Milt Rosenberg
157 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 8 years ago - ★★★★★ - 72 ratingsA daily show featuring intelligent, enlivening and thought provoking discussions centered on the world of ideas. Guests from the world of literature, journalism, academia, public policy, science, religions, and foreign policy join Milt to discuss the big questions of the day–an all star list of people who shape our world.
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Episodes
The Triumph & Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson with Joseph Califano, Jr.
September 09, 2015 15:38 - 87.7 MBJoseph Califano is a politician, educator and public servant with decades of experience. He was Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, he was with the Defense Department, and he was–and still is–one of the champions of the anti-drug crusade. But he may be known most for his time working alongside President Lyndon B. Johnson as…
The Anatomy of Revolution
August 31, 2015 18:55 - 87.7 MBMany have written about it, some have even penned songs. But how is a revolution properly executed? When is it necessary? When is it effective and what is the aftermath? To answer this question, we checked in with two esteemed historians, both well-versed in revolution. John Bushnell is a historian at Northwestern, and has studied…
Milt’s Political A-Team
August 27, 2015 22:15 - 89.2 MBIt’s nearing the time that we must check in with the political world on a regular basis. As of this writing, Donald Trump still leads the GOP race, seemingly to the chagrin and exasperation of top pollsters and major news networks. Hillary Clinton is embroiled in an email scandal, and Joe Biden may challenge her.…
Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion…with Doug Swanson
August 26, 2015 18:11 - 44.6 MBEven if you’re not a gambler you’ve heard the name Binion. Benny Binion started a gambling dynasty and took his uniquely Texan approach to gambling and poker to Vegas, where his World Series of Poker took the nation by storm. But there was (and is) a lot more to Benny Binion than just savvy and…
The Grind: Inside Baseball’s Endless Season with Barry Svrluga
August 26, 2015 17:57 - 44.3 MBBaseball is hot again in Chicago as the Cubs are off to their best season in decades and look to be positioning themselves for postseason ball for the first time in several years. So we thought we’d check in with Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post to talk about the ins and outs of a…
Turmoil in the Markets
August 25, 2015 16:26 - 89.2 MBAfter a sharp decline in the various indices on Monday, we thought it wise to reach out to our friends at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Joining us from the academic world to determine whether this is “the beginning of the end” (it’s not!) or just a blip on the radar (most…
The Great American Novel
August 24, 2015 18:19 - 88.6 MBWe nearly titled this show ‘The Greatest American Novels’ before realizing, quite rightly, that that is a show that would be faulted by name. It’s impossible to classify, say, the ‘Top Ten’ greatest American novels. Better to have a discussion on many of the ‘Great American Novel‘ and novelists as a concept and see if…
The Art and Science of Crisis Management
August 21, 2015 20:07 - 88.9 MBPop Quiz: Who said, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste”? Time’s up. Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel is the correct answer. While not everyone may see a crisis as an opportunity, those in the business of managing image and rehabbing public opinion–pr experts–are an essential component of getting back in the good graces…
Lord Conrad Black and Mark Steyn
August 20, 2015 19:19 - 87.5 MBMost Chicago natives will know the name Conrad Black well, and those beyond Chicago will most certainly have heard the name. In addition to being a publisher of major newspapers, he’s also a fine journalist and historian. Among the many matters discussed on this recent program was his great historical entry, Flight of the Eagle.…
The Health and Illness of Illinois with the Illinois Policy Institute
August 19, 2015 17:23 - 89.2 MBSomething is rotten in the state of Illinois. More people are leaving than coming and, despite the many qualities of life in the Chicagoland area, people are choosing to work and live in other states where they can, frankly, keep more of their money. What would a healthier economy in our state entail? What can…
‘The Devil’s Pleasure Palace’ with Michael Walsh
August 18, 2015 18:05 - 44 MBMichael Walsh is a renowned critic. But instead of music or film, this time he has turned his attention to the cultural decline of our nation and our rotting society. His latest, The Devil’s Pleasure Palace:The Cult of Critical Theory and the Subversion of the West has become a hugely influential work upon publication. What…
‘Spinglish’ with Christopher Cerf
August 18, 2015 17:40 - 44.7 MBChris Cerf is no stranger to creative language. Along with his co-author Henry Beard, he also co-founded National Lampoon, was a publisher at Random House, worked on The Muppets and Sesame Street, contributed to Saturday Night Live, and has composed songs for some of the biggest musicians on the planet. Their latest work, Spinglish–with the…
A Trip to the Movies; Film Noir
August 17, 2015 18:15 - 89.7 MBOn this program we occasionally venture into the realm of entertainment. Our last film discussion was on the Western. Today, we focused on Film Noir. Like any genre, there are great and not-so-great entries. So today we spoke on the best as we see them. John Kupetz, Nathan Holmes, and Matt Hauske have seen almost…
The Once and Future King; on the Presidency and the Race for It; Frank Buckley and William Howell
August 14, 2015 21:14 - 89.2 MBThe race for the presidency is in full swing. But what if the very seat on which so much money is spent and for which so many are running was too close to the very office–of king–than our founding fathers ever intended? That is the contention of F.H. Buckley, who has written a masterful work…
Faith Versus Fact with Jerry Coyne
August 12, 2015 15:08 - 89.5 MBTwo themes to which we often return on this program are faith and fact. Or, more specifically, religion and science. Dr. Jerry Coyne–always a remarkable interview–has just had published another supremely fascinating book, Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion are Incompatible. You should read his previous influential work, Why Evolution is True. Coyne is…
James Piereson – Shattered Consensus: The Rise and Decline of America’s Postwar Political Order
August 11, 2015 16:22 - 89.9 MBOne need not look further than Donald Trump’s ascendancy to the top of the GOP candidate heap to know that Americans have become disillusioned with the political establishment. James Piereson takes a look at previous political ‘revolutions’ that have already taken place in this country. Piereson tells us that another is on its way. His…
Analysis of the First 2016 GOP Debate
August 08, 2015 00:17 - 489 MBIt wasn’t the Roman Senate or Lincoln v Douglas, but it was entertaining. Perhaps that is, for better or worse, a large part of the formula of a political “debate” in the digital age. Donald Trump came in a large favorite. There are mixed feelings as to whether that lead will be so large once…
Elementary, my dear Rosenberg
August 05, 2015 15:37 - 88.4 MBOf course, when you see the phrase “Elementary, my dear Watson” you think of Sherlock Holmes. But…Holmes never uttered this phrased. It’s one of the great misquotes in literary history, and it’s just one of many we explored recently when we welcomed three ‘Sherlockians‘, all part of the group The Hounds of the Baskerville. Dr.…
American Cornball with Christopher Miller
August 04, 2015 19:02 - 44.7 MBWhat is funny? When does something become funny? Cease to be funny? Christopher Miller is a best-selling author, college professor who asked himself these questions and set out to answer the in his very amusing book, American Cornball: A Laffopedic Guide to the Formerly Funny. Think Whoope Cushions, squirting flowers, college professors and countless others.…
Big Science with Michael Hiltzik
August 04, 2015 18:53 - 44.8 MBWe’ve all heard of the “Military Industrial Complex”. Indeed, we were warned that we guard against undue influence by that then-new termed institution by President Eisenhower as he prepared to leave office. But long before America felt compelled to have a permanent armaments industry, many men were fast at work to ensure that we would…
Focusing on Israel, the U.S.-Iranian detente, and the conflicted Middle East: with Caroline Glick and Richard Baehr
July 31, 2015 16:43 - 89.9 MBWe make no secret of our respect, admiration and, yes, love of Israel. And though turmoil in the region is nothing new, we thought that we should continue to examine the percolating situation in the Middle East after we’ve been able to analyze the Iranian nuclear deal. Two of our favorite people with whom to…
Under the Rocks and Stones: Geology Talk
July 31, 2015 16:34 - 89.7 MBBy now we now that the continents were one body of land that was broken apart to give us our present landforms. But there is much, much more to plate tectonics, seismology, hyrdology and their affiliated disciplines. We wanted to know what the future held for Earth. What will it look like in 1000 years?…
The War that Forged a Nation with James McPherson
July 29, 2015 16:25 - 89.8 MBDr. James McPherson has dedicated his entire career to the study of the Civil War. As he so eloquently shows us in his new book, the Civil War is still as relevant–if not more relevant–to our current times than to those that were directly affected by it.
A Look to 2016: the Candidates
July 27, 2015 16:55 - 89.3 MBThe race for the White House in 2016 is fully underway. The GOP side is entertaining, to say the least. The Democrat side has not, so far, been as colorful, though questions still remain as to who will succeed President Obama in running for the presidency. We thought it the right time to sit down…
Speaking of Radio…with Chuck Schaden
July 27, 2015 15:36 - 90.1 MBOld Time Radio…our favorite. It’s what got us into the business. Milt has his shows and personalities that will forever remain his favorite: Vic and Sade, Jean Shepherd, Bob and Ray. Chuck Schaden is a legend in his own right. His long-running (still running!) show, “Speaking of Radio” is a treasure. Old time radio stars…
The Genius of Shakespeare
July 27, 2015 15:30 - 89.7 MBShakespeare is as relevant as ever. Like Elvis, his genius isn’t always apparent, especially when he’s foisted upon the youth. But as patience and a thirst for learning set in, the magnificence of his characters and an appreciation of the scale of these productions finally hits you. There’s a reason he’s so popular and legendary.…
Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren: Ally
July 23, 2015 17:13 - 89.4 MBFormer Israeli Ambassador the the U.S., Michael Oren, has written a truly brilliant memoir of his time in that post at exactly the right time. While the streets of Tehran teem with those calling for Death to America and Death to the Jews, Oren’s insider’s account of the pressures faced by the Middle East’s lone…
Last to Die with Stephen Harding
July 21, 2015 19:46 - 44.9 MBStephen Harding is a wonderful military historian and editor-in-chief of Military History. He wrote the great book The Last Battle, the amazing story in which German and American soldiers actually fought together. That one will be coming to a movie screen near you. Last to Die is the story of Anthony Marchione—the last American killed…
Jonathan Horn: The Man Who Would Not Be Washington
July 20, 2015 22:30 - 44.8 MBRobert E. Lee is back in the news, and not for the best of reasons. He’s certainly not a target for Union snipers, but rather a target for political correctness, for those that want to erase history. And a car named after him won’t be outrunning any tv sheriffs again. For years, this brilliant American…
A Brief History of American Musical Theater
July 20, 2015 17:14 - 89.7 MBSometimes we have to leave behind the world of politics, history and science and remember that entertainment holds an important place as part of the well-rounded life. A brief and welcome departure from news of presidential races and nuclear armament deals came to us in a study of theater and, specifically, American Musical Theater. We…
The Iranian Nuclear Deal; the Politics and the Science
July 17, 2015 17:42 - 89.6 MBSo most of the week the media has been focusing on the political implications of the Iranian nuclear agreement and, while we will discuss that pertinent aspect of the deal, we thought we should look into the science behind their capabilities. What do we know? What is speculative? We brought in Rachel Bronson of the…
The Sacred Texts of the Abrahamic Traditions
July 16, 2015 15:25 - 89.6 MBFather Abraham had many sons, and from those sons were born three of the world’s greatest faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. While much is made of the differences between and the conflicts that have emerged amidst these groups, the fact that remains that we share common ancestry. So, what are the commonalities of those faiths?…
Iran Nuclear Agreement Reached
July 15, 2015 15:06 - 89.7 MBInterpretations of the long-term consequences of the nuclear agreement between the U.S., Iran and a host of other nations at the negotiating table are a disparate as American and Iranian ideas of freedom. Many herald it, but seemingly more are wondering how we could have given an inch to a nation so preoccupied with chanting…
The New Spymasters: Inside the Modern World of Espionage with Stephen Grey
July 14, 2015 22:07 - 44.5 MBRosenberg. Milt Rosenberg. He always aims to bring you compelling talk. That was the goal with bringing journalist Stephen Grey to the program. Grey has just penned a new book in which he tackles the history and changing nature of spying as we have emerged from the Cold War and are now right in the…
Genghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy with Frank McLynn
July 13, 2015 22:12 - 44.6 MBThe largest empire the world has ever known. A genius general of a Mongol horde that raped, pillaged, and burned its way across China, Central Asia, and all the way to the Atlantic. But most people know precious little about Genghis Khan other than the face that he was a successful warrior, a brutal subjugator…
The SAG-AFTRA Radio Players
July 10, 2015 19:51 - 89.4 MBRadio a’int what it used to be. From its beginning as a vehicle to broadcast weather and farm reports to an agricultural America to broadcasting the sounds of big bands from New York or Chicago to Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds broadcast, radio was king. That is, of course, until it was dethroned by…
The Fabulous Future with Gary Saul Morson and Morton Schapiro
July 09, 2015 19:33 - 90.5 MBIn 1956, an influential group of leaders published The Fabulous Future: America in 1980, in which they attempted to project how various aspects of life might look in 25 years or so. Some of it they got right, some of it wrong. It’s a noble task and an interesting concept for which editors might gather…
The Cosmos and Dark Matter
July 08, 2015 20:15 - 89.6 MBSpace. The Origins of the Universe. Black Holes. Dark Matter. It’s seemingly impossible to tire of discussing the timeless question of how we got here. Sometimes we tackle this topic from a spiritual viewpoint, or we entertain a metaphysical talk. But more likely we turn to our friends in academia, specifically those who study cosmology.…
By the People with Charles Murray
July 07, 2015 19:29 - 44.9 MBCharles Murray is no stranger to controversy and, piggybacking on a similar theme from a recent episode of this program, was castigated in the media for his findings in his hugely influential book, The Bell Curve, published back in 1994. His newest work, By the People, is no less important and incredibly timely in its…
End of Discussion with Guy Benson and Mary Katharine Ham
July 07, 2015 19:15 - 44.9 MBWatch what you say. Don’t offend anyone.Be sensitive to the feelings of others. Censor yourself. These are probably suitable pieces of advice if you’re going to Sunday school, but if you’re trying to engage in political talk they are impossible to attain. Yet, somehow, our nation finds itself at a crossroads at which free speech…
Combating the Killer Diseases
July 06, 2015 19:16 - 89.6 MBThe title of this program describes a noble fight. On the front lines of this battle are America’s physicians and support staff in the various studies of medicine. We’ve enlisted the participation of three leading doctors from The University of Chicago Medicine, namely Drs. Douglas Dirschl, Jason Luke, and Nir Uriel, a surgeon, an oncologist…
The Skeptic’s Case Against Anthropogenic Global Warming
July 02, 2015 14:48 - 89.8 MBMan is causing the Earth to warm. Industry and man’s poor stewardship of the planet will lead to our ruin. This is not an uncommon opinion held by many. Indeed, labeling it “opinion” is heretical in some circles. But as there are many instances of the Earth shedding one climate pattern for another throughout geological…
What Every American Needs to Know with E. D. Hirsch
July 01, 2015 19:20 - 89.3 MBA collective cry resounds from coast to coast: “We’ve got to fix our broken education system!” Yet what do we do? Young Americans are caught between schools’ requirements to maintain certain levels of testing and garnering a valuable, useful education that can manufacture valuable, able-minded citizens. E. D. Hirsch is a pioneer in the field…
Space Exploration: a History, Current Affairs, and a Look Toward the Future
June 30, 2015 19:20 - 89.7 MBIn anyone’s top ten list of great events of American history would be man’s walking on the moon. This nation was the world leader in space exploration and, while we’ve scaled back our manned missions into the final frontier, there are still many exciting projects underway. Just this week there was debate about the mysterious…
John Kass on the State of Radio, Newspapers, and Free Speech
June 29, 2015 20:25 - 90 MBJohn Kass should be appointed as the new head of FIFA. To be sure, it’s an appointment that would suit him. But as he may not have the necessary backing, he will have to rely on his current position as the hugely popular columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Mr. Kass sat in with Milt to…
Gay Marriage Wins 5-4 SCOTUS Decision
June 26, 2015 20:49 - 86.2 MBWe delve deep into issues political, scientific, academic and beyond on this program. This compels us to address news items of grave importance as they develop. So when the report from the Supreme Court came today of its historic ruling making gay marriage legal in all fifty states, we immediately assembled a panel to analyze…
Building the H Bomb: A Personal History
June 25, 2015 19:20 - 44.9 MBKenneth W. Ford is one smart cookie. He went to work at Los Alamos at the ripe old age of 24, working alongside such physicist luminaries as Oppenheimer, Fermi, Wheeler, Neumann, and Teller. If these names don’t ring a bell to you, then you have found this interview at the right time, because you’d do…
Senator George J. Mitchell – The Negotiator: A Memoir
June 25, 2015 18:46 - 45 MBSenator George Mitchell was the Majority Leader until he did something we could only wish that other politicians would emulate: He retired from political life. He has just penned a memoir which is deeply readable. It is not merely a collection of self-congratulating tales from a political life, but there are some amusing and interesting…
News from the Religious World
June 25, 2015 15:29 - 89.7 MBThere’s a lot happening on the religious front. Pope Francis has weighed in on climate change. ISIS continues its mayhem in the Middle East. Church attendance in America is going the way of church attendance in Europe–many empty pews in houses of worship of nearly all denominations. To discuss these and many others of spiritual…
From the Cincinnati Reds to the Moscow Reds
June 24, 2015 15:51 - 89.7 MBIrwin Weil is a fine storyteller we have known for years. As professor of Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern, he is also an expert on Russian life and culture. He has just penned an autobiography, and joined Milt to talk Russian life, music, a bit of politics and culture and to share some of…