The European Union has a parliament which has two homes, Brussels and Strasbourg. When weighing all the resources required and practical costs for maintaining this tradition, many have called into question why there isn’t one European Parliament. My guest today is Anders Ekberg, a key player in the OneSeat.eu campaign and part of the Liberal Party of Sweden, he explains the history of the campaign and we discuss the details.
We Discuss:
– How the Parliament juggles the two places
– The history of the situation
– Luxembourg, the third seat.
– Who pays for what
– The process
– France
– What to do with Strasbourg
– The campaign and its future
When you hear the word Kibbutz, perhaps you’re like me and you invision a collective of people working on a farm. Perhaps somewhere someone told us a story or we saw a picture of what a kibbutz looked like, long ago. But what about today’s Kibbutz, as times change, and people start to use the term privatized? With the help of a few guests and different experiences, we explore this very complex topic.
Guests:
Jason Weill, in Seattle
Hanna Braun, via email from England
Hezi, at Kibbutz Givat Brenner
Topics:
– The inspiration and original purpose of the Kubbutz movement
– The way of life, past and present
– Money, housing, family, and work
– the politics of a kibbutz
– relations with the government and outsiders
– the privatization and sustainability
– factories and new businesses
– changes and the future
– arms caches and membership
– plenty more, dont just read notes, listen to the show
Some people might imagine that a year and a half after Katrina, life for many survivors might be improving as the rebuilding process progressed. But what if the rebuilding process was not progressing? More than that, imagine hundreds of thousands of people still living in FEMA trailers that are actually poisioning them? While the mainstream press turns its corporate back, an unbelievable crime is taking place along the gulf coast… again. In this program, with the help of people working for the recovery effort, we lay out the agonizing facts.
Guests:
Becky Gillette, Co-Executive Committee Chair – Mississippi Chapter Sierra Club
Ashley Tsongas, Oxfam America
We discuss:
– FEMA Trailers and the toxicity levels
– Health problems being reported and underreported
– FEMA’s response
– The Trailer Companies and the building of the trailers
– Options for trailer residents
– Next steps for Sierra Club and Katrina
– The delays of the rebuilding process
– Causes and those responsible
– The poor and housing in the NOLA area
– Lack of coverage of the issue
– plus much more, so please listen.
Nation Article on this topic
It was one year ago that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia, promising the enormous task of rebuilding and reuniting the country. One year on, some may wonder how the process is going, what signs of progress and hope can be found across Liberia? Elma Shaw of Liberia Stories joins me to point out the milestones.
We Discuss:
-The milestones of development for the last year
-Running Water, Communications, and other services
-The types of jobs Liberians are creating
-Popularity of the president
-Outside interests and investment
-Charles Taylor in the public discussion
listen to the program for further details
President Johnson-Sirleaf’s Speech last year at the US Institute for Peace
It was over a year ago that GI JAne first appeared on this program, discussing the problems and concerns of her upcoming delpoyment to Afghanistan. Today, thankfully, she has returned to the US and to this program, and with plenty to say about her experience and the state of the military.
We discuss:
-Her tasks in Afghanistan, daily life
-Other militaries, the differences from the US
-Getting into trouble for strange reasons
-Support for Afghanistan?
-Predictions for what will happen and what needs to happen
-Political awareness of soldiers
-What media do soldiers use?
-The national budget and a soldiers finances
-Contract Clauses
Listen to the show to hear the full list.
The few images you see in the international press paint a picture of protests in the streets and a goverment in crisis. Yet any real information about what is really happening in Bangladesh is rarely heard. In this program, with the help of my guest, documentary film maker and blogger Shafiur Rahman, we look at what is happening, why, and who is seriously effected. From the garment industry to government corruption.. there’s a lot to cover.
We Discuss:
— What life is like since the state of emergency
— What led to the current crisis
— Elections
— Economic factors
— The Garment industry, regulations and labor practices
— What should happen, who must act
— Shafiur’s documentary: Bostrobalikara – The Garment Girls of Bangladesh
His BLog, Imperfect World