian Era. New York: Oxford University Press. 1989.Pessen, Edward. Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics. Homewood, Illinois: The Dorsey Press. 1969.Music by Kai Engel See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We should not fool ourselves into thinking democracy was some benevolent aristocrat’s generous gift. Nor should we believe democracy was something average people heroically fought for and won. The truth is, ballots have never translated to real political power and influence—they never have. The near-universal patterns in these democratizing state legislatures and constitutional conventions were political pragmatism and opportunism.Further Readings/References:“The Votes and Speeches of Martin Van Buren” Kohl, Lawrence. The Politics of Individualism: Parties and the American Character in the Jacksonian Era. New York: Oxford University Press. 1989.Meyers, Marvin. The Jacksonian Persuasion. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 1957.Pessen, Edward. Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics. Homewood, Illinois: The Dorsey Press. 1969.Music by Kai Engel See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"We have now a goodly field before us, & I have no wish superior to that of seeing it judiciously cultivated; that every Man, especially those who have labored to prepare it, may reap a fruitful Harvest” — George Washington, 1784 Nearly 50 years later, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that, “As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question: how much money will it bring in?” This week we discuss the American character with President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson believed that the American character would be the best in the history of the world: because of our agrarianism, our distance from the havoc of the Old World, our public education, and our resourcefulness that we needed to develop because there were no outside experts. While Adams felt that without a strong American character, "the strongest Cords of our Constitution [would be broken] as a Whale goes through a Net." John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were dear friends; they disagreed about many things. One thing they agreed upon was that this experiment would only work if we had unique character. Find this episode, along with further recommended reading, on the blog. Learn more about Odyssey Tours and the summer 2017 Lewis & Clark adventure on odytours.net. There, you can also find the Lochsa Lodge retreats: one on Walden and another on Shakespeare. Thomas Jefferson is interpreted by Clay S. Jenkinson.

Highlights: 1917 - US makes $200,000,000 loan to UK | @ 01:20 Guest - Michael Lombardi: Profile of William Boeing as an entrepreneur and visionary | @ 07:15 Events - WW1 gets into the swing of baseball games | @ 12:30 Guest - Jordan Beck: Sgt. Stubby the animated film profile and update | @ 15:30 International - ABMC sponsors WW1 education program with American School in Paris | @ 21:00 Web - Vande Mataram site launches on ww1cc.org | @ 21:45 Social Media - moss is mostly good | @ 26:00----more---- WW1 Centennial News - Weekly PodcastApril 26, 2017 Welcome to World War One Centennial News. It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week  - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration.WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Today is May 3rd, 2017 and I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host today. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week Although America can’t immediately field a giant fighting force and ship it to the Western Front - the US government is going “all in” in other ways.No longer limited under a declaration of war, the US Navy gets busy and sends destroyers across the Atlantic to engage German U-boats, which are ravaging allied shipping. Remember, the US Navy has been a force to be reckoned with for a hundred years - ever since it distinguished itself during the War of 1812 - a war, incidentally, AGAINST the British not for them. Meanwhile, we not only have an effective Navy but we also have money. Unlike our European allies and foes, we haven’t  depleted our economy through years of war - so,  President Wilson’s Treasury Secretary, William McAdoo puts together a ginormous loan for the Bank of England. He hands them a check for $200 million dollars - the equivalent of 4 billion today.. That is the largest single check the US Treasury had ever written. But we Americans are a pragmatic lot. This is - of course - not a gift. It’s a loan. And - as has become typical with a lot of US international governmental dealings - to this very day - the money is only to be used to pay American companies for products and services on behalf of the UK’s war efforts. So it’s a loan to our allie - to be paid back - and to be used to purchase American goods from US suppliers. War has always been good for business.One more interesting note… and yet another amazing parallel in history. Mr. McAdoo -  our secretary of the treasury - also happens to be President Wilson’s son-in-law. Family in the cabinet is a long standing tradition! Meanwhile, on the western front in Europe things are near disastrous. The mutinies among the French troops are expanding. For example, the 2nd battalion of the 18th french regimen suffered two thirds casualties in the Nivelle offensive around April 16th.Just 10 days later, the general command sends in a new crop of officers, the original ones having been killed 10 days earlier.  The men are ordered back to the front. This does not go down well - and Instead of heading for the front, the troops ransack the local stores of wine and get soused - shouting - “Down With The War”. They clearly have had enough.This was unfortunately not an isolated incident. On the same day in the Champagne region, two hundred men fled into the woods rather than report back to the front.Link: http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/160002079918/first-us-war-loan-to-britainhttp://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/160108119108/us-congress-approves-selective-service-acthttp://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/160140287178/french-mutinies-spread Great War Project Joining us to tell us more about how the germans are using the demoralization of the allied troops - not only in France but also in Russia - is former NPR correspondent Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. Russia is effectively in revolution - costing the allies a crucial partner - and delighting the Germans who happily FUEL the fires of dissent.Mike what’s happening with Russia?LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/04/30/will-russia-stay-in-the-war/Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. War in the Sky In the great war in the sky 100 years ago this week, we are wrapping up Bloody April - a disastrous period for the allied flyers where a new pilot had a life expectancy of just 11 days. Two allied aces that are lost in late April and early March are American pilot John J. Malone and British ace Captain Albert Ball who is killed in a crash following a dog fight with Lothar Von Richthoven, the brother of Manfred Von Richthoven, the red baron - both brothers are German  pilots.On the US domestic front, last week we told you the story about the launch of the Boeing Aircraft company. We received a lot of feedback and interest on the story. So with us today is Michael Lombardi, the senior corporate historian for the Boeing company. Michael thank you for joining us.Michael, re-branding his company, The Pacific Aero Products Company - a component supplier  -  to the Boeing Airplane Company - a airplane supplier - within days of a US declaration of war carries all the “business acumen”, “entrepreneurial spirit ”, ‘Innovation” and “technology” attributes that define much of the American Character that emerged as a result of WW1. We want to know more about mr. William Boeing. Could you give us some insight?[Michael reply]What did the company do during the 18 months of the war? And what did it do the years following?[Michael reply]WW1 is the war that changed the world - William Boeing and the company he founded are certainly a part of this. Thank you Michael Lombardi, Senior corporate historian for the Boeing company.LINK:http://ww1cc.org/warinthesky The Great War Channel For video about WW1 history  - our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube have some new posts for you this week: OUT OF THE TRENCHES is another episode of where Indy Nidell answers viewer questions Turmoil In The French Army expands on the challenges we have been speaking about. And Fight For Air Supremacy - Bloody April 1917 is a great summary of the war in the sky in 2017 The videos are really informative and another great way to follow the history of WW1 from a more european perspective.Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW Activities and Events Baseball It’s spring - and the “boys of summer” are getting ready for another season!We’re happy to announce the first of many collaborations with the WW1 centennial and professional sports. The Commission has been working with the president of the International League, an east coast minor baseball league. This May and into June, they are going to highlight centennial commemoration during games. Each park will have a slightly different way of showcasing the history of WW1; In Louisville one of the Commissioners is throwing out the first pitch and in Virginia the state WW1 Commission plans to have a living history truck. The will invite people to bring in pictures of their ancestors who fought in WW1 to be scanned and archived right then and there. They will also receive help researching the images so the family leaves knowing more about their family’s veteran and service. Upcoming games with schedule WW1 centennial events include: May 20 - Scranton [Wilkes Barre Rail Riders]May 21 - Louisville [Bats]May 23 - Charlotte [Knights]May 27 - Pawtucket [Red Sox]May 29 - Gwinnett [Braves]June 1-4 Norfolk [Tides]For a complete list of the league’s games follow the link in the podcast notes. Updates From The States Arkansas: On the Fields and In the Trenches: Relics of the First World WarIn “The Land of Opportunity” state - Arkansas - at the State Archives in Little Rock, there is an exhibit honoring and exploring the US and state’s involvement in WW1 through artifacts, documents and photographs. Many of these historic items were picked up off the battlefields by Louis C. Gulley, a local working as a postmaster for the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during the war. This month, they are expanding that exhibit - adding a traveling exhibit: The Great War: Arkansas in World War I, that showcases images from the Arkansas State Archives and highlights the achievements and sacrifices of Arkansans in the war. Stop by before May 6th to catch both of these exhibits!Link: http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=l117http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/michigan-in-ww1-events/eventdetail/27125/a-taste-of-the-trenches.htmlhttp://archives.arkansas.gov/outreach/exhibits/traveling.aspxhttp://archives.arkansas.gov/outreach/exhibits/current.aspxMassachusetts: 104th Infantry Regiment of the 26th Division of the Massachusetts National Guard MemorialIn Massachusetts - where 6,500 Springfield residents fought in WWI, one regiment in particular is being remembered this week. Brian Willette, of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the city’s Veterans Services Department organized a ceremony, to honor the 104th infantry regiment of the 26th Massachusetts National Guard. The 104th were the first American military unit to be given a foreign decoration for valor during battle, the Croix de Guerre. Mayor Domenic Sarno, and Eric Segundo, Massachusetts State Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars placed a wreath at the monument to the 104th. They later raised our World War I Centennial commemoration flag.Link: http://wamc.org/post/memorial-honors-heroes-world-war-i Spotlight in the Media For our listeners who do not know him, let me introduce Sergeant Stubby. He was a DOG --- who served for 18 months and participated in seventeen battles on the Western Front. Stubby  saved his regiment from surprise mustard gas attacks, found and comforted the wounded, and once caught a German soldier by the seat of his pants, holding him until human American soldiers arrived. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and decorated with medals. Back home, his exploits were front page news in major newspapers. Well Sergeant Stubby’s exploits are being turned into an animated film - and with us today for an update on the movie is Jordan Beck, Head of Communications for Fun Academy Motion Pictures. Welcome Jordan.Give us an overview and update on the project[Jordan Beck]That was Jordan Beck, Head of Communications for Fun Academy Motion Pictures. Education The Monuments ProjectCombining our international and education reports - here is a story about the students at the American School in Paris. They recently started a new class assignment—the Monuments Project. With more than 35,000 Americans buried or memorialized overseas from World War I, there are thousands of untold stories, and the students are uncovering some of these unknown, personal histories.The project  is a collaboration between the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) in the Paris area, the American School of Paris and with Lopez Island Middle High School of Washington State. 100 students in France and Washington State began working together to research the lives of soldiers who entered the service.Learn more about it by following the link in the podcast notes.Link: https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/telling-untold-stories-world-war-i-soldiers-sailors-and-marines-suresnes-american?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=#.WP-LAWeKGMEhttp://www.monumentsproject.org/ Posts and Articles Vande Mataram in the USAThere is a new sub-site that went live this week.Vande Mataram in the USA is a site about Asian Indians in World War I AmericaWhen the United States entered World War I, only a few tens of thousands of immigrants from colonial India lived in the nation, most on the West Coast. Yet this tiny community received enormous press coverage immediately after the declaration of war. The spotlight came from a wave of arrests of Indian Nationalists and Germans accused of conspiring to overthrow the British Raj. But while the press was focused on covering the plot and trial, many Asian Indian immigrants were serving in the United States armed forces. Their record of service and their struggle for civil rights after WWI led eventually to full citizenship rights for themselves and their descendants.Check out their story at ww1cc.org/vande V-A-N-D-E all lower case.link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/vande-mataram-home.html100 Cities/100 MemorialsFor 100 Cities / 100 Memorial - the $200,000 matching grant program for rescuing ailing WW1 memorials - we want to put out a reminder that there are less than 45 days before the grant application submissions close.We know this is not enough  time to crank up a whole project - but don’t miss the deadline if you are doing one of these project. Also, if you have a WW1 memorial project and you do not know about the program - you still have time to apply at ww1cc.org/100memorials - any restoration project completed after January 1, 2014 and November 11, 2018 qualifies.  Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/100-cities-100-memorials-home.htmlMilitary Times and WW1The Military Times is running a series of articles  about each military branch’s experiences during WW1. This week, there is a great article about the Marine Corps and their bravery at Belleau Wood authored by Retired Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, who served 36 years in the Marine Corps. Read the story by following the link in the podcast notes.Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2231-world-war-i-and-the-marine-corps-bravery-at-belleau-wood-set-the-tone-for-today-s-force.htmlWwrite BlogFrench WW1 era censorship of Film and LiteratureIn our WWrite blog - which explores WWI’s Influence on Contemporary Writing and Scholarship.This weeks featured post comes from blog curator, Jennifer Orth-Veillon, who discusses post-WWI French censorship of Films and literature that portrayed overly-negative images of the war.In her post, The film, Paths of Glory, by Stanley Kubrick as well as  Gabriel Chevallier 's book, Fear, were considered threats to France's vision of patriotism and triumph after the Armistice of 1918.Read the post at ww1cc.org/W-W-R-I-T-Elink: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/1697-censorship-on-wwi-literature-and-cinema.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts Cabinet ExercisesImages of Wilson’s cabinet getting in fighting shape for the war, including future president FDRLink: http://mashable.com/2017/02/18/cabinet-exercises/?linkId=36902528#DvoKqmLzc5qDFirst Naval Officer Death in WW1Link: http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/naval_academy/ph-ac-cn-wwi-naval-academy-anniversary-0429-20170428-story.html Moss: a humble plant that saved thousands of lives in WW1link:http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-humble-moss-helped-heal-wounds-thousands-WWI-180963081/  That’s WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening!We want to thank our guests Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blogMichael Lombardi, the Senior Corporate Historian for the Boeing CompanyJordan Beck, Head of Communications for Fun Academy Motion PicturesKatherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show.And I am Theo Mayer - your host this week.The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1. Our programs are to--inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1;we are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms;We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country;and we are building a National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.We rely entirely on your donations. No government appropriations or taxes are being used, so please give what you can.It's easy by texting  the word: WW1Now to 41444. that's ww 1 now to 41444Or you give online at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case WW1 Centennial News is brought to you as a part of that effort. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn  on  iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to talk to someone about the centennial of WW1 this week. So long. SUBSCRIPTIONS WW1 Centennial News Video Podcast on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ww1-centennial-news/id1209764611?mt=2 Weekly Dispatch Newsletterhttp://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/subscribe.htm

About the lecture: The development of the rule of law and constitutional government-rule by representative lawmaking rather than executive decree or judicial edict-can be said to be the most significant and influential accomplishment of the long history of human liberty. The greatest political revolution in the United States since the establishment of the Constitution has been the shift of power away from the lawmaking institutions of republican government to an oligarchy of unelected experts. The future of the rule of law -- and self-government -- depends on the recovery of the Constitution. This lecture took place on September 16, 2016, and it was the annual Constitution Day Lecture at The Institute of World Politics. About the speaker: Matthew Spalding is Associate Vice President and Dean of Educational Programs for Hillsdale College in Washington, D.C. As such he oversees the operations of the Kirby Center and the various academic and educational programs of Hillsdale in the nation's capital. He is the best-selling author of We Still Hold These Truths: Rediscovering Our Principles, Reclaiming Our Future, which details America's core principles, shows how they have come under assault by modern progressive-liberalism and lays out a strategy to recover them. Spalding also is executive editor of The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, a line-by-line analysis of each clause of the U.S. Constitution. His other books include A Sacred Union of Citizens: Washington's Farewell Address and the American Character; Patriot Sage: George Washington and the American Political Tradition; and The Founders' Almanac: A Practical Guide to the Notable Events, Greatest Leaders & Most Eloquent Words of the American Founding. Prior to joining Hillsdale, Dr. Spalding was Vice President of American Studies at The Heritage Foundation and founding director of its B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics. He continues at Heritage as the Henry Salvatori Visiting Fellow, and is also a Senior Fellow at the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy. He received his B.A. from Claremont McKenna College, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in government from the Claremont Graduate School. In addition to teaching at Hillsdale, he has taught at George Mason University, the Catholic University of America and Claremont McKenna College.

Over the span of half a century, Brooklyn impostor Stanley Clifford Weyman impersonated everyone from a Navy admiral to a sanitation expert. When caught, he would admit his deception, serve his jail time, and then take up a new identity. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast, we'll review Weyman's surprisingly successful career and describe some of his more audacious undertakings. We'll also puzzle over why the police would arrest an unremarkable bus passenger. Sources for our feature on Stanley Clifford Weyman: St. Clair McKelway, The Big Little Man From Brooklyn, 1969. Alan Hynd, "Grand Deception -- 'Fabulous Fraud From Brooklyn,'" Spokane Daily Chronicle, April 13, 1956. Tom Henshaw, "Bygone State Visits Marked by Incidents," Associated Press, Sept. 13, 1959. John F. Murphy, "Notorious Impostor Shot Dead Defending Motel in Hold-Up," New York Times, Aug. 28, 1960. Richard Grenier, "Woody Allen on the American Character," Commentary 76:5 (November 1983), 61-65. This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Josva Dammann Kvilstad. Here are three corroborating links (warning -- these spoil the puzzle). You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on iTunes or Google Play Music or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- on our Patreon page you can pledge any amount per episode, and all contributions are greatly appreciated. You can change or cancel your pledge at any time, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

“American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good” March 31, 2016 at the Boston Athenæum. The struggle between individual rights and the good of the community as a whole has been the basis of nearly every major disagreement in America’s history, from the debates at the Constitutional Convention and the run-up to the Civil War, to the fights surrounding the agendas of the Federalists, the Progressives, the New Dealers, the civil rights movement, and the Tea Party. In American Character, Colin Woodard traces these two key strands in American politics through the two and a half centuries of the nation’s existence, from the first colonies through the Gilded Age, the Great Depression, and the present day, and he explores how different regions of the country have successfully or disastrously accommodated them.

Dr. Arnn joins Hugh Hewitt to discuss the role of education in the formation of the American character.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Arnn joins Hugh Hewitt to discuss the role of education in the formation of the American character.

Dr. Arnn joins Hugh Hewitt to discuss the character of the American people at the Founding.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Arnn joins Hugh Hewitt to discuss the character of the American people at the Founding.

... no place to hide! I came back to Tsukuba yesterday to find a town returning to calm, neighbors helping neighbors, and a great spirit of volunteerism and service. People are staying out of the rain, trying to avoid drinking the water, and the ground still shakes now and then ... but, otherwise, pretty ordinary March day. These are images and newsreports of the 1896! tsunami in Japan which is said to have killed 27,000! people, rivaling the current disaster. 30,000 may have died earlier the same year in a separate tsunami. Nor is that the only such case, with dozens of earthquakes, tsunami, vo past century in Japan ... with hundreds of thousands dead or displaced. And, in great part, this is also a source of strength in Japanese national character, as people pull together at such times and overcome. Sure, this recent disaster has a couple of twists ... the nuclear things and such ... but countless Japanese folks (and non-Japanese too) are doing so in this case too. Something like how Americans needed the hardship of "crossing the great frontier" to make American Character ... Japanese may thrive from nature's hardship and challenge. I am sitting in near-normal safety in Tsukuba, while folks are truly suffering 100 miles northeast of here. The highways are filled with relief trucks moving supplies that way, local community groups are pitching in too in my town and 1000 others. I sent Mina and Leon to be with relatives in Osaka, the "safe" part of Japan (although they also have had a killer tsunami or two down there in centuries past), because the radiation levels here in the air, rain and water are not advisable for growing children. For an old guy like me, however, little concern or threat. The subject of today's sit-a-long ... no where to run to, baby ... no where we need or can run, baby ... just be still, baby, even as we run for the hills! Today’s Sit-A-Long video follows at this link. Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 20 to 35 minutes is recommended. Visit the forum thread here!

Jack fights a crazy super who insists he's an under cover spy. Jack Hitt is the author of “Off the Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim's Route into Spain”. He is working on a book entitled, “Bunch of Amateurs: In Search of the American Character”. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices