Shadows of Liberty

Part 1: New World Notes #312, 29:09 (February 25):

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Part 2: More Media Monopoly: New World Notes #313, 27:40 (March 4):

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A new documentary film examines how a few huge, for-profit corporations control the news media--and so control the "news."  Brief history lessons on the U.S. media alternate with close looks at particular stories the corporate news media suppressed.

Amy Goodman, Robert McChesney, Julian Assange, Janine Jackson, Norman Solomon, Daniel Ellsberg, John Nichols, Dan Rather, and several other commentators appear.

Adapted to radio by K.D.

Shadows of Liberty was written, directed, and produced by Canadian filmmaker Jean-Plilippe Tremblay.

In Part 1:

Topics this week include two stories investigated and then suppressed by CBS News: Nike's exploited workers and evidence suggesting that TWA Flight 800 was shot down by a U.S. Navy missile.  Plus the really free press in the early days of the Republic and the rise of media monopolies from the 1930s.

In Part 2:

How a wave of corporate mergers--each with the government's blessing--created near-monopoly control of the news. And the story of reporter Gary Webb. Webb was destroyed by the big corporate media after exposing the CIA's role in the crack-cocaine trade in the US.

Plus an essay by Paul Krugman on why the latest proposed media merger--Comcast and Time Warner Cable--is another really bad idea.

Only Mutiny Can Save the Ship

New World Notes #311, 29:25 (February 18):

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In Brief

A stunning talk by journalist/prophet Chris Hedges.  Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick is an apt (and scary) metaphor for the U.S. today, says Hedges.

The relentless pursuit of an insane goal: that's Captain Ahab on the ship Pequod, and that's corporate capitalism today. On the Pequod, the pursuit yielded repression and then destruction of ship and crew. That's where the world today is heading.

Only mutiny by the crew could have saved the Pequod, and--Hedges argues--only nonviolent rebellion by citizens can save the U.S. and the planet's ecosystem

I have condensed Hedges' talk substantially.  He delivered the talk, under a different title, at Moravian College on October 22, 2013.  A video of the complete talk is available on YouTube.

The Map Is Not the Territory

New World Notes #310, 27:28 (February 11):

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Click to enlarge (all graphics)

In brief

Illusion vs. reality in America today.  Getting lost on Groundhog Day inspires a reflection by K.D. on S.I. Hayakawa's maxim, "The map is not the territory." The "map" of reality handed to us by the corporations and politicians falsely depicts the lay of the land (so to speak).  Inaccurate maps are useful to Established Power, bad for the rest of us.

Plus--making similar points--a selection from Virtual Renderings' new audio collage. Includes commentary by Woody Harrelson, Chris Hedges, and Jordan Maxwell and a timely song by Jackson Browne.

Virtual Renderings' collage is titled, "Ponderings From Within Leviathan."  The complete (56-minute) version is available for free download. (Lo-Fi version and program information page are also available.)

Above: S. I. Hayakawa

Below: Suzuki Hayabusa

(Easy to confuse!)

Refusers

New World Notes #309, 29:06 (February 4):

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In Brief

In Israel, military service is close to universal. Motivated by conscience--and at substantial personal risk--some Israeli soldiers refuse to serve with the occupying forces in Palestine. These soldiers are known as Refusers. We explore this important movement. And we'll hear one Refuser's story in depth, that of air force Major Yonatan Shapira, interviewed by Mike McCormick.

Music added: Chumbawamba, "Walking Into Battle With the Lord."

This installment was originally broadcast on New World Notes (as #66) in June 2009.  A broadcast quality (192 kbps) MP3 recording is now available for the first time.

Major Yonatan Shapira, IDF Air Force Reserve, and the Apache "assault and rescue" helicopter he piloted.