Informed Dissent

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – In 2020, Dr. Bean's wife, Janet, passed away from cancer. Before she passed, she asked Dr. Bean to take care of the kids. As part of his promise to his wife, Dr. Bean vowed to continue their pursuit of selflessness by serving and protecting the students and families of California. It is why he has entered the race for OC Superintendent of Schools...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Jeff interviews Major Ed Pulido, who shares a powerful journey of service, sacrifice, and resilience after a life-changing combat injury. He advocates for better veteran care, mental health support, and streamlined systems, urging practical reforms to ensure wounded service members receive the dignity, guidance, and resources they deserve upon returning home...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Jeff and Mark interview Lt. Col. Dave Grossman on the psychological cost of killing, the realities faced by military and law enforcement, and strategies to prevent school shootings. He also warns about the risks of cell phones in schools and their impact on safety, behavior, and emergency response systems...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Jeff and Mark speak with Dr. David Shirazi about TMJ disorders, craniofacial pain, and sleep apnea. He explains causes, diagnosis, and treatment options, including oral appliances as alternatives to CPAP, while sharing practical insights on oral health, sleep hygiene, and the impact of lifestyle choices on overall well-being...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Jeff and Mark discuss Mark’s recent article supporting and explaining the justification for President Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s military and government infrastructure. The article drew both support and criticism, including a shocking number of anti-Semitic attacks directed at Mark. Jeff and Mark explore the...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Notifications and endless scrolling reshape attention, parenting, and community life. Children trade play and conversation for screens while adults surrender focus to devices. Reclaiming presence—through limits on smartphones, turning off notifications, and prioritizing real human interaction—offers a path toward healthier minds, stronger families, and more resilient...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Dr. Evans-Puglise explores the evolving role of psychoanalysis in a rapidly changing culture, examining artificial intelligence in therapy, the enduring importance of human connection, and how psychoanalytic insight shapes modern coaching to help individuals uncover patterns, grow emotionally, and live with greater purpose...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Jeff and Mark sit down with rising country artist Macie Rae, a 15-year-old singer-songwriter blending country, pop, and rock into a fresh California sound. She shares her musical inspirations, performances from California to Nashville, and her mission to inspire listeners through heartfelt songs and upcoming original releases this coming summer...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Intuitive guide Janet Reid shares how profound trauma becomes a gateway to wisdom, healing, and self-discovery. Through survival, spiritual awakening, and heartfelt service, she helps others reconnect with inner strength, trust intuition, and remember they are not broken but already whole and capable of beginning again...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – We witness the collapse of privacy, civility, and medical ethics as private speech is turned into public punishment. Media mobs destroy lives while institutions abandon evidence-based medicine. We defend the moral line between words and crimes, resist ideological medicine, and insist physicians protect the vulnerable with reason and restraint...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Trust in medicine and public institutions is unraveling as bureaucracy, money, and ideology replace evidence and transparency. From board certification to pharmaceutical influence and informed consent, patients pay the price. Rebuilding trust requires honesty, accountability, and restoring cultural balance that allows families, children, and society to thrive...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Jeff and Mark speak with the founder of America Out Loud. Malcolm Out Loud tells his story about his early career in advertising and marketing, and how he found his way out of corporate America to start America Out Loud podcasting and broadcasting, with the founding principle of honoring free speech...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – I was out to dinner one night with a friend, and I was approached by TMZ and asked what I thought of the kids who were being bullied and committing suicide. I ended up giving my personal email address out on national television and said that if you are being bullied, email me and I will come to your school! Little did I know that I would...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Invest in relationships. Reach out to estranged loved ones if safe to do so. Forgive. Ask forgiveness. Life is too short to live in permanent grievance. Give generously. Serve others, and you will find perspective. Set a faith or spiritual goal, even if it is a simple daily reflection. Write your goals down and share them. Finally, be kind to...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – We set aside health care and politics for a festive Christmas and New Year conversation with former Major Leaguer and author Greg Pryor. He recounts an unlikely rise from undrafted teen to 10 MLB seasons and a 1985 champion with the Kansas City Royals. Pryor previews stories from *The Day the Yankees Made Me Shave*, packed with legends, games, and laughs...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Vaccine mandates continue across California despite the medical crises of recent years. Alix Mayer of the Free Now Foundation leads efforts to challenge mandates, expand exemptions, and defend medical freedom. Through legal action, public advocacy, and community programs, the organization works to protect parental rights and push state leaders toward voluntary...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Christmas is often portrayed as joyful, but for many it brings grief, loneliness, and emotional strain. This piece explores why the holidays can hurt and offers practical, compassionate ways to care for mental health, set boundaries, reduce isolation, and find meaning, connection, and hope during a difficult December season...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Medicine faces a crisis of trust, effectiveness, and purpose as chronic illness rises and life expectancy falls. Jeff and Mark speak with Dr. Aaron Kheriaty about what went wrong in modern healthcare, how the pandemic accelerated systemic failure, and what ethical, cultural, and institutional reforms are needed to heal medicine and restore public confidence...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – A growing health crisis is reshaping masculinity and dating as young men experience historically low testosterone. Physicians explore cultural, lifestyle, and environmental drivers, from screens to substances, and outline practical solutions. From strength training to medical care and mentorship, healing men’s health may help restore relationships, purpose, and community...

Informed Dissent with Dr. Jeff Barke and Dr. Mark McDonald – Jeff explores inflammation with Dr. Barry Sears, revealing how chronic low-level immune activation silently damages bodies and minds. He highlights the AA to EPA ratio, the power of omega-3s, and a steady, protein-balanced, polyphenol-rich eating plan that supports AMPK and healing while warning against quick fixes like GLP-1 drugs that threaten metabolic health and...