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My guest in the first show of 2012 is David M. Kennedy. David was born and raised in Sherman, Texas, a part of the country he now calls the safe harbor for conservative hypocrisy.  At the age of 53, he and his wife of 30 years moved to Ridgway, Colorado, which they now call home.  Ridgway is the location for the filming of the original True Grit.

                                                    


By profession, David is a trial lawyer who has focused the last 20 years of his practice to the representation of those injured and abused in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.  He has lectured on elderly abuse, the detection and prevention of the same, and is a firm believer that government funded programs are vital to the very health and safety of our seniors.  He also believes the conservative movement in this country that directly attacks the social safety nets, as well as efforts at tort reform, have and will result in even more neglect to the most vulnerable among us.

Raised a Baptist, David credits the Christian Coalition=s Voter Guide push in America=s churches as his wake-up call that something was seriously amiss within established Christian denominations, and that was the influential politics of the Christian Right.  Due to the undesirable presence of conservative politics, David moved his family from his life-long church to a new Baptist church, becoming the chairman of deacons and one of the first elders chosen to lead that church.  He then left with others to establish a non-denominational church that became the first religious organization to be permitted to hold church in the local public school district facilities of his community.

Hearing the constant rhetoric of the approaching 2010 elections, David decided it was time to rededicate his life to his Christian faith.  His first act was to author You Voted For Who? And You Call Yourself A Christian?, the title being the actual quoted rebuke his wife received from one of her conservative Christian friends upon being told that she had voted for Barack Obama.  The book applies a biblical analysis to challenge that conservative mantra of the usual political wedge issues that always drives the evangelical Christians to support the Republican Party.  The book may be purchased through his website dedicated to fighting what he calls the good fight against the Christian Right, www.christianadvocate.com, as well as on Amazon.com.

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Four of my guests on this year’s edition of the “Year-end Round-Up” are back from last year.  Again this afternoon we have Dr. Lewis Perelman from Virginia, John Puma from Mount Vernon, John Berenyi from New York and all over the world, Dr. Bob Flower from Bronxville and special guest from Boston and Harvard University, Dana Garfunkel The topic today will be a review of the year 2011, reflections on the first three years of the Obama Administration, and predictions for 2012.

                                        

                                 John Puma  John Berenyi  Bob Flower  Richard J. Garfunkel

Our first guest this morning is Dr. Lewis J. Perelman is a Washington-DC policy and management consultant.  A native of Mount Vernon, New York, and one of my oldest friends, he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics from the City College of New York, and went on to study space and planetary physics at Columbia University and Harvard University.  He later earned his doctoral degree in administration, planning, and policy from Harvard, where his studies focused on sustainable economic development. Dr. Perelman has over thirty years of professional experience focused on the processes of innovation, sustainability, and resilience—as a consultant, analyst, author, publisher, and teacher.  Recently, he has been working on energy, climate, and other issues related to infrastructure development and risk management as a consultant to several associations, research institutes, and public agencies.

In 1992 he gained renown for his best-selling book “School’s Out”, which anticipated much of the revolution that the Internet and information technology would end up causing in learning, work, and the keys to business success.  Since 2001, Dr. Perelman also has been actively engaged in work on homeland security, for the federal Homeland Security Institute and other organizations.

                                              

                                          Lew Perelman     Richard and Dana Garfunkel

John Berenyi currently he advises governments, corporations and non profit organizations from Mt. Vernon, NY to South Carolina and cities in South Florida on sustainability, risk management and strategic planning related to alternative energy. Internationally, he is an advisor on these matters to companies and public entities in Israel, New Zealand, Hungary and other areas. He has over 25 years of experience as financial advisor, technology and economic consultant and investment banker.  His work has been at the intersection of engineering, business law, urban planning, management, economics and finance.

The focus of his activities: alternative energy projects, power systems, solid waste facilities, mass transit authorities, highways and bridges, affordable housing and mortgage finance, water and sewer systems, long term care facilities, non-profit institutions such as universities, museums, stadiums, hospitals and nursing homes.

John has undergraduate and graduate degrees in industrial engineering, management sciences and applied economics and public finance from Columbia University and was named a Loeb Fellow in Advanced Environmental Studies at Harvard University. He worked as the Co-Chairman of the NY State Task Force of business and economic leaders and citizens established   to support the amendment to the NY State Constitution which now allows “Tax Increment Financing” by communities throughout NY.

John Puma is a career entrepreneur, who loves the challenge of business. John, who was born in Brooklyn, brought up on Long Island, and gravitated to Mount Vernon, was educated at the State University of NY in Buffalo earned a degree in Management & Finance and earned another degree in TV Production at NYU.  John through his company – American Worldwide Energy - is deeply involved is 2 aspects of the NEW energy business - Energy Efficiency – reducing electric and gas consumption in multi-family housing and buildings and developing large utility scale Solar projects. He has developed a turnkey system to design, engineer, earn lucrative rebates and complete financing for these projects making them virtually no money down for real estate owners through the NJ Clean Energy Program and NY’s program through NYSERDA. This past year he upgraded over 3,000 apartments cutting their consumption in half and built 7MW of solar power making some facilities virtually self sufficient.

He is also a stakeholder with the NJ Board of Public Utilities and the NJ Office of Clean Energy and as such has made major inroads in shaping energy- public policy in the state of NJ.  

Dr. Robert Flower, who is a resident of Bronxville, NY, is a graduate of both Fordham University and Walden University with a BA degree in Philosophy and a Ph.D. in Philosophy along with Organizational and Systems Sciences. Bob is a successful entrepreneur, scholar and adventurer who has spent 29 years analyzing human potential and developing a methodology for achievement. Through his discovery of the Laws of Potential and development of Natural Intelligence and Thinking, Dr. Flower has achieved tremendous personal success, and helped others to set and reach their goals as well.

As Director of The Gilchrist Institute for the Achievement Sciences, a sociopolitical/economic think tank since 1982, he discovered the Laws of Potential and Natural Intelligence. He has written 3 books on Potential and Intelligence and lectured on the subject twice at the United Nations (1991, 1992). His books are published in 3 countries. As a General Systems Specialist (expert in learning, potential and intelligence) he has been frequently featured in newspapers and magazines, and has appeared on national radio and television programs.* He is now a member of the Economic Development Transition team of Michael Spano, the newly elected Mayor of Yonkers. He also hosts 2 shows: The Public Advocate in several cable markets, and The Master Pattern Report -- an international internet show where Dr. Flower predicts economic, political and stock market activity with incredible accuracy. WEBSITES: www.drbobflower.com.

Dana Garfunkel, a native New Yorker, who was raised in White Plains and has lived in Boston for the past seventeen years, is a graduate of Rutgers University and earned her MS at Boston University. She has been affiliated with Harvard University for many years and currently is the Assistant Director of Recruitment of the Office Enrollment Services of the Harvard Kennedy School.

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My guests are Rabbi Lester Bronstein of Beth Am Shalom and Father Gawain de Leeuw of Saint Bartholomew’s of White Plains, NY.  Our subject is the secular challenge to the spiritual world.  


               
                                                                     
Rabbi Lester Bronstein has served Bet Am Shalom Synagogue in White Plains since 1989.  He is past president of the Westchester Board of Rabbis, and is on the board of several interfaith organizations, including the White Plains Religious Leaders Association.  Formerly he was a lecturer in Rabbinics in the Cantorial School of Hebrew Union College in New York.  For many years he and his wife sang with Beged Kefet, a charity-based Jewish musical group. Lester was born in Houston and educated at Yale, BU and the Hebrew Union College and writes and teaches about the revitalization of Jewish life in America, based on ancient models of practice.

Father Gawain de Leeuw has served congregations in White Plains for 10 years and has been at St. Bartholomew’s for the past seven years (he was previously curate at Grace Church).

Father de Leeuw, who was ordained to the priesthood in 1996, was raised in Rochester New York, to a multi-faith family. He graduated with a degree in Philosophy, cum laude, from Oberlin College in 1991 and was awarded his Masters in Divinity degree at the University of Chicago in 1995. He received his Anglican Studies certificate at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. He was graduated with his Doctor in Ministry in Congregational Development at Seabury-Western Seminary in 2010

After ordination, he received the Luce Scholar’s award, serving the English Mission at the Anglican Cathedral in Seoul and teaching liturgical theology at Anglican University. He has been trained in Leadership, Authority and Organization at the Tavistock Institute and facilitative leadership and coaching at the Interaction Institute for Social Change. He has written for the Anglican Theological Review, The Witness, SoMA magazine and Salsa New York. He has served as the chair of the Committee for the formation of a Credit Union, and is currently the Dean of the Westchester Central Clericus, and president of the White Plains Religious Leaders. 

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My returning guests are Bob Trupin, Bruce Fabricant, Alan Rosenberg and newcomer Ron Tocci. Our subject is “The Sports’ Year End: Teams, Players, Media, and Money.”

            
 
        Bruce Fabricant - Ron Tocci - Alan Rosenberg       Alan Rosenberg - Richard J. Garfunkel


Bob Trupin, an All-Ivy Basketball star at Yale, has been a coach, camp director, teacher, and commentator.  He has had a long career as camp director, he has taught at places as varied as the NYC school system, Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, the Guilford Arts Center, the Shoreline Foundation, and college summer programs. His sport’s column, “Handle on Sports” appeared in the Shoreline Times newspapers for many years.
He has been a camp and an athletic director for thirty years at Camp Trupin in Colchester, CT, Friends Seminary, in NYC, and Kutscher’s Sports Academy in Monticello, NY. He has directed Robert Trupin’s Sporthink in Madison, CT for the past 12 years, which focuses on counseling, coaching and consulting at all levels for athletes, coaches, parental involvement, and teams.

 

                                   Bob Trupin and American Iconic Sports Images

Bob, who originally grew up and was educated in Mount Vernon, NY, was a Westchester High School All-County Basketball player, played basketball at Yale University, where he was selected All-Ivy and was drafted by the NY Knicks. He worked for the Knicks in the publicity department in the late 1960’s. He also has an MBA from NYU’s Graduate School of Business and a MS from Fordham University. Bob was a guest on The Advocates this past September.

Bruce Fabricant who grew up in Mount Vernon has spent more than four decades in marketing and advertising.  Nearly 25 of those years were with Grey Advertising in New York City where headed up the agency’s public relations department’s sports marketing group.

He began his career at Grey promoting Getty Oil’s New York Yankees Honorary Batboy campaign. Through the years he promoted everything from General Foods’ Box Tops for Fun ‘N Fitness School Program, to the Mennen Company’s NFL Fastback of the Week Award to Cracker Jack’s Baseball Card Collectibles and Kenner Toys’ Starting Lineup baseball figurines.

In the late ‘60s he helped produce the first annual Major League Baseball Highlight film sponsored by Investors Diversified Services.   He has written five made for television sports films sponsored by Panasonic.  They include “The Heisman Trophy – The Possible Dream”, “Bullpen – The Story of Baseball’s Relief Pitchers”, “Tennis Everyone” and “Soccer -- New Game in Town”. He currently heads his own Westchester-based public relations firm.  He most recently has written two books about Mount Vernon.  The first, “That Perfect Spring” is about growing up in Mount Vernon during the 1950s and playing baseball for the city’s championship A.B. Davis High School team.  This year he has edited a book titled “Remembering Mount Vernon – The Place We Called Home” that features essays about the city of the ‘40s and ‘50s.  Both are available at www.lulu.com. Bruce was a guest on The Advocates in April of 2009.

Alan D. Rosenberg is a native Mount Vernon, graduated from AB Davis/MVHS and New York University. He has an MBA from Baruch College, has been a CPA for over 40 years, has offices in both New York City and Scarsdale and is an avid sports fan and memorabilia collector.  Alan also played basketball for NYU, and has been heavily active in NYU alumni affairs. Over the years, Alan has appeared four times on The Advocates; two as a guest panelist with former NYU basketball great Cal Ramsey, and Brooklyn Dodger pitcher Ralph Branca, who also was a AB Davis HS and NYU graduate and athletic great.

Ron Tocci, a lifelong resident of Westchester County, Tocci served from 1966-1968 as a paratrooper for the U.S. Army in the 82nd Airborne Division. After an honorable discharge, his passion for serving his country and fellow soldiers led him to a career in public service. He began as a County Legislator in the Westchester County Legislature for four consecutive terms then served in the New York State Assembly (D) for ten terms, representing the NY State’s 85th and 91st Assembly Districts from 1985 through 2004.

Assemblyman Tocci is widely known for spearheading policy changes that address veterans’ concerns, as well as legislation combating alcohol and substance abuse in the community. As chairman of the Assembly’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Tocci was responsible for laws helping veterans become eligible for benefits, receive college tuition assistance, and become employed in the public sector. He secured funding for veterans nursing homes and passed a resolution urging Congress to prohibit physical desecration of the American Flag. His dedication to veterans’ affairs and to the community earned him the National Distinguished Service Medal presented by the New York State Department – American Legion.

In 2004, Tocci was appointed Commissioner for Veterans Affairs for New York State where he coordinated and oversaw all programs servicing veterans. In 2007 he retired from that position and now heads the Tocci Group, a consulting firm that advises political groups, media organizations and private corporations on how to better their interests in their communities.

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My guest is Professor Donald M. Goldstein and the subject is the “Myths of Pearl Harbor, 70 years later.”



     


Donald M. Goldstein, Ph.D. (University of Denver) is a retired Air Force officer who served for 22 years.  He is currently a Professor Emeritus of Public and International Affairs at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.  He has taught at the Air Force Academy, the Air War College, the Air Command and Staff College, the University of Tampa, Troy State University and the University of Pittsburgh.  A former Associate Dean at this school, he is currently on the faculties of Asian Studies, Eastern European, Western European, and the Honors College programs at the University of Pittsburgh.   He is currently the Associate Director of the Matthew Ridgway Center for International Security Studies.

Dr. Goldstein is author or co-author of over 70 articles and 27 books.  His most famous is At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor, which is in its 20th printing.  The book was first runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize in 1982 and was on the New York Times bestseller list for 47 weeks.  His book, Miracle at Midway, was on the bestseller lists for 9 weeks.  Other books by Goldstein and his associates include December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History, The Williwaw War (the story of the Arkansas national guard in World War II Alaska), Target Tokyo: The Story of the Sorge Spy Ring, Nuts: The Story of the Battle of the Bulge, D-Day Normandy, The Spanish-American War, Vietnam, The Korean War, Fading Victory: The Autobiography of Admiral M. Ugaki, The Pearl Harbor Papers, and a biography of Amelia Earhart.  All the above books were Book-of-the-Month Club, History Book Club or Military Book Club selections.

Averaging over 200 talks a year to radio, TV and civic organizations, Dr. Goldstein has been awarded two Peabody awards for work on “Pearl Harbor: Two Hours that Changed the World” with David Brinkley (ABC), and “D-Day: A Soldier’s Story” with Peter Jennings (ABC).  His teaching awards include: 14 straight teaching certificates for outstanding teaching from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs; 7 times teacher of the year, Air Command and Staff College; award for teaching excellence from the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA, 1999).  In 2002, he was awarded the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award at the University of Pittsburgh. His latest book is about Jimmy Doolittle and the Bombing of Tokyo.

In addition to his Ph.D. from the University of Denver, Dr. Goldstein holds a Bachelor of Arts, three masters degrees and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.  He is a consultant for ABC, NBC, NHK, the Discovery Channel, A&E, the History Channel, and the Disney Channel.  He is currently working on two books:  World War I and World War II in the Southwest Pacific, to be published in 2003.  Professor Goldstein is a contributor to such programs as Good Morning America, the Today Show, Larry King Live and C-Span.  He is married with four children.  He and his wife, Mariann, reside in Florida.

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My guest is author and historian Dr. Ellen Chesler and we will be talking about Margaret Sanger, the struggle over women’s reproductive rights, and the revisionist attacks of the right wing on Planned Parenthood.


            

With over thirty years of experience in government, philanthropy, and academia, Ellen Chesler is widely respected for the practical and intellectual perspectives she brings to public policy.

Dr. Chesler is currently a Senior Fellow at the Four Freedoms Center of the Roosevelt Institute, an innovative New York City- based think tank that promotes ideas, influences policy and nurtures young talent, all by way of creating a living legacy for Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, whose presidential library in Hyde Park, the institute also supports. She is shaping the institute’s new policy program on human rights while also helping to expand overall public programming.

From 2007-2010,  she was Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Eleanor Roosevelt Initiative on Women and Public Policy at Roosevelt House, the new public policy institute of Hunter College of the City University of New York.  She played a central role in defining the institute’s three part mission: engaging students through the development of policy courses; supporting the faculty in applied policy research and advocacy; and sponsoring lectures, seminars, and conferences, most prominently “Aspen at Roosevelt House,” a discussion and lecture series in collaboration with the Aspen Institute that attracted large and enthusiastic audiences.

For nearly ten years prior, Dr. Chesler served as a senior fellow and program director at the Open Society Institute, the international foundation started by George Soros, where she helped develop and execute the foundation's multi-million dollar global investments in reproductive health and women’s rights and advised on a range of other program initiatives.  Her work with women combined support for policy research and advocacy, public education, and litigation with strategic investments in new birth control products and model service innovations that promise long-term benefits in public health in the United States and in many countries around the world.

Dr. Chesler is author of the critically celebrated Woman of Valor: Margaret Sanger and the Birth Control Movement in America.  A finalist for PEN's 1993 Martha Albrand award in nonfiction, the book was released in a new paperback edition in 2007. She is also co-editor of Where Human Rights Begin: Health, Sexuality and Women in the New Millennium, Rutgers University Press, 2005, and she has written numerous essays and articles in academic anthologies and in newspapers and periodicals including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Nation, the New Republic, the American Prospect, and the Women's Review of Books. She has written blogs for New Deal 2.0, the on-line publication of the Roosevelt Institute, for the Huffington Post and other web-sites.

Dr. Chesler has extensive experience as a voluntary leader with non-governmental organizations.  She currently chairs the nominating committee of the board of directors of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. And she serves on the Advisory Committee of the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, which she chaired for six years. From 1997 to 2003, she chaired the board of the International Women's Health Coalition. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  In 2009 and 2010, she served as a U.S. public delegate at meetings of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.  She has also long been active in Democratic politics, especially on behalf of women candidates, most recently New York Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Hillary Rodham Clinton.    

Early in her professional career, Dr. Chesler was chief of staff to New York City Council President Carol Bellamy, who was the first woman ever elected to city wide office in New York. An honors graduate of Vassar College, Chesler earned her masters and doctoral degrees in history at Columbia University.  She is married to New York lawyer, Matthew Mallow, and they are the parents of two adult children.
         

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