Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Bonnie Faulkner, Mae Brussell

I checked with Ruth to make sure she wasn't planning on covering this in her report this Saturday at The Common Ills. I listen to KPFA over the airwaves. It's always on. I may play music, especially when the news gets me down, but I've got it going in the studio, in the kitchen, you name it.

I enjoy pretty much everything they air. And one of my favorite programs is Guns and Butter. Ruth said she really enjoys Bonnie Faulkner and the show but most of the time feels like it's way over her head. I mentioned last Wednesday's show because I was surprised she hadn't commented on it. Last Wednesday was a peditrician appointment for her grandson so she missed it. She said I could always grab anything from KPFA because there was always so much to cover each week but that if I'd grab this one, she'd go back and listen to last Wednesday's broadcast.

If you've never listened to the program, Bonnie Faulkner is the host. She has one of those great FM radio voices. She's just a natural for the microphone. As a journalist, she's worked with Project Censored and I'm sure others but that's what comes to mind. The show takes a look at issues, such as 9-11, that may make some uncomfortable. I'm glad Faulkner's there to question the official narrative.

I really enjoyed Guns and Butter today. I had to call my mother and remind her of Mae Brussell. That was one of my mother's favorite radio broadcasters. She aired on another radio station (I can't remember it and neither can my mother). But besides being a strong broadcaster and researcher, she also did work that I'd argue Bonnie Faulkner carries on.

Mae Brussell did sometime ago (1988?) and this was a broadcast of an October 13, 1971 program called Dialogue Assassination. The topic was the Tate- La Bianca and the way in which the media portrayed them and whether this was an orchestrated move by the government to stop the youth movement that was going on in the late sixties.

Brussell made some very strong points and, though I don't remember this particular program, I do remember my mother at the kitchen table, with her cup of coffee (usually several) listening to Brussell's radio program.

If you haven't checked out the program, it airs on KPFA at one p.m. on the west coast.






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Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Bully Boy lies so put on Ben Haper and James Blunt to cleanse yourself

Year four of the illegal war in begins with Bully Boy claiming signs of progress and the media losing interest in reality on the ground. At this rate, we'll never leave. Get ready for more war pornography passing itself off as reporting anyone can use.

And get ready for continued war cheerleading from Hillary Clinton and "Miss Diane" (Dianne Feinstein). As well as for cowards to suffer from "War Got Your Tongue?" while the casualities and fatalities continue to mount.

"It's just tears and rain" like James Blunt sings on "Tears and Rain" (Blunt & Chambers) off Back to Bedlam. But if you like that album, you really need to get the import Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions. One disc is a DVD concert and, honestly, I haven't watched it after having it all these weeks. I just listen to disc two over and over -- live concert.

The other thing I'm listening to right now is Ben Harper's Both Sides Of The Gun which I got today. It's a double disc album but I ended up getting the three disc package. I'm not much on the "deluxe" editions because I really have no use for DVDs. (If I'm in the mood to see music performed, I go to a club, not pop in a DVD.) But the third disc on this "deluxe" set (it's called "special package") boasts "6 never-before-heard tracks." Also "an exclusive collectible!" which I think is just a sticker of a bull's eye. Maybe it's the sheet music to two songs, but I'm betting it's the sticker. Both versions are on sale at Tower.

If it had been a DVD, I would've resisted but the promise of six more songs lured me in. And yet? I haven't even put that disc in. I've got Stevie Wonder (Talking Book, as almost always), James Blunt's music disc from Chasing Time, the two Ben Harper discs and Ani DiFranco's Little Plastic Castles in the stereo.

I heard about Bully Boy being hopeful about Iraq (while the American troop fatality stands at
2321) and just thought, "Put on some music, Kat."

And I read Seth's post. He's writing about soaps and he was talking about how invented some lame, non-realistic war plot. That reminded me that once upon a time, could tackle war. They did it with Vietnam. I believe Amy was the first character to speak out (and Phoebe Tyler -- then Phoebe Tyler -- was for the war in Vietnam) but when she left, Ruth spoke out against the war. Where are those voices today?

The fourth year of the war and very few are noting it and even fewer speaking out. (ER did, if you missed that.) Bully Boy can keep spinning and lying only as long as we let him.

Here's a section of the lyrics to Ben Harper's "Gather Round The Stone:"

Old men who send children
Off to die in vain
They will hear death's constant whisper
Call remember my name


















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