MP3/AUDIO NEWS DOWNLOADS
SEP-OCT 2014

RATINGS... for each clip are out of a possible 5.

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (CLIMATE) — 30.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Carbon Recycling — A Texas company has started capturing CO2 from a cement plant in San Antonio and is set to recycle 75,000 tons of CO2 per year by incorporating it into profitable products, including baking soda, hydrochloric acid, and bleach. The process can also be used for fossil fuel power plants.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   5:56

GP comment:  Taking the waste stream from one process and making it an input to another process is always smart. But I'm not sure how hydrochloric acid can be counted here as capturing carbon. Even if CO2 is used in the process of making hydrochloric acid, the chemical formula is H-Cl (one hydrogen atom plus one chlorine atom)—exactly where is the carbon?

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Oct.2014 ~~ Original title: Carbon Capture and Recycling

CATEGORY:  FINANCIAL — 30.OCT.2014

Peak Prosperity

Will Our Private Savings Be Sacrificed To Pay Down The Public Debt? — Financial analyst Daniel Amerman discusses "financial repression," where sovereign debts are slowly paid off by siphoning private savings from an unaware populace. He explains the possible methods of dealing with debt—austerity, tax hikes, default, inflating the debt away, and finally, financial repression. The last method is a popular choice because it is done in secret, with no political repercussions. But it's actually just as painful for the population as a whole, as people lose purchasing power and standard of living due to policies that promote ultra-low interest rates and inflation.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   56:03

GP comment:  It's important to understand that the US debt is not intended to be paid back—it can't be. But public oration about the need for us to tighten our belts and make sacrifices and get our financial house in order is part of the elites' con game. But it's not about stealing our money to pay down the debt, it's just about stealing our money, period.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  AGRICULTURE — 30.OCT.2014

Agroinnovations Podcast

Neofeudal Permaculture — Permaculture designer Darren Doherty talks to Frank Aragona about his experiences from the "Regrarians" world tour, and then describes the precarious economic situation of the commodity farmer and the often degraded state of the world’s agricultural landscapes. The conversation then launches into the complexities of the current land tenure system, as Doherty explains the neofeudal character of agricultural economies. The interview concludes with some observations about the need to develop a capable labor force to meet the market demand for sustainably produced food.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   57:18

GP comment:  Small-scale permaculture can make you a living, but it is not a casual pursuit.

Original Show Pub Date: 20.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 28.OCT.2014

Unwelcome Guests

Once More Unto The Whistle — Scott Bennett, formerly of the US Army 11th Psychological Operations Battalion describes, how he moved from a background in advertising, with a specialist focus on the Muslim mind, to psychological warfare and counterterrorism. During his work on the latter, he became frustrated after noticing how little attention was being paid at the highest levels to tracking terrorist financing, concluding eventually that he was not being employed to be effective but merely to look good. While plenty of details remain obscure in Bennett's story, the larger picture is familiar: a corrupt Deep State establishment that uses the legal system and the commercially-controlled media to obscure its sponsorship of terrorism in the service of endless war and geopolitical hegemony.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   59:36
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   59:36

GP comment:  It's difficult to know how much faith to put in Bennett's story, especially given that the original interview was done by Project Camelot. That said, his presentation is cogent and the implications are perfectly in line with my own observations of the faux war-on-terror pattern.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 28.OCT.2014

9-11 Wake-Up Call

Politicians for 9/11 Truth — A brief discussion of research showing that "9/11 conspiracy theorists"—those who say the official story can't be right—now outnumber believers of the official story 2-to-1. ~~ Then an interview with Steve Fournier, a Connecticut attorney who is running for state attorney general on a 9/11 truth platform. Fournier discusses the relevance of his campaign even in the face of likely defeat.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   27:27

GP comment:  Fournier is quite sharp in his presentation. It's unfortunate that the Dem-GOP duopoly has the game so rigged now that a smart, honest person has no chance of winning.

Original Show Pub Date: 22.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (POLLUTION) — 28.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Fracking Waste Water Proves Highly Resistant to Clean-Up — The oil and gas industry produces a high volume of dirty wastewater from fracking operations. That polluted water has to go somewhere, and the two typical solutions are down an injection well or, after some slight clean-up, into another fracking operation. But as public resistance to injection wells and fracking grows, some businesses trying to truly clean up fracking waste water so it can be put back into nature. Unfortunately, so far, it turns out that the matrix of pollutants in fracking wastewater is very difficult to deal with in volume.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:32

GP comment:  Such clean-up can be done, of course, but cost is the issue. Nonetheless, true cleanup of fracking wastewater should be required and incorporated as a cost of doing business.

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Oct.2014 ~~ Original title: It’s Tough To Turn Frack Water into Profits

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 28.OCT.2014

Beard World Order via Traces of Reality

The ISIS Conspiracy ... and Other Lies of the War on Terror — James Corbett, Peter B. Collins, and Guillermo Jimenez have a roundtable discussion about the current state of the so-called War on Terror. They observe that the now-routine introduction of new enemies always, strangely, seems to occur in September. The story framing by the mainstream lackey media is designed to foster public support for endless US occupation of foreign lands. Deep State media memes still constantly inculcate disdain for public discussion of conspiracies. Despite the continuing torrent of propaganda, politicians are avoiding the WoT issue because they know it's a loser with the increasingly less brainwashed populace. The team also notes the falsity of US claims that their actions are due to a concern for the Syrian people or other locals.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   56:15

GP comment:  Mostly polemical, but lotsa fun and on-target.

Original Show Pub Date: 22.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  HEALTH, FOOD — 27.OCT.2014

One Radio Network

How the Biochemistry of Cooking Food Impacts Health — Bob Marshall uses biochemistry to understand the deepest levels of how nutrients work in the body, and how unwanted substances degrade the body. Topics here include .... using low-heat methods for preparing foods that can't be eaten raw; how frying, grilling, and baking damage food in a way that wreaks havoc on the body; how most people are falling short on mineral intake and food digestion; the problem of anti-nutrients in otherwise wholesome foods like beans, nuts, seeds, and grains.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   1:00:41
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   46:26

GP comment:  I have no doubt that Marshall's science has merit, and we would all be well advised to consider his observations and advice. But at some point, life is not just about optimizing longevity; it's also about enjoyment, and tasty food is part of that. Some food is tasty raw or "warmed"; some isn't. Everyone must find their own balance between palate and preservation.

Original Show Pub Date: 16.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (POLLUTION, RECYCLING) — 27.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Who is Recycling E-Waste? — Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world, and a new survey from Best Buy found that only about a third of people in the United State recycle their electronic waste, even though many more claim that they would like to. US stores, including Staples and Best Buy, are helping to close this gap with free e-waste recycling programs.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   6:17

GP comment:  When new electronics are designed, ease of recycling is not a consideration. That's a problem.

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE, CORPORATIONS, LABOR ISSUES — 27.OCT.2014

Making Contact

Blowing the Whistle, Paying the Price — Whistleblowers are heroes to many, but the government is increasingly treating them as traitors. In this show, we hear about the whistleblowers you won't see on the nightly news. They’re not named Manning or Snowden; they’re ordinary people who report wrongdoing at their place of employment, and pay the consequences.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   28:56

GP comment:  Such actions do indeed take courage, and wisdom to know when something is important enough that it can't be ignored or overlooked. Bravo to those who step up.

Original Show Pub Date: 15.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (CHEMICALS), SPECIES — 25.OCT.2014

Quirks and Quarks

The Pill is Harming Fish — We have known for years now that pharmaceuticals make their way into our waterways, through residues in urine or by disposal of unused drugs down our toilets. The consequences are often detrimental to aquatic wildlife. Dr. Karen Kidd of the University of New Brunswick has studied this phenomenon in the fathead minnow in an experimental lake in Northern Ontario. The introduction of birth-control chemicals into the water not only caused the fathead minnow population to crash, it upset the balance of the entire ecosystem. This included a sharp decline in the trout population, which prey on the minnow.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   11:30

GP comment:  This particular pollutant is an actual form of estrogen. Many other chemical pollutants mimic estrogen or have other endocrine-disrupting effects.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENERGY — 25.OCT.2014

C-Realm Podcast

Energy Peak—Just a Matter of Time — KMO and Robert J. Fairchild (a.k.a. Solar Bob) discuss the dramatic increase in oil extraction from hydraulic fracturing, its effects on the US and global economies, and what it really represents in terms of net energy. They make extensive reference to an article by Grant Smith, "US Seen as Biggest Oil Producer After Overtaking Saudi Arabia," which asserts that the United States will remain the world’s top producer of fossil fuels until 2030. That seems unlikely, given the high depletion rates of fracking wells, but time will tell. One thing is for sure: there are limits, and they will be reached.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   59:54

GP comment:  Kudos and hello to Solar Bob, a friend here in Kentucky.

Original Show Pub Date: 15.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (MINING) — 25.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining Increases Cancer Risk — Overburden removal during mountain-top-removal coal mining in Appalachia blasts dust into the air that is then carried on the wind for miles and inhaled by nearby residents. Michael Hendryx is a Professor of Applied Health Science at Indiana University Bloomington and co-author of a study linking that dust to lung cancer. He's calling for a halt to this type of coal mining.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   6:41

GP comment:  MTR mining is an obscene thing to do to a landscape. Don't believe the industry flacks when they say they "restore" the area once they are done. Sure, they plant stuff, but the ecosystem is not at all "restored."

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  FINANCIAL — 25.OCT.2014

CounterSpin

The Economic Recovery—Just for the Top Earners — In the past few years, as some economic indicators have suggested a recovery is under way, US media have generally responded with celebratory reporting. But according to a recent NBC poll, just 18 percent of Americans say the economy is excellent or good. Economics professor Richard Wolff explains that the economy has been re-geared in a way that everyone but the top 10% now suffers from two factors: they have more debt, and even if they have a job, they are making less than they were. The media portrayal of an economic recovery is really just propaganda in service of a political agenda.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   17:42

GP comment:  Yes, quite right. Included here is an excellent point about the elites' patient, long-term strategy of slowly undermining public support for organizations and issues related to worker rights and economic justice—essentially brainwashing people to stop being in favor of things that are in their own best interest.

Original Show Pub Date: 17.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 23.OCT.2014

Democracy Now

Noam Chomsky Blasts Israel and US — Noam Chomsky recently spoke in the hall of the UN General Assembly at an event sponsored by the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. His topics included the false memes of the Israeli position; Obama's continuation of bad US policy; the media attention to the relatively few Israeli casualties and general avoidance of discussion of Palestinian casualties; Israeli maneuvers to skirt international rulings.
Watch A  |  Watch B  |  Download/listen   50:55

GP comment:  One of the topics Chomsky orates ably on.

Original Show Pub Date: 22.Oct.2014 ~~ Original story titles: In U.N. Speech, Noam Chomsky Blasts United States for Supporting Israel, Blocking Palestinian State + Noam Chomsky at United Nations: It Would Be Nice if the United States Lived up to International Law

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT, SPECIES — 23.OCT.2014

Resistance Radio

Has Capitalism Captured the Environmental Movement? — Tom Butler of the Northeast Wilderness Trust talks with Derrick Jensen about the problematic trend among mainstream environmental groups trying to steer capitalism in a better direction. The problem with that approach is that capitalists, when push comes to shove, will always prioritize corporate profits over natural preservation. Even more troubling is the shift in the framing of environmental issues, where the comfort, convenience, and continuation of modern life is a given, and any sacrifice along those lines to preserve species or protect the biosphere is not even up for discussion.
Download/listen   50:59

GP comment:  This is a good talk, though the general tack is that this problem is mostly one of evil corporatists, venal politicians, and a lackey media. There are those aspects, for sure, but the general populace has fully embraced the benefits of modern industrial society, regardless of the environmental costs, and the gains in comfort and convenience will not be given up willingly, no matter how right the goals.

Original Show Pub Date: 19.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 21.OCT.2014

On The Media

Not In The Supreme Court's Backyard — The Supreme Court has often determined that free speech is sacrosanct. However, when it comes to free speech around the Supreme Court building, apparently the concept does not apply. New York Times Supreme Court correspondent Adam Liptak talks about the court's determination in keeping protesters off its plaza.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:48

GP comment:  Bob Garfield sums it up perfectly: "Wuhhhh?" In today's America, TPTB are fine with free speech as long as it's done where they say you can do it and says nothing that truly threatens their power.

Original Show Pub Date: 17.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (CLIMATE, POLLUTION) — 21.OCT.2014

Sea Change Radio

Can Ozone Success Be Parlayed into GHG Success? — Durwood Zaelke was a key advocate decades ago in the fight to instate policies that would preserve the ozone layer. Those efforts were very successful and are often lauded as a sign that nations CAN come together to solve difficult environmental problems that are global in scope. Zaelke is still working on ozone protection, but his organization’s mission has broadened to include combating climate change. Zaelke contrasts the ozone protection effort with the climate protection effort.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   30:00

GP comment:  Sorry, but they can't be compared. Though ozone depletion was an equally serious threat, it was relatively easy to solve; corporations lost little revenue; consumers barely noticed the difference in product function and availability; and, most importantly, no one had to seriously modify their lifestyle. None of those characteristics apply to the climate problem.

Original Show Pub Date: 16.Sep.2014 ~~ Original title: Durwood Zaelke and the Ozone Keepers

CATEGORY:  ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT (POLLUTION) — 20.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Companies Pulling Out of Canadian Tar Sands Oil — With crude prices sharply down and the future of the Keystone XL pipeline in doubt, energy companies have become dubious about investing in oil projects based in the Alberta Tar Sands. OnEarth writer Brian Palmer discusses the problems facing the industry.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   8:35

GP comment:  (1) He hints at it, but Palmer does not explicitly mention the Achilles heel of the tar sands: low net energy. (2) I suspect the oil companies would be a lot less in favor of the XL Pipeline if they were required to pay for it and incorporate all of its costs into the price of their products (or in cuts to shareholder dividends).

Original Show Pub Date: 17.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  SPECIES — 20.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

The Status of Japanese Whaling — There’s a global moratorium on commercial whaling, but Japan continues to kill thousands under the guise of “research”. Dr. Phillip Clapham of NOAA's National Marine Mammal Laboratory discusses Japan's motives for this continued flouting of international rules, as well as the status of a number of whale species.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:16

GP comment:  Japan needs to go back and watch Star Trek IV.

Original Show Pub Date: 17.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  COLLAPSE, ENVIRONMENT (CLIMATE) — 20.OCT.2014

C-Realm Podcast

No Matter What — KMO talks to Global Catastrophic Risk Institute researcher David Denkenberger about the technical feasibility of feeding everyone on earth in the aftermath of a calamity the wipes out conventional agriculture. The potential collapse scenarios include nuclear winter based on nuclear war or a massive volcanic eruption; a plague (natural or manmade); a catastrophic mistake in a high-impact technology; or even artificial intelligence taking over. Denkenberger is careful to distinguish technical feasibility from political or economic feasibility. Then KMO shares some thoughts on the incompatibility of capitalism and environmental stewardship from the Socialist Equality Party and with a brief clip from a conversation between Laura Flanders and Gar Alperovitz. He closes with some unconventional thoughts on technology from sci-fi author Karl Shroeder.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   59:55

GP comment:  This is generally good, but I'll offer two points: Whereas the capitalist model is inconsistent with sustainability, the socialist model is inconsistent with human nature. Similarly, it's silly to blame climate change on capitalism without recognizing the human characteristics that are equally to blame at the hoi polloi level—and that are equally difficult to change.

Original Show Pub Date: 08.Oct 2014

CATEGORY:  MEDIA, FINANCIAL — 17.OCT.2014

The Keiser Report

Rebranding Unearned Income as a Good Thing — Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert are joined by politically astute actor Alec Baldwin and comedian/actor Russell Brand for a rollicking conversation about the media, ultra-low interest rates, revolution, and elites. Observations include: The rule of law no longer applies. The wealthy now not only laud their ability to make money without working, they denigration those who must toil to earn a living. Though it's easy to target our anger towards mainstream media's talking heads, they are merely playing roles designed to tap into the disenfranchisement felt by many people.
Watch  |  Download/listen   25:48

GP comment:  Fun, with some decent insights.

Original Show Pub Date: 11.Oct.2014 ~~ Original Story Title: Meeting of Megaminds, E665

CATEGORY:  MEDIA, EMPIRE — 16.OCT.2014

Democracy Now

Can Journalism Keep the Homeland Security-Industrial Complex in Check? — New York Times investigative reporter James Risen is at the center of one of the most significant press freedom cases in decades. In 2006, Risen won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting about warrantless wiretapping of Americans by the National Security Agency. He has since been pursued by both the Bush and Obama administrations in a six-year leak investigation for information he published in his book, State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration. Risen talks about how the story broke and the suppression exerted by the government and the Times, as well as the significance of the continuing efforts by whistleblowers and reporters to expose illegal government activities in the face of unrelenting harassment and prosecution by the government.
Watch A  |  Watch B  |  Download/listen   43:43

GP comment:  There are still a few actual investigative journalists at the major US papers, but they face huge barriers to truth-telling, even from their own organizations.

Original Show Pub Date: 14.Oct.2014 ~~ Original Story Titles: James Risen Prepared to Pay Any Price to Report on War on Terror Amid Crackdown on Whistleblowers; James Risen on NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden: He Sparked a New National Debate on Surveillance

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (COAL, WETLANDS) — 16.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Coal Dust Poses Wetland Threat — With recent proposals to bring coal by rail through the Pacific Northwest for export to Asia, some scientists worry that coal dust containing mercury might contaminate Washington's wetlands, threatening wildlife. Reporter Ashley Ahearn treks through marshes and muck near railways with USGS scientists as they look for coal’s potential impacts on wetland ecosystems.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   4:55

GP comment:  As anyone from the coal regions of Appalachia knows, coal dust is a serious pollutant.

Original Show Pub Date: 10.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT (GMOs) — 16.OCT.2014

Food Sleuth Radio

Failed Promises and Real Risks of GMO Crops — Raymon Seidler is a former senior scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency. Decades ago, he led the first team to study the environmental and health impacts of newly introduced GMO crops. He explains how we have ignored risks in favor of broad market penetration; in particular, plans for containing the unintended contamination of organic and non-GMO crops with GMO genetic material have been utterly inadequate. Pesticide use has also risen, not fallen as the industry promised.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   28:15

GP comment:  He's right—we should stop talking about labeling GMOs and begin the conversation about banning them.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  COOL AND COSMIC — 14.OCT.2014

True Divine Nature

Matt Kahn: Understanding Ego — Matt Kahn discusses our ego and how it leads us to be "allergic" to our surroundings, to other people, and sometimes even to ourselves. By recognizing our behaviors that are born of ego and adjusting them, we can change the dynamic of our personal interactions, our lives, and the lives of others. As more and more people adopt such behavior, it will all ultimately lead to a re-tuning of humanity.
Watch  |  Download/listen   59:41

GP comment:  Kahn presents some interesting concepts, and he's witty too. But it's a bit hard to accept that the idiotic behavior of people in general is something to embrace in a non-judgmental, supportive manner. (Hmm, which part of my ego did that just come from?...)

Original Show Pub Date: 30.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR, ENERGY — 14.OCT.2014

Green Power And Wellness

Nuclear—Still Not Ready to Just Die Already — Harvey Wasserman and guests talk about some of the latest nuclear issues, including... A study shows a 37% increase in childhood leukemia for families living near nuclear power plants. The US nuclear and fossil-fuel power industries are running a propaganda campaign to subvert progress on renewables and grab more taxpayer subsidies to help with costs on outmoded nuclear power plants. Nuclear is not a greenhouse gas solution if the fuel cycle and nuclear-plant life cycle are considered. Thorium reactors are not "inherently safe." Renewable portfolio standards are starting to have a positive impact.
Download/listen   58:17

GP comment:  The nuclear industry—surpassed in evil only by Monsanto.

Original Show Pub Date: 30.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT (POLLUTION, CLIMATE) — 14.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

China Still Burning Plenty of Coal as Fracking Ramps Up — Among China’s energy efficiency initiatives is a program that replaces outdated coal-fired power plants with more modern—but larger—coal-fired plants. This has led to an overall increase in CO2 emissions as more coal is burned. ~~ Partly in response to the unprecedented air pollution crisis caused largely by burning coal, China is looking to its massive natural gas reserves for energy. But Mother Jones reporter James West says that fracking is bringing its own environmental problems to China.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   5:00
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   10:30

GP comment:  One of the few correct points made by climate obstructionists is that there is no game without China making significant reductions. Of course, no one else is able to make significant reductions either. That's what political spin is for.

Original Show Pub Date: 10.Oct.2014 ~~ Original story titles: China's Energy Efficiency Program Still Promotes Global Warming ~~ China's Great Frack Forward

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (CLIMATE) — 14.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

In Hotter (Sea) Water — As the climate warms, atmospheric temperatures don't tell the full story—much of the heat increase is being absorbed by the oceans. Scientists are increasingly concerned about the impact on ocean health. Paul Durack of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory discusses new measurements that say mainstream estimates of ocean warming are off by more than 25 percent.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   6:14

GP comment:  Warmer water, less oxygen, lots of problems.

Original Show Pub Date: 10.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 14.OCT.2014

Making Contact

Not My War—The Military Deserters' Dilemma — More than 150,000 people sign up for the US military every year. Their reasons for joining vary widely, from those hoping for financial help through college, to others looking to follow in the footsteps of parents or grandparents. But some who join up become disillusioned with the enterprise of war and ultimately desert. In this radio adaptation of parts of two films, we hear several stories from deserters.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   29:00

GP comment:  More info on the lies told by the government w.r.t. its various wars would have made this piece more convincing.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Spe.2014

CATEGORY:  HISTORY — 13.OCT.2014

Democracy Now

The Secret History of Efforts to Mend US-Cuba Ties — Authors Peter Kornbluh and William LeoGrande discuss recently declassified documents that expose the secret history of dialogue between the United States and Cuba. Among the revelations are details of how then-US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger considered launching airstrikes against Cuba after Fidel Castro sent troops to support independence fighters in Angola in 1976. In the years that followed, administrations have quietly used secret US emissaries to engage in discussions with Cuba. But back in the world where all that matters is results, the Obama administration recently extended the more than 50-year embargo against Cuba for another year.
Watch  |  Download/listen   24:27

GP comment:  Continuation of the Cuban embargo is a stain on the soul of the US. And BTW, the "domestic resistance" to normalizing ties with Cuba would be more properly characterized as the "ex-Cuban-capitalists-in-Florida resistance."

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENERGY, COLLAPSE — 13.OCT.2014

Post Carbon Inst / KCPW The Rundown

Heinberg: The Growth Model is Failing — Richard Heinberg says that the growth model is failing because of (1) failure of energy supplies to keep up with demand; (2) inability of consumers and businesses to accept more debt; (3) worsening environmental impacts related to energy extraction and industrial activity. There won't be any momentous collapse, but the trend towards contraction, stagnation, and depression will continue until change is forced upon us. Heinberg advises adoption of the Transition Town model.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   25:00

GP comment:  Heinberg portion begins at 6:00.

Original Show Pub Date: 26.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  HEALTH — 13.OCT.2014

Radio Parallax

Big Ag Holds Fast (and Loose) on Antibiotics in Meat Animals — Despite protests from the medical industry, which says antibiotic effectiveness is being degraded, the industrial meat growers show no sign of giving up their practice of overusing pharmaceuticals in their animal-raising practices. Other health-news topics include the cost of drugs; statins vs. diet and exercise; vitamins and supplements.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   20:00

GP comment:  Humans overuse antibiotics too, just not as badly.

Original Show Pub Date: 11.Sep.2014 Original Title: The latest sham in efforts to remove antibiotics from our meat

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE, MEDIA — 10.OCT.2014

C-Realm Podcast

Ferguson Rorschach — KMO talks with freelance writer and blogger Brian Kaller, who grew up in a town next to Ferguson, Missouri, about how the news and images out of Ferguson seemed to provide confirmation for disparate and sometimes contradictory narratives about the forces at work in American culture. Everyone saw what they wanted or expected to see, and few voices showed any hint of doubt, even while their reporting demonstrated near total ignorance of the story’s setting.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   59:54

GP comment:  This turned out to be surprisingly good—far more than just a rehashing of the Ferguson story through one more person's lens; rather, an apt mapping of media and public responses to the problems in Ferguson to the larger problems in the US.

Original Show Pub Date: 01.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT, SPECIES — 10.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Obama Creates the World's Largest Ocean Reserve — President Obama expanded the Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Monument, protecting nearly half a million square miles of Pacific Ocean from commercial exploitation. Elliott Norse of the Marine Conservation Institute talks about the impact of the reserve on the ecosystem and the precedent it sets for global conservation.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   6:40

GP comment:  A decent action. All presidents do this sort of thing. It's an easy green credit, much easier than taking meaningful action on issues like nuclear, chemicals, GMOs, sprawl, peak oil....

Original Show Pub Date: 03.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  AGRICULTURE, LABOR ISSUES — 10.OCT.2014

Agroinnovations Podcast

Market Cooperatives and Worker-Owned Permaculture — Luis Sierra of the California Center for Cooperative Development explains the concept of a cooperative as well as the rationale for creating co-ops. He also delves into existing cooperative models and their history in the state of California. He describes some of the pitfalls a cooperative can face in its creation and operation. In part 2, Sierra talks about the difference between a worker cooperative and a service cooperative, and provides historical examples of agricultural worker cooperatives. Why has the worker cooperative model been so sparsely adopted in the agricultural sector? How can people interested in agricultural co-ops make them work? Are social organization and enterprise management the holy grail of scalable permaculture?
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   31:56
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   28:01

GP comment:  Agriculture aside for a moment.... We can see that capitalism—the elevation of money as the top force in civilization—is a disastrous model. But we can also see that socialism, despite its promise, does not work well with human nature. The proper alternative is the for-profit cooperative model—a system that incentivizes, empowers, and rewards the active participants in the enterprise but eliminates the parasitic financial overlord.

Original Show Pub Date: 15.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (POLLUTION) — 08.OCT.2014

Quirks and Quarks

"Microbead" Plastic Pollution Plagues the St. Lawrence River — Microplastic beads, often found in industrial and household products like cosmetics and cleaners, are known to pollute ocean water. Now the beads have been found in the sediments of the St. Lawrence for the first time. Anthony Ricciardi, a biologist at McGill University, explains why it was surprising to find this type of pollution in a river, especially in the sediment, and what the impact on river life is.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   8:50

GP comment:  Well, crap. If it's in the St. Lawrence River, you know its in ALL the rivers in North America.

Original Show Pub Date: 04.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  HEALTH — 08.OCT.2014

Democracy Now

US Healthcare Fails on End-of-Life Care — Despite our advances in medicine, Dr. Atul Gawande calls for a radical transformation in how we approach the end of life. He says a rigid focus on prolonging life can often undermine what is best for a dying patient. "Medical science has rendered obsolete centuries of experience, tradition, and language about our mortality," Gawande offers. "Our reluctance to honestly examine the experience of aging and dying has increased the harm we inflict on people and denied them the basic comforts they most need."
Watch  |  Download/listen   30:11

GP comment:  He's too hesitant on assisted suicide—an obvious human right—but Gawande offers many excellent insights into issues related to eldercare and how society looks at life and death.

Original Show Pub Date: 07.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  MEDIA, HISTORY, EMPIRE — 08.OCT.2014

On The Media

Gary Webb and the CIA — In 1996, San Jose Mercury News reporter Gary Webb published a series of articles that connected the CIA, the contra rebels in Nicaragua, and the exploding crack trade in Los Angeles. The story was a tale of deep conspiracy and faced incredible backpressure from the large news outlets of the day. Ryan Devereaux, a reporter at The Intercept, talks about the case.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   9:19

GP comment:  Devereaux's explanation of why the L.A. Times and other went after Webb is missing a key element: the pressure the ruling power structure puts on media outlets when they need a problem to go away. The media outlets that went after Webb no doubt got that pressure when Webb was going after the CIA. Not only was he messing with the spooks, he was messing with their money flow. In the end, Webb is a largely unsung hero, and no one should have any doubt about that.

Original Show Pub Date: 03.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  FOOD — 08.OCT.2014

Diet Science

Study Advises Staying Away from Processed Foods — A new study confirms the wisdom of reducing simple carbohydrates, not saturated fat, as the best way to lose weight and maintain cardiovascular health.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:09

GP comment:  Don't go all Homer Simpson and start eating sticks of butter, but once again we see that saturated fat is not the enemy.

Original Show Pub Date: 15.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 07.OCT.2014

Democracy Now

Obama's Orwellian War in Iraq—We Created the Very Threat We Claim to be Fighting — Just as Dick Cheney told us we were facing "war that will not end in our lifetimes," Vice President Joe Biden now warns it will take a "hell of a long fight" for the United States to stop militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Jeremy Scahill explains how this meme is really about ensuring the profits of the military industry, observing that US pronouncements of its latest "enemy" are becoming almost clown-like in their predictability. From the Taliban to Al Qaeda to the Khorsan Group to ISIS—meet the new enemy, same meme as the old enemy.
Watch  |  Download/listen   17:57

GP comment:  This is an excellent polemic. The only thing he doesn't quite say is that the foreign policy strategies are not inept, they are intentional, intended to ensure that we always have an enemy to fight.

Original Show Pub Date: 03.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (CLIMATE) — 07.OCT.2014

Radio EcoShock

Why Lie to Ourselves About Methane? — While the world's focus is on carbon dioxide, a group of powerful scientists have written an urgent letter to the directors of five US government agencies. The scientists worry that the American government, like other governments around the world, is not paying attention to the big climate risk posed by methane, especially from the thawing Arctic. Mickey Moritz of the Center for Biological Diversity explains.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   17:18

GP comment:  Moritz explains that it's a political challenge for the US to tell the truth about how methane risk should be evaluated, because to do so would put the lie to our assertions of climate progress. This is true for all sectors of the climate conversation—at the political level, it's all spin.

Original Show Pub Date: 01.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  COOL AND COSMIC — 07.OCT.2014

11:11 with Simran Singh

Phillip Comella on the Collapse of the Material World — Philip Comella demonstrates how philosophy, science, religion, and the paranormal all point in the same direction: We are not random collections of stardust, but instead one mind rising to the realization that together we dream the world. Comella explains why the currently dominant concept of materialism utterly fails to explain the world around us.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   57:50

GP comment:  I featured a clip with Comella in May but this is a good addition.

Original Show Pub Date: 21.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  FINANCIAL — 06.OCT.2014

Unwelcome Guests

The Morality Play of Austerity — Three looks at the financial crisis and how "austerity" solutions punish the average Joe and further enrich the elite financier class. First, Professor Mark Blyth, author of Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea looks at the promotion of austerity as a financially necessary measure, uncorrelated to bailouts. Next, Les Leopold, author of How To Make A Million Dollars an Hour—Why Hedge Funds Get Away With Siphoning Off America's Wealth, describes financial chicanery of dubious legality and even less morality. Finally, we hear a stirring speech by Chris Hedges, who sets austerity in the context of a dying empire, and assets that the only consistent position for those of conscience is outright rebellion against the dehumanizing ideology of totalitarianism capitalism.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   1:00:00
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   1:00:00

GP comment:  These are three spot-on speeches that offer a grand tour of the financial parasitism that plagues the planet.

Original Show Pub Date: 20.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT — 06.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

The State of the Planet — The World Wildlife Fund recently released its 2014 Living Planet Report, which studied 10,000 wildlife populations across the globe to assess the overall state of the planet. The WWF's Keya Chatterjee discusses the report. A key finding was that the total number of vertebrate animals—excluding humans—is down by 50%. Other topics include climate, cities getting sustainable, and population.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   8:42

GP comment:  Other than the bad news about species, this report is mostly green techno-hopium. Let's get real: There is no nation or leader talking about truly effective climate solutions. There are no cities on their way to sustainability, only some that are more green than others. And almost no person is willing to reduce their ecological footprint to a sustainable level, which at this point in the climate conundrum, is a zero-carbon, zero-methane level of existance. Continuing to pretend that fiddling at the margins can work—as this report does—is to lie about our predicament. I say this not to be scary or depressing but because I feel that real solutions can only start from a point of truth.

Original Show Pub Date: 03.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  FINANCIAL — 04.OCT.2014

The Real World of Money

Andrew Gause on Wall Street Regulations, Alibaba, Banksters' Reach, more — Andrew Gause explains how the regulatory structure that is supposed to govern the actions of Wall Street can only enforce the regulations that Wall Street agrees to. He also opines that the people who bought in to the Alibaba IPO are probably going to lose money, as people who participate in frothy financial opportunities almost always do. He also says that no matter what the financial scheme, in the US or globally, the US-centric banksters have their hand in it. Other topics include why the Euro is falling against the dollar today; what happens when QE ends; the BRICS nations and their new alternative to the US-managed SWIFT exchange system.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   1:08:23

GP comment:  That all recent presidents have hired a team of Wall Street executives to be on their cabinet says it all.

Original Show Pub Date: 01.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  MEDIA — 04.OCT.2014

On The Media

Riding the Rumor — Craig Silverman, a longtime chronicler of media misinformation, has created a real-time rumor tracker called Emergent.info. Silverman discusses the life cycle of rumors and how news outlets handle debunking them.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:05

GP comment:  Mostly what this story proves is that the general public is hopelessly addicted to nonsense and utterly lacking in critical-thinking skills.

Original Show Pub Date: 03.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 03.OCT.2014

Corbett Report

Has the NY Fed Stolen Ukraine's Gold? — Geopolitical analyst James Corbett discusses whether or not the Federal Reserve has stolen Ukraine's gold reserves—or are just helping out by "storing it" for them during this time of chaos. Other topics in this edition of “Questions For Corbett” include... whether the US constitution was really developed in secret; how WTC-owner Larry Silverstein filed—and won—outrageous lawsuits after 9/11; how censorship in the media actually works.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   1:09:13

GP comment:  Corbett gets stuck in the muck on the "state vs. individualism" issue and global-warming denial nonsense, but most of his insights on other topics are quite apt.

Original Show Pub Date: 30.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 03.OCT.2014

Sierra Club Radio

Nukespeak—How the Industry, Regulators, and Politicians Use Euphemisms to Downplay Nuclear Dangers — A language of euphemism and distortion—a language like the “newspeak” from George Orwell’s 1984—has profoundly shaped public perception of nuclear technology since its inception. After World War II, nuclear developers used information-management techniques, including official secrecy and public relations, to promote what one called the “sunny side of the atom”—energy “too cheap to meter” that would supposedly power a new Golden Age. Richard Bell discusses the linguistic filter of the nuclear mindset and how nuclear proponents routinely cover up damaging information, have harassed and dismissed scientists who disagree with official policy, and have generated false or misleading statistics to bolster their assertions.
Page for whole show  |  Download/listen to this segment   8:37

GP comment:  All industries propagandize the public, but few others do it on a topic that so imperils life on the planet—and do it with the complicity of our government.

Original Show Pub Date: 27.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  MUSIC — 03.OCT.2014

Vinyl Experience

A Sample of Joe Sample — This is a tribute to master keyboardist Joe Sample, who played first with The Crusaders, then went on to a successful solo and session career. Sample died in September 2014. Featured here are songs in which Sample was involved in one way or another. Top tracks are ... Joe Sample - "Carmel" // Crusaders - "Street Life" // Steely Dan - "Black Cow" // Marvin Gaye - " Let's Get It On" // Average White Band - "Put It Where You Want It" // Joe Sample - "Night Flight" // Joni Mitchell - "Harry's House/Centerpiece"
Download/listen   56:33

GP comment:  Sample may just have been the top smooth-jazz artist of his era. Not just great playing, but great songwriting too. Try his album Rainbow Seeker for starters. Carmel is also quite good.

Original Show Pub Date: 19.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 01.OCT.2014

Progressive Commentary Hour

Policing for Profit — Eric Balaban of the ACLU discusses the reemergence of debtor’s prisons and the social strategy to incarcerate the poor. ~~ Darpana Sheth, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, discusses the rise in civil forfeiture—where the cops take your property without arresting or charging you—as profit-making schemes for local law enforcement.
Download/listen   1:03:13

GP comment:  Gary Null continually over-frames the issues, but the guests are quite good. And these are very important issues.

Original Show Pub Date: 23.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (POLLUTION) — 01.OCT.2014

Living on Earth

Communities at Odds with States on Fracking Wastewater Zoning — Fracking wastewater is trucked from Pennsylvania into Ohio, where it is processed and injected into deep wells. Many locals worry about earthquakes and water contamination, but local councils are finding that state rules override citizens' concerns about waste-water well siting.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:09

GP comment:  Regardless of what the industry says, waste-water injection is just a regulated pollution activity. Inevitably, all injected waste will contaminate groundwater somewhere.

Original Show Pub Date: 19.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  HEALTH — 30.SEP.2014

One Radio Network

Jess Armine, The Sherlock Holmes of Chronic Diseases — Jess Armine practices functional medicine and has been a health care provider for over three decades, now specializing in difficult-to-treat cases. Topics here include ... bio-individualized medicine; how the Standard of Care rules make some docs practice bad medicine; IV therapies; the biochemistry of the body; Leaky Gut Syndrome and rebuilding the gut to reduce inflammation.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   1:04:00

GP comment:  This is a blizzard of insights on how the body really works and the subtle systemic problems that can be difficult to diagnose and treat. One note: He confuses hybridized wheat with GMO wheat. The latter is not in production.

Original Show Pub Date: 23.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 30.SEP.2014

Democracy Now

How the US Concocted a Terror Threat to Justify Syria Strikes — The Obama administration has identified the "Khorasan group" as a new terrorist threat, and one which they say helps justify the military strikes in Syria. One month ago, no one had heard of Khorasan, but now US officials say it poses an imminent threat to the United States. Murtaza Hussain of The Intercept discusses this new phase of propaganda. ~~ Then Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi-American political analyst explains why US military intervention in Syria is making a political solution harder.
Watch A  |  Watch B  |  Download/listen   21:00

GP comment:  TPTB are getting sloppy in their cover stories. Or maybe they just don't care anymore whether a few of us can clearly see what they're really doing.

Original Show Pub Date: 29.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 29.SEP.2014

C-Realm Podcast

March Then Flood — KMO attended two recent events in NYC---the People's Climate March and Flood Wall Street. The first event was a permitted march that respected authority and was timed not to disrupt business. The second was unauthorized and was deliberately disruptive to traffic around the icons of finance capital in lower Manhattan. There were zero arrests at the People's Climate March. There were 102 arrests at Flood Wall Street. KMO shares interviews collected on location at both events.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   59.54

GP comment:  I don't usually go for such coverage, but overall, this was an engaging mix of good insights and delusionally hopeful thinking.

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  PEAK OIL, COLLAPSE — 29.SEP.2014

Radio EcoShock

Taking Odds on Global Collapse — If you are wondering how long this high-consumption civilization can keep going, you are not alone. It's not just counter-culture types either. A small parade of billionaires have recently appeared on the financial blog Zero Hedge, predicting a shattering financial crash. But seldom do we find academics asking whether global collapse is imminent. A new research paper by Graham M. Turner takes another stab at the "Limits to Growth" angle and, as with the original paper by that name, concludes that the current civilizational trajectory will indeed fail, and that energy constraints will be the main reason.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   20:00

GP comment:  Anytime billionaires start publicly pushing an angle, bet the other way.

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  HISTORY — 29.SEP.2014

On The Media

The USS Pueblo Propaganda War — In January 1968, an American spy ship called the USS Pueblo was captured by North Korea, and its 82 crew members became propaganda pawns on television and radio worldwide. Jack Cheevers, who wrote a book about the Pueblo incident, talks about the specifics of what happened and the broader case of propaganda in wars (hot or cold).
Go to page  |  Download/listen   8:05

GP comment:  Always remember: When it comes to information presented for public consumption, things are never as simple as they sound.

Original Show Pub Date: 26.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (FORESTS, CLIMATE) — 29.SEP.2014

Radio EcoShock

Fires in Northern Canada a Major Event in the Life of the Earth System — Northern Canada just experienced the worst fire season ever recorded. A Canadian scientist calls them "a major event in the life of the earth system." Soot from these fires may be a primary cause of the snow surface in Greenland turning from white to dark and dirty—i.e. a major change in albido. Marc-Andre Parisien, a research scientist for the Canadian Fire Service, talks about the characteristics of the great Boreal forest and why the fires there are such a major issue.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   20:00

GP comment:  Darker surface = more sun-energy absorption = more melting.

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  LABOR, MEDIA — 26.SEP.2014

On The Media

The Labor Beat—Or Lack Thereof — In 1950, about a third of American private-sector workers were union members. Today, it’s roughly a tenth. As the power of the unions declined, so did the number of labor reporters covering them. New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, who is one of just a handful of full-time labor reporters left at major papers, talks about the issue.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:47

GP comment:  The general public stupidly bought in to Reagan's demonization of the unions, and now low-end jobs dominate the opportunities. It did not help that greed and corruption were often hallmarks of many unions.

Original Show Pub Date: 12.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  HEALTH — 26.SEP.2014

Infectious Myth

The CDC Vaccine Scandal — A vaccine scandal erupted recently at the CDC, with a CDC whistleblower leaking data about the suppression of the connection between the MMR vaccine and autism. Dr. Toni Bark explains why we can now say that the CDC's claim that it was unaware of any connection between MMR and autism is false, that it has been lying to US citizens to maintain the illusion that all vaccines are safe and have no significant risk of side effects.
Download/listen   59:17

GP comment:  The vaccine issue is a bit tricky, as we see when Barks condemns the CDC and certain vaccines but is supportive of other vaccines. This is as it should be.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  SPECIES, ENVIRONMENT — 25.SEP.2014

Living on Earth

The Wilderness Act at 50 — In 2014, the Wilderness Act turned 50. American environmental writer Jordan Fisher Smith discuss the relevance of the Wilderness Act today, as well as changing perceptions of wild lands, their uses, and how to protect them.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   9:23

GP comment:  One of a handful of hallmark protection acts in the 20th century.

Original Show Pub Date: 12.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  COOL AND COSMIC — 25.SEP.2014

Nature Bats Last

The Human Spiritual Crisis — As the reality of coming climate chaos become more obvious, eco-activist Zhiwa Woodbury says that before we can arrive at solutions to the planet's problems, we will have to arrive at solutions for our own internal problems. We're a troubled mix of fear and anxiety, and we escape through endless distractions. So when you wonder what to do about runaway climate change or how to push back against the Powers That Be or where to go to escape societal collapse, the answer is: go inside.
Download/listen   55:51

GP comment:  Activism is still important, but if you're not centered and balanced, you can't really be effective.

Original Show Pub Date: 23.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  MEDIA — 25.SEP.2014

NPR

Media Group Evolves From Covering Vice To War Zones — This is the story of the evolution of a news organization called Vice. Its stories are published online and aired on HBO. Years ago, it didn't really cover news, it covered sensational piffle like rare denim, cool sneakers, and hot supermodels. Almost by accident, the magazine migrated to covering war zones. Now, in addition to the piffle, it runs a serious, documentary-based news channel that tries to dig deep and ignore the distractions of the news cycle.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   7:47

GP comment:  This wisdom that more value is found in stories that take longer to investigate and produce is not new, it's just usually ignored.

Original Show Pub Date: 24.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 24.SEP.2014

Democracy Now

Expanding US Strikes in Syria—A New Phase of "Perpetual War"? — The United States has launched airstrikes in Syria targeting the Islamic State, as well as members of a separate militant organization known as the Khorasan group. Medea Benjamin, founder of CodePink and author of Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control, talks about oil as a key factor in where US military activity occurs and the illegitimacy of the US operation in Syria.
Watch  |  Download/listen   6:50

GP comment:  Are we all awake yet to the rotating/expanding US enemy/ally list?

Original Show Pub Date: 23.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 24.SEP.2014

On The Media

Most Americans Fear ISIS — Americans across the political spectrum are supporting Obama's military campaign against ISIS. Marc Lynch, director of the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University, explains how the propaganda machine, not facts, have driven this mania.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   12:11

GP comment:  Most Americans are grossly ignorant of geopolitics and are easily duped by the incessant stream of "news" that is really just a presentation of what the elites want us to think, not what's actually happening.

Original Show Pub Date: 19.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  CLIMATE, COLLAPSE — 24.SEP.2014

Radio Ecoshock

Near-Term Climate-Driven Human Extinction—Or Not — In the first clip, conservation biologist Guy McPherson lays out his case that runaway feedback mechanisms have already been tripped and will alter the climate so significantly that humans will be unable to survive—and we'll be toast within just a few decades. Psychologist Carolyn Baker agrees and offers tips on how to live a happy life in the meantime. ~~ In part two, environmental writer Scott K. Johnson says it ain't so, that McPherson cherry picks data and extrapolates in inappropriate ways. Podcaster KMO, an excellent deep-thinker on collapse issues, says McPherson seems to be trying to make the data fit his foregone conclusions. Just as "collapse from peak oil" has not happened as precipitously as many predicted, so neither is "collapse from climate chaos" likely to drive human extinction in our lifetimes.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   1:00:00
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   1:00:00

GP comment:  I agree that McPherson is likely overstating the case, though there are enough possible bad climate scenarios that his message can't be discounted completely. What no one here mentioned is that no countries or politicians—and not even most of the scientists or environmentalists—are advocating the sort of radical climate action that would actually solve the problem. Climate chaos is coming, even if it's not in McPherson's timeframe.

Original Show Pub Date: 17.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  MUSIC — 24.SEP.2014

Fresh Air

The Four Seasons—Songwriting, Harmonies, Frankie Valli's Vocal Range, and the Mob — Frankie Valli used to be the only name people recognized from '60s pop sensation The Four Seasons. But Bob Gaudio, in addition to singing and playing keyboards for the band, wrote or co-wrote most of The Four Seasons' hits, including "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Bye Bye Baby" and "Rag Doll." He also wrote the Frankie Valli solo hit "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You." Here, Gaudio talks about the songwriting flexibility offered by Valli's multi-octave voice; how the songwriting worked in the band; and how he and Valli dealt with the mob's interest in the band and its members. Song clips are those already listed, plus a few others.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   42:56

GP comment:  Though the songs of the Four Seasons are clearly from a bygone era, they have not lost their charm.

Original Show Pub Date: 09.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENERGY — 23.SEP.2014

The Keiser Report

From Fracking Utopia to Cold, Hungry, and in the Dark — Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert discuss the increasing desperation in people's actions to acquire resources, from rich desert dwellers buying water to keep their plants green in a drought, to the natural gas industry running fracking wells at a loss. However, despite the obvious evidence of our unsustainable path, it appears very few are willing to leave behind all that they believe. ~~ In the second half, Max interviews Bill Powers, author of Cold, Hungry and in the Dark: Exploding the Natural Gas Supply Myth. Powers talks about some of the troublesome fundamentals in the natural gas industry and explains how cheap-money policies are fueling the boom, not an abundance of the resource. He says all the elements are there for a repeat of a 1970s-style energy crisis.
Watch  |  Download/listen   25:45

GP comment:  Are you resilient yet?

Original Show Pub Date: 20.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  MEDIA — 23.SEP.2014

On The Media

The Decline of Beat Reporting — You'd think that beat reporting has been fundamental to journalism since the birth of the business. But beats didn't really take off until a little over a century ago. Print-news analyst James McGrath Morris explains. ~~ Two-thirds of daily papers do not assign even one reporter to cover their state's legislature. The numbers are even worse for local TV stations. Amy Mitchell of the Pew Research Center talks about the decline of State House reporters.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   7:17
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   5:56

GP comment:  We often forget that as bad as corruption is at the federal level, it's probably worse at the state level. And now fewer and fewer reporters are doing ANY reporting on statehouse issues, let alone doing solid investigative journalism.

Original Show Pub Date: 12.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (TOXICS, CLIMATE) — 23.SEP.2014

TUC Radio

Poisoning the Sky—A Community Investigates Chemtrails and Fights Back — Residents of Shasta County, California have documented that the lingering white trails in the sky above—chemtrails—are correlated with an increase in toxic contaminants in rain, snow, and surface water, including aluminum, barium and strontium. In this clip, we hear experts and citizens present their evidence before the Shasta County Supervisors as a matter of public health and an issue of citizens' right to know. They point out that the chemicals in the contaminated water are also found in patents for weather modification chemicals used by the military and private contractors.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   30:00

GP comment:  This is not concerned citizens making unsupported allegations. There is science here, presented by credentialed witnesses.

Original Show Pub Date: 10.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 22.SEP.2014

Unwelcome Guests

Lifting The Money Veil on the CIA's Off-the-Books Funding — Off-the-books funding has routinely funded CIA operations since its inception. Emile De Antonio reviews the history of state-assisted drug trafficking as a funding source for covert operations. He also talks about key deep-state operatives, including George H.W. Bush. ~~ Journalist Craig Unger discusses the failure of the commercially controlled media to report on the collapse of WTC Building 7. ~~ Peter Dale Scott discusses the early history of the CIA and explains how post-WW2-captured funds worked as seed money to make sure that even before there was a CIA there was a black budget available for off-the-books operations.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   59:36
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   59:36

GP comment:  Not quite must-listening, but close. Highly recommended.

Original Show Pub Date: 06.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  MUSIC — 22.SEP.2014

Fresh Air

The Story Of Little Feat's Fame, Destruction And Revival — The archetypal '70s band had a charismatic front man and wonderful songs, but they also had drug problems and kept breaking up. Their Warner Bros. recordings are in a new box set called Rad Gumbo, chronicling Little Feat's most productive years. Song clips include ... "Dixie Chicken"; "New Delhi Freight Train"; and "All That You Dream".
Go to page  |  Download/listen   8:33

GP comment:  Good for rock fans, even if they're not necessarily huge Little Feat fans (which I am not).

Original Show Pub Date: 01.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  SPECIES — 22.SEP.2014

Resistance Radio

Sage Grouse Conservation as a Bellwether for Species Issues — Erik Molvar is a wildlife biologist and directs WildEarth Guardians’ Sagebrush Sea Campaign. He discusses sage grouse conservation issues.
Download/listen   42:54

GP comment:  Molvar is doing fine work and presents it ably here, but the scope felt a little limited.

Original Show Pub Date: 31.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (CLIMATE) — 11.SEP.2014

Radio EcoShock

The High Arctic and High Anxiety — Alex Smith provides a review of some of the disturbing climate news in the high Arctic—trends that predict a hotter and less stable climate for all of us. Climate scientist Paul Beckwith, who is just back from the glaciers of Alaska, explains. ~~ Psychologist Susie Burke talks about mental preparation for disasters and ways to cope with eco-anxiety.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   1:00:00

GP comment:  As the Arctic goes, so goes North America's temperate climate.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Sep.2014, Original story title: The High Arctic and Eco-Anxiety

CATEGORY:  COLLAPSE — 11.SEP.2014

Agroinnovations Podcast

Living Life as Collapse Proceeds — Host Frank Aragona and KMO of the C-Realm Podcast discuss a variety of issues, including.... collapse and one's personal posture towards it; the politics of poverty; the dominance of profit over service in corporate culture; permaculture as an outlet that deflates pushback.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   50:02

GP comment:  At one point KMO despairs that there is very little we can do that truly has an impact on fixing the massive problems of modern civilization. Gandhi agreed, but reminded us that it is very important that we do what we can, regardless.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Sep.2014, Original story title: The Peter Principle

CATEGORY:  MUSIC — 11.SEP.2014

Vinyl Experience

Finest Work Songs — This is a solid set of songs about working. Top tracks are.... REM - "Finest Worksong" // Animals - "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" // Bruce Springsteen - "Out In The Street" // Eddie Cochran - "Summertime Blues" // Tennessee Ernie Ford - "Sixteen Tons" // Thom Chacon - "American Dream" // Pet Shop Boys - "Opportunities" // Kinks - "Dead End Street" // Arcade Fire - "The Suburbs" // Bob Dylan - "Maggie’s Farm" // Lucero - "Women And Work"
Download/listen   56:42

GP comment:  Notably missing: Huey Lewis, "Workin' for a Living" and Rush, "Working Man"

Original Show Pub Date: 29.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 09.SEP.2014

Democracy Now

US Militarism—Bring da Chaos, Bring da Noise — As President Obama plans a sustained offensive against the Islamic State in Iraq, policy analyst Rami Khouri explains why the plan is counterproductive: "Combining American militarism with Arab dictatorships is probably the stupidest recipe that anybody could possibly come up with to try to fight jihadi movements like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State and others. It was that combination of Arab autocracy and American militarism that actually nurtured and let these movements expand."
Watch  |  Download/listen   17:02

GP comment:  Khouri's reasoning is sound. But this is an inside-the-envelope analysis that does not address the possibility that ISIS has been fomented by the US to create a pretext for reestablishing major operations in Iraq. You may remember me predicting a few years ago that we will never leave Iraq—at least not as long as 20% of the world's petroleum reserves remain under its sands. And now Uncle can point to a big ol' reason for being there.

Original Show Pub Date: 08.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  FINANCIAL, COLLAPSE — 09.SEP.2014

KunstlerCast

Survive the Coming Economic Collapse — JHK and Piero SanGiorgio, author of Survive the Coming Economic Collapse, discuss how factors like financial chicanery, peak oil, and discontented populations will lead us into an era of economic collapse. Solutions for protecting oneself are explored.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   45:45

GP comment:  Not bad, but he's not Chris Martenson.

Original Show Pub Date: 03.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 08.SEP.2014

Progressive Commentary Hour

How the Rest of the World Views the US Empire — Americans tend to have a pretty rosy assessment of their country's role in the world, even if they think that internally the country is all screwed up. But Americans' grudging admiration of their country as a benevolent global cop is fallacious. People in other countries have a much darker assessment of the United States and its global agenda. Three guests comment on this issue: Garry Leech of the Center for International Studies; Roman Baudzus, an economist and financial analyst; and Andre Vltchek, a journalist, novelist, filmmaker, and philosopher.
Download/listen   57:20

GP comment:  Three very coherent commentaries on the US as empire.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  HEALTH — 08.SEP.2014

Awakening to Conscious Co-Creation

The Chi of Change — Is there a way out of anxiety, depression, overeating, fear, phobias, addiction, insomnia, trauma, and low self-esteem—without taking pills? Peter Field will explain how your subconscious mind has been programmed to make you feel the way you feel; how these programs can be rapidly changed through the right kind of hypnotherapy; how your most difficult feelings and emotions can help you change your life for the better.; and how you can live a balanced, meaningful life and move forward in confidence and harmony with yourself and your world.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   56:12

GP comment:  Pretty much a straight-up discussion of hypno-psychotherapy. The cases discussed are interesting enough, but I was hoping for more insights into WHY hypnotherapy works.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Jun.2014

CATEGORY:  MEDIA — 06.SEP.2014

On The Media

Marking of Paid Content Weakens Further — Native advertising, or ads that resemble editorial and news content, is now embraced by the vast majority of online publications. Originally, such content was clearly marked as advertising or as having been provided by a sponsor. But the commitment to marking appears to be fading fast. Bob talks with David J. Franklyn about the ethical implications.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   8:12

GP comment:  The "news" these days is largely just talking heads repeating unvetted, unchallenged corp-gov press releases. Paid content is actually less of a problem than that—though it is a problem.

Original Show Pub Date: 05.Sep.2014, Original story Title: Even Blurrier Lines

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 06.SEP.2014

Corbett Report

The MH17 Crash—Machinations of Empire? — When Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 went down on July 17, 2014, we were immediately inundated with propagandistic reports that tried to convince us that the shootdown could be traced back to the Kremlin. But what was this rush to judgment based on? What have we learned about the crash since then? Why has MH17 completely disappeared from the news cycle? Who really stood to benefit from the disaster? There are many reports that are inconsistent with the official (Western) version of the event, but which of those can be discarded as baseless?
Watch  |  Download/listen   1:07:22

GP comment:  A good analysis, though in the end we are left with more questions than answers. But consider the event as a stratagem: The US creates an event and then blames an adversary for it as part of a prelude to conflict. Hmmm.... We have seen that story in US history many times.

Original Show Pub Date: 27.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  INTERNET — 06.SEP.2014

On The Media

The Internet Slowdown — Parker Higgins of the Electronic Freedom Foundation talks about the status of efforts to keep everyone's internet speed the same, the potential for telecomm reclassification as a tool in FCC policy, and a new online initiative.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   5:19

GP comment:  We should preserve net neutrality as long as possible. But given that freedom of the press itself has already largely been lost to corp-gov interests, I suspect that net neutrality will eventually fall and the multi-lane toll system will happen. Moneyed interests are VERY persistent.

Original Show Pub Date: 05.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT (PESTICIDES), HEALTH — 06.SEP.2014

Making Contact

Pesticides—Homes, Farms, and Kids — The pesticide chlorpyrifos was deemed toxic enough that it has been banned for household use. But the pesticide is still allowed for farm use, so what about the continued effects on the health of farmworkers and their children? What about pesticide drift into unintended areas? What about other pesticides—are we protecting children in general from their development-disruption effects?
Go to page  |  Download/listen   28:58

GP comment:  Most insecticides act through some sort of nerve disruption but also may act as endocrine disruptors. Why aren't parents more concerned about what they spray around their houses and lawns, or what others spray on nearby farms or road berms?

Original Show Pub Date: 27.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE, FINANCIAL, COLLAPSE — 05.SEP.2014

ExtraEnvironmentalist

Falling Empires — John Michael Greer offers a superb summary of the US as an empire, covering important topics such as .... the US as the first empire that does not call itself one; empire as a means of extracting wealth from outside the empire and transferring it inside the empire; the role of energy in the development of the US empire; the doubletalk of empire; how empires transition to oligarchies and ultimately end; why a new constitutional convention as a path to reclaiming democracy might backfire. ~~ Then Chris Martenson talks about the financial system as the most likely sector to have an empire-threatening catastrophe.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   2:06:35

GP comment:  I have a few minor differences with both Greer and Martenson, but overall, they present a clear and coherent picture of empire and inevitable collapse. Greer may turn out to be right that no one is in charge of the crazy train, but I doubt it. There's too much at stake for those who covet money and power, and the rest of us are mostly just trying to survive our little lives.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT (POLLUTION) — 03.SEP.2014

Sea Change Radio

Keeping An Eye On The Natural Gas Boom — Even the most casual followers of energy policy have become aware of the controversy surrounding the massive expansion of fracking in this country over the past decade. Successful attempts to lift the curtain on fracking, like Josh Fox’s 2010 documentary film Gasland, have spurred a grassroots movement to push back against an industry that would have us believe that fracking is clean and safe as well as the solution to US energy woes. Journalist Neela Banerjee discusses the battle for America’s health and well-being that is being fought on the parallel fronts of policy and PR.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   30:00

GP comment:  There is some good info here but also some delusion. The natural gas boom is neither a substantial contributor to US economic well being or a meaningful path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Wind, solar, and plug-in electric vehicles, as good as they are, cannot supplant fossil fuels without significant lifestyle change.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 03.SEP.2014

9-11 Wake-Up Call

Israel and 9/11 — Professor Kevin Barrett discusses Saudi and Israeli involvement in 9/11. Topics include: the evidence of Israeli complicity in 9/11; distinguishing between Jews and Zionists; how the US used 9/11 to keep Saudi Arabia in the fold; why the Islamic State is neither Islamic nor a state; 9/11 complicity of elements within the US government.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   29:11
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   29:48

GP comment:  He's a little to cavalier in accepting certain suppositions as fact, but he's mostly on-target and worth hearing.

Original Show Pub Date: 23.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  AGRICULTURE — 03.SEP.2014

Agroinnovations Podcast

Small-Scale Sustainable Agriculture—$90K per Acre, or Heartache By the Numbers? — Dr. Joe Kovach of Ohio State University describes a small-scale mixed fruit-vegetable polyculture designed to produce steady, high-yields with a good economic return on investment. Labor inputs, pest pressures, weed control, crop selection, retail sales, and marketing are all discussed in some detail. ~~ In part 2, Frank Aragona shares several articles that depict small-scale sustainable agriculture as a financial struggle, even for those with abundant capital and land resources. With story after story of small-scale sustainable producers struggling to make ends meet, he explores whether the permaculture movement is a failure on socio-economic grounds. Some suggestions for moving forward are offered.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   42:20
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   34:43

GP comment:  Both clips are very insightful for anyone who is contemplating small-scale organic growing—or is already trying to make it work.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 02.SEP.2014

Unwelcome Guests

Fear and Torture in the Post-9/11 United States — Rebecca Gordon is an activist and lecturer at the University of San Francisco. She suggests that US citizens have become habituated to living in fear, a situation promoted through media reports of terrorists and the post 9/11 "security theater." Torture, she says, is not primarily about obtaining information to protect civilians, but rather is a weapon of control to promote fear and to stifle political opposition. She describes how, post-9/11, the public consensus that torture was unconditionally wrong was quickly dismantled.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   1:00:00

GP comment:  It is the duty of every American citizen to wrap their head around the torture discussion in the first 30 minutes of the clip. The rest of the clip (featuring Bill Durodie) is skippable.

Original Show Pub Date: 23.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  AGRICULTURE — 02.SEP.2014

Food Sleuth Radio

Children in the Fields — Norma Flores Lopez, director of the Children in the Fields Campaign, describes child labor in agriculture, including her own personal experience at age 12.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   28:15

GP comment:  Child labor in the US farm industry is another subsidy for cheap food.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  EMPIRE — 01.SEP.2014

Washington Journal

Richard Gage of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth on C-SPAN — Richard Gage, founder of the group Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth discusses their evidence that Building 7 was destroyed by controlled demolition on September 11th. The group is calling for an open investigation into the science and facts of 9/11. Topics include: why modern skyscrapers with high-strength steel supports cannot collapse in free fall without controlled demolition; refutation of various claims by NIST in their analysis (cover-up); and evidence for use of the high-tech demolition explosive thermite.
Watch  |  Download/listen   39:41

GP comment:  Excellent that this got on C-SPAN. The 9/11 crime is similar to the JFK murder—if left unsolved, it will be another huge helping of impugnity for the corrupt cabal that runs things, which will ultimately lead to true totalitarianism.

Original Show Pub Date: 01.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  AGRICULTURE, CHEMICALS — 01.SEP.2014

One Radio Network

Together, We Can Protect Our Food, Our Farms, and Our Environment — Colin O'Neil and Larissa Walker of the Center for Food Safety talk about a variety of food and farm issues. Topics include the new 2,4-D-resistant GMO crops; toxic pesticides associated with cancers and birth defects; importance of honey bees to large-scale agriculture; effects of chemicals on honey bees, native bees, and other critical beneficial insects; neonicotinoid pesticides as a particular problem for bees.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   52:13

GP comment:  Nice to hear the "buzz about bees" give native insects equal weight for a change.

Original Show Pub Date: 18.Aug.2014

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