Saturday, October 29, 2011

John Perkins in Hartford


New World Notes News
Vol. 4, Nos. 44-45 -- October 29, 2011

To download an audio file (save it on your hard disk): Click on this link for instructions.

This fortnight in New World Notes, radio programs #191-192, November 1 & 8, 2011

John Perkins in Hartford

In brief

"Economic hit-man" John Perkins tells fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of exactly how the US-based corporate empire imposes its will (& greed) on developing countries.

Recorded live in 2005 and never before broadcast.

In Part One (NWN #191), Perkins tells how the US overthrew Iran's democratic government in 1953 ... how he himself was recruited by the NSA & trained to serve the Empire (a.k.a., "the corporatocracy") ... and of his early failures to corrupt the governments of Panama and Ecuador (ca. 1980). Time to send in the "jackals"!

In Part Two (NWN #192), Perkins explains the the read reason the U.S. invaded Panama and overthrew Noriega in 1989. And he tells of one of his--and the Empire's--great successes: Saudi Arabia. The West made a fortune from the deal but--as Perkins sees it--the consequences have been horrific.

Despite Perkins' best efforts, the Empire failed to corrupt Omar Torrijos, of Panama (above), and Jaime Roldos, of Ecuador (below). Each died in a mysterious aircraft explosion in 1981. Perkins dedicated Confessions of an Economic Hit-Man to the memory of Torrijos.

Notes, credits, & links

Recorded by John Schwenk on January 10, 2005, in West Hartford, Connecticut. Many thanks to John for the recording--which I have slightly condensed for radio broadcast.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "Boardwalk") of WWUH-FM, a community service of that beacon of light in darkest Connecticut, the University of Hartford.

You can listen to any installment of New World Notes online or else download it (as an mp3 audio file) for later listening. The show is archived at both radio4all.net and (from #90 onwards) The Internet Archive. Either link should get you a reverse-chrono listing of available installments. Or browse the show's Web site: Each installment has a page, and each page has links to the recorded audio. See the gray sidebar on the right ("CONTENTS [Links]") for a table of contents.

Series overview:
Political and social commentary in a variety of genres. Exploring the gap between what we want ... and what they're trying to make us settle for.

Above: Saudi Arabia's King Fahd (r. 1982-2005). Below: King Abdullah (from 2005) and other royals. Perkins states that the House of Saud was far easier to corrupt than Torrijos or Roldos.

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • November 15 -- Preposterous Propaganda Against Iran & Kaddafi's Libya
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):


A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net

Friday, October 21, 2011

Notes on "Occupy Wall Street"


New World Notes News
Vol. 4, No. 43 -- October 21, 2011

To download an audio file (save it on your hard disk): Click on this link for instructions.

This week in New World Notes, radio program #190, October 25, 2011

Notes on "Occupy Wall Street"

Times Square.  Most photos: Click to enlarge.

In brief

With insight and wit, current commentators explore the strategy, politics, and social contexts of "Occupy Wall Street" and similar gatherings around the country. And they give the movement a solid "Thumbs up!"

Features comments by Jim Hightower, Glen Ford, and moi ... new songs by David Rovics and Attila the Stockbroker ... and a stirring speech by Chris Hedges at "Occupy DC."

Above: D.C. Below: Manila

Notes, credits, & links

Music added:
  • David Rovics, "Occupy Wall Street"
  • Attila the Stockbroker, "It's All About the Bankers"
First 6 photos courtesy of El Pais. See here for more. Thanks to Dr. Susan Rosenthal for the link. Last photo courtesy Black Agenda Report.

Thanks to BCFM's "Friday Drive-Time" show (Bristol, UK; September 16, 2011) for the Attila song.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for nihil obstat) of WWUH-FM, a community service of that beacon of light in darkest Connecticut, the University of Hartford.

London: Julian Assange speaks.

You can listen to any installment of New World Notes online or else download it (as an mp3 audio file) for later listening. The show is archived at both radio4all.net and (from #90 onwards) The Internet Archive. Either link should get you a reverse-chrono listing of available installments. Or browse the show's Web site: Each installment has a page, and each page has links to the recorded audio. See the gray sidebar on the right ("CONTENTS [Links]") for a table of contents.

Series overview:
Political and social commentary in a variety of genres. Exploring the gap between what we want ... and what they're trying to make us settle for.

Above: Seoul. Below: Madrid

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • November 1 & 8 -- Radio & Internet debut: a recently discovered recording of John Perkins in West Hartford (January 2005).
 Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):

A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net

Saturday, October 15, 2011

John Pilger: Democracy Comes to Venezuela


New World Notes News
Vol. 4, No. 42 -- October 15, 2011

To download an audio file (save it on your hard disk): Click on this link for instructions.

This week in New World Notes, radio program #189, October 18, 2011

John Pilger: Democracy
Comes to Venezuela

Hugo Chavez

In brief

From John Pilger's documentary film, The War on Democracy. The story of Hugo Chavez's democratic reforms in Venezuela ... their huge support among the common people ... intense opposition by the country's wealthy elite ... the CIA-sponsored coup (2002) that briefly removed Chavez from power ... and the popular uprising that restored democracy to Venezuela and returned Chavez to the presidency.

An interesting and inspiring story, well-told by Pilger, and very relevant to the US today.

John Pilger

On WWUH-FM 91.3 in West Hartford only:

Our special hour-long broadcast for the station's Fall Fundraiser includes all of the Pilger/Venezuela program plus live segments (featuring me) too.

That's noon to 1 PM (Eastern) on Tuesday, October 18.

During this hour, your pledge of financial support for nonprofit community radio station WWUH will register as support for the station's excellent public-affairs programming in general ... and support of New World Notes in particular. Pledges of any amount, large or small, are appreciated and do make a difference.

Please call--toll-free, 1-800-444-WWUH (-9984) or 860-768-4008--and let me thank you on-air (by your first name and town). Or stay completely anonymous, if you'd prefer. You can also pledge online, at any time, using the station's secure server: http://wwuh.org/ .

Notes, credits, & links

The War on Democracy was adapted to radio by Lyn Gerry, of the Unwelcome Guests Collective ( http://www.unwelcomeguests.net/ ). Previously broadcast in NWN # 55 (March 2009).

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "gun") of WWUH-FM, a community service of that beacon of light in darkest Connecticut, the University of Hartford.

You can listen to any installment of New World Notes online or else download it (as an mp3 audio file) for later listening. The show is archived at both radio4all.net and (from #90 onwards) The Internet Archive. Either link should get you a reverse-chrono listing of available installments. Or browse the show's Web site: Each installment has a page, and each page has links to the recorded audio. See the gray sidebar on the right ("CONTENTS [Links]") for a table of contents.

Series overview:
Political and social commentary in a variety of genres. Exploring the gap between what we want ... and what they're trying to make us settle for.

April 2002: Coup president Pedro Carmona swears himself in.
Then he abolished nearly all of Venezuela's democratic
institutions.
His administration, mercifully, was short-lived--
two days. The people forced the restoration of democracy and
of their elected president, Chavez.

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • October 25 -- Notes on "Occupy Wall Street" (and elsewhere)
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):

A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Stop the Plunder of Public Education


New World Notes News
Vol. 4, No. 41 -- October 8, 2011

To download an audio file (save it on your hard disk): Click on this link for instructions.

This week in New World Notes, radio program #188, October 11, 2011

Stop the Plunder
of Public Education

Parents protest marketing products to children on school buses.

In brief

Want to destroy quality public education? First underfund it. Then open schools up to milking by corporate marketing departments. Then--by force of law--privatize public schools--in the process busting teachers' unions and replacing experienced, well-trained teachers with inexperienced, poorly trained, and ill-paid ones.

The result? Increased corporate profits and citizens/workers incapable of critically questioning (let alone fighting back against!) The System. It's a win-win situation!--at least for the corporate greedheads.

From the documentary Corporations in the Classroom we'll hear about two notorious schemes to market products to captive audiences of U.S. schoolchildren: Bus Radio and Channel One TV.

Journalist/commentator Chris Hedges discusses the Oligarchy's project of privatizing schools, destroying Liberal Arts education, and training young people only to serve as cogs in various parts of the economic engine. This project is a century old--but it has made great gains under Bush II and Obama.

Fr. Guido Sarducci offers some comic relief. He presents his plan to offer a quality college education in only five minutes, at a cost of $20.

Channel One brags to potential advertisers about
its captive audience of young people in school.

Notes, credits, & links

Thanks to Uprising Radio for the Hedges talk, to Unwelcome Guests for the audio of Corporations in the Classroom, and to Tereza Coraggio for the Sarducci routine.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "average quality") of WWUH-FM, a community service of that beacon of light in darkest Connecticut, the University of Hartford.

You can listen to any installment of New World Notes online or else download it (as an mp3 audio file) for later listening. The show is archived at both radio4all.net and (from #90 onwards) The Internet Archive. Either link should get you a reverse-chrono listing of available installments. Or browse the show's Web site: Each installment has a page, and each page has links to the recorded audio. See the gray sidebar on the right ("CONTENTS [Links]") for a table of contents.

Series overview:
Political and social commentary in a variety of genres. Exploring the gap between what we want ... and what they're trying to make us settle for.
Never too young. (Note: the link doesn't function here.)

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • October 18 -- John Pilger: Democracy comes to Venezuela.  (WWUH only: Pilger plus LIVE segments in an hour-long broadcast for Pledge Week.)
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):

A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net