Perspectives on China

During my time in Portugal I was of course constantly accompanied by my podcasts. Among the programs that I found fairly interesting, On Point Radio was doing their program from Shanghai for a week. At a time where I’m fairly disgusted and often confused about what China is doing to its people and the world, it was of particular interest to hear Tom Ashbrook interviewing various Chinese guests on the topic of the Environment in Crisis and China, Dissent in China, and even China at the Movies.

I imagine many of you also have questions and a desire to better understand what is happening. Questions like, is a boycott the right move or not, and is the situation in China as terrible as it often seems.. etc etc. After listening to these shows I can say, though I may not have the answers, I definitely have a better idea.

With any luck, one day I too can be like Tom and go on my own to someplace in China (Macau for me, in honor of my Portugueseness) and to my own series of podcasts about life and society in China.

Mid August Listening

Busy work and social life welcomes me back to Amsterdam. Plus frisbee all weekend. Therefore, two recommendations is what I leave you with.

1 – Naomi Klein, one of my journalistic idols and someone I learn alot from.. speaking at some conference recently, aired on democracynow. She gets into globalization, the business of war, and looking back to how we got here.

2 – On Point episode focusing on the American Prison population. Ever growing and out of control, they get into not only who is in prison but why and what is happening to cities like Newark. An issue that deserves much more media attention then it gets.