Over a span of 39 years, 25 aliases, 28 arrests in 20 cities, and nearly a dozen imprisonments, Robert Spears lived a con artist's life of unparalleled adventure and intrigue. But that is far from the end of his story. Shortly before Thanksgiving Day in 1959, a plane exploded in mid-air, killing all forty-two passengers and crew and leaving scattered debris and bodies across the otherwise tranquil Gulf waters. Listed on the manifest was Dr. Robert Spears—once the highly regarded president of the Texas Naturopathic Association. Less than two months later, Robert Spears miraculously “rose from the dead” in Phoenix where he was promptly arrested. As the FBI began to investigate, they uncovered a stunning, mind-bending tale of murder, abortion rings, and false identities, as well as insurance scams and medical fraud that stretched over decades. For nearly forty years, Jerry Jamison has been an award-winning advertising copywriter with more than thirty national writing commendations during his career. He has been the recipient of numerous national awards during his career including a national commendation, alongside Senator Edward Kennedy, for his service to underserved communities.

Dr. Brian A. Sharpless delves into the psyches of horror’s most unforgettable characters, unpacking the real psychological conditions that may underlie their terrifying behavior. With deep clinical and research expertise, he brings a grounded psychological lens to the genre, interpreting horror through the DSM and beyond. He also offers insight on the misconception of mental illness in horror films. He’s an internationally recognized expert on unusual mental health conditions, including sleep paralysis, clinical lycanthropy, and other rare phenomena. Brian has taught at Harvard Medical School, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Maryland, and his work has been featured in The NY Times, NPR, The Atlantic, BBC, The Boston Globe, The Cut, Men's Health, Newsweek, New York Magazine, Psychology Today, Time, The Washington Post, and other notable publications.

The National Guard has been deployed to Los Angeles because Americans have exercised their right to protest; an unelected billionaire recently slashed the budgets of critical government institutions; the Supreme Court has ruled that President Trump enjoys “absolute immunity” from prosecution for “official acts” he took while in office, leading Justice Sonia Sotomayor to write “the President is now a king above the law…” The US is facing unprecedented threats to its democracy. We’ve heard about the dangers of this from political scientists, historians, activists, and others. What we may not realize is these threats also endanger our health. Eminent physician Phillip Polakoff MD, says it’s time to make this connection. Ultimately, the health of a population is a reflection of the health of its democracy: one cannot thrive without the other,” he says. Polakoff’s previous positions have included being short listed for US Surgeon General, Senior Managing Director of publicly traded consulting firms, advisor to numerous payers, providers, investors, employers, labor organizations and public entities.