Back in Time: Venezuela and Steve Shalom

In the spirit of remembering the past and my hard work from the last 7 years on the blog, every weekend I will be going back in time to re-blog past material.

It was March 2006, back when my program was still called the AudioCommunique and my style was a little different, that the topic of my program was Venezuela. At that time, Author and my former Professor at William Paterson University, Steve Shalom, had just returned from a visit to the country. He came on the podcast to explain what he saw and how he interprets what was going on there. 2 years later, we of course know much more about what would happen with both the president and the nation of Venezuela.

I recommend you follow the link and re-listen to the program; Steve does a great job of explaining the journey and the different sides in what was then, just as it is today, the great debate about what is happening in Venezuela and who it is good for.

bm253 The Threat of Hospital Closings in Newark

Why are two very needed hospitals in the city of Newark, NJ under threat of closing down? Money, politics, business.. what are the reasons being given and how do they hold up under some real scrutiny? My guests: Ken Walker of the Daily Newarker and Christina Hilo of the NUSSJ and SaveStJames.com help dissect the situation.

We Discuss:

  • St. James and Columbus hospitals
  • The hospital debt and funding
  • Cathedral Health, who they are
  • Possible Scenarios
  • Uninsured Patients
  • The difficulty of organizing in an immigrant community
  • Latest Meetings

 

Latin American Soldiers, Unite

Most of you know that I’m a big fan of the Euronews Nocomment video podcast. The combination of pure video with the original sounds without commentary changes the experience of watching things happen in the world.

This morning I watched and rewatched as Ecuadorian soldiers walked through the tropical forrest in formation. Heavily armed and pointing guns everywhere, in preparation for whatever enemy they are told they may have to face some day soon. Obviously the present enemy they perceive is Colombia, just across the border.

As I watch these soldiers do this, and cut to some other video of both presidents of Ecuador and Venezuela exchanging hostile words with the president of Colombia, I have a vision. That these soldiers in Ecuador would suddenly stop marching, put down their machine guns, turn to the camera and say.. “You know, Colombians are our family, our friends, and our neighbors… we’re not going to shoot at them just because the president says we should.”

It will likely be written off as a naive vision by all those who believe whole heartedly in obeying orders and never asking questions. By now more then ever, why not ask just what the hell these governments are trying to do? Why is one army invading parts of one country and then the other countries threatening to bomb in retaliation? Why do people who know each other, who share so much of the past and present in common, choose to support this kind of logic?

One thing that we’re missing in the world today, from Afghanistan to the Congo to Colombia and on and on… is for people to stop following without questioning. To stop obeying when the orders are to destroy fellow humans, to commit mass murder in response to mass murder.

bmtv78 Christiania, you Have My Heart PArt 1

With Denmark, Copenhagen, and more specifically Christiania still fresh on my mind, here is a film I wanted to share. I liked this film so much, I’m posting it here on my vlog in 3 parts. It is about Christiania, filmed in 1990 by Nils Vest.

In this part the film gets into the questions about drugs and also the misconceptions and poor media coverage that the place would get. Note the great house that the mother and her child are in. If you want to watch the whole thing instead of waiting for my vlog entries, go to google video.

Archeology and Iraq

Esteemed podcasting colleague who’s radio program was greatly scaled down last year, to a simple interview-based podcast, Christopher Lydon, recorded another brilliant conversation last week.

His guest was born in Mosul, Iraq, a former bodybuilder and respected archeologist, Behnam Abu Al-Souf is a an amazing source of wisdom and truth.  He speaks about Iraq over the past decades, especially when he was a young man growing up in Iraq. There is also plenty of dialogue about the archeological treasures and incomperable history of the region.

My words could not possibly do this man, or Chris’s interview, justice.  Therefore I recommend you give it a listen, it is like taking an insightful journey through time, space, and something more.

bm252 Christiania, The Story of a Free Community

During my visit to Copenhagen, I went over to Christiania in hopes of speaking with people who could share their experience, living there and observing or taking part in events as they’ve unfolded over the past 3+ decades.  I found myself at an art exhibit opening where kind Christianians pointed me to Mr. Morten Nielsen.  We sat and talked for about thirty minutes. I was, admittedly, surprised and pleased that he was willing to tell his story and his experiences living in the community since 1974. (3 years after it was established).

SidestreetThroughout the interview I tried to ask questions related to all the rumors and stories that I’ve come to know through either word of mouth here in Central Europe or through the media where occasional stories appear about how Christiania is changing or will end or.. name your rumor. The following is a podcast of that interview, complete with loud gentleman arguing some point in the background. A fitting backdrop (or otherwise forgive the background yelling, he quiets down eventually) for a conversation about a place where people are free to think and live in a very different way.

Our Topics Include:

  • The Founding of Christiania
  • Schools and Children
  • The materials and structure of houses
  • Work, What do people do?
  • Drugs, Drug addiction, and Drug rehabilitation in Christiania
  • Infrstructure; water, electricity, communal money
  • Community rule enforcement and activists
  • Relations with the city of Copenhagen
  • The various plans and agreements between the city and Christiania
  • The disagreements among residents about change and the plans
  • Sustainability, now and with the future changes.