In part two of the 6-part series, Twenty Years of McCuistion focuses on three key issues critical to our future: energy, the environment and immigration. Several notable guests join us in this retrospective look at the past as they add new information. We promise you a heated program as the participants express their views with passion, conviction and their perspectives.
ENERGY
Discussing global warming and climate change are:
Dr. William Kellogg with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, who joined us in 1992. Commenting on global warming as it was then titled, he said,
“The fact is that the global average temperature has been going up in this century. I think scientists have a great responsibility to define or to express whether they’re talking about science, which they have a right to talk about with some authority, or whether they’re talking about social /socio-economic problems, which they are probably not necessarily qualified to talk about anymore than the so-called ‘man in the street.’”
Some heated remarks are made by Cato’s Dr. Pat Michaels, who comments,
“Every measure we have of global temperature shows nothing in the last decade and every climate model we had that was the so-called consensus of scientists said it was to have been warming rapidly. Aside from that there’s no scientific problem with Global Warming. If there are floods, it’s because of global warming. If there’s a drought it’s because of global warming and if there isn’t a flood or a drought, it’s because of global warming.”
Dr. Sterling Burnett, Senior Fellow with The Center for National Policy Analysis, who has been on several programs on this issue joins us in the studio. Dr. Burnett takes us from Kiyoto to Copenhagen and today’s present status as in regards climate change.
ENVIRONMENT
The segment on the environment comes in for its fair share of disagreement as well, as Dennis McCuistion moderates the 1995 “debate” between Dr. Fred Smith of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Ted Eubanks, then Director of the National Audobon Society. John Leedom, of the Weather Modification Association talks about the criticality of water in a segment taped in 2007 and Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, Secretary General of OPEC, gives us his opinion on the oil issue in 2007. Matt Simmons, author of Twilight In the Desert, joins us in 2006 as does Scott Naumann, Manager of Economics and Energy for Exxon. Scott adds,
“We do a detailed estimate of the world’s global resource base. One number we can all agree on up here on the panel is how much we have produced since the beginning of time. So we produced 1 trillion barrels out of 4 or 5 trillion barrels. Nowhere near half way. Nowhere near peak.”
The oil debate goes on with Amory Lovins, PhD of the Rocky Mountain Institute and Ed Wallace, historian and anchor of a KLIF radio program chime, who joined us in 2005.
IMMIGRATION
The Immigration segment continues the heated discussions with several key experts who joined us at different times with their views on this other controversial issue. Jacob G. Hornburger, who in 2007 said,
“We’re building a Berlin wall on the southern border of the United States. This is inconsistent with a great nation, a nation that prides itself on freedom. We say it’s time to recapture the principles of open immigration and freedom in which this country was founded.”
Dr. James F. Hollifield, Director of The Tower Center of Political Studies at SMU- Dallas lays out a foundation for the immigrant waves of immigration and says,
“Immigration is part of the founding myth of this country, but we have gone through four great waves of immigration in our history. So this is a country that certainly was built on immigration and immigration has
always been controversial.”
They are debated by Republican Colorado Representative Tom Tancredo, who states,
“You have to look at whether they want an America as described by Jacob, no borders, just a place on a continent inhabited by residents, not citizens, just people who are gathered together around one set of principles, almost all economic in nature. But you have to make this decision. Do you believe in borders or not? That’s the first question you have to ask yourself. Are they important? Do they matter? Before you can even begin to agree that borders are important, that they do matter, then you have to think about what that means. If you have them, are you willing to actually enforce them.”
The segment concludes with Herb Meyer, author of The Siege of Western Civilization, who joined us in 2008. Meyer talks about demographics and the diminishing birthrates that will affect immigration. He states,
“Last year in the United States 23% of all births in this country were to women who themselves had not been born in the United States. Now there is nothing wrong with this. We just need to understand this. We should be in favor of immigration. That’s how we got here.”
This is one segment that will have you on the edge of your seat. Join us as we once again talk about things that matter with people who care…
Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer
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1815 – 02.14.2010
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Obama Advocates Longer School Year, Higher Teacher Pay
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama said Monday that he would like to extend the school year and raise teacher pay to help improve the U.S. education system.
Mr. Obama, in an interview on NBC’s “Today,” said students around the world usually go to school for a month longer each year than children in the U.S. Such a difference, he said, gives those students an advantage and gives their countries an economic edge.
Mr. Obama said part of the economic challenge is related to “whether we can do something about these schools.”
Southwest Airlines To Buy Discount Rival AirTran
Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) on Monday announced plans to buy discount rival AirTran Holdings Inc. (AAI) for $1.4 billion in a move that would revive its growth strategy and intensify pressure on network carriers on the U.S. East Coast.
The agreed plan promises to be transformative for Southwest, the nation’s largest domestic carrier, by taking it into Atlanta, smaller cities and international destinations for the first time.
“This absolutely changes things,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest’s chairman and chief executive officer on a call with analysts.
The definitive agreement marks the first combination between major U.S. low-cost carriers and is only the second large acquisition by Southwest after it failed to capture Frontier out of bankruptcy protection last year.
Implications of cyber attack affect all
An apparent cyber attack on Iran shows the vulnerability of critical national infrastructure systems to attack through widely used computer programs and imported technology.
US Stocks Climb Broadly, Led By Industrials; DJIA Up 168
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–U.S. stocks rallied Friday, capping their fourth-straight positive week with a broad climb as readings on housing and capital spending by businesses pointed toward a stabilizing economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 168 points, or 1.6%, to 10830, in recent trading. All 30 of the measure’s components rose, led by a 3.7% rise in Alcoa, a 3.6% advance in Caterpillar and a 2.9% climb in Boeing. The Dow is up more than 2% for the week, on track to extend its winning streak to a fourth week. In addition, it is up 8.2% for the month, on pace for its biggest September gain since 1939.
The Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.9% to 2372. The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index rose 1.9% to 1146, with all sectors in positive territory. The industrial and consumer-discretionary sectors led the gains.
Facebook CEO unveils education foundation
As expected, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled today the creation of “Startup: Education” a charitable foundation to “improve educational opportunities for young people in America.” Its first project, to be announced later today on The Oprah Winfrey Show, is a $100 million donation to support the public school system in the troubled city of Newark, N.J.
Will my company health insurance be taxable next year?
My company pays $1,200 per month for my health care benefits. I was told that this will be real income and taxed as such in 2011. Is this true?
Since the health care reform bill was enacted this question has come up often. In fact, the rumor that your health insurance will now be taxable is not true.
It is true that beginning next year employers will report the amount that they pay for your health insurance on your W-2. Employer-paid health insurance will be a line item, just like other line items you may be familiar with such as the amount you contribute to your 401(k). However this amount will not be included in taxable income. The figure is there for reporting purposes only to the IRS.
So rest easy, your will not be taxed on your company-paid health insurance.
The recession is over! So where’s the party?
WASHINGTON — It turns out the recession ended more than a year ago.
Feeling better now?
The panel that determines the timing of recessions concluded Monday that this one ended — technically, anyway — in June 2009, and lasted 18 months. The duration makes it the longest since World War II.
Disappointed Supporters Question Obama
WASHINGTON — It was billed as “Investing In America,” a live televised conversation between President Obama and American workers, students, business people and retirees on the state of the economy, a kind of Wall Street to Main Street reality check.
Stocks surge as NBER announces recession ended in June 2009. FOMC gathers Tuesday.
Wall Street seesawed through a choppy summer on concerns that the U.S. economy could be slipping toward a double-dip recession, but the National Bureau of Economic Research has good news: the last recession ended 15 months ago.
Do You Think Elizabeth Warren Will Bring Change to Wall Street?
President Obama is set to announce today that Elizabeth Warren will join the administration in a special advisory role to help form the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a watchdog agency she first proposed back in 2007.
U.S. Consumer Prices Remain Steady
Consumer prices remained mostly flat in August, according a government report released Friday, continuing the trend of an extremely low and stable inflation rate.
The Labor Department said that the Consumer Price Index, which is considered a benchmark measure of inflation, rose 0.3 percent in August, compared with 0.3 percent in July, on a seasonally adjusted basis.
SEC Votes 5-0 to Propose Rules on ‘Window Dressing’
The Securities and Exchange Commission voted 5-0 in favor of proposing rules that would heighten disclosure connected to some banks’ practice of curtailing debt at the end of a quarter.
The SEC said it also would consider whether to issue guidance about current disclosure requirements related to liquidity and funding levels.
The SEC proposal is aimed at addressing concerns highlighted by Lehman Brothers Holdings’s use of repo securities to move debt off its balance sheet and by reports that other banks reduce their debt to give the appearance that they are less leveraged at a quarter’s end. Repos are short-term financing arrangements that let banks take bigger risks on securities trades.
Since its signing in 1787 and its subsequent ratification, the Constitution of the United States has provided a protection and support for the freedoms and actions of responsible citizens in America. The freedoms and protections guaranteed by the Constitution have made it possible for America to become a world leader in business, science, and the growth of Democracy.
Since 1911, The Rotary Club of Dallas has been guided by the Rotary International motto of “Service Above Self”, in serving the Dallas Community.
The Constitution is the basis of our law in America and has been responsible for the freedom illustrated by the good works of Rotary in the worldwide involvement in the improvement of their communities.
Net Proceeds to Benefit The Rotary Club of Dallas and Reading & Radio Resource
This recording was made by the volunteer readers of Reading & Radio Resource, as well as other readers, who illustrate the diversity of America. Reading & Radio Resource records books and periodicals for those who cannot read, hold a book or turn its pages (readingresource.org).
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Florida pastor unclear about Quran burning
Gainesville, Florida (CNN) — The pastor at a Florida church that planned to burn copies of the Quran added to confusion Friday over whether he intends to go ahead with the controversial event.
The Rev. Terry Jones told CBS’ “The Early Show” that “we have called the event off.” Soon afterward, however, he told reporters in Florida the burning is still being contemplated.
Obama to name Goolsbee to head economic council
President Obama will name Austan Goolsbee, an economics professor at the University of Chicago, to succeed Christina Romer as the head of the Council of Economic Advisers, according to senior administration officials.
U.S. adults don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables – CDC report
A diet high in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk for many leading causes of death (1–3) and can play an important role in weight management (4). Healthy People 2010 objectives for fruits and vegetables include targets of increasing to 75% the proportion of persons aged ≥2 years who consume two or more servings of fruit daily and to 50% those who consume three or more servings of vegetables daily.* To assess states’ progress over the past decade in meeting these targets among adults …
Poll Gives Republicans Edge Ahead of US Midterm Elections
A new opinion poll shows opposition Republicans with a clear advantage heading into November’s mid-term U.S. legislative elections.
The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll was released Tuesday, which marks the traditional start of the campaign season.
Obama’s ‘don’t call it a stimulus’ economic development plan
When there’s a midterm election coming up and you’re getting hit hard about big government spending, that’s when.
The Obama administration this week is rolling out a multipart economic, um, development program intended to help fight persistently high unemployment. President Obama talked about one part of this program, a proposed $50 billion investment in upgrades for US roads, rail lines, and runways, on Labor Day in Milwaukee.
Can’t Keep Europe’s Investment Bankers Down
The elevation of Barclays Capital’s Bob Diamond to become group chief executive at Barclays, and the departure of HSBC’s chairman Stephen Green to become a U.K. trade minister, raises an intriguing possibility that investment bankers are heading for a clean sweep of running the biggest banks in the U.K. and Europe.
Mr. Diamond adds to a growing list of investment bankers who have been given a bigger role despite the financial crisis—or perhaps because of their handling of it. He will work closely with group chairman Marcus Agius, himself a former investment banker at Lazard.
During this six-part series, Dennis McCuistion revisits past programs on specific issues from the last 20 years. In part one of this series, Dennis McCuistion discusses the American education system through an episode entitled Education and Our Children. This program features:
- Terry Flowers, PhD: Headmaster at St. Philip’s School
- Tom Luce: CEO of National Math and Science Initiative
During the program on the American education system, Terry Flowers is joined by students from St. Philips School who recite the St. Philip’s Creed, a creed that made national news. Tom Luce talks about what is necessary for the US to remain competitive today in education.
The McCuistion TV Program (co- founded 20 years ago by host, Dennis McCuistion, and Executive Producer/Producer, Niki 
Nicastro McCuistion) focuses on issues that impact our daily lives, economically, politically and socially. Niki believes that “the power of television when combined with an understanding of important issues can make significant, positive differences in the lives of people who watch.” The team brings that mission to every program they have produced.
Dennis and Niki both firmly believe educating our children is a critical issue, stating:
“Educating our youth is the single biggest challenge we face in a knowledge based society with global 
competition. We believe it’s not about more money; it’s about better parenting, more discipline, innovation or market-based education vs. government run education, and great leadership. It’s vital we put more emphasis on the basics; phonics, and repetition, yet it’s also using the best of the new technology.”
The team believes “children are our future, and while we say that if we don’t provide the tools and the environment where our children can excel, then it won’t be them who have failed us, it will be us who have failed them.”
Tune in and enjoy a retrospective look on the American education system followed by a discussion of where we are today and the hope for the future.
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On September 8, 2010 the Foundation for Responsible Television, producers of the McCuistion Program, invite you to Get Up and Give!
On September 8, from 7AM to 7PM, the Foundation for Responsible Television is taking part in North Texas Giving Day’s – Get Up and Give. On this day every donation above $25 will be matched if you donate to us through, www.donorbridgetx.org, sponsored by the Communities Foundation of Texas, an online resource to connect donors with nonprofit organizations.
Your donation will go a long way to helping us produce the McCuistion Program, now in its 21st year with KERA, PBS Dallas. We receive no PBS pledge dollars and depend on your generosity. Plus, every dollar given at any time during the day will receive a portion of $700,000+ in matching funds, making your dollar go even further.
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It doesn’t matter when you give; just remember to Get Up and Give!
And help us celebrate our next season.
Please contact Niki Nicastro McCuistion if you have any questions at 214-750-5158; nikin@nikimccuistion.com. And thank you for your support and generosity.
