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
"Primary": The Movie
Denise Morris digs out a 1960 documentary film about the Wisconsin primary between Hubert Humphrey and John F. Kennedy and discusses how it changed the way we think of political campaigning. It's called Primary, and you can find it at the Multnomah County Library.
- Title: 03 _Primary_
- Album: March 17, 2008
- Length: 8:40 minutes (3.97 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Politics & Sex: Spitzer in the Media
A round-table discussion with Jan Haaken, Denise Morris and Bill Resnick in which they analyze and debate the hysterical media treatment of the Spitzer sex scandal and others like it. Why this "perpetual surprise," these recurring "outbreaks of political virginity"?
- Title: 04 Politics & Sex- Spitzer
- Album: March 17, 2008
- Length: 14:53 minutes (6.82 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Old Mole Variety Hour for March 17, 2008
You can hear this program, hosted by Bill Resnick, in its entirety by clicking on the arrow above. Or you can go to any segment by clicking on its link below.
- Title: OMV 3_17_08
- Album: March 17, 2008
- Length: 45:36 minutes (20.88 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Economic Meltdown?
The economy seems to be melting down--but it has nothing to do with the production of goods and services, only with high finance. This crisis is brought to you by business men who refuse to trust other busness men--because the all know they're all lying. This from Bill Black, formerly a Federal bank examiner and now a writer on business and finance. He talks with Bill Resnick in this illuminating interview. Black is the author of The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One.
- Title: 02 Economic Meltdown_
- Album: March 17, 2008
- Length: 18:52 minutes (8.64 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Can Democracy Survive War?
Can democracy survive an open-ended, borderless war against an abstraction ("terrorism")? Recent reports of FBI abuse of National Security Letters and increased surveillance of ordinary life make us wonder. Clayton Morgareidge draws on Michael Hardt's and Antonio Negri's book Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire to explore these questions. The piece ends with the song "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" as sung by Satori, Men Singing Peace. Their concert, "A Time for Peace," will be at the Old Church following the Saturday Rally and March.
- Title: 04 War & Democracy
- Album: March 10, 2008
- Length: 10:47 minutes (4.94 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Portland Activists at Work
Bill Resnick talks with three members of Food Not Bombs, a world-wide organization that provides free food to the hungry and the foot-loose. He also talks with two people from the Iraq Body Count Project whose 125,000 flags are flying near Portland State, each flag representing 5 Iraqis who have died in the war.
This Saturday's rally and march World Without War: A Day of Resistance and Hope begins in the South Park Blocks at 2:00 pm. Visit pdxpeace for details.
- Title: 05 Local Activists
- Album: March 10, 2008
- Length: 12:14 minutes (5.6 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Old Mole Variety Hour for March 10, 2008
This program, hosted by Clayton Morgareidge is about War, Peace, and Democracy. Hear it in its entirety by clicking on the arrow above. Or you can hear individual pieces by clicking on them below:
2. The Well-read Red: Frann Michel comments on the idea that the West must "save" Muslim women.
- Title: OMV 3_10_08
- Album: March 10, 2008
- Length: 56:11 minutes (25.72 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Democratic Movements in the Middle East
We read little in the mainstream press about secular movements for democracy in places like Iraq, Pakistan, and Egypt, but they are there--led by workers, women, and others. Bill Resnick talks with anthropologist Kamran Ali who identifies some of these democratic forces and how they have been stymied by US-supported dictators. Ali teaches at the University of Texas and is on the editorial board of Middle East Reports.
- Title: 02 Democratic Movements in Middle East
- Album: March 10, 2008
- Length: 21:10 minutes (9.7 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Do Muslim Women Need "Saving"?
Today's Well-Read Red Frann Michel reviews the idea that "the war on terrorism" is a way to "save" women of the Middle East. You can read this review and find links to more information here.
- Title: 03 Well-read Red
- Album: March 10, 2008
- Length: 7:35 minutes (3.48 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
More Prisons?
Old Mole Bill Resnick talks with David Rogers about why Oregon keeps putting more people in prison. Rogers is director of Partnership for Safety and Justice (formerly the Western Prison Project). They discuss the newest proposal for harsher sentencing by Kevin Manix, coming to a ballot near you.
- Title: 03 More Prisons_
- Album: March 3, 2008
- Length: 16:31 minutes (7.56 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!
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podcast
Hi, when will the August 13th podcast be posted?