Wow! I didn’t know that!

Reducing the size of government. Government streamlining. Simplifying our lives. All catchphrases of the day. But what would it take to really downsize government? Can it be done? The Clinton Administration did it and our budget deficit became a surplus. But with two wars, escalating entitlement costs, retiring baby boomers and Obamacare, is this realistic and further, would it benefit our citizens? Tune into this discussion when former Westchester County NY Executive Andy Spano - an expert on government - takes on the issue. His co-hosts, tech guru Norm Jacknis and "every man" Tom Creel lend their opinions as well. Follow us on Twitter @idkt for more information.

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Common core standards, standardized testing, teacher evaluations and responsibility, universal pre-k. What effect do these educational "reforms" really have on a child's successful learning? Why do we keep throwing money at an antiquated education system which is not preparing our kids for their own future? Why are we locked into a system that worked for our society post-WWII - why haven't we evolved and why do our leaders refuse to affect real change when it comes to education? Can this even be accomplished without addressing income inequality? Join the conversation. Listen in and then tweet your comments to @idkt. Andy, Norm and Tom have very specific opinions on educating our youth.

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Entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were created to protect those in our society who couldn't properly care for themselves. Take Medicare: as a society, we committed to this program so that our senior citizens wouldn't be suffering and dying because they couldn't afford adequate healthcare. But with advances in medicine, seniors are living longer, baby boomers are becoming seniors and Medicare has had a tremendous impact on the economy of the United States. Just how much spending is too much when related to the "common good?" Does privatization have its place in the discussion of the future of entitlement programs? Doesn't society as a whole have an obligation to the "common good" and what can we do to ensure these programs are there for us in our future but in a way that doesn't devastate the federal budget? Listen in to hear what former Westchester County NY Executive Andy Spano and his co-hosts Norm Jacknis and Tom Creel have to say on the subject. Weigh in on Twitter @idkt.

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Is cloning human beings the next step in bio-research? Should it be? Scientists already have the capability to re-create extinct species. Stem cell research has brought about regenerating people's organs which will save countless lives. But some think these advances will ultimately bring about "downloading" people's memories before disposing of their bodies. How will this affect our future and doesn't it open up countless problems along with the good that can come of it? Who will regulate this and how will this be handled? Hear what Andy Spano, Norm Jacknis and Tom Creel have to say about this fascinating issue. Follow us on Twitter @idkt as well.

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Is the shareholders' maximum value the main goal of our corporations today? Should it be? What happened to companies who protected their workers and were contributors to the world community, the common good? Corporations are more and more driven by the bottom line - into their shareholders' bank accounts. When did this transformation take place and should there be greater regulation or mandated changes to this trend? How and who could bring this change about? Tune into this edition of "Wow! I Didn't Know That" to hear Andy, Norm and Tom discuss this issue and give their opinions on how to achieve greater balance between shareholder profits and the greater good. Follow us on Twitter @idkt to keep in touch on this very important issue.

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Standards of journalism: do they exist? Once upon a time, reporters and journalists were held to a high standard of ethics and responsibility. When did this change? What happened to the line between entertainment and journalism? Is there any real news reporting left in the world? Who can you believe in the age of the internet, "bloggers" and millions of sources and experts? Join former Westchester County Executive Andy Spano and his co-hosts Norm Jacknis and Tom Creel as they take a hard look at how we're getting our information. Follow us on Twitter @idkt to continue the conversation.

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Is the Christian consensus of our founding fathers disintegrating in the U.S.? Are we becoming a non-religious majority interspersed with religious zealots? Are we still one nation under God? If so which God, whose God? The new diversity in the U.S. - what is it doing to our moral compass and value system? Our culture, our politics? Hear what former Westchester County NY Executive Andy Spano and his co-hosts Tom Creel and Norm Jacknis have to say about this complicated issue on this edition of "Wow! I Didn't Know That." Follow us on Twitter @idkt.

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Congress has averted going over the fiscal cliff, at least temporarily. One of the questions we have to ask is what are we spending our money on in this country? Are we concentrating on the right things with regard to building jobs for our future workforce, educating and training our young people for the unpredictable future and the technology that will run it? If we aren't focused on the future, we are bound to go over the fiscal cliff. Tune into "Wow! I Didn't Know That" to hear what Andy, Norm and Tom have to say about this very important topic.

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Resolutions and predictions for 2013 - we all make them. Tune into "Wow! I Didn't Know That" to hear former Westchester County NY Executive Andy Spano's along with his co-hosts' - tech guru Norm Jacknis and "every man" Tom Creel. Their predictions may surprise you! You can follow us on Twitter @idkt to share your own resolutions and predictions for the new year.

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Is a scarcity of safe, drinkable water in our future? Just how much water is there in the world? And how much do we need to sustain the population? How many years in the future is this going to be an issue? Andy, Norm and Tom tackle this disturbing issue on this edition of "Wow! I Didn't Know That." Tune in to hear the real story. You can follow us on Twitter @idkt to add your two cents on this important topic.

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