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It's a For Songs first! Join me in the studio for this fabulous conversation with Kevin and Jarrett from the rock/pop/indie rock trio Franklin Gotham (https://franklingotham.bandcamp.com/). This interview was recorded at Jarrett's Mixtape Studios (https://mynewmixtape.com/) in Alexandria, Va. We talk about the band's latest EP Good Times, Bad Times, and three brilliant songs: the rock-pop gem Caroline, their brilliant cover of Life in a Northern Town, and then, well, you just gotta listen to the whole interview to see what Star Words is about. Trust me, it's worth it. So sit back, grab a beer, and enjoy!
Ralph welcomes Janine Jackson, of FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) and producer and host of FAIR's syndicated weekly radio show “CounterSpin” to give us her take on the corporate media landscape and in particular how the major outlets are opining on the crisis in Gaza. Then, Palestinian American, Dr. Tariq Haddad, cardiologist and member of the Virginia Coalition for Human Rights joins us to recount the tragic story of how he has lost nearly one hundred family members in the current Israeli bombardment.Janine Jackson is the program director of FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) and she is the producer and host of FAIR's syndicated weekly radio show CounterSpin. Ms. Jackson contributes frequently to FAIR's newsletter Extra!, her articles have appeared in various publications, including In These Times and the UAW's Solidarity, and in books including Civil Rights Since 1787 and Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism.What I like to say is: we hear a lot from the people we hear a lot from. The conversation becomes kind of insular, and it's very much a pro-U.S. and whatever the U.S. is doing position, with some criticism around the edges. But the point is, you're not hearing from the people who are recipients/victims of U.S. policy. You're hearing overwhelmingly from the people who make that policy.Janine JacksonIf you just read the New York Times and the Washington Post, the U.S. is the world. We're the only good country in the world. Anything we do is democracy. Anybody we bomb, we're bombing in service to democracy. And you're just supposed to keep swallowing that. And I feel that elite news media don't understand that people are not buying it. We're not buying it anymore.Janine JacksonWhat [Dr. Tariq Haddad] relates is not going to be easy to take for our listeners, but bear with us, listeners. We have to face up to it because it's your tax dollars, it's your US weapons… and cover—diplomatic and political—that is what Netanyahu wants and gets. The rest is just deceptive rhetoric.Ralph NaderDr. Tariq Haddad is a cardiologist and member of the Virginia Coalition for Human Rights— a broadly based, growing coalition of 19 organizations, with over 10,000 Virginians from diverse backgrounds, who advocate for Palestinian human rights. Dr. Haddad grew up in Gaza. For the last four months, my routine has been basically every morning finding out who's died, who's survived, who's suffering, who needs help, and it's been a constant daily thing starting from October.Dr. Tariq HaddadI couldn't bring myself as a human being—forget as a physician—couldn't bring myself to meet with somebody (Secretary of State, Antony Blinken) for a photo op as a grandstanding opportunity, knowing full well what this administration has done to cause suffering and death in my family. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. And I just—especially given three minutes. How am I, in three minutes, going to describe everything that's happened to my family and all my fellow Palestinians in Gaza?Dr. Tariq HaddadIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantisNews 2/7/241. Eminent scholar Professor William Youmans, working with the Arab Center Washington DC, has published a study examining media bias on Gaza in the context of Sunday talk shows – including NBC's Meet the Press, CBS' Face the Nation, ABC's This Week and Fox News Sunday. This study found significant “patterns of bias in guest booking, in the range of views expressed by guests, and in the framing of issues,” signifying “an abandonment of the ideal that news media's purpose is to scrutinize government policies and the actions of those in power and to inform the public so it can forge independent opinions.”2. A groundbreaking report from the Lever has revealed many of AIPAC's top donors, including such shady characters as Leonid Ravinsky, the billionaire behind the amateur pornography site OnlyFans, and Leslie Wexner, former CEO of Victoria's Secret and a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein. This information came from a donors-only call that Lever journalists infiltrated. Also on that call was New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who said pro-ceasefire members of Congress are being misled by misinformation from “TikTok and China and Russia and our other adversaries.”3. 19 student activists at Brown University have begun a hunger strike, demanding that the university divest “its endowment from companies enabling and profiting from the genocide in Gaza," the Providence Journal reports. The group, called Hunger Strike for Palestine, includes both Jewish and Palestinian students. Brown has invested in weapons manufacturing companies such Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, among others. In a transparent attempt to suppress this story, the University is blocking media access to the campus.4. Over 1,000 constituents of Representative Dan Goldman have signed a letter excoriating the Democratic Congressman for aligning himself with Republican efforts to discredit South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, per the Intercept. The letter reads “Despite vehement and overwhelming opposition from your constituents and the alarming and escalating death toll that has now passed 26,000 Palestinians killed, including several thousand children, it is unfathomable that you persist in endorsing the U.S.'s continued support for these atrocities.” Goldman was a top recipient of AIPAC cash last month, receiving $45,400.5. Following a mammoth general strike against President Javier Milei's radical capitalist economic policies in Argentina, the country's courts have “annulled the entire labor chapter of…Milei's mega-decree, declaring its ‘constitutional invalidity,'” Progressive International reports. Among other controversial provisions, Milei's labor decree would have retaliated against workers who have engaged in certain forms of political protest.6. The Intercept's Ryan Grim has, for some time, been covering the story of Imran Khan – Pakistan's popular former president who has been the target of political repression and a lightning rod of civil resistance in that country. Just recently, Khan's party was formally barred from the upcoming Pakistani elections. Interestingly, this is a similar set of facts as in Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro has also barred an opposition party from competing in their upcoming election. Yet, as Grim comments, the disparity in the American response is stark: “Pakistan… convict[s] the main opposition leader on totally bogus charges and…ban[s] his party. State Dep[artmen]t calls that an internal matter for Pakistan. Maduro does similar, citing a coup attempt, and State instantly dishes out sanctions.”7. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive former teacher in Chicago public schools, now publicly supports ending the Board of Education's $10.3 million contract with the Chicago Police Department, thereby removing cops from the city's schools. According to research on this topic, “students who attended a high school that had a Chicago officer stationed inside were four times more likely to have the police called on them than kids at high schools that didn't have in-house cops. And there [is] a stark divide in the rate at which Black students [are] policed compared to their peers.” Additionally “the presence of school officers has also not proven to prevent school shootings.” This from the Chicago Sun-Times. 8. More Perfect Union reports “Mississippi has approved bills to give Amazon a 10-year, 100% corporate tax exemption, plus 30 years of state tax exemptions. Lawmakers also set aside $44 million to help fund Amazon's latest project in the state.” This corporate welfare giveaway is all the more galling because, as More Perfect Union notes, “Mississippi has the highest poverty rate in America.” One can only hope this vote does not kickoff another race to the bottom for Amazon's crumbs among the other poorest states in the union.9. Bloomberg reports that the United Auto Workers union has signed up a majority of employees at Volkswagen's plant in Tennessee. Expansion of the union into plants owned by foreign auto companies has been a top priority for new UAW president Shawn Fain, and a union election at this factory would be key test for the industry and the union. Moreover, the speed at which they have organized majority support will no doubt put other non-union auto companies – namely Elon Musk's Tesla – on notice.10. Finally, speaking of Elon Musk, the AP reports a Delaware judge ruled against the billionaire in a recent case, deciding that he is “not entitled to a landmark compensation package awarded by Tesla's board of directors that is potentially worth more than $55 billion.” Lawyers for the shareholders argued that it was “dictated by Musk and was the product of sham negotiations with [non-independent] directors … [and] approved by shareholders who were given misleading and incomplete disclosures in a proxy statement.” This all begs the question, how crooked do you have to be to lose a corporate case in Delaware?This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
On this week's Education Gadfly Show podcast (listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify), Fordham's editorial director, Brandon Wright, joins Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to talk about the shifting landscape of highly-selective high schools. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber Northern discusses a study on teacher morale during the pandemic. You can find this and every episode on all major podcast platforms, as well as share it with friends.Recommended content:Brandon's piece from 2021, which discusses Boston's exam school policies: “Boston is punishing its Asian American community for its educational success.”A 2020 Chicago study finding that the city's approach to diversifying selective-high-school admissions had null-to-negative effects on the academic achievement of admitted disadvantaged students: Lisa Barrow, Lauren Sartain, and Marisa de la Torre, “Increasing Access to Selective High Schools through Place-Based Affirmative Action: Unintended Consequences,” American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (October 2020). The federal district court ruling on admissions-policy changes at Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax, Virginia: Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board, No. 1:21cv296-CMH-JFA (E.D. VA February 25, 2022).The study that Amber reviewed on the Research Minute: Gema Zamarro et al., “Understanding Teacher Turnover Intentions During the COVID-19 Pandemic” retrieved from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University (February 2022).Feedback welcome!Have ideas or feedback on our podcast? Send them to our podcast producer Pedro Enamorado at penamorado@fordhaminstitute.org.
IN THE NEWS: When the Air Pollution Control Board denied a permit for a pipeline compressor station in Chatham, some criticized the ability of a citizen-led board to issue permits. One of those people is Republican Senator Richard Stuart of King George County. Now he has a bill stripping the Air Pollution Control Board of deciding who gets a permit and who doesn't. The Senate has already approved Stuart's bill, and a House committee approved it Wednesday. So it's on its way to the House floor, where it's likely to get a welcome reception. Virginia has some of the weakest public disclosure laws in the country for police files. Documents that are widely available in other states are not available in Virginia, even for closed cases. Last year, lawmakers approved a new bill that allowed for some access in closed cases. But now Gil Harrington says that law puts family members of crime victims in the crosshairs. She's the mother of Morgan Harrington, who was murdered in 2010. She's working with Republican Delegate Rob Bell to roll back the new public documents to prevent salacious material from appearing on a made-for-TV movie. But Megan Rhyne at the Virginia Coalition for Open Government says returning to the old system would harm public access. Lawmakers are trying to work out a compromise that would block access to photos and videos for now and send the rest of the bill to the FOIA Council to study for next year.Senator Amanda Chase's effort to spend $70 million of taxpayer money to conduct a “full forensic audit” of the 2020 election. It was denied, but it's worth noting senators who failed to vote against it. Four Republican senators voted for it: Amanda Chase, Jen Kiggans, Mark Peake, Bryce ReevesGUEST INTERVIEW: (Christopher) Goad Gadsby is a Richmond Twitter legend. The guy with the disco mustache, tweeter of extreme politics, and host of the radio show Richmond Cryptoids. You may recognize him from his reporting during the Black Lives Matter protests in Richmond where he had a run-in with RPD. Goad endures hours of committee hearings, detailing them on Twitter so people who aren't there know what's happening. He discusses Republicans moving the "Overton window" and political arsonists setting fires with fake issues like "Critical Race Theory."Find out more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia.
Today I sit down with the owner of Mixtape Studios, Jarrett Nicolay. Jarrett is a hometown hero of the DMV music scene, most notably for playing bass in the Alexandria based rock band, Virginia Coalition. He also records under the moniker My New Mixtape, and has self produced and released three full length albums to date. Jarrett's songwriting has been featured in indie films including 2016 Sundance favorite “I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore”. It was so satisfying to get his take on working as an audio engineer, teaching students, the songwriting process, forecasts about what the live music scene could feel like in a post-covid world, and much more. My New Mixtapehttp://mynewmixtape.com/Virginia Coalition's new EPhttps://music.apple.com/us/album/vaco-2021-ep-virginia-coalition-twenty-twenty-one-extended/1559610909Astra Viahttps://astravia.bandcamp.com/Suburban HermitParty Jam
My name is Torie Chisholm, inmate number 1018519, housed in the Virginia Department of Corrections. I'm an ex-gang member turned mentor and activist, and my goal is to be an excellent role model for my kids, siblings, and the youth, be a great husband to my wife, make my mother proud, and be a productive citizen when I'm blessed to be able to be released from prison. I've been incarcerated since 2003 when I was 15 years old for robberies, and I'm 33 years old now. I received 47 years. I'm truly sorry for my actions. Coming into prison as a young juvenile, I turned to gangs for protection, and I created an image in order to survive a dangerous atmosphere. That lifestyle did protect me, but it caused me to get in a lot of trouble. And I realized that my family and freedom is way more important. I could- I completed a program called Second Chance Quest and became a tutor and mentor in the program. It's a nonprofit organization and they helped me realize that I deserved a second chance. Governor Ralph Northam officially made [inaudible] Virginia, and we are doing the social media takeover in April, so please go to Second Chance Quest on IG. You can also go to YouTube to see my interview with [inaudible] and sign my petition for my parole called Free Torie Chisholm 1018519. Thanks to everyone for making a difference like Senator David Marsh, Jennifer McLean, Mark Pete, Jeffrey Campbell, Lee [inaudible], and Vivian Watts, Senator Scott Surovell in Fairfax, Virginia, the Virginia Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, Jaina White to lead the turn of the staff and mentor at Second Chance Quest, [inaudible], and Life of a Life podcast, my legal legal team, Johnny My legal team, Johnny [inaudible], my mother, kids, and beautiful wife, and governor Ralph Northam by changing the narrative of Virginia and being pro-prison reform. This is Torie Chisholm, god bless. These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
GUESTS: Phil Storey, Abogado con Virginia Poverty Law Center Edgar Aranda-Yanoc, Director Ejecutivo, Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations MODERATOR: Yanet Limon-Amado, Organizadora de Justicia para Inmigrantes, Centro Interreligioso de Virginia
If you're like me, you've probably seen a band or heard a song and thought, man this group is gonna make it! You might follow their career, see them live, and if you happen to write for an online music magazine, you might even feature them on numerous occassions. And then you might scratch your head when this band doesn't get it's break. Because you know they are incredibly talented and perhaps the best band onstage at that festival you attended, way better than some of the headliners. And you wonder, what happened? Are they still at it? In this episode of For Songs, we speak with Kevin Adkins, former co-frontman of the New York Irish rock band Icewagon Flu. The Flu nearly gravitated to the top of the Manhattan scene, getting recurring gigs at some of the most well-known Irish pubs. But it didn't work out. Kevin now co-leads Franklin Gotham, a songwriting duo with no intentions of making it big. Rather, Kevin just wants to write top-quality songs. And he does. This is his story.
Alexandria, VA based multi-instrumentalist and record producer Jarrett Nicolay (Mixtape Studios) is our guest on the program this week! For those unfamiliar with Nicolay's work, check out his solo project My New Mixtape, and bands Virginia Coalition, Astra Via and Franklin Gotham. We discussed an important English Rock band known as The Smiths and a their 1987 compilation titled Louder Than Bombs. LTB was released as a double album and features a wonderful breadbasket of singles, B-sides and John Peel Sessions. Enjoy!
On May 9, 2020 Me Leonor from the Richmond Times Dispatch reported on the Virginia data was missing the mark (link below). Within the reporting, we learned that John Hopkins Expert Nuzzo said she is troubled by states like Virginia that are lumping together antibody tests with more closely regulated diagnostic tests. She said the mixing of the two types of tests yields a murkier picture of the spread of COVID-19. Mel joins the show to talk more. On May 14, 20120 the nation heard this reporting that was amplified by The Atlantic (link below) and the next morning a Virginia Coalition to Oppose the Reopening held a press conference. This episode includes the statements from the advocates and workers. Finally, Dr. Julian Hayter, Associate Professor at University of Richmond and author of The Dream Is Lost: Voting Rights and the Politics of Race in Richmond, Virginia, joins the show to add a historical context on the continuance of political choices that do NOT center the most vulnerable in COVID in the city. Articles from the episode and to continue the convo: Leonor RTD: https://www.richmond.com/special-report/coronavirus/virginia-misses-key-marks-on-virus-testing-as-leaders-eye-reopening/article_021e12c6-6d20-5030-9068-4caaeda495f7.html The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/05/covid-19-tests-combine-virginia/611620/ VA Coalition Press Conference: https://conta.cc/3fQNi2A Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Opposition: https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/black-caucus-says-it-opposes-gov-northams-plan-to-reopen-virginia-friday/ Michael Paul Williams RTD: VLBC: https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/black-caucus-says-it-opposes-gov-northams-plan-to-reopen-virginia-friday/ Presser: https://conta.cc/3fQNi2A RTD: https://www.richmond.com/special-report/coronavirus/virginia-misses-key-marks-on-virus-testing-as-leaders-eye-reopening/article_021e12c6-6d20-5030-9068-4caaeda495f7.html The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/05/covid-19-tests-combine-virginia/611620/ MPW RTD: https://www.richmond.com/news/local/central-virginia/williams-virginia-is-divided-about-reopening-this-pandemic-is-exploiting-our-divisions/article_70282672-dcf1-56b9-8ab4-8dde5edfe007.html
Interview with Virginia Coalition bass player, Jarrett Nicolay! Jarrett discusses the early days of VACO, writing songs, their GOGO influence, favorite VACO albums, as well as his work with Astra Via and Franklin Gotham! He also chats about his work in the recoding industry and his studio, Mix Tape Studio in Franconia, Virginia.
Beatrice Amberman, Vice-Chair of the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations discusses the confusion that emerged after Congress failed to create comprehensive immigration reform and states attempted to pass their own policies.
Officials in Hampton Roads have been outspoken about immigration policy under the Trump administration, addressing everything from law enforcement partnering with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to sanctuary cities. How do their positions affect the community? Today's Guests: 1. Sheriff Gabe Morgan - is the Newport News sheriff. 2. Beatriz Amberman - is the founder and Vice Chair of the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations and the Virginia Latino Leaders Council. She serves as an appointed member of the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission. 3. Teresa Stanley - is the coordinator of the Interspiritual Empowerment Project and has worked in faith-based community organizing since 1985.
Download Link: Eclectica Episode 5: In MemoriamOr listen via streaming feed:This podcast is dedicated to my friend Jeff Watkins, who died recently, but who beat the odds day by day since even before the day of his birth. He was magnificently brilliant, kindhearted, sweet and strong- in mind and spirit, if not so much in body. Jeff, thank you for the time and love you gave me. I hope you're happy wherever you are, and that if you can hear me or know my heart right now, that you realize how much of an impact you made in my life, and how much of an impression you made in the lives of so many, many others.Love You,NaeP.S.-This episode is also dedicated to all of those who might be dealing with the loss of of a loved-one; as well as to the memories of those whom we've lost through years. May you always remember those who've passed and smile, and to those who've passed, may you always smile down upon the ones who remember you. :)Love Always,DJ SelchieTrack List1. Nita Whitaker - Heaven Holds the Ones I Love (Because it does. Far too many of them.)2. Julianna Raye - Laughing Wild* (Remembering innocence, love, laughter and light...)3. Joannie Madden - Women of Ireland* (Does this speak of pure joy, or pure grief? Or both?)4. The Endparty - There is no Time* (Becuase there isn't. Life is far, far too short.)5. Jen Foster - Underdogs (This sings of those who are different, & of people sticking together.)6. Virginia Coalition - Sing Along (We need to lift each other up. not tear one another down.)7. Farewell June - Shine On* (Because you should. :))8. Donna Lewis - Don't Ever (Cherish your own light as well. :))9. Gypsy Nomads - Summerland* (Journey across the Mists into another realm...)10.Melissa Ferrick - Closer (Closer to Heaven? Perfection maybe? Or to our dreams perhaps?)11. Hey Nunnie Nunnie - Duncan's Song* (I may have lost a "he," but the sentiments remain.)12. Bing Crosby - Count Your Blessings (Again, because we should. :) It makes everything seem brighter.. even the toughest moments. ^_^)...Here are some of the blessings featured in this Ep: Background Music:Denean - Passage to the Earth MotherAsterisks (*) indicate songs which were allowed to be played for Eclectica explicitly by the artist.Very, very special thanks & deepest gratitude go out to each of the artists who personally donated their wonderful music to the making of this particular episode.Also, kudos (as always) to the Podcast Music Network & Ioda Promo Net; for helping to make this episode possible. My grattitude also goes out to the Internet Music Archives, where I found the piece by Mr. Crosby. I especially wanted to put that song on this show, and I'm incredibly grateful to have been able to do so w/your help.Without these sources and the gracious allowance of the artists who gave permission for their music to be played here on Eclectica, I wouldn't have any music available to share w/anyone. So thank you, all. :):)Yours in Gratitude,DJ Selchie
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