The one and only Kat with a Saturday entry in the midst of a busy week.
Music, Guns and Butter and RadioNation with Laura Flanders
Okay, I just posted my review of Neil Young's Living With War. It's murder posting at The Common Ills this morning. You have to publish and republish and republish again. I hope it's not Blogger/Blogspot acting up because I've got stuff to do today and don't intend to hang around waiting for this thing here to post.
Here's the deal with the reviews. I was planning to go boom! boom! boom!, one right after the other for five reviews. Then I realized Ruth would be on vacation. Since it's largely just C.I. other than Ruth and myself, I really wanted to help out by having something for next Saturday. So I've been trying to figure out when to start and also adding a few CDs to the potential reviews.
Over the next two weeks, barring any problems or life coughing up something unplesant, you can expect to see at least six more reviews. That will include Pink, Josh Ritter, and The Free Design. Others? I'm doing one suggested by an artist that's more of a value buy (and was suggested) and I'm hoping two others, maybe three. On the two others list is Bruce Springsteen's latest.
I skipped his previous CD because I didn't have anything to say about it. I did listen to it. But I was more excited by the live recording from the seventies that came out recently. Another thing that had me excited was Van Hunt's new CD. I won't be reviewing it, however.
Van Hunt can sing. There are a few really good songs on this CD. But it's got very little to say.
Consider him Marvin in the "I Want You" phase and not the "What's Going On?" phase. There's nothing wrong with that but it doesn't speak to me currently.
There is a lot that does speak to me currently and that's why there will be so many reviews this month. This isn't a plan for the rest of the year. If something speaks to me, I'll write up a review. A part of me hopes this is signifying some really strong trend in music, but it may also be true that it was a fortunate twist of release dates.
KPFA's Guns and Butter Wednesday found Bonnie Faulkner (the great Bonnie Faulkner) interviewing Michel Chossudovsky of Global Research. Worried what we're headed for if the Bully Boy's war on for Iran explodes? You should be.
Chossudovsky traced the 'rehabilitation' of nukes. And it's not just the Bully Boy. A piece of legislation put forth in 2003 (I believe it was 2003) makes it even more frightening and spreads the blame around.
The key point I want to note from the interview is about "bunker busters." I heard the term and though, "Oh my God." But it wasn't until this interview (and I think Bonnie's question prompted the discussion) that I grasped how the term masquerades.
I assumed, anti-nuker of the old school that I am, that everyone would grasp that nukes, whatever they're called, are not to be used. But Chossudovsky explained how the nickname itself was used to imply that they go deep into the earth and, therefore, provide a level of safety that's not true of other nuclear weapons.
There's a push to portray nuclear energy as "safe" and "clean." Listening to the interview, I realized how it wasn't just Vietnam that they were attempting to erase (Bully Boy and the weapon manufacturing industry) but basically everything. They want us to forget what the nation did to Japan, Three Mile Island, Karen Silkwood, Chernobyl and much more.
Which is why a drip like Felicity Barringer can do that hideous article in 2005 about nuclear energy where she carefully presents "voices" saying that it will be good for the environment (nuclear energy). Somwhere on KPFA, I think last week, I heard a guest really address the Green Peace founder who's pushing nuclear energy. He's not with Green Peace now and hasn't been for some time. But he's always been with big business and still is.
Nuclear energy isn't safe. And turning nuclear weapons into "gadgets" for a really "cool" war won't make it safe either. Guns and Butter covered a lot of topics on Wednesday (many, if not all, of them frightening) but what it will really do is leave you thinking about the topics and making your own connections. That's why I enjoy the show so much. That and the fact that Bonnie's not afraid to put herself out there. I'm sure she's slammed something fierce.
I was thinking about that and thinking about how Barney trashed me and had his psuedo-feminist line up behind him. If Barney can't accept that not everyone's wet dreaming over Bob Dylan and he and "I Robot" have to pick up the bricks and stones to hurl at me, imagine what kind of crap Bonnie has to put up with?
But the thing that Bonnie demonstrates is that you do live.
Personally, the trashing (and this isn't to excuse Barney and "I Robot" or the actions) ended up being an experience that I learned from. I learned that, most important, some pose as feminists but join their 'fellas' -- why? To prove they're not one of those vocal feminists. (Point proven, I Robt.) The trashings like that really come from the people who can't take a stand.
When you grasp that and grasp that people like I Robot will sell out any belief they supposedly hold, you grasp how unimportant anything they could say is. And you really can laugh. (I still laugh at Barney's e-mails demanding I put his words up here and act like I wrote them -- the whole "I was wrong, Barney is right" nonsense. He never wanted to have a say here publicly. He just wanted me to put his words up and act like they were mine.)
This topic came up a lot at the party this week because I had listened to Guns and Butter and wanted to share that and because, for some people, it was the first time we'd really spoken at length since I Robot and Barney tried to tag-team me.
A personal hero of mine (heroine) attended and listened as I was talking about Bonnie. She said,
"Kat, the thing is, the people who slam Bonnie play it safe. They're frightened by actual thought and they lash out at anyone who who breaks from the scripted." I really think that sums it up.
I need to post this and grab a few hours (before we all work on the edition for The Third Estate Sunday Review), so let me just steal from C.I. to give a heads up:
Martha passes on the planned guests for this weekends Radionation with Laura Flanders (from an e-mail heads up that you can sign up for at Flanders' site):
SATURDAY, May 6
As the Senate prepares for a immigration debate, we look at the backlash some Republicans want to incite and to real solutions. Then, What makes a song dangerous? The newest protest music.
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Democratic Legislator from Arizona, on the latest border clashes in her state.
Dr. ROBERT PASTOR, Vice President of International Affairs at American University on how Europe managed illegal immigration.
JOHN NICHOLS, of The Nation.
FIDEL RODRIGUEZ, host of KPFK-FM’s Divine Forces Radio.
SUNDAY, May 7
Did coverage the largest protests in US history help us better understand immigration problems and solutions?
And what about those anti-war marches?
Then, Jane Jacob's urban wisdom and what makes a great neighborhood?
ROBERTO LOVATO, Contributor to The Nation and New America Media.
TIM GRIEVE, of Salon.com
JUDITH LeBLANC of UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE.
SIMEON BANKOFF of NYC's Historic Districts Council.
REVEREND BILLY of the Church of Stop Shopping.
Plus a few surprises.
RadioNation with Laura Flanders can be heard over the traditional broadcast airwaves, on XM satellite radio and online -- airs from seven to ten p.m. Eastern time Saturday and Sunday nights.
neil young
living with war
guns and butter
kpfa
radionation with laura flanders
radio
john nichols
judith leblanc
the common ills
Here's the deal with the reviews. I was planning to go boom! boom! boom!, one right after the other for five reviews. Then I realized Ruth would be on vacation. Since it's largely just C.I. other than Ruth and myself, I really wanted to help out by having something for next Saturday. So I've been trying to figure out when to start and also adding a few CDs to the potential reviews.
Over the next two weeks, barring any problems or life coughing up something unplesant, you can expect to see at least six more reviews. That will include Pink, Josh Ritter, and The Free Design. Others? I'm doing one suggested by an artist that's more of a value buy (and was suggested) and I'm hoping two others, maybe three. On the two others list is Bruce Springsteen's latest.
I skipped his previous CD because I didn't have anything to say about it. I did listen to it. But I was more excited by the live recording from the seventies that came out recently. Another thing that had me excited was Van Hunt's new CD. I won't be reviewing it, however.
Van Hunt can sing. There are a few really good songs on this CD. But it's got very little to say.
Consider him Marvin in the "I Want You" phase and not the "What's Going On?" phase. There's nothing wrong with that but it doesn't speak to me currently.
There is a lot that does speak to me currently and that's why there will be so many reviews this month. This isn't a plan for the rest of the year. If something speaks to me, I'll write up a review. A part of me hopes this is signifying some really strong trend in music, but it may also be true that it was a fortunate twist of release dates.
KPFA's Guns and Butter Wednesday found Bonnie Faulkner (the great Bonnie Faulkner) interviewing Michel Chossudovsky of Global Research. Worried what we're headed for if the Bully Boy's war on for Iran explodes? You should be.
Chossudovsky traced the 'rehabilitation' of nukes. And it's not just the Bully Boy. A piece of legislation put forth in 2003 (I believe it was 2003) makes it even more frightening and spreads the blame around.
The key point I want to note from the interview is about "bunker busters." I heard the term and though, "Oh my God." But it wasn't until this interview (and I think Bonnie's question prompted the discussion) that I grasped how the term masquerades.
I assumed, anti-nuker of the old school that I am, that everyone would grasp that nukes, whatever they're called, are not to be used. But Chossudovsky explained how the nickname itself was used to imply that they go deep into the earth and, therefore, provide a level of safety that's not true of other nuclear weapons.
There's a push to portray nuclear energy as "safe" and "clean." Listening to the interview, I realized how it wasn't just Vietnam that they were attempting to erase (Bully Boy and the weapon manufacturing industry) but basically everything. They want us to forget what the nation did to Japan, Three Mile Island, Karen Silkwood, Chernobyl and much more.
Which is why a drip like Felicity Barringer can do that hideous article in 2005 about nuclear energy where she carefully presents "voices" saying that it will be good for the environment (nuclear energy). Somwhere on KPFA, I think last week, I heard a guest really address the Green Peace founder who's pushing nuclear energy. He's not with Green Peace now and hasn't been for some time. But he's always been with big business and still is.
Nuclear energy isn't safe. And turning nuclear weapons into "gadgets" for a really "cool" war won't make it safe either. Guns and Butter covered a lot of topics on Wednesday (many, if not all, of them frightening) but what it will really do is leave you thinking about the topics and making your own connections. That's why I enjoy the show so much. That and the fact that Bonnie's not afraid to put herself out there. I'm sure she's slammed something fierce.
I was thinking about that and thinking about how Barney trashed me and had his psuedo-feminist line up behind him. If Barney can't accept that not everyone's wet dreaming over Bob Dylan and he and "I Robot" have to pick up the bricks and stones to hurl at me, imagine what kind of crap Bonnie has to put up with?
But the thing that Bonnie demonstrates is that you do live.
Personally, the trashing (and this isn't to excuse Barney and "I Robot" or the actions) ended up being an experience that I learned from. I learned that, most important, some pose as feminists but join their 'fellas' -- why? To prove they're not one of those vocal feminists. (Point proven, I Robt.) The trashings like that really come from the people who can't take a stand.
When you grasp that and grasp that people like I Robot will sell out any belief they supposedly hold, you grasp how unimportant anything they could say is. And you really can laugh. (I still laugh at Barney's e-mails demanding I put his words up here and act like I wrote them -- the whole "I was wrong, Barney is right" nonsense. He never wanted to have a say here publicly. He just wanted me to put his words up and act like they were mine.)
This topic came up a lot at the party this week because I had listened to Guns and Butter and wanted to share that and because, for some people, it was the first time we'd really spoken at length since I Robot and Barney tried to tag-team me.
A personal hero of mine (heroine) attended and listened as I was talking about Bonnie. She said,
"Kat, the thing is, the people who slam Bonnie play it safe. They're frightened by actual thought and they lash out at anyone who who breaks from the scripted." I really think that sums it up.
I need to post this and grab a few hours (before we all work on the edition for The Third Estate Sunday Review), so let me just steal from C.I. to give a heads up:
Martha passes on the planned guests for this weekends Radionation with Laura Flanders (from an e-mail heads up that you can sign up for at Flanders' site):
SATURDAY, May 6
As the Senate prepares for a immigration debate, we look at the backlash some Republicans want to incite and to real solutions. Then, What makes a song dangerous? The newest protest music.
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Democratic Legislator from Arizona, on the latest border clashes in her state.
Dr. ROBERT PASTOR, Vice President of International Affairs at American University on how Europe managed illegal immigration.
JOHN NICHOLS, of The Nation.
FIDEL RODRIGUEZ, host of KPFK-FM’s Divine Forces Radio.
SUNDAY, May 7
Did coverage the largest protests in US history help us better understand immigration problems and solutions?
And what about those anti-war marches?
Then, Jane Jacob's urban wisdom and what makes a great neighborhood?
ROBERTO LOVATO, Contributor to The Nation and New America Media.
TIM GRIEVE, of Salon.com
JUDITH LeBLANC of UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE.
SIMEON BANKOFF of NYC's Historic Districts Council.
REVEREND BILLY of the Church of Stop Shopping.
Plus a few surprises.
RadioNation with Laura Flanders can be heard over the traditional broadcast airwaves, on XM satellite radio and online -- airs from seven to ten p.m. Eastern time Saturday and Sunday nights.
neil young
living with war
guns and butter
kpfa
radionation with laura flanders
radio
john nichols
judith leblanc
the common ills
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