Category: Podcast Info

One on one with Prof. Henry A. Giroux. A collaboration with Truthout.org this conversation covers Giroux’s new book, “Youth In a Suspect Society: Democracy or Disposability” [Palgrave/McMillan] which links the corporate propaganda aimed at young people to the pathologies that are created, producing the “youth crime complex”. Giroux is a deep thinker, and his unique analysis connects the commodification of our young people with the erosion of the social compact and the dominance of “the market” in America today. Using California as an example, we discuss the disinvestment in education– to the point that we spend more on prisons than schools. Giroux is the Global TV Network Chair Professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

Robert Parry comments on Matthew Hoh’s resignation and criticism of US Afghanistan policy; attorney Michael Risher of the ACLU talks about DNA profiling, and PBC pays tribute to the late Norton Buffalo. Parry says the US has given al Qaeda more than they wished for, and talks about Obama’s decision on troop additions. We also talk about Daniel Ellsberg and the new documentary, The Most Dangerous Man in America. And Parry takes a swipe at the mainstream media for declaring the “public option” dead, prematurely. Risher tells how California’s Prop 69 requires police to take DNA samples from felony suspects, even those who are innocent or not charged, and those samples stay in the DNA crime database. And Norton Buffalo, the harmonica genius who died on October 30, is warmly remembered by Peter B.

Melvin A. Goodman, former CIA analyst and author of “Failure of Intelligence” joins me and Sibel Edmonds for another installment of The Boiling Frogs interview series. Goodman offers sharp criticism of the CIA for its missteps and political players like Robert Gates, George Tenet and Cofer Black. He talks about the risks of further US escalation in Afghanistan and much more. Visit Sibel’s powerful new site, www.boilingfrogspost.com

Sam Ferguson, Truthout.org reporter, updates the Argentine war crimes trials from Buenos Aires; and activist Kevin Zeese is mobilizing protests against health insurance companies and the US Chamber of Commerce.  Ferguson reports on the conviction of Gen. Rovere, who we talked about in podcast #46.  He expands on his Truthout story in our conversation, and also tells of his recent trip to Uruguay, where voters did not approve a referendum to repeal amnesty for war crimes.  And we talk about the lessons Americans can draw regarding potential trials for war criminals of the Bush/Cheney era.  Zeese is Executive Director of Prosperity Agenda and is leading protests of insurance providers–get info here–with Dr. Margaret Flowers and others.  We talk about the “public option” and the UFO that rich obstructionists (GOP) call “Obamacare”, and strategies for progressives. We also talk about the Stop The Chamber project to expose the US Chamber of Commerce, including the action of the Yes Men that has drawn a lawsuit from the Chambermaids–preventing Yes Man Mike Bonanno from joining us on this episode.  The Yes Men movie opens in San Francisco 10/30 at the Roxie and Kabuki cinemas, plus the Rafael in San Rafael and the Oaks in Berkeley.

Actor and writer Peter Coyote talks about a secret US raid in Syria in late October, 2008; ex-evangelical Frank Schaeffer warns that the Christian is “trolling for murder”.  Coyote recently visited Syria with journalist Reese Ehrlich (hear podcast #41) and they co-authored this important story at Vanity Fair’s website. US commandos swooped down in choppers and apparently killed seven innocent civilians, and the Bush administration claimed they killed an al Qaeda leader who had been dead for more than a year. No surprise:  Coyote is a good story teller. Schaeffer was a 2nd generation pro-life Republican, and quit the party in 2000.  He now warns that evangelicals have tapped dangerous emotions that could lead to an attempt to assassinate Obama.  Great quote:  “Christian Zionists love Israel the way oncologists love cancer”.  Click here for info on an event in NYC Nov. 5 with Schaeffer and Jeff Sharlet, author of “The Family”.

Former FBI Agent John Cole talks about his work on counterintelligence, the Sibel Edmonds case and his own experience as a whistleblower.  This is the 8th in our series of Boiling Frogs interviews, co-hosted with Sibel Edmonds.  Cole has a lot to say about the internal workings of the FBI, and the chilling effect on its employees who witness the retaliation against people like Cole and Edmonds who raised issues of criminal behavior or agency mismanagement.  He talks about Turkish and Israeli espionage operations in the US, the infiltration of the Bureau by a Pakistani spy, abuses of FISA applications, the TRILOGY software fiasco, and more.  Cole’s new book is “While America Sleeps–An FBI Whistleblower’s story”.

Peter van Agtmael is an independent photojournalist whose work was recently featured in the New York Times magazine cover story by Dexter Filkins on Gen. Stanley McChrystal and the situation in Afghanistan. The Times has more of his photos in this slide show. Van Agtmael talks about his recent trip to Aghanistan where he met with McChrystal and embedded with US Marines in Helmand Province.  He talks about the rugged terrain and extreme temperatures, the morale of US troops, the low trust Afghans have for the Americans, and the recent election.  He also described his impressive new photo book about Iraq and Afghanistan combat, “2nd Tour, Hope I Don’t Die” with many powerful photos of American soldiers, including unsanitized shots of the wounded and scenes of soldiers who have come home disabled.

Nomi Prins, former Wall Street insider and author of the new book, “Pillage”; Prof. Adam Finkel and workplace safety consultant Del Leonard talk about OSHA and the risks facing workers.  Prins gives an honest estimate of the massive bailout for the financial industry–$13 trillion and more–and we focus on Citigroup’s plan to pay $25 billion in bonuses while relying on nearly $400 billion of taxpayer money, gaurantees and liabilities.  She also datamined Tim Geithner’s phone records, and details fascinating info about who Hank Paulson and others were talking to as the bailout plans were jammed throuhg in the fall of 2008.  Dr. Finkel and Mr. Leonard give an overview of the regulation of workplace health and safety, and Finkel tells how he blew the whistle when his Bush-appointed boss declined to inform active and retired OSHA inspectors that they may have serious exposure to beryllium.

Richard Barlow, former CIA analyst and Pentagon employee.  This is the 7th in our series of Boiling Frogs interviews, co-hosted with Sibel Edmonds.  Richard Barlow discusses his experience as a counter-proliferation intelligence officer with the CIA in the 1980s, his work for the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Dick Cheney, and his incredible journey in trying to stop the proliferation efforts of the now infamous A.Q. Khan. He talks about the ‘real politics’ involving our relations with Pakistan and the Congress’ role, the draconian State Secrets Privilege, current disheartening status of whistleblower protection laws, and more!