Light On Light Through

The Chinese ban of time travel movies is an unwelcome but timely reminder of the enduring differences between closed and open societies ... this is the subject of Light On Light Through, Episode 83.

Helpful links -

1. my blog post: China Goes Totalitarian about Time Travel
2. The New Yorker and China Hush on the subject
3. list of my books translated into Chinese
4. my blog post: The Enoyable Trouble with Time Travel
5. 2002 movie (YouTube): The Chronology Protection Case
6. transcript and vid of my 2005 lecture: The Flouting of the First Amendment

my home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

my latest media book: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 82 - Kojo Nnamdi's complete National Public Radio (NPR) Septemeber 2009 interview with me about New New Media. This is one of best interviews I've ever been treated to on the subject. We cover all the usual bases, from Twitter to YouTube, but with historical context and live questions via email, Twitter, and phone.

Helpful links -

1. What's Newer than New New Media - everything that's happened since Sept 2009
2. Mark Molaro's video interview with me on The Alcove

my home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

published on 3 September 2009: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book

FREE audiobook of The Plot to Save Socrates from Audible special trial offer!

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 81 - 15 minutes of clear, cogent analysis from me about why MSNBC was dead wrong to suspend Keith Olbermann. Well, I'll leave it to you to judge whether my analysis is clear and cogent, but the long and the short of it is, although I've found fault with Olbermann's over-the-top denunciations of everyone from Hillary Clinton to Bill O'Reilly to Jack Bauer, his suspension from MSNBC is based on the dangerous and foolish myth that news commentators are supposed to be "objective," and not connected in any way to those they may interview.

Helpful links:

1. my short blog post on this matter: MSNBC Wrong and Self-Destructive to Suspend Keith Olbermann
2. strong comments and debate on this issue on my Facebook wall
3. Olbermann, Bauer, Coleridge - I critique Olbermann in this 2007 podcast

my home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

published on 3 September 2009: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book

FREE audiobook of The Plot to Save Socrates from Audible special trial offer!

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 80, in which you will hear the complete, uncut radio play of "The Chronology Protection Case," recorded before a live audience at the Mark Goodson Theater in the Museum of Television and Radio in New York City in September 2002. The radio play is based on my novelette, "The Chronology Protection Case," published in Analog Magazine 1995. The novelette was nominated for the Nebula Award by the Science Fiction Writers of America, was reprinted six times, and led to two other novelettes with the lead character - Dr. Phil D'Amato - and three novels, including The Silk Code, which won the Locus Award for Best First Novel of 1999. Jay Kensinger released a short film based on the novelette in 2002. Jay and I updated the movie with an extended ending in 2013; it is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Mark Shanahan wrote the radio play, with Paul Levinson (me) and Jay Kensinger. The script performed at the Museum of Television and Radio was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Radio Play by the Mystery Writers of America in 2002. Mark later recorded a studio production of the play, which was released by Audible.com.

Links:

1. Jay Kensinger's 2002 movie of The Chronology Protection Case, in its entirety, recut, with extended ending in 2013
2. Studio production of The Chronology Protection Case radio play, from Audible.com
3. "The Four Phils" - podcast about the creations of this character
4. Phil D'Amato's Wikipedia article
5. review on Martha's Bookshelf: "This is a great audio dramatization that reminded me of radio dramas from the years before television – although the quality is much better. If you enjoy listening to fun stories, this is a quick mystery with an ironically twisted plot."

~playbill~

The Chronology Protection Case

based on the story by Paul Levinson

radio adaption by Mark Shanahan, with Paul Levinson & Jay Kensinger

directed by Elysa Marden

music performed by Bob Feldman

host Joel Farrell

sound designer Chip Cristarella

Cast

Mark Shanahan as Dr. Phil D'Amato

Deborah Thomas as Lauren Goldring and Deborah

Ted Deasy as Jack Donovan and Richard Hays

Jeff Peters as Ed Monti, Sam Abrahmson, Nurse Johnson, and Officer

Gina Daniels as Maisie, Janny Murphy, and Julie Fenwich

A Stage Shadows Production

casting by Terry Ashe-Croft

performed at the Mark Goodson Theater at the Museum of Television and Radio, NYC

September 27, 2002

more by Paul Levinson

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 79, in which you will hear the complete 65-minute interview Patrick Rands did with me about my music, in June 2006. I drove up to WZBC Radio studios outside of Boston on a beautiful early summer afternoon for the interview by Partick Rands on his "Test Patterns" radio show on WZBC (Boston College) Radio. With my 1972 LP, Twice Upon a Rhyme, re-issued in mini-CD by Big Pink/Beatball Records in December 2008, and to be re-issued in a vinyl re-pressing by Whiplash/Sound of Salvation Records in November 2010, I thought this interview, in which Patrick played 14 of my songs (many rarely heard before) to be especially significant. A complete playlist and links to the music on the Web follow below ...

I had first come to know Patrick after his review of Rhino Handmade's Come to the Sunshine compilation CD in 2005 - the CD has my group The Other Voices (aka The New Outlook) singing "Hung Up On Love," a song I wrote with Mikie Harris, produced by Ellie Greenwich & Mike Rashkow, and released on Atlantic Records in 1968.

Patrick played "Hung Up On Love" and a dozen other recordings that I wrote, sang, produced (or all three) on our show in 2006. As a special coda, I performed my new song, "Lime Streets," for the very first time at the end of the show. I had written it just a month before the interview. Patrick was good enough to lend me his daughter's cool little keyboard for my rendition - it was my only instrumentation, so I was practically unplugged.

A complete list of the songs played on the show follows. Patrick has a nice 'n' easy interview style, and I really had a good time.

Among the secrets revealed for the first time on the show: how Ed Fox and I wrote "The Lama Will Be Late This Year" (and who, exactly, was 'Hawaiian Herb'?) . . . .the real reason that jazz-man Boris Midney left the Soviet Union . . . what song got in the way of The Vogues releasing their recording of my song, "Unbelieavable (Inconceivable You)", on Reprise Records? . . . . and how old was Linda Kaplan when she wrote "Skyscraper" with me in the late 1960s? ( well, a lot younger than when she later wrote the famous "Toys 'R Jingle" . . . . "I don't wanna grow up . . . .")

And the playlight is as follows:

1. No Olympian Height(s) - recorded by The Other Voices (The New Outlook), Paul Levinson, Stu Nitekman, Ira Margolis (Stu singing lead), song written by Brute Force, produced by Ellie Greenwich & Mike Rashkow, 2nd single released on Atlantic, 1968

2. Hung Up On Love - recorded by The Other Voices (The New Outlook) - Paul Levinson, Stu Nitekman, Ira Margolis (but Mike Rashkow singing lead) - song written by Paul Levinson & Mikie Harris, produced by Ellie Greenwich & Mike Rashkow, B-side of both May My Heart Be Cast Into Stone, and No Olympian Heights, singles released on Atlantic, 1968 (included on Rhino's Come to the Sunshine CD, 2004)

3. Picture Postcard World - recorded by The Definitive Rock Chorale - studio group with Ellie Greenwich, Toni Wine, Ron Dante, etc - song written by Paul Levinson, produced by Ellie Greenwich & Mike Rashkow, released on Decca, 1968

4. Unbelievable (Inconceivable You) - recorded by The Vogues - song written by Paul Levinson, produced by Dick Glasser for Reprise, 1968, but never released

5. Sunshine Mind - recorded by Donna Marie (who sang in the Archies) - song written by Paul Levinson, produced by Jimmy "Wiz" Wisner, released on Columbia, 1968

6. Love Colored Glasses - studio demo recorded by Mikie Harris, written by Paul Levinson & Mikie Harris, 1968

7. Teacups and Tapestry - studio demo (artist unknown), written by Paul Levinson and Boris Midney, 1969

8. Skyscraper - studio demo by Linda Kaplan (later wrote "Toys 'R U" jingle), written by Paul Levinson & Linda Kaplan, 1968

9. Ring Around My Rosie - recorded by Protozoa - song written by David Fox, produced by Paul Levinson, Ed Fox, and Herb Abramson, Buddah Records, 1969

10. Merri- Goes-Round - recorded by Trousers (studio group; Bruce Scott singing lead) - written by Paul Levinson & Ed Fox, produced by Paul Levinson & Ed Fox, released on Wizdom Records, 1969

11. Not Yet Ready to Say Goodbye - recorded by Paul Levinson, with Ed Fox and Peter Rosenthal (Paul singing lead) - written by Paul Levinson & Linda Kaplan, produced by Paul Levinson & Ed Fox, released on Twice Upon A Rhyme LP, HappySad Records, 1972 (musicians on this album also include Don Frankel, Jay Sackett, Alan Fuhr, Boris Midney)

12. The Lama Will Be Late This Year - recorded by Paul Levinson, with Ed Fox and Peter Rosenthal (Ed singing lead) - written by Paul Levinson & Ed Fox, produced by Paul Levinson & Ed Fox, released on Twice Upon A Rhyme LP, HappySad Records, 1972 (musicians on this album also include Don Frankel, Jay Sackett, Alan Fuhr, Boris Midney)

13. Alpha Centauri - recorded by Peter Rosenthal (home demo) - written by Paul Levinson & Peter Rosenthal, 2000

14. Lime Streets - live performance by Paul Levinson, written by Paul Levinson, 2006

And you'll also hear nice medley of New Outlook folk rock under some of the interview near the beginning...

Links to the music on the Web:

1. on iTunes ... Amazon ... eMusic
2. my MySpace music page ... Facebook fan page ... Reverbnation
3. complete lyrics to the songs on Twice Upon a Rhyme
4. links to reviews and news about Twice Upon a Rhyme
5. Shindig Magazine Jan-Feb 2011 review of Twice Upon a Rhyme

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 78, in which you will hear a tale - all true - about time, space, the vision of an artist 100 years ago, the vision of another artist now ... a tale of two Presidents, of the power of the penny to bring us the past and make it come alive. I interview Joel Iskowitz, whose depictions appear on the back of American coins and on UK stamps, on illustrations for NASA and the Boyscouts ... We talk about the capacity of a coin to capture the past and bring it to millions, how Victor David Brenner persuaded Theodore Roosevelt to commission a new Lincoln Penny back at the beginning of the 20th century, and how Joel envisioned this scene and rescued it from the oblivion of the past in a brand new lithograph. This interview will be of special interest to historians, artists, coin collectors, and all students of communication and technology, and how this affects our psyches and our world...

Links:

1. Joel Iskowitz's web page and Wikipedia page.
2. Meet Joel in person on 13 Aug 2010 at the World's Fair of Money in Boston!
3. Joel's work at Signature Art Medals online.
4. More from Joel online at The Mountain Studio.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 77, in which I discuss concerns that I and other civil libertarians have raised about U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's views of the First Amendment, in particular her suggestion that objectional speech - such as hate speech and in pornography - can be restricted by government if it uses laws against physical abuse in hate crimes (which are indeed Constitutional and necessary for the government) to chill or limit the speakers.Links:

1. my Infinite Regress blog piece: Concern about Kagan's First Amendment position
2. my Daily Kos blog piece, with extensive commentary: Concern about Kagan's First Amendment position
3. James Doty's defense of Kagan in Salon
4. Jonathan Turley's critique of Kagan, with link to her article about combating hate speech and pornography
5. Light On Light Through podcast interview with the Doningers about Sotomayor's decision in their case
6. My 2005 Fordham University Keynote Address: The Flouting of the First Amendment
7. Huffington Post discussion of Obama's address at Hampton University
8. my 2009 book, New New Media

home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

published on 3 September 2009: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book

FREE audiobook of The Plot to Save Socrates from Audible special trial offer!

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 76, in which I discuss how the new Arizona Immigration Law, even as amended, violates the 14th Amendment to our Constitution.Links -

1. Why the Arizona Immigration Law Is Unconstitutional my Infinite Regress blog post, with extensive commentary
2. Why the Arizona Immigration Law Is Unconstitutional my Daily Kos blog post, also with extensive commentary
3. Why the Arizona Immigration Law Is Unconstitutional my Open Salon blog post, also with extensive commentary

home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

published on 3 September 2009: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book

FREE audiobook of The Plot to Save Socrates from Audible special trial offer!

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 75, in which I explain why Neil Armstrong, James Lovell, and Eugene Cernan are right to criticize Obama's cutting of the humans to the Moon space programs. The long and the short of it is we'll never know who were are, never understand what we are doing here in this Universe, from our vantage point here on Planet Earth, and humans on the Moon are a crucial step to getting off this Planet.

Links:

1. my recent blog posts on this subject at Infinite Regress, Open Salon, and the Daily Kos, and the spirited discussion in the comments
2. Obama's 2011-2015 budget and mission plans for NASA
3. full text of Armstrong, Lovell, and Cernan letter to Obama
4. MPAndonee's comment in the Huffington Post discussion
5. my 2003 book, RealSpace

home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

published on 3 September 2009: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book

FREE audiobook of The Plot to Save Socrates from Audible special trial offer!

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 74, in which I present my original reviews of the first 10 episodes of FlashForward, from the Fall 2009. With Flashforward to resume tonight, I thought these reviews - from my Levinson news clips podcast - might be a good way of catching up.

Links:

1. New podcast reviews of new episodes of Flashforward (11 -) at Levinson news clips
2. Blog post reviews of all Flasforward episodes at InfiniteRegress.tv
3. My Light On Light Through September 2009 podcast interview with Rob Sawyer
4. Come see my March 28, 2010 interview with Rob Sawyer at I-Con science fiction con

home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

published on 3 September 2009: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book

Read the first chapter of The Plot to Save Socrates .... FREE