This Week in America with Ric Bratton

What was it really like to serve in the Peace Corps during its earliest days? In this episode, Gary R. Lindberg author of " The Vegetable Grows and the Lion Roars: My Peace Corps Service" shares extraordinary stories from his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Ivory Coast during the 1960s — a bold era shaped by President John F. Kennedy’s vision of global service. From building school gardens and working in remote villages to breaking down in the middle of nowhere, encountering camels, and traveling to legendary places like Timbuktu, Gary’s journey is one of courage, curiosity, and cultural discovery. We explore: Gary Lindberg, a UC Berkeley graduate during the Free Speech Movement and a longtime human resources professional, reflects on how his Peace Corps experience influenced his worldview and lifelong path. This is a heartfelt, eye-opening conversation about service, adventure, and the power of stepping into the unknown. http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/2526kpp2.mp3 AMAZON https://garyrlindberg.com/ https://www.kingpagespress.com/

What if humanity’s greatest strength — rational thought — is also the source of our deepest disconnection? In his book "How The Rational Mind Repressed The Emotional Mind Into Submission Once We Got The Spoken Word", engineer, philosopher, and systems thinker Chet Shupe explores how emotional intelligence once guided human life — and how the rise of language, laws, and rational systems slowly displaced that ancient wisdom. Drawing on evolutionary insight, psychology, spirituality, and cultural reflection, Shupe challenges the assumption that reason alone should govern human behavior. We discuss: Shupe’s work invites us to question long-held beliefs about progress, morality, and belonging — not with easy answers, but with deep reflection and human compassion. This is a powerful conversation for anyone who feels something essential has been lost — and is searching for what it truly means to be human. AMAZON https://www.spiritualfreedompress.com/ http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/kccs.mp3

Can religious topics be entertaining? Barry Leonardini thinks so — and his bold, satirical novel Jesus and Peter: a Different View of Christ and His Catholic Church proves it. In this fascinating conversation, Leonardini challenges traditional Christian narratives by reimagining Jesus and the apostle Peter through a lens of humanity, ambition, politics, and power. Was Jesus exactly as depicted in the Bible? How much of his story was shaped by Peter? And how did Rome transform a humble message of charity into a global religious institution? We explore: Barry Leonardini, a former floor trader on the Pacific Stock Exchange and longtime radio guest, brings sharp wit, historical imagination, and fearless commentary to one of history’s most powerful stories. Whether you’re religious, skeptical, curious, or just love bold conversations, this episode will challenge what you think you know — and keep you entertained. http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/2526bbkpp1.mp3 AMAZON https://freshcleanday.blogspot.com https://www.kingpagespress.com/

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REJUVENATE & SHINE: 10 Simple, Surefire Tips for Invigorating Body, Mind & Spirit (Using an Acronym for the Word REJUVENATE for Whole-Body Wellness) with Susan Smith Jones, PhD For a woman with three of America’s most ordinary names, Dr. Susan Smith Jones has certainly made extraordinary contributions in the fields of holistic health, anti-aging, optimum nutrition and balanced living. For starters, she taught students, staff and faculty at UCLA how to be healthy and fit for 30 years! Susan travels internationally as a frequent radio and TV talk show guest and motivational speaker; she’s also the author of many books, including UPLIFTED, A HUG IN A MUG and — just released this week and already a much-celebrated GOLD MEDAL Award-Winning book for children of all ages and also young-at-heart adults — JOY & THE BUTTERFLY: The Magical Garden. Whether it’s a new year, new season or new month, anytime is a good time to make better choices about improving your health. One of the best ways to bring wellness into your world is to decrease the level of stress you experience on a daily basis and rejuvenate your body and life. Sounds like a daunting task, but really, it’s very simple with these 10 surefire tips Susan will discuss with us today. With her practical suggestions, you can rejuvenate your body from head to toe, inside out. In other words, whole-body, high-level wellness is now within your reach. Get out your pen and paper because you’ll want to take lots of notes during our discussion. Are you ready to REJUVENATE? SusanSmithJones.com 🌻 https://www.instagram.com/susansmithjonesphd X @SusanSmithJones http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/ssj141b.mp3

How to Succeed as an Inventor: What Does an Inventor Do? Our guest is Bob Labbe, an Engineer, Author and Inventor Meet Bob, a guy who has a pet peeve with drink coasters, and justifiably thinks you should too! Drink coasters are meant to protect any surface from the water rings produced by cold beverages - but they aren’t user-friendly. One day before a nice dinner out at a restaurant, Bob was enjoying an ice cold drink with his family. He was dressed to the nines and decided to use a leather coaster for his drink. After about 10 minutes, he grabbed his beverage only to have the coaster stick to the bottom of his glass, spilling the condensation all over his tie, shirt, and slacks. His silk tie was forever stained, and so a new product was born. As a problem-solver, he got right to the drawing board. He used his engineering knowledge to sketch The Ultimate Drink Coaster - one that protects surfaces from drink condensation AND prevents that condensation from spilling on the user. His Captures all the condensation from your drink. Controls where the condensation goes. Conveys the condensation into the coaster, away from your drink container. Contains the condensation, preventing spillage. is the first on the market to do both, utilizing the capillary effect of water and a small basin to collect the run off. https://ultimatecoasterco.com/ http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/5825ucc.mp3

Adélaïde: Painter of the Revolution by Janell Strube In a world where women are seen but rarely heard, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard refuses to be silenced. The daughter of Parisian shopkeepers, Adélaïde dreams not of marriage or titles but of earning a place among the masters of French art. With Queen Marie Antoinette on the throne and a spirit of change in the air, anything seems possible. But as revolution brews and powerful forces conspire to deny her success, Adélaïde faces an impossible choice: protect her life or fight for a legacy that will outlast her. Inspired by the true story of one of the first women admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, Adélaïde: Painter of the Revolution is a sweeping, evocative portrait of ambition, courage, and resilience in the face of history’s fiercest storm. Janell Strube makes a mean barbecue sauce. She's also a world traveler, a baker, and a bicyclist. But when she writes, her identity as an adoptee often steers her attention to topics of alienation, erased history, and displacement. In 2024, a personal essay of hers was published in the anthology Adoption and Suicidality. Her work has also appeared in Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir and A Year in Ink. Her short memoir, "Taking my Blonde Daughter to a Black Lives Matter Rally," was selected for the 2020 San Diego Memoir Showcase, an annual live storytelling event.While much of her writing is personal, she enjoys the freedom that comes with crafting fiction. Her desire to learn about forgotten female artists who shaped the French revolutionary period motivated her to write Adélaïde: Painter of the Revolution.When not crunching numbers as a tax executive for a hotel chain, she can be found hanging out with Shiloh the Wheaten and plotting her second book. https://www.amazon.com/Ad%C3%A9la%C3%AFde-Painter-Revolution-Janell-Strube-ebook/dp/B0FSNZ4Y49 https://janellstrube.com/ http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/12226js.mp3

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REJUVENATE & SHINE: 10 Simple, Surefire Tips for Invigorating Body, Mind & Spirit (Using an Acronym for the Word REJUVENATE for Whole-Body Wellness) with Susan Smith Jones, PhD For a woman with three of America’s most ordinary names, Dr. Susan Smith Jones has certainly made extraordinary contributions in the fields of holistic health, anti-aging, optimum nutrition and balanced living. For starters, she taught students, staff and faculty at UCLA how to be healthy and fit for 30 years! Susan travels internationally as a frequent radio and TV talk show guest and motivational speaker; she’s also the author of many books, including UPLIFTED, A HUG IN A MUG and — just released this week and already a much-celebrated GOLD MEDAL Award-Winning book for children of all ages and also young-at-heart adults — JOY & THE BUTTERFLY: The Magical Garden. Whether it’s a new year, new season or new month, anytime is a good time to make better choices about improving your health. One of the best ways to bring wellness into your world is to decrease the level of stress you experience on a daily basis and rejuvenate your body and life. Sounds like a daunting task, but really, it’s very simple with these 10 surefire tips Susan will discuss with us today. With her practical suggestions, you can rejuvenate your body from head to toe, inside out. In other words, whole-body, high-level wellness is now within your reach. Get out your pen and paper because you’ll want to take lots of notes during our discussion. Are you ready to REJUVENATE? SusanSmithJones.com 🌻 https://www.instagram.com/susansmithjonesphd X @SusanSmithJones http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/ssj141b.mp3

The Secret Language of Seashells (And What It Says About You) - "Ocean Oracle: What Seashells Reveal About Our True Nature" by Michelle Hanson Ocean Oracle was created by a woman who undeniably has discovered her life’s mission, so it is not surprising that Michelle is the name with which this author entered our Universe. Her innate sensitivity and the significant knowledge she has acquired from her lifelong study of her seashell partners make her uniquely qualified to be known as the “shell with the voice,” serving as their ambassador to the rest of the world. With her one-of-a-kind creation-and the help of the oceanic realm-Shelley has revolutionized the lives of everyone with whom she has come into contact. She has also designed a special online shell-reading certification program for those interested in learning the valuable lessons of the seashell kingdom, becoming versed in their language and sharing their wisdom with others. Everyone remembers spending a day at the beach as a child collecting seashells, but what if those seashells were more than just pretty objects? What if those shells could actually tell you something about your hidden thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes? Ocean Oracle: What Seashells Reveal about Our True Nature is the bridge to learning this secret language. Simply put, seashells function as tools that enable us to speak with our subconscious, allowing the inner self to communicate the information it considers most valuable for our growth. By listening to the shells with the guidance of Ocean Oracle, you can tap into your own innate wisdom and joy. https://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Oracle-Seashells-Reveal-Nature/dp/158270113X https://oceanoracle.com/ https://authorsperspectivepress.com/ http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/111325mhapp.mp3 Ocean Wisdom: Lessons from the Seashell Kingdom by Michelle Hanson Ocean Wisdom teaches you about the mysteries of the ocean and unlocks the mysteries of self through the study of seashells. Just like the animals that inhabit and create them and the many people that study them, each shell is unique and offers powerful and eye-opening insights into the world around us. The Ocean Wisdom books cover a variety of master teachings on such subjects as survival, victimization, feeling special, feeling flawed, pride, destiny, struggle, faith, sacrifice, and judgment, all through the study and examination of the ocean’s most extraordinary organisms. They devote a great deal of attention to the topic of love. Seashell Divination uses seashells as a psychological tool to explore the mysteries of self and the world around us. Through the awareness gained, you can reshape your future. https://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Wisdom-Lessons-Seashell-Kingdom/dp/0979504104