Radio Active Lunch broadcasts and streams from Vassar College - WVKR 91.3 FM - in the Mid Hudson Valley on Wednesday from 12:00 - 2:00 PM and features live performances from local musicians and interviews on natural philosphy, survival and self-determination.
I was joined by syndicated cartoonist and comedian Dan
Piraro to discuss some of his latest
books, his daily and sunday comic panel, and other
funny stuff that he creates to lampoon many of the bizarre social and cultural
idiosyncrasies prevalent in different groups of individuals of certain social,
moral, economic, racial, religious, etc dispositions and backgrounds, perhaps
to raise contentious political issues and get people thinking or perhaps to get
people laughing (and thinking). There's only one way to find out, really. Read
his comic and buy
his books and trading cards online >>
I was joined by Power Trio Rock/Funk/Blues band The
Paint Cans featuring Jon Klenck~guitar vocals, Rob Kissner~bass,
Roger LaRochelle~drums vocals. .
I spoke with Bruce Dixon, Managing Editor with the Black
Agenda Report, on the first in his series of articles on Holding
the Obama Administration Accountable. Taking a critical look at his
current choices and favored selections for cabinet posts it looks like we the
people may be in for more of the same unless we start to speak up for what it
is we want in terms of social justice and social welfare, international policy
and restoring americas cridibility around the world and regaining the trust of
the international community.
"My guest today would have been Cuttz with Readnex
Poetry Squad - Music with a cause, not just because. A group of four
spoken word poets/emcees that have banded together to uplift urban communities
through the power of music. Comprised of 4 esteemed lyrical “scholars” and 1
DJ—Decora, Free Flowin, Cuttz, Latin Translator and DJ H2O have managed to blend
conscious social commentary with influences from Hip-Hop, Soul, Latin and Caribbean
music, to create a unique sound that is already making an impact on not only
the music industry, but the world. I am expecting to have some of the Readnex
on again very soon.
In a pre-recorded interview, I spoke with Dr.
Jared Ball, again, to pick up on our conversation from last week
under a very different circumstance - that being we have a new president elect,
the first African American President to be. The nature of our conversation revolved
around the founding principles and realities of this democracy and what we may
expect to see from President Obama based on historical precedence as well as
campaign rhetoric, campaign promises, and the likely roundup of cabinet choices
on the table thus far. More
on Dr. Ball Here >>
I spoke with Dr. Walter Brasch about eight years of Bush Administration brutality
and criminality and the undermining of the the US Constitution and the Bill
of Rights. We spoke of what Bush has done and undone during his two terms in
office, and what we might be expecting from an Obama Administration.
Dr. Brasch is an award-winning former newspaper reporter
and editor and is a university professor of journalism and mass communications,
and author of a biweekly syndicated
newspaper column. He is also the author of dozens of magazine articles,
several multimedia productions, and has worked in the film industry and as a
copy writer and political consultant. He is the author 17
books, most of them focusing upon the fusion of historical and
contemporary social issues, including America's
Unpatriotic Acts: The Federal Government's Violation of Constitutional and Civil
RightsandUnacceptable:
The Federal Response To Hurricane Katrina. Dr.
Brasch has received more than 100 regional and national media awards from the
National Society of Newspaper Columnists, Society of Professional Journalists,
National Federation of Press Women, Pennsylvania Press Club, Pennsylvania Women's
Press Association, Pennwriters, International Association of Business Communicators,
Pacific Coast Press Club, and Press Club of Southern California. He is president
of the Pennsylvania Press Club, and was president of the Keystone State professional
chapter and deputy regional director of the Society of Professional Journalists,
from which he received the Director's Award and the National Freedom of Information
Award.
I was joined in the studio by special guest co-host Shana Panchak - a bright
and spirited individual whom I figured would ad her radical and critical opinions
making for a very colorful conversation. I am expecting that she will be joining
me again in the upcoming weeks.
Today I was joined in the WVKR Lunch Room by musical guests Kelly McNally
(vocals, guitar, tambourine) and Adele Schulz (vocal harmonies,
french horn, trumpet, tambourine), two members of the Organic Indie Rock band
The Virginia
Wolves. Kelly's songwriting is highly spiritual and delves into
the realms of war and peace and matters of heart; her rhythm guitar work has
a notable tribal beat. Adele's vocal and horn accompaniments add a rich and
sometimes sweet, sometimes somber, texture. It is obvious to anyone who listens
to the Virginia Wolves that these two people sing as one voice. Guaranteed to
move and shake you and bring a tear to your eye. The Virginia Wolves are currently
mastering their first CD "Curse of the Kill" which
should be out anytime soon so be sure to pick up a copy and check out theirspace
for upcoming gigs.
dedicated to the practice of emancipatory journalism. Dr. Ball is navy veteran
who served during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, a graduate of Frostburg State University
with a degree in history, a graduate of the Africana Studies and Research Center
at Cornell University with a masters degree in Africana Studies and a graduate
of the University of Maryland at College Park where he earned a doctorate in journalism
and media studies. Dr. Ball is also involved with the Malcolm
X Grassroots Movement and is a founder of the Congressional
Black Caucus.
Dr. Ball and I discussed some aspects of the history of, and the future of,
this democracy built on the blood sweat and tears of genocide and slavery and
presently controlled by a corporate media and a small minority who continue
to reap the benefits from the labor of the middle and lower class - which is
intimately tied to race and gender. We discussed some means toward the end of
elevating the peoples of this nation and this planet to a world based on human
rights, equality, equity, and recognition of our state as a Global Village.
I
spoke again with Ellen
Hodgson Brown, J.D. about her latest publication "THE
NOT-SO-INVISIBLE HAND: HOW THE PLUNGE PROTECTION TEAM KILLED THE FREE MARKET"
and the blatant manipulation of the stock market during October, as noted specifically
in the middle of OCtober when the price of gold took a nose dive when it should
have, according to market wisdom, continued to climb against the value of the
falling dollar.
Jared Ball and Head-Roc at Juke Joint UMD 09-21-07
I
began the program with Head-Roc's
CIA - Change in America and a few live tunes from my musical guests Les
Bicyclettes Blanches. Magnolia and Max - the two founding members
of Les Bicylclettes Blanches joined me in the studio for some live tunes (voice
and Ukulele) and some tracks off previous works. Their sound has been described
as Velvet Underground meets Jefferson Airplane. I would add to that some Eric
Satie and the Clash, making for a very accessible borderlining sweet and morose.
I spoke with Rosa
Clemente, Vice Presidential Candidate for the Green
Party about Green Party values and the Green Party as the imperative
not the alternative, Rosa's experiences as a community organizer and her work
with the Hip-Hop culture/movement, some key issues including Palestine and human
rights, international affairs, and the necessity for one to vote their conscience
instead of voting out of fear for the evil of two lessers.
I spoke with DC Hip Hop artist Head
Roc about some of the elements that need change in America from a
progressive, radical, and revolutionary perspective.
My musical guest today was Pete Crotty - founder of NCM - New Paltz based Punk/garage/alternative band. Pete played a couple of live tunes, spun some tracks from unreleased material with his new ensemble, and spun some tracks off of his latest release "Escape from Myopia".
I closed the program with a brief clip of an interview with Max Wolff (see below) and a tune composed by Mark Takacs. Here is what Mark says: "This song is inspired by Radio active lunch and the current political and corporate takeover of America and its culture. This song is how I feel about where our country has gone, stressing gone. It is embodied in the sounds of the bass, Drums and guitars, which I play, and I am currently writing more material in this vain. I feel we are in a time of great unrest and I am lashing out musically for the culture of my youth, your youth, and for others,the American youth, who seem to have become very soft. Are they simply too soft for revolution? Where has the embodyment of our culture gone? It has gone up in bits and pieces when the giant meteor blasted our country and planet. This song symbolizes what is happening to our country right now in indirect and direct ways. Stay tuned for an album which will include "Meteor" and also "Money Burns Slow" which is now on my myspace music page.
I spoke with Max Wolff about the disconnect between the economic crisis and the lack of meaningful discussion in the presidential race, the passing of The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the causes for the crash of the market, as well as what we should be expecting in the near and distant future. Max is an economist and free lance researcher/writer. His work regularly appears in the Huffington Post, Asia Times, The Prudent Bear and many other international outlets. His work can also been seen regularly on his site GlobalMacroScope. Based in NYC, Max does contract research on international financial risks and opportunities while teaching in the New School University's Graduate Program in International Affairs.
I started off the program today with a tune by my favorite Hip-Hop artistHead-Roc entitled Chris Columbus to celebrate 600+ years of white-washed racist imperialism in Amerika. This is to say, people, it is time that we overcome our fear and ignorance and begin to unravel the past an embrace the truth so that we might take one giant step for humankind in establishing peace, justice, and equity. You're gonna have to work on this one a bit yerself since all of the information is out there; now you just have to bring it 'in here' and take the steps towards seeing all people, and all life, as equal. In order to do this we have to do the hard work to overcome the paradigm imposed on us, passively and maliciously, and see things in the light of a philosophy based on nature. I know you are all capable of it, as am I, so let's do it together and put our hands and hearts together for my brother Heady.
My musical guests today were Liz Welter and the Miles Brothers Band - who back Liz on her new album Grace In Chaos - a beautiful collection of rock/blues/folk and soul with lyrics that drive on love, revolution, and the potential for humankind to get it together and make this beautiful thing happen. Liz and the Miles Bros played a number of selections from Grace in Chaos and Liz topped us of with a solo performance of her "Telling Time" before the Miles Brothers Band hit us with some seriously dynamic playing on originals and covers in the realms of blues/reggae and rock with rock solid bass playing and vocals of brother Jay Miles, choice guitar work and vocals from brother Weezer Miles, and the remarkable percussion of one of the, if not the, best drummer in these here parts, Hector Beccera.
"My guest today would have been Cuttz with 
I
began the program with 
