Kickass News

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My guest today is Arianna Huffington, co-founder, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post and author of the new best-seller THE SLEEP REVOLUTION: TRANSFORMING YOUR LIFE ONE NIGHT AT A TIME.  She talks about America's dangerous sleep crisis and how our culture of ambition discourages us from getting a proper night's sleep.  But she says we've got it all wrong.  In fact, sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer. She'll discuss the research that shows how sleep deprivation has a negative effect on our  physical and mental health, our brain function, our job performance, our relationships, and our overall happiness.  She'll reveal what actually goes on with our body and mind while we're sleeping, she'll discuss her personal sleep ritual and 12 tips for getting a better night's rest. If you enjoyed today’s episode, order THE SLEEP REVOLUTION: TRANSFORMING YOUR LIFE ONE NIGHT AT A TIME on Amazon or download the audiobook for free through a special trial offer just for our listeners at www.audiblet

My guest today is comedy legend Carl Reiner. With a dozen Emmys, he’s behind some of the funniest television shows and movies from his start on Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show” to his collaboration with Mel Brooks on the Grammy-winning “The 2000 Year Old Man” and Steve Martin on films like “The Jerk.” On today’s show, Carl Reiner talks about the early days of television, his start in showbiz on Sid Caesar's “Your Show of Shows,” and how it inspired him to create the beloved “Dick Van Dyke Show.” We talk about his son Rob Reiner, his hero Mark Twain, directing Steve Martin in “The Jerk,” his brush with Hollywood’s communist witch-hunt, and how he avoided naming names. Plus Carl Reiner talks about his best-friend Mel Brooks, how they came up with the “The 2000 Year Old Man," and Carl's new book "Why & When The Dick Van Dyke Show Was Born." If you enjoyed this episode, you can follow Carl Reiner on Twitter at @carlreiner, and you should definitely buy Carl Reiner’s wonderful new b

  On today’s episode, I talk about China's One Child Policy with Mei Fong, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who served as the China correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. She has a new book called ONE CHILD: THE STORY OF CHINA’S MOST RADICAL EXPERIMENT. We’ll talk about how the One Child policy started as a “quick fix” to China’s overpopulation problem and how it suddenly came to an end 35 years later in October 2015. We’ll talk about the many people who were collateral damage in China’s attempt to socially engineer families including China’s rural poor who suffered forced abortions and sterilization. Finally, we’ll examine the many unintended consequences of the One Child Policy including a rapidly growing elderly population with no one to care for them, a massive gender imbalance and a whole lot of lonely men, and a shrinking workforce that is threatening to undermine the bedrock of the Chinese economy - manufacturing. If you enjoyed today’s episode, order ONE CHILD: THE STORY OF CHINA'S MOST RADICA

My guest today is renowned documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.  He has made 26 documentary specials for PBS including The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The War (about World War II), The West, and The Roosevelts: An Intimate Portrait which have earned him 13 Emmy Awards, 2 Oscar nominations, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.  He has a new two-part documentary on the life of Jackie Robinson which airs April 11 & 12 at 9PM Eastern on PBS. On today's podcast, Ken Burns will talk about how the first black baseball player revolutionized the game and brought down baseball’s color barrier with the sheer force of his talent.  He’ll also talk about how Robinson inspired many civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King and the difficult relationship he had with that movement in the later years of his life.  Plus Ken Burns will talk about his research process, what he looks for in a story, and how the “Ken Burns effect” ended up on every Apple computer. Please subscribe to Kick

Fred Kaplan, Pulitzer Prize-winning national security journalist for Slate Magazine, talks about his new book DARK TERRITORY: THE SECRET HISTORY OF CYBER WAR. We discuss why it took Washington decades to take cyber threats seriously, and how a computer pioneer and a Mathew Broderick film led President Ronald Reagan to sign the first presidential directive on cyber security. Fred Kaplan reveals how the 2010 cyber attack that damaged Iranian nuclear facilities may have opened a pandora’s box, we’ll get an idea of just how much U.S. cyber teams are capable of, and we’ll weigh the cyber arms race between the U.S. and China. Plus we discuss the how the FBI broke into the San Bernadino shooter’s iPhone and whether Hillary Clinton’s private unsecured email server might have gotten hacked. If you enjoyed today’s episode, order DARK TERRITORY: THE SECRET HISTORY OF CYBER WAR on Amazon or download the audiobook for free through a special trial offer just for our listeners at www.audibletrial.com/kickasspolitics.com. 

My guest today is Jacob Weisberg, editor-in-chief of Slate.com.  He has a new podcast called Trumpcast, and he's determined to warn voters about Donald Trump until he puts an end to Trump's political ambitions once and for all. We'll talk about how the whole Trump phenomenon happened in the first place, the prospect of a brokered GOP convention, and Trump’s chances in the general election.  Jacob will discuss what a psychologist's analysis revealed about Donald Trump, what it is that Trump voters are so angry about, and why comparing Trump to Hitler is ridiculous, but comparing Trump to other authoritarian figures like Mussolini might not be ridiculous at all.  Plus we'll talk about getting trolled by Trumpinistas on social media and Jacob’s review of Trump wine. If you enjoyed this episode, then subscribe to Jacob Weisberg's podcast Trumpcast on iTunes or at www.slate.com.  You can follow Jacob Weisberg on Twitter at @jacobwe. Please subscribe to KickAss Politics on iTunes and leave us a review. You can a

Today I’m learning about the innovations that will drive the next industrial revolution with my guest Alec Ross, author of the best-selling book THE INDUSTRIES OF THE FUTURE.  Alec served for four years as Senior Advisor for Innovation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, acting as the diplomatic lead on a range of issues including cybersecurity, Internet Freedom, disaster response, and the use of network technologies in conflict zones.  Now he’s a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Johns Hopkins University and works as an advisor to investors, corporations, and government leaders. Alec Ross will reveal the specific fields that will most shape our economic future, and examine pressing issues like the prospect of a cyberwar arms race and the impact of robotics on the U.S. job market. Plus we’ll discuss what skill sets will be most in demand in the next decade, how Americans can adapt, and what today’s parents can do to prepare their children for tomorrow. If you enjoyed this episode, then you can order THE I

My guest today is Australian journalist Michael Ware. He’s a former Bagdad Bureau chief for Time Magazine and war correspondent for CNN. In 2003 Michael Ware arrived in Baghdad as a novice reporter on a three-week assignment to cover the invasion of Iraq. He left seven years later, having gained unprecedented access to the Iraqi insurgency and American troops and scarred by having seen the unimaginable brutality of the group that eventually became ISIS. Now his story is told in a new documentary called ONLY THE DEAD SEE THE END OF THE WAR that airs Monday, March 28, at 9PM Eastern on HBO. On the podcast, Michael Ware talks about the time he was kidnapped and nearly beheaded by Al Qaeda in Iraq and he reveals how he became in his own words “obsessed” with the leader of that group Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. He also talks about being embedded with U.S. marines during the grueling battle of Falluja and having a front row seat for the birth of the modern day terrorist nation state called ISIS. If you enjoyed this ep

Today in Part 2 of my interview with theoretical physicist and futurist Dr. Michio Kaku, we look as some of the incredible advances in science and technology that will radically transform our lives within our lifetime.  In many cases, these inventions are already in the testing phase and may be widely available within the next 5 to 10 years.   These include computers that will fit into a contact lens, Iron Man-like super soldiers, modular robots, liquid biopsies that will detect cancer 10 years before a tumor forms, replaceable human organs, hand-held MRI machines, recording motion pictures of our dreams, uploading information into our brain, downloading our entire consciousness onto a computer after we're gone, and recent discoveries that will dramatically slow down aging and perhaps one day even stop death entirely.  It's an amazing discussion about some very real technological leaps being made right now and the unbelievable inventions that could completely change our lives very soon. If you enjoyed my in

My guest today is world renowned theoretical physicist, futurist, best-selling author, and popularizer of science Dr. Michio Kaku.  He is the co-founder of string field theory and he continues to work on his ambitious mission to complete Albert Einstein's Unified Field Theory a.k.a. Einstein's Theory of Everything.  Today he'll talk about his work on the Unified Field Theory, he'll discuss how the recent discovery of Einstein's Gravitation Waves will give scientists "a window into creation," and how his lifelong love of theoretical physics and the science of the future began.  He'll reveal the real science that may one day make science fiction wonders like force fields, time machines, starships, teleportation, and travel to parallel universes possible.  Plus Dr. Michio Kaku saves my life from the same thing that took down Malaysia Air Flight 370. If you enjoyed my interview with Dr. Michio Kaku, then follow him at www.mkaku.org or on Twitter at @michiokaku.  You can order his books "Einstein's Cosmos," "The

My guest today is Steve Forbes is chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media. He’s authored or co-authored 4 books including his most recent one titled REVIVING AMERICA: HOW REPEALING OBAMACARE, REPLACING THE TAX CODE, AND REFORMING THE FED WILL RESTORE HOPE AND PROSPERITY. Steve Forbes discusses the tragic irony of a healthcare system caters to the insurance companies, employers and big government while all but ignoring the needs of the end user. He’ll reveal how one of the unintended consequences of Obamacare is that it’s forcing many Americans to take charge of their own healthcare and paving the way for a true healthcare market that put the needs of consumers first. He also makes the case for a flat tax as the one system that really benefits everyone and a return to the gold standard as the best way to stabilize and grow the U.S. economy. Plus Steve Forbes will talk about the future of Forbes, running for President, and more. If you enjoyed my interview with Steve Forbes, then order his book REVIVING

 My guest today is Bill Kristol, founder and editor of The Weekly Standard and a political contributor to ABC’S This Week with George Stephanopalis. Just in time for the big GOP primaries in FL & OH, we talk about whether  Rubio, Cruz, and Kasich may have missed chance to beat Donald Trump outright. We discuss the possibility of a brokered convention and the prospect of an alternative conservative launching a third party run. Plus we talk about Bill Kristol’s 20 year career as editor of the #1 weekly conservative publication in America. If you enjoyed this episode then go to www.weeklystandard.com to read Bill Kristol’s op-eds and subscribe to the print or online versions of The Weekly Standard. You can also subscribe to the Weekly Standard podcast on iTunes and follow Bill on Twitter at @BillKrystol. Please subscribe to KickAss Politics on iTunes and leave us a review. You can also help us reach our fundraising goal for this year and donate at www.gofundme.com/kickasspolitics. Or go to the website for the

  On this episode, we tackle that special breed of whacko known as the conspiracy theorist.  You've probably encountered them at a cocktail party or on your social media.  They're the ones who are always carrying on about the JFK assassination or Obama's birth certificate and they say things like "that's exactly what THEY want you to believe" or "you have to connect the dots."  The problem is that in most instances they're connecting "dots" that aren't there and fueling ignorance, irrationality and paranoia. My guest today is an expert at dispelling such nonsense.  He's Dr. Michael Shermer, founder & publisher of Skeptic Magazine.  He also writes a monthly column for Scientific American and he's published 14 books about debunking conspiracy theories, the paranormal and pseudoscience including his newest book SKEPTIC: VIEWING THE WORLD WITH A RATIONAL EYE. Today Dr. Michael Shermer will talk about the type of person who falls for conspiracy theories, the psychology behind conspiracy beliefs, how media figur

General Michael Hayden is the only person in U.S. history to have served as head of both the CIA and the NSA.  General Hayden served as the Director of the National Security Agency from 1999 to 2005 where he implemented a dramatic overhaul and expansion of the agency in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.  He later serves as America's first Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and then as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under President George W. Bush.  General Hayden has written a new book called PLAYING TO THE EDGE: AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE IN THE AGE OF TERROR. On the podcast, General Michael Hayden will give a frank assessment of the intelligence failures leading up to 9/11 and talk about what he did as NSA director and later as director of the CIA to close those intelligence gaps.  We’ll discuss the conundrums of domestic surveillance, CIA black sites, and enhanced interrogation.  Plus we’ll talk about cyber warfare, the Apple encryption controversy, the personal toll for the men

My guest today is two time Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative political cartoonist Michael Ramirez.  His cartoons appear daily in Investor's Business Daily where he serves as co-editor and his work is also syndicated in over 550 newspapers and magazines. He'll will talk about what makes good political satire, what’s fair game and when is "too soon."  Plus we’ll discuss the very first political cartoon that he drew in college, how President Obama has been a gift comedy gods, and how one innocent drawing led to a not so friendly visit from the Secret Service. If you enjoy this episode, you view Michael Ramirez's work each day in Investor's Business Daily at www.investors.com/cartoons.  Follow him on Twitter at @Ramireztoons and you can order his new book of cartoons called GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME OBAMACARE on Amazon. Please subscribe to KickAss Politics on iTunes and leave us a review. You can also help us reach our fundraising goal for this year and donate at www.gofundme.com/kickasspolitics. Or go to t

My guest is former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.  In his remarkable 50 year career, he has served as a U.S. Congressman, Director of the Office Economic Opportunity and U.S. Ambassador to NATO under President Richard Nixon, White House Chief of Staff to President Gerald Ford, Special Middle East Envoy for President Ronald Reagan, and Secretary of Defense...both for Presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush.  In fact, Donald Rumsfeld has the distinction of being both the youngest and the oldest Secretary of Defense.   Today he comes on the show to talk about the his amazing career, the current state of national defense, and the "unknown knowns" that America might be missing.  Plus he'll talk about his first impression of Saddam Hussein, his favorite President, his prolific body of memos written, the issues that keep him up at night, and how Winston Churchill inspired him to create a fun new gaming app called Churchill Solitaire. If you enjoy this episode, then be sure to go to your app store and down

  Just in time for Oscar weekend, my guest is Evgeny Afineevsky director/producer of WINTER ON FIRE: UKRAINE'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, which is currently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.  He and his crew spent 93 days risking their lives to film the 2013/2014 Ukrainian revolution from the initial protests in Kiev's Maidan Square through the murderous government crackdown in the streets to the eventual overthrow of corrupt President Viktor Yanukovych. We talk about what separates the Maidan demonstrations from the Arab spring and other recent revolutions, and how it can serve as a blueprint for democracy and reform around the world.  We also talk about the brutality of the now disbanded Ukrainian Berkut police force and how it brought Ukrainians of all types together in unity against the corrupt and criminal government of Viktor Yanukovych.   Plus Evgeny will talk about the emotional toll that making WINTER ON FIRE took on the filmmakers, and the inspiring story of one brave 12 year ol

Doug Schoen is Democrat pollster, campaign consultant, author, and Fox News political analyst. He pioneered overnight polling and has worked on the campaigns on Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Evan Bayh, Michael Bloomberg, Tony Blair, Silvio Berlusconi and three Israeli Prime Ministers just to name a few. He’s a regular columnist for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Newsmax. He’s authored eleven books, and today he comes on the podcast to talk about his latest book THE NIXON EFFECT: HOW RICHARD NIXON’S PRESIDENCY FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED AMERICAN POLITICS. Doug makes the case that Richard Nixon was one of the most accomplished Presidents in history and the most liberal president in modern times. He’ll also talk about the profound effect that Nixon has had on the politics of the past 40 years including inventing the wedge issue, creating the “Silent Majority,” launching the GOP’s often misunderstood “Southern Strategy,” polarizing the two parties in ways we still see today, and unintentionally gi

Over the years, Iconic photographer Platon has captured every living U.S. President from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama on film, and he’s photographed well over a hundred world leaders including Tony Blair, Ban Ki Moon, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Adhmadenijad, Silvio Berlusconi, Mohamar Qaddafi, Hugo Chavez, and Vladimir Putin for the 2007 Time Man of Year cover.   His work has been featured on 20 Time Magazine covers as well as GQ, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Esquire, New York Times Magazine, Wired, Texas Monthly, and the New Yorker Magazine, with whom he won a Peabody Award for his large scale photo essay on Russia’s Civil Society. Platon also started his own non-profit foundation called The People’s Portfolio which “aspires to create a visual language to break barriers and enlist public support human rights around the world.” On today’s podcast, he’ll reveal some of his secrets to getting the most powerful people in the world to let their guard down, he’ll talk about the most intimidating shoot