From Serving Money to Serving Life

New World Notes #473, 29:06 (March 28)
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 David Korten (2010)

A clever audio collage by Chazk (Virtual Renderings), slightly condensed by me. It features selections from David Korten's Earth Day 2015 talk in Seattle.

Korten shows that the fundamental maxims of corporate capitalism--"the Sacred Money and Markets Story"--are both false and preventing us from saving our environment. Based on a synthesis of principles from religion, science, and mysticism, he proposes a different set of maxims--the "Sacred Life and Living Earth Story."

As usual, Chazk interweaves with the spoken words several relevant song passages, film clips, and other interesting audio.  I have condensed the original collage--mostly my shortening the musical selections--to fit our radio timeslot.

NWN previously broadcast this program, as #387, in August 2015.

The original, unedited version of Chazk's/Virtual Renderings' collage--and more than 100 others by him--are available for free download or online listening. For a liting, find the link on the gray sidebar to this page, under the heading, "Worth a Look."

NOTE: MP3 files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as NWN #387.

Is Water the New Oil?

Part 1: New World Notes #471, 27:57 (March 14)
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Part 2: New World Notes #472, 27:41 (March 21)
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Darling's own title for his talk. I like my title better.

Scientist Seth Darling offers a comprehensive--and sobering--look at an endangered vital resource: fresh water. Blending history, political science, chemistry, ecology, and several other academic disciplines, he surveys society's water policies and the probable disastrous results of failing to change them.

In the 20th century, many bloody conflicts were for the control of oil. In the 21st, many will be for the control of water. Darling ends on a positive note, though, reviewing some encouraging advances in purification technology. Science itself, though will not solve the problem.

In the recent past, fresh water was cheap, safe, and abundant. In the 21st century, Darling argues, we can have any two of these three qualities, ... but we can't have all three.

Part 1 includes an introduction by KD. Part 2 includes a song on pollution by Tom Lehrer (1965).

Dr. Seth Darling

Seth Darling is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Argonne National Laboratory. He spoke in Chicago on May 18, 2016. The original recording was provided by Dale Lehman of radio station WZRD (thanks!). I have slightly edited and condensed the talk for radio broadcast.

Jill Stein

New World Notes #470, 28:51 (March 7)
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Progressive activist and presidential candidate Jill Stein speaks on the corrupt Republican-Democrat party ... on how citizens have been getting a bad deal for decades ... and on how real change can come from the grassroots.

Introduction and afterword by KD.

Stein spoke at the Inaugurate the Resistance rally in Washington, D.C., January 21, 2017. Thanks to Wilton Vought (othervoicesotherchoices.com), for this live recording, which I have gently edited.

Helen Caldicott on the Three Global Crises

New World Notes #469, 28:39 (February 28)
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Famed antinuke crusader Helen Caldicott, MD, displays her signature combination of wit, compassion, passion, and technical expertise. She spoke in Houston on November 12, 2010.

Caldicott discusses, in turn, what she sees as the three greatest threats to life on earth--global warming, nuclear war, and nuclear power--and urges the audience to take concrete actions against each. She even suggests a few specific actions.

With preface by K.D. & a song (from 1965) by Tom Lehrer.

The talk was recorded by Wally James. It was previously broadcast by Scooter, on "The innerSide" on KPFT-FM, Houston. Thanks to both.

Previously broadcast, as NWN #149, in January 2011. MP3 audio files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as NWN #149.

Peasant of the Dawn

New World Notes #468, 28:58 (February 21)
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Nice audio collage by Virtual Renderings (a.k.a. Chazk), introduced & slightly condensed by me. It's a meditation on class warfare, the ruling elite's dislike of democracy, American exceptionalism, economic inequality, mind control, and the prescience of George Orwell.

Voices heard belong to Howard Zinn, Michael Parenti, Noam Chomsky, historian Morris Berman, and Ken Nordine (himself a master of audio collage), among others. Includes dramatic readings from Orwell's 1984 & some good music.

At last count, 111 audio collages by Virtual Renderings can be downloaded without charge from radio4all.net. For a listing, click on the link at the top of the gray sidebar, to the right (under "Worth a Look").

The Diamond Cartel

New World Notes #467, 28:45 (February 14)
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Advertisement from the Belgian couture house Natan

An ironic salute to Valentine's Day features an expose' of the worldwide diamond cartel (a.k.a. DeBeers). And how a U.S. advertising agency--hired by the cartel to increase sales--invented and marketed the "tradition" of the diamond engagement ring.

Lyn Gerry, of Unwelcome Guests, reads from Edward Jay Epstein's article, "Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?" in Atlantic Magazine, February 1982.

Plus a few ironic and/or kinky love songs by Tom Lehrer and The Kinks.

Originally broadcast, as NWN #51, in February 2009.

Chris Hedges - Bernie Sanders

New World Notes #466, 28:44 (February 7)
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In a fiery post-Inauguration speech, Chris Hedges calls for resistance--not just to Trump but to the whole corrupt and oppressive system. Then KD reads a similar though milder short essay by Bernie Sanders. In-between: an appropriate song by Ethan Miller and Kate Boverman

Thanks to Wilton Vought (othervoicesotherchoices.com), who recorded Hedges in Washington, D.C., on January 21, 2017. Sanders' op-ed essay (which I have slightly condensed) was published in newspapers in late June 2016. Thanks too to Chazk/Virtual Renderings for Miller & Boverman's "Song for the Unnamed Capitalist."

Fat-Free Snake Oil

New World Notes #465, 27:26 (January 31)
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Two critical views of the American economic system--one trivial, one profound. First, product marketing run amok. KD discusses the 40 different varieties of Colgate toothpaste at the supermarket And he explains why spray cooking oil--which is 99% fat--is sold as "fat-free spray oil."

Then Noam Chomsky discusses Big Business's expensive campaign to accelerate climate change regardless of its threat to all life on the planet. This recent talk is titled, "Wrecking Nature for Short-Term Profit."

Of particular interest: Chomsky explains that the Magna Carta had two sections. The section establishing political liberties (the Charter of Liberties--the part we've heard about) has been largely scrapped by the Bush II and Obama administrations. The section establishing the people's rights to the natural resources they needed to live (the Charter of Forests) was scrapped a few centuries back, in the early days of capitalism.

This installment was previously broadcast, as NWN #275, in June 2013. Note: MP3 audio files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as NWN #275.

Nader: The Government's Crimes Against the Constitution

New World Notes #464, 28:40 (January 24)
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In this hard-hitting talk at Harvard Law School, Ralph Nader indicts both Barack Obama and G.W. Bush for their (clearly impeachable) crimes against the U.S. Constitution and against the people of the United States. And he denounces the needless suffering and deaths caused by government policies that place corporate profits over the welfare of the citizens. On a positive note, Nader urges law students to be "first responders" in defense of our liberties. Includes selected Q&A.

From Harvard Law School's official video of Nader's talk, February 8, 2012. Gently edited for radio by K.D.  Previously broadcast, as NWN #209, in March 2012.

James G. Anderson on Climate Change

Part 1: New World Notes #462, 29:05 (January 10)
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Part 2: New World Notes #463, 27:59 (January 17)
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Harvard climate scientist James G. Anderson interviewed by Dale Lehman.

In Part 1, Anderson lucidly explains why "global warming" is a bad term to use (it understates the problem's breadth and severity). He makes short work of the claim that climate change is natural, not man-made. And he has interesting things to say about the ozone layer ... the Kyoto Protocol ... and why electricity is overwhelmingly the best fuel, not only for transportation but for heating too. Plus a song by David Rovics.

In Part 2, Anderson discusses--among other matters--how vulnerable the U.S. is to climate chnge, what steps need to be taken, and how to persuade the American people to act. Plus a short talk on climate and the environment by political scientist Michael Parenti (2006) and another song by David Rovics.

Thanls to Dale Lehman (WZRD, Chicago) for the interview and for the original recording, which I have gently edited and condensed.

Haiti: The Shape of Things to Come?

New World Notes #461, 28:44 (January 3)
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Third World people are intentionally kept poor so that our rich "investors" may become still richer. British journalist Johann Hari argues this case, using Haiti as example. Political scientist Michael Parenti (early 1990s) concurs, with examples from Haiti and elsewhere. I suggest that the U.S. is now being pushed down the same road as Haiti. And comedians Bob and Ray offer a comic look at a domestic company that has adopted a Third-World business model: The Great Lakes Paper Clip Company.

Previously broadcast, as NWN #139, in November 2010.

www.michaelparenti.org

Johann Hari's "Suffocating the Poor: A Modern Parable" from Common Dreams, September 19, 2010.

Crime and Punishment

New World Notes #460, 28:32 (December 27)
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The electric chair at Sing Sing (date unknown)

KD ties together several recent crime stories--from a vehicular homicide trial in his town ... to the police shootings in Ferguson and New York ... to the rash of alleged gun-suicides committed by frisked and handcuffed black men in the back seat of police cars ... to the surprising indictment of former mining company CEO Donald Blankenship.

Among the perps, we see who gets the book thrown at him, who gets his wrist slapped, and who walks away without even a trial. Is there any pattern here?

Includes commentary by Glen Ford and a song by Anne Feeney.

With an update of December 2016. Much of this program was previously broadcast, as NWN #353, in December 2014.

Scooter's War on Christmas Kickstarter

An "encore performance" from 2015.  For a summary and download links, please click here.

The Three Global Crises: How Should We Respond?

Part 1: New World Notes #457, 28:31 (December 6)
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Part 2: New World Notes #458, 28:49 (December 13)
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Vincent Emanuele

An eye-opening and well-researched talk by activist Vincent Emanuele. He explores the three crises that are making the world--at best--highly unstable. Then he suggests some steps that the people can take to make our uncertain future as livable as possible.

Since neither government nor business is likely to do anything positive about these crises, useful responses will have to come from the grassroots.

All three crises are deeply rooted in the United States. Two of them are now global. The crises are

• social collapse in the U.S.
• militarization
• ecological disaster

 In Part 1, Emanuele shows the dimensions of social collapse and militarization and begins his discussion of the ecology crisis.

In Part 2, Emanuel explores the ecology crisis in depth and then proposes some general actions that the organized grassroots can take to maintain (insofar as possible) a good,decent, and cooperative life for the people.

Emanuele spoke at the Open University of the Left, in Chicago, on September 24, 2016. Thanks to Dale Lehman/WZRD, for the original audio recording, which I have condensed and slightly edited.

Apokaluptein Tales

New World Notes #456, 29:24 (November 29)
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Occupy Wall Street, 2011

An intriguing audiocollage (from 2010) by Virtual Renderings--condensed for radio by KD. It weaves together political commentary, music, clips from The Matrix, and more. It combines critical views ranging from the Left (Noam Chomsky) to the far Right (stefbot)--and music ranging from the Stones to Harry Shearer to J.S. Bach & more.

It's an engaging, intelligent critique of a U.S. corporate state that pretends to be capitalism and pretends to be democracy. Wrong on both counts!

This program was previously broadcast, as NWN #298, in November 2013. Audio files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as #298.

The unedited, hour-long version of "Apokaluptein Tales" is available in both high-fidelity (56 MB) and low-fidelity (14 MB) versions. 110 additional audiocollages by Virtual Renderings  (at last count) are available on radio4all.net.  For a listing, click on the link in the gray sidebar on the right-hand side of this page (under the heading, "Worth a Look").

The Hollow Men

New World Notes #455, 28:51 (November 22)
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First, K.D. contrasts Halloween (good) with Black Friday (bad)--setting the stage for historian Morris Berman's brilliant and witty talk (ca. 2013).

For Berman, the essential hollowness of America's leaders reflects the hollowness at the core of many of us--and the hollowness of The American Dream (which seems to be just a wish for more stuff). "The System" seems to be collapsing--leaving Morris with very mixed emotions.

Then singer-satirist Roy Zimmerman offers a more upbeat view of the oddness of American life. And last, a few lines from the poem Berman is alluding to, T.S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men."

Thanks to Robin Upton, of Unwelcome Guests, for Berman's talk. http://unwelcomeguests.net.

This installment was previously broadcast, as NWN #297, in November 2013. MP3s downloaded from the links at the top of this page will be identified as #297.

Norman Finkelstein on Palestine

New World Notes #454, 28:05 (November 15)
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Norman Finkelstein

Mideast expert Norman Finkelstein reviews the horrors of Israel's attacks on Gaza and then explores Palestine's three options for regaining its freedom. Two of them--diplomacy and armed struggle--have failed to work, Finkelstein argues.

That leaves nonviolent mass resistance--with an immediate focus on ending Israel's blockade of Gaza. The tactic has worked before, including in Gandhi's India, in apartheid South Africa, and in fact in Palestine's FIrst Intifada. It can work again--if Palestine can overcome the handicaps of a demoralized population and corrupt political leaders.

Introduction by KD. I have condensed and edited Finkelstein's talk.

Finkelstein and Tariq Ali discussed the Israel/Palestine situation at the 2016 Left Forum. Ali's talk was broadcast in NWN #446, in September.

Firesign Theatre Election Special

New World Notes #453, 28:59 (October 18)
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For Election Day 2016: selections from The Firesign Theatre's 1970 classic, Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers.

Masters of irony, parody, travesty, and sound effects, Firesign created radio dramas satirizing a nation unable to tell reality from the nonsense on TV--nonsense concocted by prostitute politicians and corporate greedheads. The perfect program for this Election Day!

The Firesign Theatre

The plot (such as it is): Flipping TV channels late at night, retired actor George Leroy Tirebiter finds dreck galore plus two old movies starring him, playing simultaneously on two different channels. These are Parallel Hell (a war movie) and High School Madness (featuring all-American teenagers Porgy and Mudhead). In one--or is it both?--of the movies, Tirebiter is running for office: either Dogkiller or People's Commissioner. (You decide!)

With an updated introduction by K.D. The Firesign Theatre material was originally broadcast, in NWN #244, on November 6, 2012.

God Save the Republic! (What's left of it, anyway.)

Ending the Many Wars in Syria

Part 1: New World Notes #451, 28:21 (October 25)
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Part 2: New World Notes #452, 28:40 (November 1)
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A fine new speech by Progressive writer and activist Phyllis Bennis.
 
She argues that Syria is suffering not from a war but from a half-dozen different wars now being fought there. Many of these are "proxy wars" between other countries (e.g., Saudi Arabia and Iran) being "fought to the last Syrian." There is no military solution to the Syrian disaster--and furthermore, every military adventure the U.S.has taken in this century has been a dismal failure. But our record at diplomacy has been good. So let's try diplomacy instead of war in Syria.

Bennis offers fresh and interesting insights, not only about Syria but about America's role in Iraq and Afghanistan as well.

The talk was given at Emanuel College, Boston, October 13, 2016. Many thanks to Dave Goodman, of I.B.I.S. Radio (ibisradio.org), for the original recording.  I have snipped out a few stumbles and pauses; the talk is otherwise uncut.

Eugene Jarecki: The Drug War

New World Notes #450, 28:27 (October 18)
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Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki's documentary on the drug war, The House I Live In, won a top award at Sundance in 2012. Now Jarecki talks about some things he learned while making the film.

Among them: 90% of crack arrestees--but only 13% of crack users--are Black. Drug laws, always a means of race control, are now also a means of class control, with poor whites increasingly targeted. And the original "War on Drugs"--launched by Nixon in 1971--devoted two-thirds of its budget to treatment programs (vs. almost nothing today).

Introductory & concluding remarks by K.D.

Jarecki's remarks are taken from an interview by Michael Slate, broadcast on The Michael Slate Show on KPFK, Los Angeles. Many thanks for permission to rebroadcast.

* New World Notes originally broadcast this program (as NWN #220) in May 2012. Audio files downloaded from the links, above, may be identified as NWN #220.