No Talking Heads

NTH Post-Broadcast Supplement

2008-04-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

The show is over but here is a list of issues Geov Parrish is following; you can hear Geov on KEXP, Saturday mornings at 8:30am - tune in!

KEXP MAR. 29 2008

LOCAL

Feds cite PortoS for overdredging near T 30 (Harbor I) & T 91 (Magnolia)
T 91 to accommodate cruise ships
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/357856_toxic05.html

NATIONAL

Clintons earned $109 mil between 2000-07; released as a FAND
551 mil came from Bill's speeches - and HRC says words don't matter!
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/04/04/clintons_release_tax_returns.html?hpid=topnews

# wanting unemployment benefits rises to 2-yr high
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080403/ap_on_bi_ge/economy;_ylt=Ap.e7Vy18Bt06rFOIHBXNHeyBhIF

& late consumer loan payments at 16-yr high; credit card delinquencies now up
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080403/bs_nm/consumers_debt_study_dc

GAO rpt: $295 bil in cost overruns for mil weapons projects, yrs behind schedule
Out of 1.6 in 95 projects, 2 yrs late on average
"In addition, none of the systems that the GAO looked at had met all of the standards for best management practices during their development stages."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/31/AR2008033102789.html

POLICE BLOTTER:

Post-9-11 memo justifying torture also exempted GWOT from 4th Amendment (!)
Torture OK cuz 5th & 8th Amendments don't apply to aliens held "abroad"
Also suspended Posse Comitatus
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/03/AR2008040300067.html
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/4/1/222429/3656

ACLU: mil using FBI to spy on Internet to skirt laws
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080401/ap_on_re_us/national_security_letters;_ylt=AsXofkRkEsuJf7KEgWKK5Aqs0NUE

Remember Monica Goodling? DoJ investigates whether she fired staffer because
of rumors staffer was a lesbian; first removed child abuse from job
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/doj-investigates-whether-goodling-forced-out-gay-attorney/

Bush adm waives environmental laws to finish SW border fence
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/01/administration-bypasses-laws-to-build-border-fence/

CBS/NYT poll: 81% believe US "headed on wrong track"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_re_us/poll_dissatisfied_americans;_ylt=AhXLKIbUcW87JUvyCdjBE2us0NUE

INTERNATIONAL

Iraq Chronicles:
900 killed or wounded in Basra; more than 1000 desert
http://www.aswataliraq.info/look/english/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrArticle=75238&NrIssue=2&NrSection=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/world/middleeast/04iraq.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Maliki continues attacks after al-Sadr standdown, pledges more attacks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=ArL3LLFvcHObV8T.0ovUJ5BvaA8F

al-Sadr calls for march against Ams in Najaf Apr 9, 5th anniv of Bag fall
Petraeus, Crocker to testify before Congress on same day
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080403/ts_nm/iraq_dc_4

NYT, WaPo repeat Bush adm disinfo that they had nothing to do w/offensive
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41804

It's all about (Southern Iraqi) oil
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JD03Ak02.html

Mugabe raiding opposition after results not announced from last Sat's pres elec
Opposition claims 50/43% win in parliamentary elections
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080403/ap_on_re_af/zimbabwe_elections_87
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080402/ap_on_re_af/zimbabwe_elections;_ylt=AjUeclslTZPmR.BmPJOrWC.s0NUE

Show for March 30th, 2008

2008-03-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

The Last Show

Guests will include TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local/Regional:
* OlyBlog City Council Report: New fire station and new fire stuff on the ballot in August?, Emmett O'Connell via Olyblog.net
* Residents urge vote on rezoning Maytown site; change would prevent industrial use of property, Olympian
* Olympia council to vote on cleanup, Olympian
* Scientists: Puget Sound species in decline as pollution increases, Olympian/John Dodge

National/International:
* Countrywide CEO to get $10M, AP
* Gap in Life Expectancy Widens for the Nation, New York Times
* Dems Consider Mini-Convention to Pick Nominee, McClatchy Newspapers via TJ
* US Air Base Tied to Colombian Raid on FARC Camp, InterPress Service
* Watchdog Group Names Top Corporate Abusers, OneWorld.Net
* Dick Cheney (channeling Abe Lincoln) doesn't care what you think and other disturbing bits, Washington Post via TJ
* Iraq Implodes As Shia Fights Shia; another tragedy as the Shia majority turn on each other, Independent/UK
* Pakistan’s New Leaders Tell US: We Are No Longer Your Killing Field, Guardian/UK
* Giant Antarctic Ice Shelf Breaks Into The Sea, Guardian/UK

Show for March 23rd, 2008

2008-03-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

Guests to include TJ Johnson

Local/Regional
* Residents wary of proposals to raise skyline height limits, Olympian
About 130 people, including some who hissed and booed when shown newly unveiled images of how downtown's skyline could change, gathered at a meeting Saturday about a proposal that could allow for taller buildings on the narrow strip of land between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet.

Angela Ruiz of Olympia asked, "Why does the city think we would have changed our minds?" Ruiz was referring to a meeting nearly six years ago in which an overwhelming number of residents voiced their opposition to a City Council plan to raise building heights.

* Military shipment earns at least $400,000 for port; job was nearly 40 percent of revenue made by marine terminal in ’07, Olympian
* Money cleared for City Hall art, Olympian
* Council OKs raise in parks impact fee, Olympian

National/International
* Dalai Lama: ‘I am prepared to face China. I will go to Beijing’, Independent/UK
“As a Buddhist monk, it does not matter what they call me,” he said with a chuckle. “The outside world doesn’t believe that I am [a] devil,” the Dalai Lama.

Could the Chinese kidnap him and detain him while he is on his visit? I suppose that's probably not likely, considering that would look really bad before the Olympic games start.
* Global Warming Rushes Timing of Spring, AP
* Spring's sprung earlier, warmer; climate change puts the greening season ahead of schedule for many species in the Northwest, Seattle PI
* Grain Farmer Claims Moral Victory in Seed Battle Against Monsanto, The Globe and Mail (Canada)

Show for March 16th, 2008

2008-03-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Guests to include TJ Johnson, Geov Parrish

Local/Regional
* E-mails, then apology from Port of Tacoma; document request reveals private criticism of Olympia port, Olympian via TJ
* Lacey council stalls on rules for tent city, Olympian
* Camp Quixote to return to familiar territory this month, Olympian
* Complaints persist at Cooper Crest, Olympian
* Port to pay city $70,000 for protection, Olympian
* Old Griswold's Bldg: Structural work planned on burned-out building; future remains hazy for downtown Olympia structure, Olympian

National/International
* Bear Stearns Closes in on Deal To Sell Itself to J.P. Morgan, Wall Street Journal

On Friday, Bear sought and received emergency funding backed by the federal government. Both the Fed and J.P Morgan stepped in to keep Bear afloat following a severe cash crunch as investors moved to pull assets from the firm.

In stepping in, the Fed was trying to move aggressively to prevent Bear's crisis from spreading to the broader economy. The lifeline gave Bear access to cash for an initial period of 28 days -- but it was widely believed Bear would be sold within days to stop it from going under.

* Wall Street fears for next Great Depression, Independent/UK

Wall Street is bracing itself for another week of roller-coaster trading after more than $300bn (£150bn) was wiped off the US equity markets on Friday following the emergency funding package put together by the Federal Reserve and JPMorgan Chase to rescue Bear Stearns.
One UK economist warned that the world is now close to a 1930s-like Great Depression, while New York traders said they had never experienced such fear. The Fed's emergency funding procedure was first used in the Depression and has rarely been used since.

* US West Coast Braced For Ban on Salmon Fishing As Stocks Collapse, Independent/UK
* Collapse of Salmon Stocks Endangers Pacific Fishery, NY Times

“This is the largest collapse of salmon stocks in 40 years.”

* Winter Soldier: former soldiers, Marines share their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, broadcast live on KAOS, 89.3 FM, kaosradio.org
* President Weakens Espionage Oversight, Boston Globe via TJ
* New analysis finds alarming increase in expected growth of China CO2 emissions, UC Berkeley News via TJ
* It’s the ‘Oh Shit!’ Moment on Iran, Dave Lindorff via TJ
* British Teachers Told to Rewrite History of Iraq War; MoD accused of sending propaganda to schools, The Independent/UK via TJ
* US Public Losing Interest in Iraq As News Coverage Wanes: Report, APF via TJ
* Bush Intervened For Weaker Smog Rule, AP via Common Dreams
* Chinese Forces Say They’ve Secured Tibet’s Capital, NY Times
* Violence in Tibet as Monks Clash With the Police, NY Times
* China clamps down on unrest as riots spread across Tibet; 80 deaths reported in the capital, Lhasa, during major anti-Chinese protests. Buddhist monks take leading role in pro-independence demonstrations, Independent/UK
* Free Tibet Campaign New and Pictures
* China to take Olympic torch to peak of Mt. Everest (in Chinese-occupied Tibetan territory) as an Olympic stunt., video on YouTube by Free Tibet Campaign
* The Gormo-Lhasa Railway Project - one example of how China tries to tighten it's group of Tibet and the Tibetan people, Free Tibet Campaign

Thanks . . .

2008-03-11T20:06:00.001-07:00

Put these all together and what do you get?

A pretty damn fun night! Thanks to KBill, JD and beer for their selfless support of No Talking Heads - these are the best engineers you could ever want to get your back; listen to them every Sunday at 6am on KAOS, 89.3FM for "Out on a Limb" - the best in alt-country.

And thanks to Gavin for being a media-active inspiration to us all!

Show for March 9th, 2008

2008-03-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

Guests scheduled: TJ Johnson, Geov Parrish

New Works in Progress OUT - March 2008 Issue!

Local/Regional
* Local Sidewalk Discussion, OlyBlog.Net
* Tumwater Council OKs warehouse limits, Olympian
* Lawmakers' message to Air Force: 'Our national security is at risk now', Olympian
* Many unhappy with cluster subdivisions, Seattle PI
* Waters guilty of arson in UW case; accused lookout facing 5 to 20 years in prison, Seattle PI
* Street of Dreams homes burned, eco-terrorists suspected, Seattle PI
* Hunt is on: Who torched the Street of Dreams?, Seattle Times

Monday's fires, reported about 4 a.m., had reverberations hours later at the Tacoma trial of Briana Waters, 32, who testified last week that she had nothing to do with the UW arson. Her attorneys asked the judge for a mistrial, arguing that news of the fires could influence the jury. If convicted she faces 35 years in prison. Jurors were called in as a group by U.S. District Judge Franklin Burgess and told there was a news story that could potentially influence their deliberations in the case. They were asked whether anyone felt they could no longer continue as jurors. No one spoke up, and Burgess denied the defense request.

* Olympia Port Militarization Resistance meeting attended by local pro-military supporter, Jeff Brigham; Jeff then posts his notes of meeting on OlyBlog.Net, interesting discussion takes place
- there are a lot of comments on this one but the discussion gets interesting in some spots.
* Report: Utah, Virginia and Washington tops in state government effectiveness

- The Pew Center on the States ranked the states based on how well they manage their budgets, staffs, infrastructure and information. The states with the highest scores have made accountability and innovation a priority, the report said . . . Washington, for example, holds public meetings led by the governor to monitor how its programs are working . . ."

* Lacey needs to pass law on homeless camps, Olympian Editorial
- Very suprising coming from the Daily Zero; I'm inquiring as to who at the Olympian wrote this since I'm very dubious if this came from Mike Oakland.
* Unitarians (OUUC) to host Camp Quixote for 2nd time

National/International
* Foreign Policy Increasingly Flows Through Pentagon, InterPress Service
* Bush explains veto of waterboarding bill, Boston Globe
We know Bush likes torture but what about Congress? Why isn't there a large enough group of Senators and House Reps to turn the veto around? The House vote was 222-199 and the Senate's was 51-45 . . .the president has rejected the Army Field Manual, which recognizes that harsh interrogation tactics elicit unreliable information . . .
* War profiteering by tax dodge, Boston Globe
* Top Iraq Contractor Skirts US Taxes Offshore; Shell companies in Cayman Islands allow KBR to avoid Medicare, Social Security deductions, Boston Globe via Common Dreams
* MIT expands financial aid, Boston Globe

Show for March 2, 2008

2008-02-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

Guests: TJ Johnson, Geov Parrish

** The geek in me says, "Go listen to the last episode of TWiT - a group interview with Jonathan Coulton - brilliant!"
** Microsoft: Windows XP faster than Vista SP1 in some cases, ComputerWorld
- this is lovely; I'm a Vista user since last summer and am still waiting for something in it to be better than XP.
* Microsoft chops Vista retail prices, C|Net News
* Caffeine: A User's Guide to Getting Optimally Wired, Developing Intelligence

Local
* Fee increase plan outrages some in Thurston County; approval would recoup costs in permit process, Olympian via TJ
* War critic to run for Congress, Olympian via TJ
* Lacey rules written permission must be given to panhandle, Olympian via TJ

National/International
* Feed The World? We Are Fighting a Losing Battle, UN Admits, Common Dreams via The Guardian/UK via TJ
* Nobel Laureate Estimates Wars’ Cost at More Than $3 Trillion, Common Dreams via McClatchy via TJ
* Comcast Admits Paying Attendees at FCC Hearing, Common Dreams via The Philadelphia Inquirer via TJ
* Outspoken Scientist Dismissed From Panel on Chemical Safety, Common Dreams via the LA Times via TJ
* 1 in 100 Adults Now in Prison; 2,319,258 Americans Behind Bars in 2008, Most of Any Nation, Common Dreams via the Baltimore Sun via TJ (I heard this one on NPR)
* Vets Break Silence on War Crimes, by Aaron Glantz, Common Dreams via InterPress Service via TJ

Show for February 24, 2008

2008-02-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

Guests: TJ Johnson, Geov Parrish

Local/Regional
* Lacey council struggles with tent city proposal, Olympian
* Police riot at Evergreen
- footage released by Geoduck Student Union, part one and part two.
- Professor to students: 'We need to deal with this among ourselves', Olympian
* Bill orders firm steps to make state 'greener', Seattle PI
- It targets miles driven, gases emitted, boosts earth-friendly jobs

National/International
* US Supreme Court Throws Out Wire-Tapping Case, Common Dreams via TJ
* Children Are Forty Percent of Cluster Bomb Casualties, Common Dreams via TJ
* Musharraf Urged To Go as Rivals Win Pakistan Poll, Common Dreams via TJ
* Rigged Trials at Gitmo, Common Dreams via TJ
* Nader announces run for president, Olympian

He ruled out the possibility that he would prevent a Democratic victory in 2008. “Not a chance,” he said. “If the Democrats can’t landslide the Republicans this year, they ought to just pack up, close down, and re-emerge in a different form.”

* The Candidates on Nader, NY Times
* Michael Moore says insurance industry would love Clinton’s healthcare plan, The Hill.com
* Police concerned about order to stop weapons screening at Obama rally, Fort-Worth Star-Telegram
- geez, is Obama about to become another Bobby Kennedy? Does someone in the secret service have it in for him? Makes one recall the Eddie Murphy routine of the first black president ducking as he's giving a speech.
* Secret Service defends security at Obama rally in Dallas, Fort-Worth Star Telegram
* Philip Giraldi: What FBI whistle-blower Sibel Edmonds found in translation; why is her story being covered up?, Dallas Morning News
* Castro Steps Down, Rejects Idea of Political Change, AP
* Raul Castro becomes Cuba's leader, Olympian

Show for February 17, 2008

2008-02-12T07:10:00.000-08:00

Today we'll feature an episode of NAMAPAHH First People's Radio which can usually be heard on KVSR out of Mt. Vernon.

I've lost my voice, so I'll be talking as little as possible. Thanks to Robin Carneen who does great work.

Here's a summary of the show:
This segment of NAMAPAHH First People's Radio is an underwater environmental focus involving a team
effort by NW Tribes working alongside multiple agencies and each other, in compliance with Washington State Govenor Christine Gregoire's Puget Sound Imitative, which has made it a priority to clean up, restore protect and enhance sites that are in found in need of such actions by the year 2020.

In the Fall of 2007, after the Samish Indian Nation, located in Anacortes, WA was awarded $160,000 from the Washington State Department of Ecology.With part of the funds the Samish Tribe contracted the Nisqually Aquatic Technologies, Inc. (NAT) and Ridolfi Inc. These experts started conducting studies in October '07 along the Tommy Thompson Trail. The NAT team is made up of Nisqually, Squaxin and Puyallup divers whose specialty is collecting samples, conducting underwater filming; examination of structures and marine life, and providing data to tribes and agencies that contract with them.

This trail, which belongs to the City of Anacortes, is partially made up of a rock causeway and a train trestle.

It is a very popular public walking and biking trail unique to Skagit County, extending from Fidalgo Bay Resort and RV Park (owned and operated by the Samish) across the 40 acres of tide lands, reaching the shores of the functioning Anacortes Refinery which sits on March's Point across the Fidalgo Bay.

According to the Samish Indian Nation, tidal flow is possibly being impeded by the trestle and they would like to possibly build a "greenway" to replace it. There is also a concern of creosote possibly leaking from the old pilings into Fidalgo Bay. This threat could be creating a toxic environment for the food chain and other life force above and below the surface. The Samish tribe has been studying and monitoring Fidalgo Bay but needed to dive deeper to collect more justification for clean up efforts and build the proposed new trail that would be more environmentally compatible.

The Puget Sound is a gem to many Native Americans and others in Washington State. It has historically been a source of food for many of the Salish people and they are familiar with the conditions of this valuable, irreplaceable resource. They are natural
stewards when it comes to protecting, studying it and problem solving around the many layers of concerns that may be lurking beneath the surface, that are being investigated by those that are involved.

Featured Speakers/guests: Seth Preston- Communications Manager with Washington Department of Ecology Toxins Clean Up and Air Quality Program and originally from Skagit County; Leslie Eastwood- Samish Tribal Member and General Manager of the Samish Tribe; Christine Woodward- Natural Resource director for the Samish tribe;
Dennis Lucia- Nisqually Tribal Member and head of the Nisqually Aquatics Technologies dive team;
Sandra Caldwell-project lead for the Washington department of Ecology's toxins clean up program;
Monty Season- one of the six man NAT dive team and a Nisqually tribal member; Colin Wagner(CEO Ridolphi, Inc-project manager of Samish Feasibility Study), Sherry Duncan (fish biologist), Hazel Delacruz (documentation)-Ridolfi Inc.

###

National
* Supreme Court Judge Antonin Scalia attempts to defend "so-called" torture tactics by U.S. government; derides European view of the death penalty
- rare interview given to BBC Radio 4 programme "Law in Action". So far, no mention of this at all in U.S. press.
- I am simply amazed at this and so angered that this man can sit on our highest, most esteemed court.

International
* Exxon Mobil cut off from Venezuela's oil, CNN

Good News!
* Russia, China Propose New Treaty to Ban Arms in Space, Agency France Press via Common Dreams
(. . . the bad news is that the Bush Administration, predictably, disagrees . . .)

Show for February 10, 2008

2008-02-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

The Rosenfeld Family Radio Hour!

We take a slight twist from our usual format as I welcome on my brother, my dad and my daughter! We'll talk about news and play music. The news won't always be political news, so you'll have to excuse my indulgence into news topics that may, to some, seem trivial.

Jim Rosenfeld (aka, S. James Rosenfeld, esq., my dad, seen to the left with Obama) is a true political wonk and I would throw him in with the yellow-dog Democrats, as far as his political persuasion goes. Jim is currently the Director of Continuing Legal Education at Seattle University. He also possesses a curious mutant gene that enables him to pretty much always find the best parking spot anywhere he goes.

Seth Rosenfeld (my brother) is a producer in the video game industry and a former (and sometimes) illustrator of exceptional skill. He also is known to formely DJ in clubs in New York City and currently, in his living room. Seth is an avid gamer, science fiction afficianado and always on the cutting edge of pop culture, whether it be movies, books, games or trends. If you want to know what is interesting or cool or what will be interesting or cool, Seth is your man.

Zoe McPherson (my daughter) is . . . well . . . Zoe. I'll leave it at that and let you tune in the hear the wackiness. And if we're lucky, maybe Zoe will sing for us.

Here are some stories I'm currently following:
* CIA Director Acknowledges Waterboarding Use, BBC News via Digg
- Congress has been debating banning the use of waterboarding by the CIA - President Bush has threatened to veto such a bill - waterboarding is condemned as torture by rights groups and many governments.
* Waterboarding is legal, White House says, LA Times
* Veterans not entitled to mental health care, U.S. lawyers argue, San Francisco Chronicle via Hofgren
* Karl Rove Joins Fox News, The Trail, Washington Post Election Blog
* New Book Alleges 9/11 Commissioner Philip Zelikow Minimized Scrutiny of Bush Admin Failure to Prevent al-Qaeda Attack, Democracy Now!
- link to New York Times reporter Phillip Shenon speaking with Amy Goodman to talk about his new book, "The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation".
* Mississippi Law: "No fat people allowed in restaurants", Itola Tech News
* Romney calls it quits; what was interesting wasn't THAT he left but what he said as he left:

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

Nice attempt at fearmongering and likening the Democratic candidates to terrorists.
* Millions Without a Voice, Amy Goodman on disenfranchised former felons who have their right to vote taken away, Common Dreams
* David Suzuki: Jail politicians who ignore climate science, National Post (Canadian)
- NOW you're talkin!
* 95 Journalists Killed Worldwide in 2007, World Association of Newspapers (WAN) via journalism.org
* Some Quotes from People Much Smarter Than I . . ., Current Era Blog

“Democracy is not about trust; it is about distrust. It is about accountability, exposure, open debate, critical challenge, and popular input and feedback from the citizenry. It is about responsible government. We have to get our fellow Americans to trust their leaders less and themselves more, trust their own questions and suspicions, and their own desire to know what is going on.”
-Michael Parenti

* Last Touch, via Digg.com
- courtesy of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney; may you both rot in hell.
* Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat, NY Times
* At Va. Campaign Rally, It's Establishment vs. Inspiration, Washignton Post
- insightful story about the popularity of Barack Obama and the difficulties that lie ahead for Hillary Clinton
* Obama Talks About Atheism, Digg.com

Show for February 3, 2008

2008-01-27T22:12:00.000-08:00

Guests to include TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local
* Building heigh limits in Olympia, Olympian
- group forms to oppose new development that would block view of Puget Sound from Capitol, Friends of the Waterfront.
* Educational levies: Districts seek to fill budget gaps, Olympian via TJ
* Logistics center meets opposition, Tacoma News Tribune
* Bush's State of the Union speech fails to impress panel of readers, Seattle PI
* House panels give glimpse of Democrats' budget plans, Olympian
* Ports look at 3 sites besides Maytown; 2 new possibilities for rail logistics center proposed in Thurston County, Olympian

National / International
* Ralph DiGia, 93, Pacifist Leader & Activist Is Dead, After Downing Street via Geov Parrish
- link to War Resisters League website.
* Iraq not using oil cash to rebuild, Washington Times
* Bush Issues Signing Statement On Defense Act, Waiving Ban On Permanent Bases In Iraq, Think Progress via Geov Parrish
* U.S. To Oppose Treaty Barring Space Weapons, Nukes of Hazzard via TJ
* Biowar Experiments HAVE BEGUN at Livermore Lab, SFGate.com via TJ
- link to Watchdog group based in the East Bay area - Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment (CARE)

"Considering the anthrax strain that killed postal workers and was mailed to the two top Democrats opposed to the Patriot Act had originated in a government laboratory, and considering after all these years the FBI hasn't been able to find who did it, I sure hope that they keep a close eye on the people working there."

* Bush Trying to Sidestep Congress on Permanent Bases Question, Guardian Unlimited UK via Truthout.org via TJ
* O'Reilly: Seattle Post-Intelligencer is the nation's worst newspaper; publisher is "beyond pinhead", BlatherWatch
* Arming the Middle East, Common Dreams via Foreign Policy in Focus via TJ
- "Excellent peiece on the US's primary export - weapons. - tj"
* Bush moves on Alaska as backs are turned, Joel Connelly, Seattle PI
* Polar Bears Threatened: Million Of Acres To Be Opened To Oil And Gas Activities, Science Daily
* In a Strategic Reversal, Dutch Embrace Floods, Joe Palca from NPR.org
- check out this cool site that shows how the Maeslant barrier works

Good News!
* CSNY Speak Out and Listen In “Deja Vu”, Common Dreams via Reuters via TJ (confessed CSNY fan)

Show for January 27th, 2008

2008-01-20T23:17:00.000-08:00

Guests to include TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local
* Cleanup fees overdue from 1 in 4 businesses; Olympia owed $34,900, threatens to send bills to collections, Olympian via TJ
* South Thurston County looks for bus service, Olympian via TJ
* Housing deal may cost city $223,000; money added by new estimate for cleanup, Olympian via TJ
* Lawmakers pushed to stop pharmaceutical 'data-mining'; drug makers buy information on prescriptions, Olympian via TJ

National
* Study: Bush Led US To War on ‘False Pretenses’, Common Dreams via TJ
* Stimulus rebates may come by mid-May, Olympian

So, the answer to the problems created by our fantasy economy is... more
fantasy? Borrow more money from the Chinese, give it to people so they can buy more
consumer crap (on credit cards) made in China. Everyone on Wall Street
lives happily ever after in their gated communities.

* FBI Denies File Exposing Nuclear Secrets Theft, The Times Online/UK via Common Dreams via TJ

Sibel Edmonds, a 37-year-old former Turkish language translator, says the FBI was investigating a Turkish and Israeli-run network that paid high-ranking American officials to steal nuclear weapons secrets. These were then sold on the international black market to countries such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

* Toyota and Ford plug in their hybrids, C|Net News Blog via TWiT
* LA Times editor fired in budget dispute, AP
* White House missing CIA, Iraq e-mails, AP

International
* Gazans Fear Crisis After Four Days of Blockade, Washington Post

Show for January 20th, 2008

2008-01-16T08:41:00.001-08:00

Below are some headlines I am following, however, in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I'll be airing a special from the Pacifica Archives featuring original speeches from Dr. King and others.
For information about the series, visit From the Vault on the web.

Local
* Board can't tackle complaint, Olympian via TJ
- update on school board member resignation
* Plan could elevate Olympia's skyline, Olympian via TJ
- Jeannette Hawkins is at it again . . .
* Gregoire sets tone for session and campaign, Olympian via TJ
- let the campaign distortions begin!

National
* Quality of Nuclear Devices Questioned, AP
* Year of the Fat Cats, Common Dreams

The poster child for this new trend is Robert Nardelli. In five years as CEO at Home Depot, he lost shareholders 40 percent of the stock’s value, more than $25 billion. When he was eventually pushed out the door, he walked away with a compensation package worth more than $200 million. Call it “pay for nonperformance.”

* Ruling Quashes Kucinich’s Hope of Joining Lineup, NY Times via TJ

International
* US: Attacks by Iranian-Made Bombs Drop, AP
* Opium Fields Spread Across Iraq as Farmers Try to Make Ends Meet, Independent/UK via Common Dreams via Hofgren!
* Escalating Ice Loss Found in Antarctica, Washington Post
* Bush urges OPEC to pump more oil, AP via TJ

Show for January 13, 2008

2008-01-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

Local
* Clear-cutting, nature blamed for landslides; Logging officials defend practices, Olympian
* Army won't pay Aberdeen for port security during protests, Olympian
* School board member resigns over conflict, Olympian

National
* Major allegations of vote fraud in New Hampshire are circulating after Hillary Clinton reversed a mammoth pre-polling deficit to defeat Barack Obama with the aid of Diebold electronic voting machines, Boston 911 Truth (thanks Jen!)
* Clear Evidence Of Widespread Vote Fraud In New Hampshire, Prison Planet
* Iraq/Afghan veterans have killed 121 after coming home, NY Times
* 80 Arrested Outside Supreme Court demanding closure of Guantanamo Bay; worldwide protests accompany action, CBS News via Digg

International
* Bush Urges Allies to Join U.S. Efforts to Confront Iran, Washington Post
Bush is trying to persuade Arab countries to join U.S. efforts to pressure Iran, though many have displayed ambivalence about the administration's campaign amid a new U.S. intelligence report that concluded Iran stopped a nuclear weapons program in 2003.

The president will travel Monday to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, viewed by many inside and out of the administration as the lynchpin of its efforts to develop an anti-Iran coalition. As part of an effort to show its commitment to Saudi Arabia, a senior administration official said the White House plans to notify Congress about a substantial package of arms sales for Saudi Arabia; it seemed likely to be on the order of $20 billion.

* Official Version of Naval Incident Starts to Unravel, InterPress Service via Common Dreams
- echoes of Tonkin?
* Declassified study puts Vietnam events in new light, Christian Science Monitor

January 6, 2008 No Talking Heads

2008-01-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

Local
* Port cancels dredging project due to lack of funds, Olympian
* Tumwater brewery a financial black hole, Olympian
* Ruling appealed in Tumwater Wal-Mart case, Olympian
* Report underscores dearth of social workers in Washington; study: CPS in need of 1,540 staffers, Olympian
* Seattle viaduct must go, says feisty Gregoire, AP via News Tribune
- I'm lovin' Gregoire's quotes in this article.

National
* Can You Count on Voting Machines?, NY Times Sunday Magazine, January 6th, 2008
* Legal voters thrown off rolls; database woes could be 'sleeper issue of 2008', USA Today
* Justice Department Opens Criminal Investigation Over C.I.A. Tapes, AP via NY Times
- Stonewalled by the C.I.A., Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton Op-ed in NY Times
* Video of Sleeping Guards Shakes Nuclear Industry, Sight of Guards Asleep Shakes Industry, Washington Post
* California Sues EPA Over Emissions Rules; 15 Other States Back Effort to Win Waiver to Allow the Setting of Tougher Standards, Washington Post

Post-Show Links
* Angry Bush will stonewall CIA probe - Orders White House aides to stall investigators, Capitol Hill Blue via Geov

Why Care? by Geov Parrish

2007-12-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

(Geov sent this to me today after mentioning it on my show . . . he said it will be published Jan. 2nd in some Seattle neighborhood papers and later in Eat the State!)

Why Care?
by Geov Parrish

For a solid year now, people have been asking me who I'd like to see become President in 2009. For most of that time, I've offered the same unsatisfying response: it's far too early, a lot can happen between now and then. But as the fascination with the race among local political types I know has heightened leading up to this week's Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries, I have slowly begun to embrace a different response: why do you care?

Not that the question of who will try to clean up (or exacerbate) George W. Bush's, er, messes isn't important: on multiple fronts, it will influence nothing less than the future of humanity. At present, our likely choice will almost certainly be between two of eight less than inspiring people, who break down roughly as follows (based on their past governing records, not their campaign rhetoric): two liberal members of the bipartisan D.C. establishment (Obama, Edwards); one "liberal" who would have been considered a moderate Republican not too long ago (Clinton); four guys who would for all practical purposes be a third term of Bush (Giuliani, Romney, McCain, Thompson); and one charismatic loon (Huckabee). There's a lot of room between those positions, most of it not good, and it matters a lot which of them will, in slightly over a year, become the most powerful person in the world.

It's a pity Washington state residents will have virtually nothing to do with that choice.

In the Evergreen state, the presidential campaigns are close to meaningless. Candidates have used our area primarily as an ATM, and that won't change. Actual visits by candidates will continue to be rare, and any public appearances will be filled in around big stakes fundraising as almost an afterthought, useful almost solely for the resulting free local media coverage.

Of course, we will have a chance to register our opinions in the race. In February. Our state's Democratic and Republican caucuses are on Feb. 9, and the primary vote is on Feb. 19.

Unfortunately, 23 different states and territories, including heavyweights like California, New York, and Illinois (encompassing the country's four largest media markets) will be having their primaries on "Super Tuesday," Feb. 5, four days before our caucuses. And a number of other states (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, Michigan, and Florida) will decide before that. The upshot: the party's nominees will likely be decided before we have our say. It's certain that most of those eight frontrunners will be gone.

Even then, the Washington state process is something of a fraud. The Democratic primary vote is completely meaningless; all the party's nominating delegates will have already been chosen at the caucuses, so unless you're willing to sign up for a political party, invest half a day at some church social hall, and get fund appeals for the next two years, your opinion won't matter. The state Republicans, to their credit, at least factor the primary results in with the caucuses in determining their delegates -- not that the race is likely to still be a race by then.

And, of course, come November, Washington state's 11 electoral votes will all go to the Democratic candidate, just as they have for every presidential election since the days of Reagan.

So why does it matter what you, I, or any other local person thinks about the 2008 presidential race? Sure, you could join a campaign and fly to a state where the votes matter. (Most of us won't.) And we can all send in our $25, $50, or $1000 (or whatever) to the candidate of our choice. That'll make a big dent in the over $100 million that Clinton and Obama have already raised, or the likely combined total of over $1 billion that the two major party nominees will raise for 2008. And since when did "one dollar, one vote" become the standard for our democracy?

The end result is that much of the fascination with the 2008 race hereabouts reeks of rooting for one's favorite sports team (albeit with more meaningful stakes). It's fun, it's entertaining, but it's not to be confused with the functions of a healthy democracy. That would require, among other things, a national primary day, abolishing the electoral college, public campaign financing, and allowing more than two competitive parties. Since we don't have any of those things, locally or nationally, I think I'll get some popcorn and watch the race.

December 30, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-12-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Guests to include Mike from Boistfort Valley Farms, local blogger Emmett O'Connell and Geov Parrish

Local
* Local farms continue to rebuild; Mike from Boisfort Valley Farms to join us on the phone.
* Camp Quixote Moved, The Olympian
* Olyblog.net 2007 Person of the Year - make your nomination!!
* The 8 Applicants for Doug Mah's city council seat, Olyblog.net
* Olympia City Council to meet Wednesday (Jan. 2nd) instead of Tuesday of this coming week.
* Olympian online poll for biggest story of 2007.
* Emmett's Blog, Olympia Time.

National
* Weather Oddities in 2007, AP via Common Dreams
* Drought in Atlanta barely escapes being the worst on record, AP via Seattle PI
* Paul Krugman on the financial crisis, Pacific Views Blog

International
* Assassination of Benazir Bhutto
- al-Qaida behind Bhutto assassination? Are we stoking fear or is this true?

Reasons to Stay Hopeful for the New Year
* The Growth of Local Power Is a Bright Spot in Seven Bleak Years of Bush; American cities, counties and states have offered a crucial counterweight to the White House on the issues that really matter, Common Dreams
* Protesters Could Disrupt Rose Parade, Common Dreams
* Civil Disobedience at Presidential Campaign Offices in Des Moines, Iowa, December 31, January 2 and 3, Common Dreams
* Lakotah Unilateral Withdrawal from All Agreements and Treaties with the United States of America

December 9, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-12-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

Guests to include TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local/Regional
FLOODS!
* 'Freak of nature' may have fueled Lewis County floods, King5 News via Olyblog.net
* Long recovery awaits farmers, Olympian via TJ
* Lewis County family lost dairy cows and their home in flood, King 5 News
- The Washington Farm Bureau has established a Flood Relief Fund for farmers, ranchers and the agricultural community. To make a donation, call 800-331-3276.
* Rain too much for LOTT capacity; overflow washes into Budd Inlet, John Dodge from the Olympian
- I actually heard KAOS break this story early Monday morning on their Breakfast Special - Brett Clubbe was on it!
* Barner seeks delay on project, Olympian via TJ
* Tacoma terminal wants to bring uranium through port, Tacoma Weekly via TJ
- same material has been shipping through Port of Seattle for years with no apparrent accidents.
* Olympia nixes free Wi-Fi idea, Olympian

National
* Budget Makers Plan Tradeoff for War Funds, NY Times via TJ
* $1 Billion In Military Equipment Missing In Iraq, CBS News via Truthout.org via TJ
* Bush Goes Private to Spy on You, CorpWatch via Truthout.org via TJ
- the Bush administration is launching a new government agency that will rely heavily on private security contractors to conduct surveillance in the US.
* Bush Loses Ground With Military Families, Los Angeles Times via Truthout.org via TJ
* California Electoral Vote Plan Won't Make June Ballot, Los Angeles Times via Truthout.org via TJ
* Operation Iraqi Freedom Exposed: Bush Negotiates Permanent Presence in Iraq, by Marjorie Cohn via Common Dreams via TJ
* Embattled State Department Inspector General Resigns, McClatchy via Truthout.org via TJ
* Broad Energy Bill Passed by House, Washignton Post via Truthout.org via TJ
- Car mileage, renewable power addressed.
* US Intelligence Review Directly Contradicts Bush’s Line On Iran, InterPress Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* Leahy Plans Contempt Vote, Brattleboro Reformer (VT) via Common Dreams via TJ
* Food Prices Climbing, With No End in Sight, InterPress Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* CIA Destroyed Video of ‘Waterboarding’ Al-Qaida Detainees, The Guardian/UK via Common Dreams via TJ
* Iraq parliament grinds to halt as MPs make for Mecca, AFP via Yahoo News
* Iraq: The Hidden Human Costs, New York Review of Books

Post Show Notes
* Had a caller recommend the film "Shadow of the Salmon":

The story of a young man from Lakota Nation who comes to the Pacific Northwest to visit his Coastal Salish relatives. During his visit, he experiences many things, and learns much about salmon and the Northwest environment. He witnesses the annual Canoe Journey and helps respond to an oil spill in the river.

* We talked about the Port of Olympia Commission meeting for tomorrow, Monday, December 10th - should be a good one. It's at 5:30pm at 111 Market St NE or rebroadcast later on TCTV.
* The Alliance for Democracy has a website and you should check it out.
* Did development, logging set stage for disaster?, Seattle Times - this is the story Geov mentioned.

Show correction:
During the December 9 No Talking Heads episode, our guest noted the multi-modal transportation corridors planned by the “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (SPP) would be 10 football fields wide. Actually, these transportation corridors would be 4 football fields wide at their widest points. Our guest contacted the show to let us know of the inadvertent misstatement. To learn more about the SPP, visit http://www.sounddemocracy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=46 and http://www.canadians.org/DI/index.html .

December 2, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-11-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

Guests to include Aaron Glantz, author of How America Lost Iraq, TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish.

Local/Regional
*
* A slow-moving oil spill; Report: Constant runoff sends toxic flow into Puget Sound, John Dodge from the Olympian via TJ
* Stopping an unstoppable war, Geov Parrish, North Seattle Herald Outlook
* Washington Teachers Under Fire For War Protest Participation, King 5 News via Common Dreams
* Emily's List announces 2008 endorsement of Darcy Burner for the 8th District, NW Progressive Institute Blog
* Daily Astorian wins 2007 Dolly Connelly Award for series on climate change impact on Pacific NW, Washblog
- link to series on Daily Astorian

National
* US War Vets to Speak Publicly About War Crimes, Aaron Glantz via OneWorld.net via TJ
* Graveyard shift to be listed as ‘probable’ cancer cause, AP via the Olympian via TJ
* The Plot to Rig the 2008 US Election, The Independent/UK via TJ
* Probes Find Interference, Bias by Former Interior official, McClatchy Newspapers via TJ
* Civil Libertarians Warn of ‘Patriot Act Lite’, InterPress Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* Here Come the Thought Police, Ralph E. Shaffer and R. William Robinson, The Baltimore Sun via Common Dreams via TJ

International
* Bush-Maliki Agreement Defies US Laws, Iraqi Parliament, Truthout via TJ
* Radioactive Ammunition Fired in Middle East May Claim More Lives Than Hiroshima and Nagasaki, OpEdNews.com via TJ
* Bush ally Howard suffers huge defeat in Australian elections, NW Progressive Institute Blog
* Rudd sets new Australian agenda, BBC News via TJ

November 25, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-11-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

War Comes Home
- new website launched by Aaron Glantz of KPFA in an effort to put a human face on the conflict in Iraq. Only by truly listening to the stories of soldiers who've come home, can we appreciate the realities of war and what we can do to help.

Local
* Recent Olympia City Council (11/20/2007) meeting brings out a number of citizens who "support the troops" (and not the war, so they say) and oppose the actions of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance. I want to encourage Jeff Brigham, Robin Torske, military mother Irene (who seems to have issues with her son re-enlisting in the military), and Shelley Weber to consider whether or not the U.S. government REALLY supports the troops - READ THIS.

* Mount St. Helens National Park? Report by Chester Allen of the Olympian.
* Impeachment: If not now, when?; Lawmakers need to stand up for the Constitution and support impeachment, Seattle PI Guest Editorial by Linda Boyd

National
* The Mystery of Minot: Loose nukes and a cluster of dead airmen raise troubling questions, by Dave Lindorff on This Can't Be Happening blog
* Former Press Secretary Blames Bush, Cheney for Misstatement About Leak; Ex-White House press secretary writes in his new book that top administration officials let him unknowingly pass on false information, AP
* Twenty Thousand Protest at Ft. Benning: Eleven Face Federal Criminal Trials, by Bill Quigley
* Thousands Protest U.S. Army’s “School of Torture, Murder”, Reuters coverage via Common Dreams
* New Method Equalizes Stem Cell Debate, NY Times

International
* Visualize the number of US dead in Iraq, Ed Stephan, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
* New Polish prime minister to loosen ties with US, Guardian Unlimited
* US continues the Iranian drumbeat to war - "U.S. blames Iran-backed group for Baghdad bombing", Reuters via Yahoo!
* Bombed, Banned, and Ridiculed - But Al-Jazeera Goes English and Hits 100 Million Homes, 11/19/2007, The Independent/UK
* People Were Killed by Three Mile Island and Other Nuclear Disasters, essay by Harvey Wasserman
* Rice sets Mid-East peace target, BBC
- what the fuck took them so long to get people to sit down? It was more important for the Bush Administration to invade a sovereign nation and then line up their friends with rich Iraqi contracts than the broker a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. And this is too little, too late. They seem to be pushing this hard because they want some legacy for Bush before he leaves office - what's more important? Negotiating an honest and effective and long-lasting peace agreement or blasting something flimsy through before Bush leaves office?
* Global warming 'is three times faster than worst predictions', The Independent

November 18, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-11-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

Guests to include: TJ Johnson, Olivia Hart, Geov Parrish

What news sources do we go to most? We'll ask this question today and in future shows . . .
- today I'm checking out the NPR News Blog.

Local
Port Protest Discussion
- local reactions; Vickie Kilgore letter; good comment on Olyblog; port protest on Saturday.
- Suspend Police Chief Gary Michel and Investigate Police Misconduct Now, Olyblog.net
- effectiveness
- why are so many anti-war folks speaking out against the protests?

* Simple majority victory: close but sweet, NW Progressive Institute
* BACKGROUND: Pepper spray should never be used on nonviolent subjects, United for Peace of Pierce County
* Olympia students massing on the Capitol steps for the Student Walkout against the War in Iraq, Olyblog.net

National
* U.N. Science Panel Sees Faster Warming of Earth, NPR
* FCC issues new ownership reg proposal on Tues, one full business day after "digesting" 10 hrs of testimony in Seattle, NY Times
* Army desertion rate up 80 pct. since '03, AP via Yahoo!
* Court deals blow to wiretapping case, AP via Yahoo!
- ACLU Responds to Federal Court Ruling in "State Secrets" Lawsuit About Warrantless, via Common Dreams
* Ruling Blocks Challenge to Wiretapping, NY Times
* After a Death, Use of Taser in Canada Is Debated, NY Times

What are you thankful for? or other Thanksgiving message our guests would like to espouse . . .
- Zombie Walk - Friday, November 23, 2007; join us as we limp and groan our way through the shopping hordes! Contact burningpele@yahoo.com for info on meeting times and makeup/costume help

November 11, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-11-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

Guests to hopefully include: TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local (when it rains, it pours . . .)
* YouTube video documenting police violence on non-violent citizens blocking port, Tacoma SDS
* Community Forum on Police Response to Port Demonstrations, OlyBlog.net
* Photo Series: Port Protesters Stop Trucks From Leaving Port
- photo at right by Rob Whitlock
* Election Results!
* High court halts WA morning-after pill rules, AP via Olympian
* Olympia store won't have to sell Plan B contraceptive, judge rules, Olympian
* Judge blocks war objector Watada’s second court-martial, AP via Olympian
* Arrests down at the port, Olyblog.net
* Port Militarization Resistance in Olympia, Olyblog.net
- great speech by Phan Nguyen (of KAOS' Bundle of Joy)

"Now about people who criticize our tactics. I think there are 2 types of people who criticize our tactics. There's those who support the war and occupation and then try to tell us how to wage our struggle. The fact that they are already opposed to the struggle means they have no authority to tell us how to oppose them. Now the other people are the people who ostensibly agree with us but they poo-poo our actions. Now again I personally have never stopped a war before, so if someone has a better idea, don't just tell us what to do, show us how it's done because we need you." Phan Nguyen

* State Supreme Court rules I-747 unconstitutional, Olympian

"A sharply divided state Supreme Court has struck down a six-year-old citizen initiative that capped yearly increases in property taxes to 1 percent."

National
* White House continues build-up to war with Iran
- U.S. military says finding more Iranian arms in Iraq, Yahoo Reuters
- Iraqi Fighters ‘Grilled for Evidence on Iran’; Interrogator says US military seeks evidence incriminating Tehran, The Guardian/UK
* Senators Webb and Hagel propose a post-Iraq G.I. Bill, NY Times
* Half of Americans Strongly Disapprove of Bush Performance, Gallup

". . .this “strongly disapprove” number is among the highest Gallup has measured for presidents, going back to Lyndon Johnson. . . .the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted Nov. 2-4, shows that Bush’s overall job approval rating is at 31%, with a 64% disapproval rating."

* Mukasey Confirmed as Attorney General, Washington Post

"The 53 to 40 vote to confirm President Bush's choice to replace Alberto Gonzales was the closest vote in more than 50 years for someone confirmed to be the nation's top law enforcement officer."

Dennis Kucinich attempts to impeach Cheney
* Move to Impeach Not Another Distraction, Brattleboro Reformer (VT)
* House Tied In Knots Over Resolution To Impeach Cheney, USA Today via TJ
* UPDATE: Hoyer: 'Impeachment ... Not on Our Agenda', Washington Post Capitol Briefing

* Bush Turns Civil Rights Commission Into ‘Conservative Rights’ Commission, Boston Globe via TJ
* Study: 1 Out of 4 Homeless Are Veterans, AP via Washington Post via TJ
- "Thanks for serving our country! Now FUCK OFF!"

International
* Egypt seeks to spearhead 'Arab nuclear family'; Egypt, Jordan could justify switch to nuclear energy, while choice is more difficult for oil-rich GCC, Middle East Online via TJ

"Cairo's announcement that it would seek nuclear capabilities to ensure its future energy security while ruling out any military ambitions, received the immediate backing of Iran's arch-foe Washington."

* Global Warming Is Biggest Security Threat, Inter Press Service via TJ

November 4, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-10-29T12:25:00.001-07:00

Guest to include: Olivia Hart, TJ Johnson

(Don't forget to vote! Ballots must be in by Tuesday, November 6th!)

National
* Rep. Jones (R-NC) introduces bill to limit president's war powers, Sun Journal
* ABA: Freeze executions nationwide, CNN
* Tenn. Town Has Run Out of Water, AP
* The Dems' Mukasey Moment, Nov. 1, 2007, David Corn from Mother Jones

During his confirmation hearings, AG nominee Michael Mukasey came across as Alberto Gonzales-lite. When he comes up for a vote next week, will the Dems unite to block his nomination or will the party blow an opportunity?

* U.S. Official Is Faulted for Nuclear Weapons Claim; Experts Call 'Hair Trigger' Denial Misleading, Say Much of Arsenal Is Capable of Launch in Minutes, Washington Post via TJ
- will it take another incident, i.e, Bay of Pigs, that takes us the the brink of nuclear war to get people to work towards pressuring nations to de-commission their nuclear arsenal - or worse yet - will it take the use of a nuclear weapon?
- that our nuclear weapons are on hair-trigger alert and could be launched within minutes is a little hard to swallow considering how much time it took for operations to get underway to defend critical U.S. targets the morning of 9/11.

International
* Musharraf Imposes Emergency Rule; Suspends Pakistani Constitution, BBC via Common Dreams
* US Resisting Ban on Cluster Bombs, Inter Press Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* Rumsfeld Charged with Torture in French Court, One World via TJ via Common Dreams
* Indian ‘Slave’ Children Found Making Low-Cost Clothes Destined For Gap, The Guardian/UK via Common Dreams via TJ
- Merry Christmas!
* Ecuador wants military base in Miami, Reuters/UK
- TJ mentioned this one on last weeks show.
- Visit Josh Rushing's videos on youtube.com for a great series of investigatory pieces on the U.S. base in Ecuador - the videos are called "Shadow War"

October 28, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-10-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Guests scheduled: TJ Johnson

Local

* Olympia School District Strategic Plan Committee - we talked about this during this show.

Ballot Review!
* Progressive Guide to Statewide Ballot Measures
* Olympian Endorsements, Olympian
* Seattle PI Endorsements, Seattle PI
* Tacoma News Tribune Endorsements, The News Tribune

Olympia Mayor Race
* Meta Hogan and Doug Mah Audio Chat, Olyblog.net
- nice effort but the audio of this piece SUCKS!

SHJR 4215 - Allow wider use of higher education funds in stock market.
* Legislature seeks stock option, Olympian

ESSJR 8206 - Constitutional Amendment for a 1% Rainy Day Fund.
* Washington Research Council Paper on ESSJR 8206

National
* Body Armor Execs Indicted For Fraud; CEO and COO of Supplier To Troops Allegedly Manipulated Records to Inflate Stock, Pocket $200M, CBS News
* White House ‘Eviscerated’ CDC Testimony Regarding Climate Change and Health, Associated Press
* Minot AFB Clandestine Nukes 'Oddities', Citizens for Legitimate Government

Aha! Linda called in about this story on our last show - I finally was able to uncover some of the details above. I haven't read each of the links to all the news stories but if some resourceful reader can take the time to do it and let me know what they discover, please post comments on this blog post!

California Fire Stories:
What does "California burning" have to do with climate change?
Is this another seminal event that is tipping us toward a mass consciousness of global climate change and not just consciousness but something that might push people to really start doing something?

* AFSC Activates Emergency Response for California Wild Fires; Crisis Funds Sought to Help Threatened Families, Especially Immigrant Workers, Common Dreams
* Another Way The Rich Are Different: ‘Concierge-Level’ Fire Protection, LA Times via Common Dreams

International
* Earth Is Reaching The Point of No Return, Says Major UN Environment Report, Times Online/UK via Common Dreams
* U.S. Discourages Turkey From Cross-Border Attack, Washington Post

How can the U.S. insist another country refrain from military action? They hold NO moral authority to do this! Do they seriously believe their efforts will be effective? Maybe we should have considered this when we decided to invade a sovereign nation, Iraq, back in 2003.

* Iraqi leaders may ask U.N. to restrict U.S. military, LA Times
* Uzbek journalist shot dead in Kyrgyzstan, Reuters

Iran
* New Steps by U.S. Against Iranians, NY Times - October 25, 2007
* The Secret History of the Impending War With Iran That the White House Doesn't Want You to Know, Esquire
* U.S. Plays Its ‘Unilateral’ Card on Iran Sanctions, NY Times - October 26, 2007
* The Iran Plans: Would President Bush go to war to stop Tehran from getting the bomb?, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, April 17, 2006
* The Next Act: Is a damaged Administration less likely to attack Iran, or more?, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, November 27, 2006
* The Redirection; Is the Administration’s new policy benefitting our enemies in the war on terrorism?, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, March 5, 2007
* Shifting Targets; The Administration’s plan for Iran, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, October 5, 2007

October 21, 2007 No Talking Heads

2007-10-15T07:49:00.000-07:00

Guests on the show will be Olivia Hart and Geov Parrish

National
* An Assault on Media Diversity and Democracy, The Nation
* Senators Seek to Delay FCC Vote; Chairman Wants to Change TV Ownership Rules by Year-End, AP via Washington Post
* 70 punished in accidental B-52 flight, AP via Olympian
* US demands air passengers ask its permission to fly, The Register, UK
* Retirement season hits GOP hard, LA Times

"So far in the GOP, five senators and 12 House members have announced they will retire. Among Democrats, no one in the Senate is retiring, and two have said they will leave the House -- to run for the Senate . . . Of the 12 seats opening, eight are ranked as potentially competitive by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report -- including five it identifies as tossups."

I personally think Republicans will go into private industry where they can make a killing on government contracts related to the war in Iraq.

* House Sustains President’s Veto on Child Health, NY Times

“It was an ambiguous victory,” said John J. Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College in California, “because Democrats may have lost on the legislation, but they won themselves a campaign issue.”

* Veteran stress cases up sharply; mental illness is now No. 2 injury, USA Today

"Mental health is the second-largest area of illness for which Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seek treatment at VA hospitals and clinics. It follows orthopedic problems and is increasing at a faster rate, the VA says . . . PTSD cases often surface long after troops leave combat. A VA study in 1988, 13 years after the last U.S. troops left Vietnam, showed that 31% of the 3.1 million male Vietnam veterans had PTSD at some point after their service."

* Senate and Bush Agree On Terms of Spying Bill; some Telecom Companies Would Receive Immunity, Washington Post

"The collapse marked the first time since Democrats took control of the chamber that a major bill was withdrawn from consideration before a scheduled vote. It was a victory for President Bush, whose aides lobbied heavily against the Democrats' bill, and an embarrassment for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who had pushed for the measure's passage. It will include full immunity for those companies that can demonstrate to a court that they acted pursuant to a legal directive in helping the government with surveillance in the United States. Such a demonstration, which the bill says could be made in secret, would wipe out a series of pending lawsuits alleging violations of privacy rights by telecommunications companies that provided telephone records, summaries of e-mail traffic and other information to the government after Sept. 11, 2001, without receiving court warrants. Bush had repeatedly threatened to veto any legislation that lacked this provision."

* Plan Would Ease Limits on Media Owners, NY Times

"But in recent days, Mr. Martin has proposed to expedite the rule-making and hold a final vote in December. In part, he has told commission officials, he was reacting to criticism by Mr. Copps about temporary waivers that have allowed companies to own newspapers and stations in the same market."