8 O'Clock Buzz

In June of this year, the whereabouts of Gabby Petito obsessed the nation, exploding over social media platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, and fostering a broadcast media frenzy to find one missing woman.  Meanwhile, in 2019 alone, the National Crime Information Center reported over 10,000 indigenous people missing — and that’s surely a vast underestimate.  Wendelin Hume is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of North Dakota.

Photo of vigil for missing and murdered indigenous women by Howl Arts Collective, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · Jonathan Zarov Says His Farewell

In his last interview as host of the Friday Buzz, Jonathan Zarov interviews himself to reminisce over the 28 years of hosting The Buzz

 

 

(Image courtesy of Jonathan Zarov and WORT)

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · Friday Buzz Engineer Jim Wilson Reaches The Pacific Ocean On Cross-Country Bike Trip

Friday Buzz’s very own engineer, Jim Wilson, is currently bicycling across the country on what is now a months-long expedition. He joins Friday Buzz host, Jonathan Zarov, to talk about his journey.

 

 

(Image courtesy of Jim Wilson)

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · Mike Wassenaar On The Creation Of The 8 O’Clock Buzz

For his last show Friday Buzz host, Jonathan Zarov, is travelling back to the first shows. Mike Wassenaar is currently the president and CEO of the Alliance for Community Media — a national non-profit that supports community television and other community based media organizations in Washington DC. From 1991 to early 94 he served as WORT’s news and public affairs director. The 8 O’Clock Buzz started in 1993, and Mike was there at the beginning and helped create the Buzz–in a format that’s remained more or less the same for nearly 3 decades. Mike joins Jonathan to talk about the formation of the 8 O’Clock Buzz.

 

 

(Image courtesy of Mike Wassenaar)

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After years of ignoring the health hazards to military personnel, the Federal Government is finally helping veterans impacted by Burn Pits; a military “solution” to getting rid of anything by open-air burning, including ordinance, plastics, and chemical waste, with no pollution control, creating health hazards to soldiers on the over 230 military bases with these pits, according to Pat Hynes, recipient of the U.S. EPA Lifetime Achievement Award. Now reduced to nine sites with open air-pits, several bills have been written to include burn pit training, funding for incinerators with proper pollution control, and expand the registry of soldiers with health effects.

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With a license already extended ten years beyond its original design specs, the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant near Manitowoc is applying to extend the use for another 20 years. Ann Berman, MD, from the Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Kevin Kamps, Radioactive Waste Specialist at Beyond Nuclear, talk about their concerns to public safety of the “worst embrittled reactor” in the U.S.  A public comment period on a draft environmental impact statement ends on January 3, 2022, and two public education sessions and Q&A will be held on December 8th from 1-3 and 5-7 pm. For more information visit www.closepointbeachnuclear.org

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Melanie Joy, social psychologist and author of bestselling and award-winning “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows” talks about the 10th anniversary edition of her book, just released last year. Joy says that “carnism” (that is, eating meet) is a belief system woven into the fabric of our society that is based on three myths: that eating meat is “normal”, “natural”, and “necessary”, and runs contrary to human values of preservation of life and the desire to prevent animal cruelty.

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Over the last half-century, the National Rifle Association has become one of the most powerful and feared lobbying organizations in Congress.  Now, the 150-year old NRA faces possible extinction.  Allegations of misappropriation of funds and campaign finance violations have resulted in multiple lawsuits against the organization, and the New York State Attorney General has called for the NRA’s dissolution.  Meanwhile, several NRA board members have resigned, and membership dues are reportedly sinking.  Yet, for all its troubles, the NRA appears to be poised for major victories in its long-running war against gun control.  Bob Spitzer is a Professor Emeritus in Political Science at the State University of New York at Cortland, and the author of five books on the politics of gun control.

Photo of Wayne LaPierre, CEO of the National Rifle Association, by Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · A Very Swampy Reunion

Friday Buzz host, and member of Swamp Thing, Jonathan Zarov, catches up with the rest of the band, Bob Appel, Steven Bear, and Michael Kashou.

 

 

(Images courtesy of Swamp Thing)

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · The Zarov Family Takes on Retirement And Finding Bliss On This Year’s Post-Thanksgiving Family Chat

As is tradition on the Friday Buzz after Thanksgiving, host Jonathan Zarov sits down (virtually) one last time with his family for a candid discussion on The Post-Thanksgiving Family Chat.

On his second-to-last show Jonathan sits down with his siblings Herb, Ira, and Marsha to talk retirement, moving on from life projects, finding bliss, and any advice they may have for Jonathan as he steps away from the mic.

 

 

 

(Images courtesy of Jed Owen on Unsplash and Jonathan Zarov)

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