Posted on Categories PBC, Podcast Info

Info on Podcast #117

NY Times makes correction, continues misreporting on ACORN; Gov. Don Siegelman updates his fight for justice. For months, Brad Friedman of Bradblog has waged a valiant fight with top editors at the NY Times, demanding corrections to its repeated false reports about ACORN and the entrapment video created by James O’Keefe. On March 21, Public Editor Clark Hoyt admitted that he and the Times had erred by repeating the claim that O’Keefe was dressed as a pimp when he set up some ACORN employees; he also acknowledged that the Times fumbled the overall story and failed to report on the investigation that exonerated ACORN. But recent stories include references that have not been updated to match the corrections. You are invited to register your comments with Times executive editor Bill Keller and managing editor John Geddes. Brad also details the recent convictions of 8 officials in Kentucky for election fraud. Gov. Siegelman is a victim of election fraud, conviction by a prosecutor with close ties to Karl Rove before a judge who should have recused himself. He explains his side of the story on one count he was convicted on, related to a motorcycle he acquired, and asks listeners to contact Chairman John Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee.
listen_button

Posted on Categories Podcast Info

Info on Podcast #116

Prof. Stephen Jones on 9/11 explosive evidence; 2 activists fight White House on coal ash rules. Dr. Jones details the peer reviewed study that confirms that dust from 4 locations near the World Trade Center contained residue from the high tech explosive nanothermite. We begin the conversation with Jones’ description of his early retirement from Brigham Young University, under pressure from the Cheney White House, then talk about the study. He also references an earlier study, found here. While the discussion is a bit technical at times, and Jones’ cell fades out sometimes, the information is important and persuasive. In our second segment, we hear from two activists who are fighting White House czar Cass Sunstein, who is holding up approval of new EPA rules on coal ash: Peter Kelley, whose group has set up a cool website and taken out an ad in the Harvard Crimson (Sunstein is on leave from Harvard) to challenge the czar; and Tim Tanksley, who lives very close to a toxic coal ash dump near Bokoshe, Oklahoma which is run by the cynically-named “Making Money Having Fun” company, which has recently (and more cynically) been re-named Clean Hydro. Tanksley invites you to get more info hereand here.
listen_button

Posted on Categories Podcast Info

Info on Podcast #115

Dems health insurance victory? Cuba Rising. On the day Obama signs the Senate bill just passed by the House, Margaret Flowers, MD returns to critique the bill and renew the call for single payer. Dr. Flowers, who was arrested on the order of Sen. Baucus for demanding hearings on single payer, describes the major shortcomings of this legislation, and agrees that the limited benefits delivered–such as an end to pre-existing conditions, lifetime caps and policy cancellation–do not come with adequate enforcement or penalties. Dr. Flowers urges single payer advocates to continue the struggle here. PBC cites a valuable myth-busting chart from Jane Hamsher and Firedoglake.com which refutes the happy-talk talking points we are hearing from Democrats about this “historic reform”. And we take a fresh look at the island nation of Cuba with Jonathan Showe, author of the new book Cuba Rising: An American Insider’s Perspective. Showe has been to Cuba over 80 times in the last 12 years, and offers many interesting comments on the Castro Brothers, a half century of failed US policies of sanction and isolation, the power of Cuban exiles in US politics, attitudes toward the US and Guantanamo, and more.
listen_button

Posted on Categories PBC Comments

ooooops! wrong frog!

As astute listener Anoel Rinaldi pointed out, I managed to post the recent interview with Coleen Rowley twice–the same show is podcast 98 and 110. It’s part of the Boiling Frogs series, and I mixed up the order, serving up the wrong boiled frog. It was not intended as a test, but she was the only one so far who passed it. cheers, pbc

Posted on Categories Podcast Info

Info on Podcast #114

US Media’s pro-Israel bias. Phil Weiss, veteran magazine journalist, talks about his experience with mainstream print outlets and their biased coverage of the Israel-Palestine dispute. His powerful blog and news site, Mondo Weiss offers his opinions and news from sources outside the US. This is the next installment of the Boiling Frogs interview series, co-hosted with Sibel Edmonds.listen_button

Posted on Categories Podcast Info

Info on Podcast #113

John Fitzgerald, not a Kennedy–but a fiery progressive. Fitzgerald is challenging 21-term Rep. George Miller in the June primary, to send a message from progressive Democrats to their leaders: “don’t ignore us”. From healthcare to warfare, failure to hold BushCo accountable, to Wall St. bailouts, Fitzgerald has strong and thoughtful progressive positions detailed here. He is a home painting contractor who’s been burned by the housing bubble burst, and Fitzgerald has never run for office before. And he gets extra points for political courage: he calls for a new investigation of the events of 9/11.
listen_button

Posted on Categories Podcast Info

Info on Podcast #112

Analyst David Kersten on California Prop. 16; Francis Moore Lappe on her new book, Getting a Grip 2. Kersten is a former legislative staffer and progressive lobbyist who has just published a strong analysis of Prop. 16, a constitutional amendment that would strengthen the monopoly power of utility Pacific Gas & Electric by requiring a 2/3 vote for any community to set up its own utility. Ms. Lappe, known as “Frankie” is an inspiring activist best known for writing Diet for a Small Planet. She talks about today’s “thin democracy” and how we can use our own power and resources to promote our issues, viewpoints and values.
listen_button

Posted on Categories PBC, Podcast Info

Info on Podcast #111

Phyllis Bennis: Ending Afghan War; Ian Fletcher: Free Trade Doesn’t Work. Bennis is a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in D.C, and co-author of the new “primer”: Ending the US War in Afghanistan. She explains that the war is illegal, not supported by most Americans, and appears unwinnable. We talk about Obama’s weak arguments for adding US troops, why this is not the “good war” that’s advertised, and Dennis Kucinich’s recent efforts to debate withdrawal. Bennis also comments on recent developments in the MidEast, as Israel has provoked an angry round of exchanges with the administration over proposed new settlements. Fletcher’s new book is Free Trade Doesn’t Work: What Should Replace it and Why. He is good at explaining complex economic concepts, and is strong and clear in his opposition to free trade. He proposes a 25% tariff on all imports, explains our trade deficit, and also talks about recent economic crises in Greece and Haiti.
Both books can be purchased here.
listen_button

Posted on Categories PBC, Podcast Info

Info on Podcast#110

Coleen Rowley, courageous whistleblower, still. Rowley is the 24-year FBI agent who exposed the Bureau’s failures prior to 9/11 in the investigation of “20th hijacker” Zacarias Moussaoui, and joins Sibel Edmonds and PBC for the next installment of the Boiling Frogs series. Rowley remains outspoken on Bush-era interrogations and torture, accountability for torture and other offenses, new legislation to protect whistleblowers, especially national security workers, our irrational security at airports, and the rise of the security-surveillance complex since 9/11.
listen_button

Posted on Categories PBC Comments

California Prop 16 covered on TV

Your humble host is now co-host of a new local cable interview show in Marin County, CA. The powerful utility, Pacific Gas & Electric is fighting the launch of a new public power agency that will allow us to buy electricity generated from renewable resources. We bring you two voices in this important debate, the first skirmish in the statewide battle over Prop. 16 on the June ballot. Click over to www.marinvoicesandviews.com and take a look!