Bill Moyers gets in on the joke with two impersonators who use satire to make serious points about media consolidation, journalism, business ethics, and separating fact from fiction in a world of spin. The Yes Men – aka Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum – who discovered that pranks could get press attention to important issues that would otherwise be ignored.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) could cost us our internet freedom, labor rights, access to affordable medicine, the safety of our food, and protections that keep our water and air clean.
How can citizens respond when the ideals of democracy come into conflict with the policies of government? Political scientist Erin O’Brien explores current efforts to restrict access to the ballot, through both legislative and judicial changes in states across the nation. Journalist Phillip Martin responds with examples from the Civil Rights Movement of citizen actions, including civil disobedience, that opened ballot access to previously disenfranchised African Americans.
The One Percent is not only increasing their share of wealth — they’re using it to spread millions among political candidates who serve their interests. Example: Goldman Sachs, which gave more money than any other major American corporation to Barack Obama in 2008, is switching alliances this year; their employees have given $900,000 both to Mitt Romney’s campaign and to the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future. Why? Because, says the Wall Street Journal, the Goldman Sachs gang felt betrayed by President Obama’s modest attempts at financial reform.
To discuss how the super-rich have willfully confused their self-interest with America’s interest, Bill is joined by Rolling Stone magazine’s Matt Taibbi, who regularly shines his spotlight on scandals involving big business and government, and journalist Chrystia Freeland, author of the new book Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else.
“We have this community of rich people who genuinely believe that they are the wealth creators and they should get every advantage and break,” Taibbi tells Bill. “Whereas everybody else is a parasite and they’re living off of them”
Freeland adds, “How dare they have the gall to actually argue that too much regulation of American financial services is what is killing the economy?”
Pamela Ronald studies the genes that make plants more resistant to disease and stress. In an eye-opening talk, she describes her decade-long quest to help create a variety of rice that can survive prolonged flooding. She shows how the genetic improvement of seeds saved the Hawaiian papaya crop in the 1950s — and makes the case that it may simply be the most effective way to enhance food security for our planet’s growing population.
Twenty-five years after the World Wide Web was created, the issue of surveillance has become the greatest controversy of its existence. With many concerned that governments and corporations can monitor people’s every move, this programme meets hackers and scientists who are using technology to fight back, as well as the law enforcement officers who believe it’s leading to opportunities for risk-free crimes.
With contributors including World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange.
Directed by Lloyd Kaufman (2008) Starring George Bush, George W. Bush, Patricia Kaufman
Historians agree 1968 was a watershed year and so it was particularly fitting that the Yale Class of 68 invited William Sloane Coffin Jr. to their 35th reunion to give what would be his final speech. No one shared more in the actions and passions of his era then William Sloane Coffin Jr., a hero for civil rights, peace and activism. In this intimate portrait, director Lloyd Kaufman, (Yale Class of 68, director of The Toxic Avenger, Poultrygeist) takes us into the mind of William Sloane Coffin Jr., a legendary clergyman who received international acclaim for his antiwar speeches and messages of international peace.
This rare and vital documentary intercuts fascinating footage of the Class of 68 with President George W. Bush (Yale 68) at the White House as well as profound and moving comments and reminiscences by prominent members of the Yale class of 68 .Splendor and Wisdom has been called “…a powerful and compelling film that captures Bill Coffin’s genius and humanity for posterity” by Mr. Richard C. Levin, president of Yale University and offers a glimpse into a truly gifted mind.
It is, perhaps, worth remembering that the Yale Class of 1968 was part of a larger phenomena of the “Class of 1968” on a national and international stage, and that we are approaching the 50th anniversary of these collectively experienced events. See:
Welcome to Transition Studies. To prosper for very much longer on the changing Earth humankind will need to move beyond its current fossil-fueled civilization toward one that is sustained on recycled materials and renewable energy. This is not a trivial shift. It will require a major transition in all aspects of our lives.
This weblog explores the transition to a sustainable future on our finite planet. It provides links to current news, key documents from government sources and non-governmental organizations, as well as video documentaries about climate change, environmental ethics and environmental justice concerns.
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