Old Mole Variety Hour
The Old Mole burrows down to the roots of the great issues of our time – the struggles of ordinary people for democratic and sustainable ways of life. The Mole goes where corporate media fear to tread, supporting grassroots challenges to top-down authority and giving voice to movements that shake the foundations of an unjust society. The Moles' perspective is democratic, broadly socialist, and feminist. (We count Karl Marx as a friend).
Here is why we call this show "The Old Mole"
Our theme "Mole in the Ground" is by Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1924), somtimes blended with a newer versions, like the one by dj/rupture, sung by Sindhu Zagoren. It's on the album Special Gunpowder.
Our graphic lettering is by Charlie Ertola.
You can leave comments for the Moles at oldmolevarietyhour@gmail.com or by clicking on the comment section for any of our audio pieces.
Audio
Old Mole Variety Hour for August 25, 2008
Guided by Denise Morris, the Moles vistit Cuba today. Bill Resnick talks with Cuba expert Sam Farber about Cuba in transition and the possibilities for self-determination and socialist democracy. The Movie Moles review the 1964 film Soy Cuba! made by Russian film makers in support of the Revolution. And we hear Luz María Gordillo’s account of her trip to Cuba last May. Here the whole show by clicking the arrow above, or individual pieces by following their links below:
1. Luz Marîa Gordillo visits Havana's Plaza de la Revolución on May Day.
2. The Movie Moles on Soy Cuba!
3. Bill Resnick and Sam Farber on Cuba today and tomorrow.
- Title: OMV 8_25_08
- Album: August 25, 2008
- Length: 54:26 minutes (24.92 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Cuba on May Day
The Old Mole's Luz María Gordillo was in Havana's Revolution Plaza for the May Day march. Here are her impressions and her reflections on what Cuba means in this colorful report. (Repeat) And here are 3 photos she took that day:



- Title: 02 Gordillo, Cuba in May
- Album: August 25, 2008
- Length: 9:50 minutes (4.5 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Movie Moles: "Man on Wire"
What is the cultural impact of illegally walking a wire strung between the two towers of the World Trade Center shortly after their completion in 1974? Our Movie Moles Jan Haaken and Frann Michel discuss the current documentary Man on Wire.
- Title: 04 Movie Review- Man on Wire 2
- Album: August 18, 2008
- Length: 9:11 minutes (4.21 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Making a Sustainable City, Part 2
Continuing their discussion of sustainable cities, aired last week, Bill Resnick and urban environmentalist Mike Houck consider social equity. A city cannot be sustainable without insuring that all its residents have good jobs and decent income. They also discuss how to manage growth. To hear Part 1, click here.
- Title: Resnick & Houck Pt. 2
- Length: 19:33 minutes (8.95 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Old Mole Variety Hour for August 18, 2008
Frann Michel hosts this program which features an explanation of what's going on between Russia and Georgia (and the US); a review of the documentary about a high wire exploit at the World Trade Center in 1974; and an introduction to Los Angeles's Thai Town.
Last week, Bill Resnick began a conversation with urban naturalist Mike Houck about restoring Portland's ecosystem and making it part of a sustainable environment. Part 2 of this interview was not aired this week so we could bring you a live interview about a breaking story -- the Russia - Georgia conflict. But you can hear Part 2 of The Sustainable City here.
Hear the whole show by clicking on the arrow above. Hear individual segments by following their links below:
1. Georgia & Russia: What and Why?
- Title: OMV 8_18_08 2
- Album: August 18, 2008
- Length: 48:42 minutes (22.3 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Georgia & Russia: What's really going on?
If you want a clear explanation of what's going on between Russia and Georgia (and the US), listen to this conversation between Middle-Eastern expert Stephen Zunes and the Old Mole's Bill Resnick as they lay out the background and the probable outcome. See also his current article in the Huffington Post.
- Title: 02 Georgia & Russia at War
- Album: August 18, 2008
- Length: 16:56 minutes (7.76 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Achieving Thai Town, L.A.
What is the importance for the Thai community in Los Angeles to have their neighborhood designated "Thai Town"? Chanchanit Martorell, excecutive director of the Thai Community Development Center in L.A., talks with the Old Mole's Sudarat Musikawong.
- Title: 06 Thai Town in L.A
- Album: August 18, 2008
- Length: 17:43 minutes (8.11 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Making a Sustainable City
Bill Resnick talks with urban naturalist Mike Houck of the Audubon Society and the Urban Greenspaces Institute. They discuss many of the issues around making Portland part of a natural, sustainable environment in this two-part interview. We hear Part 1 on this program; Part 2 will be aired next week.
- Title: 02 Resnick & Houck
- Album: August 11, 2008
- Length: 20:09 minutes (9.23 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Book Mole: Coetzee's "Boyhood"
Larry Bowlden discusses J.M. Coetzee's "fictional autobiography" Boyhood: Scenes from a Provincial Life, and compares its emotional depth to that of similar stories of childhood by women writers.
- Title: 03 Bowlden on Coetze
- Album: August 11, 2008
- Length: 7:48 minutes (3.57 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Well-read Red on Trivial Lies and Big Lies
Laurie Mercier explores how political discussions often fail to distinguish between lies that are trivial, like John Edwards's, and lies that have global, catastrophic consequences -- like those of the Bush administration.
- Title: 04 Mercier, WRR, on Lies
- Album: August 11, 2008
- Length: 7:40 minutes (3.52 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Comments
Avatar's Jake Sully is ---- Tarzan - - -
A great review I've seen on Avatar (and how the soldier will save the people):
http://www.progressive.org/mp/danto010510.html
There is a link from there that exposes Cameron's plot as a mirror of Pocahontas, amazing parallel! http://failblog.org/2010/01/10/avatar-plot-fail/
Since watching Avatar, I have viewed older videos on DVD and would rate that ahead of Avatar.
mel
commentary transcripts
It's convenient to have the Old Mole audio files available.
Even more useful for some of us would be transcripts of the commentaries (Clayton Morgareidge). Written material allows a person a chance to review, consider, digest and refer to mentioned references & thinkers. The "Well Read Red" commentary from 4 Aug 08 is a good example of a piece I'd like to read at my own pace.
These folks are so profound
These folks are so profound and fascinating, especially the Resnick guy. Wow!
good post
You produced some excellent details right now there. I did searching around the topic and discovered most people today will recognize in your blog. Visit <a href="http://www.arnima.com/Search-Engine-Optimization.aspx">SEO Florida</a>


podcast
Hi, when will the August 13th podcast be posted?