In the first half, journalist and adventurer Robert Young Pelton offered his analysis of America's problems, as well as various turmoil-ridden spots around the world, especially regions in the Middle East. In regards to the recent attack on the British embassy in Tehran, protestors picked this location only because Israel and the US don't have embassies there, and further, the protestors were staging the event for the TV cameras, he said. Syria's reform efforts will fail, as it is essentially a police state, Pelton continued, adding that he believes the Middle East will eventually settle down into a more successful, less violent environment, but it may take 20-40 years.

Russia, he noted, may be running out of steam, and will focus less on expansion as Putin's popularity fades. In relation to the many issues that face Somalia, Pelton created the Somalia Report website, which uses local journalists to cover various aspects of the region. Problematic trends that he sees in the United States are the emergence of a police state post 9-11, the decline of the middle class, as well as the vulnerability of power grids and communication systems. The US needs to reboot, make more products locally, and hold government accountable, he offered.

Energy & Healing

Appearing during the third hour, sound healer and energy practitioner Aleya Dao talked about planetary shifts & energies, as well as mass consciousness. She concurred with Carl Calleman in his calculations that the Mayan calendar cycle ended on October 28th of this year, rather than in 2012, and that the Earth has been "launched out into a new energetic terrain in the Universe," which may be associated with increased earthquakes and natural disasters. Mass consciousness occurs when a group of people share a similar thought pattern. This can create coherence, and loving vibrations, or alternatively, anxiety and fear, she explained. Dao also presented samples of her healing audio meditations-- tones she designed to ground a person, or clear power blockages.

The final hour of the show featured Open Lines callers, some of whom shared their reaction to the Occupy Wall St. movement, and the breaking story of the LAPD moving in to evict Occupy Los Angeles protestors.

News segment guests: Catherine Austin Fitts, Marvin Hausman