Friday, April 26, 2013

Decade War

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No. 17 -- April 26, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #269, April 30, 2013

Decade War

"Obama in Vietghanistan," by George Latuff (2009)

In brief

March 2013 saw the tenth anniversity of the US-led war against Iraq. So this seemed like a good time to air selections from Decade War--Skidmark Bob's 2011 audio collage on the horrors and futility of the US's recent wars.

We'll hear an engaging mix of Hollywood film clips, TV news, new and old music--and a good British documentary about the experiences of soldiers, in a doomed outpost in Afghanistan, slowly being wiped out by the Taliban.

Musical highlights include a stunning update of Country Joe's "Feels Like I'm Fixin' to Die"--plus original (1965) and punk-rock versions of "Eve of Destruction."

Bob's original audio extravaganza is here shortened, edited, and (after some deft censoring) suitable for radio broadcast.


Notes, credits, & links

Skidmark Bob produces the radio show & podcast, PoP dEFECT RADIO. More info. and download links at his blog, http://popdefectradio.blogspot.com/ .

The uncut and uncensored hour-long version of Decade War is available via the installment's blog page.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "thumb") 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.

 Baghdad, March 2003

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • May 7 -- TBA
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
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Friday, April 19, 2013

Love and Death

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No. 15 -- April 19, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #268, April 23, 2013

Love and Death


In brief

A cockeyed look at love and death--from 10 Downing Street to the mean streets of Steubenville, Ohio.

For Death, we look at the late UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, her awful legacy--and how millions of Brits celebrated her passing by driving "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead" nearly to the top of the pop charts. And we play parts of a newly-released musical bashing of Thatcher by Chumbawamba.

For Love, we read a great essay on the Steubenville rape case--and why gays should think twice before adopting the heterosexuals' institutions of sex, courtship, and marriage.

"Heterosexuality in high school is not pretty," advises
Joanne Wypijewski--and Steubenville is Anytown, USA.

Notes, credits, & links

I've edited and condensed Joanne Wypijewski's essay on Steubenville, "Primitive Heterosexuality." The uncut original is here.

I'm told that Chumbawamba recorded "In Memoriam: Margaret Thatcher" in 2005 and released it upon her death (April 8). The complete version is available on radio4all.net.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "table") 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.

Chumbawamba

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • April 30 -- Skidmark Bob on the Iraq-Afghanistan Wars
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A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Friday, April 12, 2013

Puberty Rites

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No.14 -- April 12, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #267, April 16, 2013

Puberty Rites

A public part of the puberty rites for girls of the
Ashanti ethnic group of Ghana

In brief

Our culture lacks--and very much needs--"puberty rites" for adolescents, such as civilized societies have. These ceremonies
  • teach kids adult roles
  • reinforce community values
  • celebrate sexuality
  • define the licit and illicit
  • increase social cohesion
  • help teens through a difficult period
  • justify a big party
  • honor the gods
  • etc.
I'll describe the rites of Ghana's Ashanti people, play 2 songs and a 1958 health-class movie for girls, and discuss why puberty rites won't soon be coming to the U.S.

Christian "Confirmation" class in the United States. Confirmation is a sort of "coming-of-age" ceremony but a really poor excuse for a puberty rite. The white gowns are a tip-off.

Notes, credits, & links

This program was originally broadcast in September 2008 (as NWN #31--no blog entry available).

Includes 2 songs of comic satire: Tom Lehrer, "Be Prepared!"; Roy Zimmerman, "Nothing But the Best [For Our Little Girl]"

Movie is Molly Grows Up (1958)

The complete article on puberty rites in Ghana (which I read in part) is here: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/tribes/puberty_rites.php .

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "First Floor") 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.
The worst puberty rite ever: the parental "birds and bees" lecture.

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • April 23 -- TBA
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Friday, April 5, 2013

A World Without Cheap Oil: Changes We Need to Make

New World Notes #266, for Tuesday April 6 (WHUS):

Broadcast Quality MP3 from our normal server (radio4all.net).

In case of difficulty, here's another copy from a different server (archive.org).

J.H. Kunstler in (he believes) a doomed setting: Suburbia

In Brief:

In this classic speech, urbanist JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER explores some of the changes America will have to make to deal with a world of less oil and much more expensive oil. All these changes will be difficult--but some sound better than what we have now. Commuter rail lines, Main Street stores, and no more Wal-Mart? Sounds OK so far. (Conflict with China over who gets Canada's oil? Possibly not so good.


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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Casualties of War

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No.13 -- March 30, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #265, April 2, 2013

Casualties of War

Victims of a NATO drone attack, October 2012, Helmand province, Afghanistan. The three chidren were in a field, collecting dung for cooking fuel.

In brief

A look at some seldom-acknowledged victims of the U.S.'s current wars. Hundreds of children killed by drone strikes ordered by President Obama. (We name 25 of the children.) Thousands of U.S. servicemembers, male and female, raped each year by other U.S. servicemembers. One soldier suicide per day and one veteran suicide per hour.

Why is this happening?

This installment features articles by Dave Lindorff, Alyssa Rohricht, and the New York Times; commentary in song by David Rovics and Roy Zimmerman; and remarks by me.

During a Senate subcommittee hearing on March 13, three former U.S. servicemembers (foreground, right) spoke of their experiences of rape while serving in the armed forces.

Notes, credits, & links

Music added: David Rovics, "The Comets of Kandahar"; Roy Zimmerman, from "Thanks for the Support"; and a dash of Orff's "Carmina Burana" (London S.O.).

Chuck Rosina recorded David Rovics live in performance in Boston on January 27, 2013.

The articles by Dave Lindorff and by Alyssa Rohricht are from CounterPunch online.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "radar") 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.

One U.S. soldier a day commits suicide. One military veteran an hour commits suicide. Something is very wrong. What could it be?

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • April 9 -- A World Without Cheap Oil: Changes We Need to Make, featuring James Howard Kunstler 
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Friday, March 22, 2013

The Corporations and the Economy

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No.12 -- March 22, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #264, March 26, 2013

The Corporations and the Economy


In brief

Corporate profits and stock prices continue to go up, up, up. Yet unemployment remains disastrously high, layoffs are increasing, poverty and personal debt are increasing. How can this be?

Noam Chomsky, Jim Hightower, Dave Johnson, The New York Times, and singer Mike Stout provide some answers.

Hint: don't blame nature, the Internet, new technologies, or China. Changes in federal laws and regulations--which Big Business fought hard for--enabled and encouraged the current mess.

Two of the sources we hear from bring up our local contributor to the Dow Jones Industrial Average: United Technologies Corporation. Two weeks ago, UTC reported record profits and reached a record high share price--and announced it would lay off (that is, fire) 3,000 more workers--on top of the 4,000 it laid off in 2012.


Notes, credits, & links

Chuck U. Rosina recorded the Chomsky segment in Boston on February 25, 2013. (Thanks again.)

Music added: Mike Stout, from "Occupy"

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "infleible deadlines") 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.


Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • April 2 -- TBA
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Friday, March 15, 2013

Capitalism, Democracy, and Environmental Catastrophe

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No.11 -- March 15, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #263, March 19, 2013

Capitalism, Democracy, and Environmental Catastrophe


In brief

Invited to speak on "the future of capitalism," Noam Chomsky first shows that the actual U.S. economic system is very far from real "capitalism." It is essentially socialism-for-corporations. And the political system actually in place is far from "democracy." Chomsky shows why "plutocracy" is the more accurate term.

So Chomsky will discuss not actual capitalism or actual democracy but instead what he calls "really existing capitalist democracy"--the system that actually exists in the United States.

Alas, its future--and that of the planet--seem grim. Chomsky describes how--for the sake of short-term profit--the leaders of the world's most advanced (alleged) capitalist democracy are working hard to bring about environmental catastrophe as rapidly as possible.

In this powerful and moving speech Chomsky again displays his typical clarity, mastery of fact, and deadpan ironic wit.


Notes, credits, & links

Chomsky spoke at Northeastern University, in Boston, on February 25, 2013. Recorded on location by Chuck Rosina.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "spreading chestnut tree") 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.

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • March 26 -- TBA
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Friday, March 8, 2013

GMOs (3): Health Dangers

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No. 10 -- March 8, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #262, March 12, 2013

GMOs (3): Health Dangers


In brief

More from Gary Null's documentary, GMO: Ticking Time Bomb (part 4 & some of part 3). Focus is on the environmental damage and health risks--both of the genetically modified crops themselves and of the potent herbicides that are used to grow them.

Most GMOs are genetically modified in order to survive exposure to toxic herbicides such as Monsanto's "Roundup"--not to increase yield, improve drought resistance, resist blight, or any other arguably-good reason.

This installment includes a prologue by KD and a brief news story about a new GMO labeling bill just introduced in Connecticut.


Notes, credits, & links

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "unisex bathroom") 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.

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • March 19 -- Noam Chomsky

Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Saturday, March 2, 2013

GMOs (2): Corruption

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No. 9 -- March 2, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #261, March 5, 2013

GMOs (2): Corruption

Arpad Pusztai

In brief

This week we'll hear more from the video documentary, GMO: Ticking Time Bomb (part 2 & some of part 3). We'll focus on the corrupt politics, corrupt science, and corporate strong-arm tactics--especially by Monsanto Corp.--that got genetically-modified food crops approved and established in the U.S. despite the absence of safety testing.

Includes the stories of (and remarks by) two noted opponents of GM crops: Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser and scientist Arpad Pusztai.

Percy Schmeiser's canola crop was genetically contaminated with patented genes from Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" canola, which grew in a neighboring field. When Schmeiser saved and replanted the seeds from his contaminated crop, Monsanto successfully sued him for patent infringement.

Research in Scotland by biologist Arpad Pusztai indicated that eating genetically modified potatoes damaged the immune system of rats. When Pusztai publicized his findings, he was fired from Aberdeen's prestigious Rowett Research Institute.

Introductory remarks by K.D.

Percy Schmeiser

Notes, credits, & links

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "benign neglect") 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.
Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • March 12 -- GMOs (3): Health Dangers
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Saturday, February 16, 2013

Consumed

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, Nos. 7-8 -- February 16, 2013

This fortnight in New World Notes, radio programs #259-260, February 19 & 26

C o n s u m e d
in Two Parts

In brief

Consumerism and overconsumption, from the perspective of "evolutionary psychology." This two-part series features the video documentary, Consumed: Inside the Belly of the Beast.

I'm not so sure of the "evolutionary" part of "evolutionary psychology." People act in certain ways, and it's hard to see what is gained by asserting that we act that way because, through natural selection, we evolved to act that way. But there's much more to the movie than this--and the conventional psychology, sociology, and economic history brought to bear here all seem insightful.

As Annie Leonard puts it (in The Story of Stuff), we're trashing the planet, and we're not even having fun. So why can't we stop? Well, maybe we can.

Plus additional reflections by K.D. And, in Part 2, also some commentary by philosopher/economist Charles Eisenstein.

Notes, credits, & links

Adapted to radio by K.D. Thanks to Robin Upton for introducing me to the video. Robin's own radio adaptation of Consumed may be found in installment #634 of his show, Unwelcome Guests, available at www.unwelcomeguests.net .

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "bad influence") 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.

Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • March 5 -- GMOs-2
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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Friday, February 8, 2013

GMOs

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New World Notes News
Vol. 6, No. 6 -- February 8, 2013

This week in New World Notes, radio program #258, February 12, 2013

GMOs


First some reflections on the antiGMO: local produce--now but a fond memory here in New England. Then we look at GMOs--genetically-modified plants sold as food.

The show includes TV-news and press coverage on failed GMO labelling bills in California and Connecticut--and on guerilla labellers stalking Connecticut's supermarket aisles. Plus selections from Gary Null's video documentary, GMO: Ticking Time Bomb.

Notes, credits, & links

IMHO, some of GMO: Ticking Time Bomb (Part 1) is best viewed while wearing a tinfoil hat, though much of it seems very sound indeed. Our show rebroadcasts only the latter. The complete video is here.

New World Notes is produced under the auspices (Latin for "very noses") 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.
Coming soon (Tuesday air debut date shown)
  • February 19 & 26 -- Consumed
Catch New World Notes (all times Eastern):
A-Infos Radio Project http://www.radio4all.net
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