KPFA - Making Contact

This year it made major news, but every summer wildfires torch thousands of acres of land. The National Forest Service rushes to the rescue; to save lives, homes, and communities. But is the agency’s approach to fire doing more harm than good?  On this edition, producer George Lavender takes a closer look at the “War on Fire”, from the forests of California to the halls of Congress.

Featuring: 

*Lorena Gorbett*, Mountain Maidu tribal member; *Debbie Miley*, National Wildfire Suppression Association Executive Director; *Chuck Striplen*, environmental scientist; *Tom Tidwell*, National Forest Service Chief; *Carmen Moon*, The Natives crew boss, *Darryl Stockdale*, aviation contractor; *Timothy Ingalsbee*, Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology (FUSEE) co-founder; *Brent Johnson*, National Parks botanist; *Valentine Lopez*, *Amah* Mutsun *Tribal* Band Chair, *Howard Hunter*, Chips fire information officer; *Scott Stephens*, UC Berkeley associate professor of fire science.

For More Information:
   
Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology

http://www.fusee.org

National Wildfire Suppression Association

http://www.nwsa.us
 

US Forest Service

http://www.fs.fed.us

Stephen’s Lab: Research and Education in Wildland Fire Science

http://cnr.berkeley.edu/stephens-lab/index.htm
 

Konkow Valley Band of Maidu

http://www.maidu.com/

The Ohlone Nation

http://amahmutsun.org/

KQNY radio

http://www.kqny919.org/

Articles:
 
One Earth: A Survival Guide for the Planet by Richard Manning
http://www.onearth.org/author/richard-manning Forest Service Orders

“Aggressive Initial Attack” on Wildfires—Despite Consequences
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/08/major-policy-reversal-us-forest-service-fighting-every-fire-year

Grass is burned to study Indian culture
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Grass-is-burned-to-study-Indian-culture-2396204.php

Getting Burned: A Taxpayer’s Guide to Wildfire Suppression Costs
http://www.idahoforests.org/img/pdf/FUSEE.pdf*

The post Making Contact – The Burning Issue: America’s War on Fire appeared first on KPFA.

Republic Windows and Doors Company workers; *Ricky Maclin*, United Electrical Workers Local 10 Vice President; *Armando Robles*, United Electrical Workers Local 10 union President; *Denis Kelleher*, Center for Workplace Democracy Executive Director; *Franz** **Vandergroen, Sampat Weerasinghe, *Sarah Wells, Arizmendi Fourth Street members; *Paula*,  Arizmendi 4th Street candidate; *John Kusakabe*, Arizmendi Lakeshore member, *Tim Huet*, Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives co-founder; *Mikel Lezamiz*, Mondragon Director of Cooperative Dissemination; *Maria Jesus, *Mondragon worker/member;* Professor Fred Freundlich*, University of Mondragon researcher; *Ainara Uduando*, Lanki Institute Director

For More Information:

United Nations International Year of Co-operatives

http://2012.coop/

Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives

http://arizmendi.coop/

Mondragon Corporation

http://www.mondragon-corporation.com/ENG.aspx

Lanki Institute of Cooperative Research

http://www.lanki.coop/home

Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives (NoBAWC)

http://nobawc.org/

US Federation of Worker Cooperatives

http://usworker.coop/education

Fairness at Republic

http://www.ueunion.org/ue_republic.html

National Cooperative Business Association

http://www.ncba.coop/

United Electrical Workers

http://www.ueunion.org/

Rainbow Grocery Cooperative

http://www.rainbow.coop/

California Center for Cooperative Development

http://www.cccd.coop/

Articles: 

A Cooperative Manifesto by Tim Huet

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?shva=1#inbox

Chicago Factory Occupiers Form Worker Cooperative

http://truth-out.org/news/item/9500-republic-windows-and-doors-serious-materials-workers-form-cooperative

Basque country’s thriving big society

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/30/basque-country-big-society-spain

Richard D. Wolff: Can We Remake Our Workplaces To Be More Democratic?

http://www.alternet.org/richard-d-wolff-can-we-remake-our-workplaces-be-more-democratic

Steelworkers Seek Job Creation via Worker-Owned Factories

http://beavercountyblue.org/2009/11/04/steelworkers-seek-job-creation-via-worker-owned-factories/

The post Making Contact – Making it Our Business: Co-ops on the Rise appeared first on KPFA.

It began with an on-air rant by CNBC commentator Rick Santelli. It became a major  political movement, with elected representatives on Capitol Hill. The Tea Party has come a long way, but who’s really behind it?  On this edition: how some of America’s largest corporations are using grassroots movements to influence law makers. We hear excerpts from the documentary “The Billionaires’ Tea Party” and learn more about the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Featuring: 

*Mark Crispin Miller*; New York University Professor of Media Studies, *Lisa
Graves*; Executive Director of the Center for Media and Democracy, *David Koch*; Americans for Prosperity Chairman, *Tea Party supporters*

For More Information:

The Billionaires’ Tea Party

http://www.billionairesteaparty.com/

ALEC Exposed
http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Articles
Inside the ALEC Dating Service* http://progressive.org/inside_alec.html*

Did David Koch Buy Ryan the VP Slot?
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/25/uygur-did-david-koch-buy-paul-ryan-the-vp-slot/#.UDlmKu0pAWk.facebook

ALEC Exposed: The Koch Connection
http://www.thenation.com/article/161973/koch-connection

Ryan Has Kept Close Ties to Wealthy Donors on the Right
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/us/politics/paul-ryan-has-kept-close-ties-to-conservative-and-libertarian-donors.html?pagewanted=all

Tea Party Poses Threat to Democracy

http://www.zcommunications.org/tea-party-poses-threat-to-democracy-by-roger-bybee

The post Making Contact – Buying Power: Corporate Money in Politics appeared first on KPFA.

It’s being sold as a cleaner way to wage war. But unmanned military drones are wreaking havoc in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere.  On this edition, we bring you voices from Pakistan of families destroyed by drone strikes.  And we hear from Medea Benjamin and other activists who are working to build a global movement against this controversial military technology.

Featuring: 
Medea Benjamin, Code Pink founder; Sister Megan Rice, anti-nuclear activist; Pakistani drone attack survivors and their family members

For More Information:

Code Pink

http://www.codepink4peace.org/

New America Foundation: The Year of the Drone

http://counterterrorism.newamerica.net/drones

Nevada Desert Experience

http://www.nevadadesertexperience.org/

Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control by Medea Benjamin

http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/drone-warfare/

Peace of the Action

www.peaceoftheaction.org

Knowdrones

http://www.knowdrones.com/

Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems Internationa http://www.auvsi.org

Syracuse Peace Council

http://www.peacecouncil.net/

The Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones & End the Wars

http://upstatedroneaction.org/

Renard Surle

http://soundcloud.com/renardsurleweb
 

The post Making Contact – Drones: A New Death From Above appeared first on KPFA.

Communities across the country have embraced locally-grown food, fuel-efficient cars and other forms of environmentalism. While African-Americans haven’t been on widely credited, they are amongst the vanguard creating positive change. On this edition, we take you to a resettlement community in North Carolina, sustainable farms in Wisconsin and on a bike ride in California, where local black communities are making long-term impact on the environment.

Featuring: 

*Robert Pierce*, South Madison Farmer’s Market marketing manager, Growing Power Madison coordinator; *Shelley Pierce*, Growing Power staff member; *Javier Vasquez*, Growing Power-Madison intern; *Paris Mogo*, Nairobi, Kenya agriculture extension officer; *Gary R. Grant*, Concerned Citizens of Tillery executive director; *Jenna Burton* and *Nick James*, founders of Red, Bike and Green.

For More Information:

South Madison Farmer’s Market

Madison, WI

http://www.southmadisonfarmersmarket.com/

Growing Power

http://www.growingpower.org/index.htm

The Afri-Can FoodBasket

North York, On Canada

http://www.africanfoodbasket.com/home.html

Rooted in Community

http://www.rootedincommunity.org/index.php

Concerned Citizens of Tillery

Tillery, NC

http://www.cct78.org/

The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association

http://www.bfaa-us.org/index.html

Red, Bike and Green

Oakland, CA

http://www.redbikeandgreen.org/

People of Kolor Everyday Ridin’

http://checktheweather.tv/about-us/

Critical Mass

http://critical-mass.info/

Articles/Videos, etc.:

Pigford v. Glickman

http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RS20430.pdf

Center for Documentary Studies, Duke University’s exhibit: “Remembering
Tillery: Our Community, Our Own Land”

http://cds.aas.duke.edu/exhibits/offsite_tillery.html

The post Making Contact – Being Black and Green: African-Americans & the Environment (encore) appeared first on KPFA.

At the mall, online, and even within the US military. Interactive, realistic, pro-war video games have become part of American culture.  But anti-war protestors have found a way inside those games too.  And artists are finding ways to turn the virtual world, into a place where the military hero narrative can be questioned.  On this edition, we hear excerpts from the movie “Returning Fire: Interventions in Video Game Culture,” written and directed by Roger Stahl.
 

Featuring:
 
Joseph Delappe, University of Nevada Art Professor; Lee Hutchinson, brother of soldier killed in Iraq; Wafaa Bilal, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Assistant Arts Professor; “Mancow” Mulle, radio host.

For More Information:

Joseph Delappe

http://www.delappe.net/

Wafaa Bilal

http://wafaabilal.com/

Media Education Foundation

http://www.mediaed.org/

Returning Fire

http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=152

Roger Stahl

http://rogerstahl.info/

The Mancow experience

https://www.mancow.com/

Anne Marie Schleiner <http://www.vdb.org/artists/anne-marie-schleiner>

http://www.vdb.org/node/1052

Zak Eforia

http://www.facebook.com/zakeforia

Articles & Videos:

U.S. Army Turns to Videogames for Training

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/10/jtcoic/

The post Making Contact – Returning Fire: Interventions in Video Game Culture appeared first on KPFA.

Police officers and prison guards hold tremendous political sway.  Their unions support or opposition can make or break a campaign for office.  And their advocacy for better pay, more power, and more jobs has been a major factor in the expansion of the prison industrial complex.  For decades, they’ve helped build America’s build America’s criminal justice system. Now that system is changing.  Can law enforcement unions change as well?

The program was produced with support from The Puffin Foundation.

Featuring:

Patrick Lynch, NYC Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President; Chuck Alexander, California Correctional Peace Officers Association Vice president; Pat Quinn, Governor of Illinois; Jerry Brown, Governor of California; Dan Macallair, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice executive director; Darius Charney, Center for Constitutional Rights staff attorney; Rick Hilliard, Southern Illinois Central Labor Council business manager; Alex Friedmann, Prison Legal News Associate Editor; Leroy Gadsen, New York NAACP Legal Redress Committee Esq. Chair; Eric Adams, New York State Senator; Elizabeth Crowley, NYC City Council member and former Congressional candidate; Howard Wooldridge, Citizens Opposing Prohibition lobbyist; Carlton Berkeley, Retired NYPD Detective; Jonathan Simon, University of California at Berkeley Law Professor; Harriet Salarno, Crime Victims United president and founder; Kirk Dutton, AFSCME Local 31 Vice President.

For More Information:

Prison Legal News

Private Corrections Working Group

100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care

Ramarley’s Call: The official Website to remember Ramarley Graham

Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice

CCPOA California Correctional Peace Officers Association

CCA- Corrections Corporation of America

The GEO Group

NYC Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association

Crime Victims United

Center for Constitutional Rights

Citizens Opposing Prohibition

Jonathan Simon

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Southern Illinois Central Labor Council

NAACP New York State Conference

Ney York Police Department

Jerry Brown

Human Rights Defense Center

Articles, Reports, Photos, Videos:

Gaming the System: How the Political Strategies of Private Prison Companies

Banking on Bondage: Private Prisons and Mass Incarceration

Unholy Alliance-How the private prison industry is corrupting our democracy

Unionizing Prison Guards in an Age of Mass Incarceration by Brian Tierney

Correcting the Guards-Why the shaky relationship between organized labor

Ex-Con Shareholder Goes After World’s Biggest Prison Corporation

Officials rally to fight prison closures in Illinois

Marchers Demand Justice for Ramarley Graham

Armed Security Guard

The post Making Contact – Undue Influence: the Power of Police and Prison Guards’ Unions appeared first on KPFA.

The US dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August
6, 1945. Three days later, the small fishing village of Nagasaki also fell
victim. On this edition, we hear the voices and lessons of the most deadly
attacks the world had ever seen.  We commemorate the anniversary of the
bombings with excerpts from two documentaries, “Hiroshima Countdown” and
“Nagasaki Journey.”

Featuring:

*Paul Tibbets, Jr.*, Brigadier General of the US Air Force; *Henry Stimson*,
former Secretary of War; *Charles Sweeney*, Major General of the US Air
Force; *Sumiteru Taniguchi*, Nagasaki bomb survivor; *Victor Tolley*, US
Marine Corp. vet; *Itsuko Okubo*, Nagasaki bomb survivor.

For More Information:

Nagasaki Journey photo exhibit

http://www.exploratorium.edu/nagasaki/mainn.html

Nagasaki Journey

http://cbfilms.net/nagasaki.html

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered

http://www.hiroshima-remembered.com/

Atomic Archive’s Facts on the Bombings

http://www.atomicarchive.com/Docs/MED/index.shtml

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum

http://www1.city.nagasaki.nagasaki.jp/peace/english/abm/

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/index_e2.html

Nevada Desert Experience Catholic Worker  Nuclear protests

http://www.nevadadesertexperience.org/issues/2011/creech.htm

Nuclear Timeline

http://www.nevadadesertexperience.org/history/timeline.htm

Articles, Reports, Photos:

Time Life’s Unpublished Photos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
http://life.time.com/history/hiroshima-and-nagasaki-unpublished-photos/#1

New York Times’ Hiroshima: A Controversy That Refuses to Die

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/31/us/hiroshima-a-controversy-that-refuses-to-die.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

The post Making Contact – Lessons of Nagasaki appeared first on KPFA.

Libyans overthrew hated dictator Muammar Gaddafi last October, but the country remains chaotic. Armed militias once allied with the US and NATO now attack government offices and engage in extortion rackets. While the west proclaimed a great victory for so-called “humanitarian military intervention,” the Libyan aftermath is far more sobering. On this edition, independent producer Reese Erlich brings us a special report from Libya.

Featuring: Ibrahim el Mayet*, Libya Progress Association leader; *Master Sergeant Hamid Hijazzi,* Benghazi Air Force officers spokesperson; *Elhabib Alamin*, poet & Ministry of Culture official*; Abdul Azzuz*, translator; *Ahmed Alkoshli,* Minister of Economy; *Khalifa Sahli*, Zawiya Oil refinery operations manager; *Ibrahim Ali*, Libyan Transparency Association chair; *Ibrahim Layas*, MedcoEnergi Oil and Gas official; *Ahmed Ali*, grocery store owner; *Guma Assaiti*, pro-Federalist political group leader; *Fathiya Steita*, retired English professor; *Nadia Nour Mohammad, Abdul Wahab, Mohammad Riad*, protestors.

For More Information:

Feb 17th

http://feb17.info/

Libyan Herald

http://www.libyaherald.com/

Al Jazeera Libyan Live Blog

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/topic/libya-135

Libyan S.O.S.

http://libyasos.blogspot.com/

Voices 4 Libya

http://voices4libya.com/

Libyan High National Election Commission

http://www.hnec.ly/en/

The Libyan Interim National Council

http://www.ntclibya.org/english/

Elhabib Alamin

http://emnetpalm.blogspot.com/

Reese Erlich

www.reeseerlich.com

Articles, Reports:

In Libya, Western-backed militias fuel poetics, politics

http://www.latitudenews.com/story/libyan-poet-fights-western-militias/

Review of Vijay Prashad’s book “Arab Spring, Libyan Winter”

http://peoplesworld.org/arab-spring-libyan-winter-has-timely-lessons-for-nato-summit

The post Making Contact – The Struggle for Libya’s Future appeared first on KPFA.

The Olympic Games have grown into a multibillion dollar industry.  But with that growth comes concerns about the negative affects of the event on the people and places where the Games take place. On this edition, we ask who wins, and who loses, when the Olympics come to town? Vancouver 2010.  London 2012.  And Denver, the only city to ever turn down the Olympics.

Featuring:

*Tom Wingate,  *London Metropolitan Police Olympic Community Relations Team*, Estelle du Boulay, *director of Newham Monitoring Project,*  Dominic Taylor, *author of ‘Stop Search’,* Rebekah Delsol*,* *Open Society Justice Initiative,* Helen Jefferson Lenskyj*, former Professor of Sociology at Toronto University and author, *Dick Lamm*, activist in the campaign against the Denver Olympics and former Governor, *Ellen Woodsworth*, former Vancouver city councilor, *Jean Swanson*, founder of End Legislated Poverty

For More Information:

Newham Monitoring Project

http://www.nmp.org.uk/

Open Society Justice Initiative

http://www.soros.org/about/programs/open-society-justice-initiative

‘Stop Search’ by Dominic Taylor

http://www.stopsearch.co.uk/

Poverty Olympics

http://povertyolympics.ca/

Games Monitor

http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/

Counter Olympics Network

http://counterolympicsnetwork.wordpress.com/

Articles
 

Anti-Olympic Archive (Vancouver Media Co Op)
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/olympics/

The London Olympics is a corporate lockdown – why not a Games for all?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/10/london-olympics-lockdown-2012-games

London 2012: army reinforcements called in for the Olympics
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/11/army-reinforcements-olympics

The post Making Contact – The Olympic Games: Who Wins? appeared first on KPFA.