MONDAY 12.15.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Monday December 15, 2025
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: You don’t need a fancy title to be a climate leader at work (00:01:30)
Employees at every level are helping companies go green.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
WHEN THE BIOMASS HITS THE WIND TURBINE #80: Business of Solar (00:29:00)
Introduce Michelle and Geoff
How did your business evolve?
What are the barriers to women getting into the industry?
How has government policy affected the business?
What has been the effect of the tariffs?
What are the mistakes most solar businesses make?
What is a B Corporation and why is it important?
What are the biggest challenges facing the industry?
What is the best advice you ever received?
What are your goals for the future?
https://bluerockstation.podbean.com
ECONOMIC UPDATE: The U.S. Military’s Role in Ecological Crisis (00:29:00)
On this week’s episode of Economic Update, Professor Wolff delivers updates on the internal struggle inside the U.S. Teamsters Union between O’Brien leadership and Hooker challenge group (pro- vs anti-Trump), Trump-McMahon attack on the nursing profession in the U.S., Trump’s own reduction of tariffs and thus of government revenue from tariffs. Then Professor Wolff interviews Abby Martin about her new film “Earth’s Greatest Enemy” about the U.S. military and its disastrous ecological impact on the planet.
https://economicupdate.libsyn.com
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: Who is Betraying America? (00:58:00)
Donald Trump is having a very bad week as even many of his own supporters wake up to the fact that he’s not actually working for them. Plus- director Donald Goldmacher joins Thom for a deep dive on his new movie ‘Heist: Who Stole the American Dream?’.
SPIRIT IN ACTION: Following Jesus Through Nonviolent Resistance in Palestine (00:55:00)
Sami Awad lives in Bethlehem, and has been dedicated to nonviolent action since his teen years, inspired by his uncle, Mubarak Awad. In a conflict focused on Jews and Muslims, Christian Palestinians are sometimes erased from the picture by many outsiders, although they have been an integral part of the Holy Land for many centuries. Sami’s Master’s Degree from American University is in International Relations with a specialty of Peace and Conflict Resolution, and he is co-director of Nonviolence International, In 1995 he founded the Holy Land Trust, and he just recently wrote an inspirational, insightful, and ground-breaking book, The Sacred Awakening: Reclaiming Christ Consciousness. The insights of the book are transformational, showing that Jesus’ teachings, as captured in the Gospels, are actually a training manual for those willing to make a new and just world. While many have relegated the Bible to the role of storytelling or book to be worshiped, Sami clearly and convincingly opens eyes to the actual work that Jesus invited us into. The book is not about theology, it’s about the Gospels as a training manual for the kind of on-the-ground nonviolent activism that Sami and friends are doing in Palestine. Sami Awad joins us today from Bethlehem, Palestine.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Evangelical Christian, Follower of Jesus
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 25 (00:51:20)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
THE BRADCAST: 12/12/2025 Encore: Politico’s Alice Ollstein on the health care cliff on Jan. 1 (00:58:00)
Encore: original airdate 12-4-2025. On today’s ‘BradCast’: A Defense Dept. Inspector General report on ‘Signalgate’ found that Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth endangered U.S. military personnel when he shared sensitive military information on an unsecured app. Congressional Democrats were ‘deeply disturbed’ after viewing video of lethal boat strikes in the Caribbean that experts say violated US military and international law. Justice Department charged a suspect in the case of pipe bombs planted near the Capitol before the Jan. 6 insurrection. Grand jury declined to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James. The rightwing Supreme Court majority allowed Texas to use new Trump-backed gerrymandered map in the midterm elections. Global child mortality is rising after the Trump Administration dismantled US AID. Politico’s Alice Miranda Ollstein lays out the political and policy landscape as the nation heads towards a Republican health care crisis cliff as of January 1. Plus Desi Doyen has our new ‘Green News Report.’
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
SUNDAY 12.14.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
SCHOLARS’ CIRCLE & THE INSIGHTERS: (00:58:01)
We interview Aileen Teague author of Policing on Drugs – The United States , Mexico and Origins of Modern Drug War, 1996 – 2000 . Why has war on drugs fails to address overdose deaths in the United States. [dur: 35mins. ]
Then, Is humanity the most damaging predator on earth? Our guests say yes, and that its predatory practices may be disrupting evolution.[ dur: 23mins. ]
EARTH RIOT RADIO #199: Scientists Say that We Are At Least 2/3’s Invisible (00:29:00)
They call 70% of our body – dark matter and dark energy. The experts talk about this part of us the way they talk about outer space. They resent the fact that the tiny particles that make up most of what we are – cannot be measured or photographed. It doesn’t register in their sensitive devices. The mysterious particles do not reflect light. So… don’t let some hateful person call you names. You are protected by the natural world of your body. Let’s call it the “Fabulous Unknown.”
BARNABY DRUTHERS: Barnaby Druthers and the Ghost of the Heart Shaped Locket (00:27:57)
On a speaking tour of America in 1901, Barnaby Druthers stops at a tavern in Eastern Connecticut where he learns the story of the Ghost of the Heart Shaped Locket. Could the ghost return?
https://www.barnabydruthers.com
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
Best of ATTITUDE with ARNIE ARNESEN: December 13, 2025 (00:59:30)
Segment One
We begin the show with Harold Meyerson, Editor-at-large at The American Prospect. We discuss the foreign policy now in place in Trump’s administration: One where only White Christians are our friends, while all others, no matter how long they have been allies of the US, are no longer acceptable.
Segment Two
We then welcome Mark Joseph Stern, Slate Senior Writer. We discuss the actions of the US Supreme Court, and the cases they are now considering. Vaccinations for schoolchildren, religious exemptions to health initiatives, the power of the president with respect to dismissing the heads of independent agencies.
https://www.arniearnesen.org/WP
BACKGROUND BRIEFING with IAN MASTERS: December 14, 2025 (00:59:00)
An Assessment of Trump’s New National Security Strategy | Why Democrats Lost the Last Election and What They Must Do to Win the Next One |A Gen Z Union Organizer on Standing Up For a Better Workplace.
https://www.backgroundbriefing.org
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: Outgrowing Modernity, a New Interview with Vanessa Machado de Oliveira Part One (00:59:00)
Vanessa Machado de Oliveira is a LatinX professor and a senior academic leader at the University of Victoria. She held the Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities & Global Change & the David Lam Chair in Critical Multicultural Education at the University of British Columbia. Vanessa has led educational and research programs in the UK, Finland, New Zealand, Brazil and Canada. Her research focuses on the entanglements of historical, systemic and ongoing forms of violence and unsustainability of modernity. Vanessa is one of the founders of Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures, an Arts and Research Collective, and she is the author of Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity’s Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism, and her new book is Outgrowing Modernity: Navigating Complexity, Complicity and Collapse with Accountability and Compassion.
This is the first half of my interview with Vanessa. The second half will be available next week.
DEEP DIVE CYBERSECURITY SHOW: We Are Losing Trust In Facts (00:58:00)
A century of shared history is in deep jeopardy. Documentaries are starting to heavily rely on AI to create narratives, reenact historical scenes and more. Because the population views documentaries as accurate retellings of our shared history, this is rather concerning. We explore this and so much more in this episode!
SATURDAY 12.13.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
TECHTONIC with MARK HURST: Noah McCormack from The Baffler: We used to read things in this country (00:59:30)
Technology is changing us for the worse, Noah McCormack writes in The Baffler the online magazine where he works as publisher. As social media returns us to an oral culture, our ability to read, and comprehend what we read, is declining.
KEEPING DEMOCRACY ALIVE: A Wealth Tax: Boost the Economy and Democracy (00:58:38)
It’s a long term necessity, but tragically, short term policy-makers put off a solution essential to a strong economy and restoration of our republican form of government. As of today, both the economy and democracy are in a downward spiral. A wealth tax is necessary to reverse this economic and political nosedive. Our guest today Josh Bivens, chief economist with the Economic Policy Institute, argues that while were far from being there politically, taxing the top .1% is a fair and just solution we can not put off forever. The problem is that many fear taxing the ultra-wealthy will mean they’ll get hit too. It’s still a political problem but we are getting closer with more democratic left leaning candidates winning.
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
AGING MATTERS: Intuitive Eating (00:58:00)
Eating a healthy and balanced diet helps ensure the body gets essential nutrients, especially for adults as they age. During the holidays when party foods and beverages are abundant, older adults and their family members may be concerned about food choices and weight gain.
https://www.agingmattersonline.com
GROWING GREENER: Seemingly non-invasive exotic garden plants can be ecological time bombs (00:29:00)
Revisiting a conversation from August 2023 with Dr. Bethany Bradley of the University of Massachusetts, who describes how plants introduced from outside our ecosystems may remain quiescent for decades before turning invasive, and how climate change is threatening to explode this threat.
https://www.thomaschristophergardens.com
TUC RADIO: Chalmers Johnson ‘Nemesis’ Archive Part One of Two (00:29:00)
Chalmers Johnson wrote that nothing is more dangerous to democracy, than military expansion and war and argued that the U.S. is in danger of internal collapse, due in large part to the vast expenditures required to maintain its ever-expanding empire. Chalmers Johnson is the acclaimed author of Blowback, The Sorrows of Empire and Nemesis. He is a former analyst for the CIA and professor emeritus of the University of California San Diego.
He was interviewed by the California based author of Imperial San Francisco, Gray Brechin, in March 2007.
THE BOPST SHOW: Unlock That Funky Chaindance (00:55:37)
The Bopst Show, the critically acclaimed music radio show hosted by artist, musician, writer, DJ and founding member of GWAR, Chris Bopst, features a wide assortment of audio stimulations from a myriad of genres, eras and inspirations. On this week’s show, you’ll hear 80s Richmond instrumental group Alter Natives, minimalist hip hop duo Detroit Grand Pubahs, and Haitian artist Freedom as well as music by The Liminanas, Dianne and Carole & The Latin Whatchamacallits, and many others locked out of the nation’s largest terrestrial bandwidths.
podomatic.com/podcasts/chrisbopst
RALPH NADER RADIO HOUR #613 (00:58:00)
Ralph welcomes Judith Enck (founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is eliminating plastic pollution everywhere) to discuss her new book “The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before Its Too Late.” Then, Ralph reflects on the 60th anniversary of “Unsafe at Any Speed.”
https://www.ralphnaderradiohour.com
FRIDAY 12.12.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Friday December 12, 2025
https://www.democracynow.org/shows
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: Flood sensors help NYC residents stay out of dangerous waters (00:01:30)
A team has installed about 300 solar-powered sensors near streets and intersections that are flood-prone during storms or high tides.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
THE LABOR HERITAGE POWER HOUR: Care, Craft, and Community: Inside The Doublewide (00:55:00)
This week on the Labor Heritage Power Hour, novelist Ann Goethals joins us to share the stories behind The Doublewide, her powerful debut novel about caregiving, community, and the invisible labor that holds our world together. Ann reads from the opening chapter and reflects on her years as a teacher, union activist, and caregiver navigating the realities of dementia care.
We’ve also got Labor Arts News Briefs, including big wins for PAs organizing with LIUNA, a new contract at the Los Angeles Times, and a first contract victory at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. Plus: exciting news about the return of the Labor Oscars and Labor Grammys under the Labor Heritage Foundations banner.
Then we turn to Labor History in 2:00, tracing the fall of the Knights of Labor and the rise of the American Federation of Labor ” two very different visions of the labor movement.
Plus a sneak preview of next week’s show, the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s radio drama, A Red Carol.
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: Trump’s Isolated America (00:58:00)
Threats to attack not only Venezuela- but maybe Mexico and Columbia as well… requiring social media history from visitors… abandoning and bullying our allies… illegal and random arrests and deportations of foreign nationals- what is this all about? Plus- Phill Ittner on the Ukraine war.
SEA CHANGE RADIO: John Stoehr: Democrats In Focus (00:29:00)
Amid all the darkness sweeping our nation over the past year, there remain vital signs of life from progressives. But will they be able to adequately fight, organize, and inspire to retake power? This week on Sea Change Radio, a political discussion with John Stoehr of The Editorial Board as we focus on the Democratic Party. We talk about messaging, the end of the government shutdown and look at some of the rising stars on the left side of the aisle.
LAURA FLANDERS AND FRIENDS: Doxed, Stalked & Swatted: When the Far Right Goes After Journalists (00:28:00)
Today’s guests have paid a price for their reporting on far Right extremists. But if journalists don’t do this critical work, then who will? The Trump administration is deprioritizing domestic terrorism to serve a political agenda, scaling back investigations of far-Right extremism while redirecting DHS agents to immigration crackdowns. As programs tracking domestic extremism are dismantled and January 6 rioters are recast as “patriots,” journalists find themselves on the frontlines ” and their attackers are now people in power. Jordan Green is an investigative reporter for Raw Story whose coverage on far-Right extremism has spanned from Charlottesville to January 6. He is currently working on a book about militant accelerationism. Green also reported on a story we’ve covered extensively on the show: the attack on two power stations in Moore County, North Carolina. A correspondent for the Texas Observer, investigative journalist Steven Monacelli has been tracking extremism, disinformation, social movements, and the influence of dark money in politics. He received the The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award for revealing the identities of far-Right extremists, including government employees. Freelance journalist Amanda Moore embedded with the far Right in 2020 and has faced backlash from far-Right groups for her reporting. Her reporting at present focuses on ICE and Border Control, and her work has appeared in the Nation, Politico, and the Intercept. Join us for this chilling conversation on threats against journalists and the implications for democracy, plus a commentary from Laura.
THE BOPST SHOW: Unlock That Funky Chaindance (00:55:37)
The Bopst Show, the critically acclaimed music radio show hosted by artist, musician, writer, DJ and founding member of GWAR, Chris Bopst, features a wide assortment of audio stimulations from a myriad of genres, eras and inspirations. On this week’s show, you’ll hear 80s Richmond instrumental group Alter Natives, minimalist hip hop duo Detroit Grand Pubahs, and Haitian artist Freedom as well as music by The Liminanas, Dianne and Carole & The Latin Whatchamacallits, and many others locked out of the nation’s largest terrestrial bandwidths.
podomatic.com/podcasts/chrisbopst
THE BRADCAST: 12/11/2025 Trump’s Losing One Battle After Another (00:58:00)
On today’s ‘BradCast’: A grand jury again rejected the corrupt Trump Justice Department’s revenge indictment of NY Attorney General Letitia James. Indiana Senate Republicans reject new gerrymandered congressional maps in defiance of Donald Trump’s demands. A federal judge ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be released from ICE custody ‘immediately.’ DHS Sec. Kristi Noem and a top FBI official embarrassed themselves at a U.S. House hearing on the Trump administration’s immigration and domestic terrorism policies. U.S. Senate Republicans rejected a Democratic bill to extend premium subsidies, ensuring health care costs will spike for millions of Americans. Washington State pummeled by relentless, ‘catastrophic’ rains and flooding. Real estate app Zillow removed a feature informing home buyers of individual properties’ exposure to climate risks. Plus Desi Doyen has our new ‘Green News Report.’
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
THURSDAY 12.11.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Thursday December 11, 2025
https://www.democracynow.org/shows
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: Science educator makes a 7,000-mile journey in an electric SUV (00:01:30)
I love a big experiment.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
RADIO ECOSHOCK: The Danger Zone (00:58:00)
Are we bringing this civilization to a painful end? Climate warnings from top scientists in the UK Emergency Briefing on climate. Powerful selected clips. First two new interviews: Professor Brian Soden: the phenomenal heat burst of 2023 and 24 were NOT caused by a change in ship pollution regulations. From the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Dr. Cheng He on the study “Escalated Heatwave Mortality Risk in Sub-Saharan Africa Under Recent Warming Trend”. We burn it. They die. Harsh truth is a start.
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: In Putin’s America (00:58:00)
As Trump knifes democratic Ukraine in the back, and puts down our steadfast European allies, is this the next big step in Putin’s plan for the USA?
RISING UP WITH SONALI – 2025-12-09 (00:58:30)
This week, well survey some of the most censored stories of the year with Andy Lee Roth of Project Censored, now in its 50th year. In the latest edition of State of the Free Press 2026, the work of independent journalists takes center stage and Andy surveys some of the most important stories you haven’t read about in the New York Times. Then, journalist and historian Marianne Dhenin joins me to discuss her latest piece about AB 715, a dangerous California bill signed into law, aimed at pro-Palestinian education and ethnic studies programs, and the growing coalition beating it back. Finally, our special correspondent Dortell Williams joins us for a look at how mentorship can feed public safety and save lives.
https://risingupwithsonali.com
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 24 (00:31:15)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
WINGS #35-25 Women’s Equality in Islam (00:29:00)
In this speech recorded at the 4th UN World Conference on Women in Huairou, China, in 1995, Riffat Hassan explains that in the Koran women and men are considered created as equals; but Islamic commentators picked up the concept of women being created from a rib from other religions, beginning a trend for considering women subordinate to men across the Islamic world.
THE BRADCAST: 12/10/2025 Dems Continue Stunning 2025 Election Streak (00:58:00)
On today’s ‘BradCast’: Voters across the country are continuing their remarkable shift toward Democrats in elections throughout 2025. On Tuesday, voters elected Democrat Eileen Higgins as Miami, Florida’s first female mayor, flipping a seat held by Republicans for nearly 30 years. In Florida, Iowa, and Georgia, voters shifted further to Democrats in special state legislative races, in some cases flipping long-held Republican seats. In Missouri, voters have gathered enough signatures for a state ballot initiative to stop GOP state lawmakers from further gerrymandering the state. But in a tiny town in New York State, thanks to the tenacious efforts of supporters, a hand recount uncovered that computer tabulators had seriously mis-tallied two local elections. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest ‘Green News Report.
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
WEDNESDAY 12.10.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Wednesday December 10, 2025
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: A 30-year-old sea level rise projection has basically come true (00:01:30)
Even without todays advanced modeling tools, scientists made a remarkably accurate estimate.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
FOOD SLEUTH RADIO: Debra Hendrickson, MD, author of The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Frontlines of Climate Change (00:28:00)
Did you know that it’s impossible to separate children’s health from their environment? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Debra Hendrickson, MD, author of The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Frontlines of Climate Change. Hendrickson explains the unique physical and mental health challenges faced by children due to climate change, and offers collective, corrective actions and hope.
Related Websites: https://debrahendrickson.com/
https://foodsleuth.transistor.fm
THIS WAY OUT #1967: The State of Queer Journalism & global LGBTQ news & more! (00:28:59)
Press coverage in the queer times of Trump; the Rainbow Rewind honors December-born queer celebs and key historic December events; Kuala Lumpur cops drop charges against 200 raid arrestees, the E.U.s top court orders same-gender marriage portability, a Tokyo High Court ruling sends Japans marriage equality issue to the Supreme Court, the U.K.s Womens Institute expels trans members under court duress, and an upstate New York Methodist minister transitions with grace.
Those stories and more this week, when you choose This Way Out
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: Trump’s Imperial Reign (00:58:00)
As Trump relentlessly pushes to expand his powers, farmers, the press, and anyone who says ‘the King has no clothes’ is paying the price.
CIVIC CIPHER: The Rise of Democratic Socialism ft. Bobby Nichols (00:59:00)
Today’s guest, Bobby Nichols is the former Phoenix Democratic Socialist of America’s chapter chair and current member. He is the founder of Arizona Works Together, a pro-union political action committee operating at the state level. Additionally, Bobby Nichols works for the Office of the Arizona Attorney General as a state attorney representing Arizona’s Departments of Child Safety and Economic Security in Superior and Administrative Court cases involving the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of minor children and vulnerable adults.
In the first half of the show, we discuss the successes of Democratic Socialist candidates and campaigns around the country and why Democratic Socialism is resonating with people over traditional Democrats.
In the second half of the program, we examine the current administration through the lens of Democratic Socialism including tariffs, increased surveillance, and assistance programs
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 23 (00:27:19)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
CHOOSE TO BE CURIOUS: Curiosity, Tiny Experiments & Liminal Space, with Anne-Laure Le Cuff (00:28:00)
Anne-Laure Le Cunff is a Choose to Be Curious trifecta: researcher, theoretician ” and practitioner. A neuroscientist and deep thinker about the personal and social implications of our curiosity, she conducts tiny experiments to focus closely on how we use our time and energy to best effect. Anne-Laure is the founder of Ness Labs, a collective platform for curious people, where ambitious knowledge workers come together to achieve their goals without sacrificing their mental health.
THE BRADCAST: 12/9/2025 Guest: Dr. Michael E. Mann on COP30 failure and authoritarian petro-states undermining climate science (00:58:00)
On today’s ‘BradCast’: Another court victory for New York Attorney General Letitia James, after a federal judge struck down Donald Trump’s executive order halting virtually all wind energy projects on federal lands/waters. Europe’s climate service announced 2025 will be either the second or third hottest year ever recorded globally. Renowned climate scientist DR. MICHAEL E. MANN of the Univ. of Pennsylvania explains what has gone wrong at the UN climate talks, most recently in Brazil, where authoritarian petro-states succeeded in blocking substantive action on climate change. Dr. Mann also covers what remains of the ‘carbon budget’; billionaire Bill Gates spreading climate disinformation at an alarming rate; why he remains optimistic about the fight to address climate change; and his new book, ‘Science Under Siege: the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World’.
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
TUESDAY 12.09.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Tuesday December 9, 2025
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: Climate change is boosting health care costs (00:01:30)
An online tool helps businesses figure out how much climate change could increase what they pay for their employees health care.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
ENCOURAGEMENTOLOGY: Honoring the Gift of Time: Investing in What Truly Matters (00:29:00)
On this show we’re talking about something most of us feel deeply but rarely pause long enough to examine: how we honor the gift of time. Have you ever caught yourself saying, Wow time is really flying by, yet found yourself spending whole stretches of your life on things that don’t matter, don’t fill you, or don’t reflect who you’re becoming? Its that strange contradiction ” we feel time slipping, yet we still give so much of it away to worry, distraction, obligation, or drama that never pays back.
MAKING CONTACT: Disability Visibility: Celebrating the Voice of Alice Wong (00:29:00)
This episode honors the life and legacy of Alice Wong. We share the Making Contact segment she produced in 2015, exploring the complex relationships between caregivers and care receivers. The show continues with an excerpt from her powerful essay, [Diversifying Radio with Disabled Voices](https://focmedia.org/2016/04/diversifying-radio-with-disabled-voices/), and closes with Alice’s reading of Laura Hershey’s 1991 poem You Get Proud by Practicing.
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: Americans Will Continue to Speak Out and Fight for Democracy (00:58:00)
Well…The FBI is making a list of American extremists. Guess who may be on it? Did Whiskey Pete just throw Trump under the bus or is he saying – if I go down, so do you? A billionaire wants a return to hangings – just like Saudi Arabia….He says it’s “Masculine Leadership.” How has this happened?
THE CHILDREN’S HOUR: Fungus Among Us (00:53:00)
This week on The Children’s Hour, we dig into the fascinating world of fungi with mycologist Peter McCoy, founder of Mycologos, the world’s first school of mycology. Listeners learn how mushrooms, molds, yeasts, and mycelium shape life on Earth in countless ways. Peter explains how fungi recycle nutrients, clean pollution, and even help plants and animals survive.
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 22 (00:30:06)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
WITH GOOD REASON Weekly Half Hour: The Weight of a Whale (00:29:00)
A new anthology of poems, including one that reflects on the weight of a whale, gathers voices from science, the arts, and Indigenous communities to create a portrait of nature in America. Former Virginia Poet Laureate Luisa A. Igloria (Old Dominion University) is co-editor of The Nature of Our Times: Poems on Americas Lands, Waters, Wildlife, and Other Natural Wonders. Plus: Ana Lang (Washington and Lee and Central Virginia Community College) is the first ever student Poet Laureate of Virginia Community College System. She is torn between her Cambodian familys expectations of her and her desire to be a free and independent woman.
THE BRADCAST: 12/8/2025 Guest: Dan Becker of the Center for Biological Diversity on Trump’s rollback of U.S. fuel efficiency standards (00:58:00)
On today’s ‘BradCast’: Don’t let our ridiculous, sociopathic President’s absurd, unspeakable actions distract from the relentless, damaging effects of his terrible policies, and the increasingly high costs Americans (and the world) are paying for them. Donald Trump announced another billion-dollar taxpayer bailout for US farmers who have been harmed by his tariffs. Even Fox News reported that Trump’s policies will raise healthcare costs for everyone, including those on Medicare. DAN BECKER of the Center for Biological Diversity delves into how Trump’s rollbacks of fuel efficiency standards will cost Americans dearly – – by increasing demand for oil and fuel costs, harming American health by worsening pollution and global warming, all while handing global market dominance to China.
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
MONDAY 12.08.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Monday December 8, 2025
https://www.democracynow.org/
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: A regional effort helps Ohio communities step up on climate change (00:01:30)
Its helping cities and towns find the training, funding, and technical support to prepare for climate change and cut carbon pollution.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
WHEN THE BIOMASS HITS THE WIND TURBINE #79: Early Pioneers in Solar (00:29:00)
Introduce Michelle and Geoff
How did you get interested, involved in solar?
What were some of the early challenges
What was your first system like?
What made you decide to make this a business?
How has the technology evolved?
How are Ohio and Colorado different?
Where do you see the industry going short term?
What about certification?
Where do you see it evolving to in the long term?
https://bluerockstation.podbean.com/
ECONOMIC UPDATE: Christianity Split – Love vs. Hate (00:29:00)
This week on Economic Update, Professor Wolff delivers updates on the nationwide Starbucks strikes, the results of Trump’s tariffs: facts and fakery. The second part of the show features an interview with journalist and podcast host John Fugelsang about his new book: Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds.
https://economicupdate.libsyn.com/
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: When the Government Can Kill Without Consequences, What Is Left of Democracy? (00:57:59)
US Congressman Ro Khanna (CA Democrat) weighs in on recent congressional actions in a National Progressive Townhall Meeting. Listeners phone-in with compelling questions on unconstitutional actions, violence in International waters, student debt relief, exposure of the Epstein files and more.
https://www.thomhartmann.com/
SPIRIT IN ACTION: Black Wholeness Through The Prophetic Lens (00:55:00)
(Originally aired 10/22/2022) In his book, The Prophetic Lens: The Camera and Black Moral Agency from MLK to Darnella Frazier, Phil Allen Jr. examines the history & the future of Black wholeness in the USA, especially the ways in which people of color have been made invisible, & how their power is being reclaimed through open eyes & lenses. Phil’s first book was Open Wounds, also rendered as a documentary film. Phil is an author, poet, storyteller, & theologian, and he is the founder of the Racial Solidarity Project and he is a Ph.D. student in Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: AME (African Methodist Episcopal), Atheist, Charismatic, Pentecostal
https://www.spiritinaction.net/
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 21 (00:26:01)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair/
GREEN STREET with PATTI and DOUG WOOD: Farm Trouble (00:29:00)
Small family farms are vital to our food supply and our health. In the news this week, Patti and Doug talk about PFAS chemicals in firefighting turnout gear, health problems for kids who get cell phones before age 12, and how tattoo ink travels through the body causing trouble. Then Jennifer Fahy, communications director for Farm Aid, talks about the work of the organization and why protecting small family farms is more important than ever!
https://www.greenstreetnews.org/
THE BRADCAST: 12/5/2025 Encore: Follow the Voting: Elections, accountability, callers and more (00:58:00)
Encore: original airdate 12-1-2025. On today’s ‘BradCast’: We catch up on a number of important developments that unfolded over the Thanksgiving holiday week. Donald Trump lost again in court: a federal appeals panel ruled Trump’s appointment of Alina Habba as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey was unlawful, and a different court upheld a $1 million judgement against Trump over his frivolous lawsuit against Hillary Clinton. Following former(?) MAGA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) resignation announcement, new reporting suggests more Republicans plan to leave Congress. Democrat Aftyn Behn is shockingly close to winning a special U.S. House election in deep red Tennessee. Democrats expanded their wins across most local and county races in New York State in the November elections. Callers weigh in.
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
SUNDAY 12.07.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Friday repeat due to technical difficulties.
SATURDAY 12.06.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Friday repeat due to technical difficulties.
FRIDAY 12.05.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Friday December 5, 2025
https://www.democracynow.org/shows
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: The policy change that could put more EVs on the road (00:01:30)
In many states, carmakers are prohibited from selling directly to consumers. Cutting out the middleman could help speed EV adoption.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
THE LABOR HERITAGE POWER HOUR: When the Machines Start to Sing (00:55:00)
This week on the Labor Heritage Power Hour: Singer – songwriter and longtime movement troubadour David Rovics joins us to talk about his unlikely collaboration with an AI persona he calls Ai Tsuno, which has already produced nearly 40 songs in a stunning range of styles. We dig into what it means to vibe code music, how expertise and craft still matter in avoiding AI slop, why this technology threatens the jobs of working musicians, and why Rovics believes well need something like universal basic income as AI transforms whole professions. Along the way, we hear clips from new labor anthems including No Contract, No Coffee and In the Age of AI.
Then we travel back to December 3, 1946, when Oakland workers shut down their city in a historic general strike. Drawing on accounts from Stan Weir, we tell the story of how one unlikely pop hit Pistol Packin’ Mama, by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters – blared from jukeboxes dragged onto the sidewalks, becoming the unofficial soundtrack of the uprising and reminding us how popular culture and class struggle collide in surprising ways.
We close with a joyful preview of the DC Labor Chorus annual Favorite and Sacred Songs concert (Sat., Dec. 6, free; RSVP here). We feature a powerful medley including None of Us Are Free, We Did Not Come This Far and a union-flavored holiday wish for justice and good contracts – a taste of the spirit, harmony, and solidarity waiting for audiences this weekend.
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: Did RFK Jr ever have any scruples at all? (00:58:00)
Is the Main Street bust here? Will Whiskey Pete be held to account? Who is the suspect they’ve arrested for the Jan 6th pipe bombs? Is MAHA now on Monsanto’s side? How did that happen? Did RFK Jr ever have any scruples at all? Plus Ukraine war update with Phil Ittner.
SEA CHANGE RADIO: Jim Motavalli: EV Overview (00:29:00)
This week on Sea Change Radio, well get the latest on the electric vehicle consumer market from automotive expert, Jim Motavalli. Well look at some new models worth checking out if you’re considering buying an EV, examine the impact of the Trump tariffs on the industry, and look at how foreign auto makers from Germany to China are improving their electric vehicles.
LAURA FLANDERS AND FRIENDS: Sara Nelson on Why Worker Unity is Key to Success (00:28:00)
Sara Nelson knows how to leverage worker power ” and so do the 55,000 flight attendants she represents. A union member since 1996, she’s been the International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO since 2014. You may remember her integral role in threatening a strike, which helped pressure the Trump administration to end the 2019 government shutdown. But under the second Trump term, the administration plans to gut many government agencies and has canceled one million contracts for federal workers so far. We have to understand that if one group is under attack, we’re next, she tells Laura Flanders in this exclusive interview. So we have to rush to each other’s sides. In this episode, Nelson and Flanders explore labor movement tactics and strategies, wins and losses, and why general strikes and cross-industry worker solidarity are critical in this moment. What is her message and her mission for 2025? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on floods and profits.
THE BOPST SHOW: Schizophrenic Baby (00:55:41)
The Bopst Show, the critically acclaimed music radio show hosted by artist, musician, writer, DJ and founding member of GWAR, Chris Bopst, features a wide assortment of audio stimulations from a myriad of genres, eras and inspirations. On this week’s show, you’ll hear the raw, rock & roll of the Dirtbombs, funky soul from the Detroit Executives, and the boisterous camp of Bette Midler as well as music by Tony Allen, the Dismasters, and many others locked out of the nation’s largest terrestrial bandwidths.
podomatic.com/podcasts/chrisbopst
THE BRADCAST: 12/4/2025 Politico’s Alice Ollstein on the health care cliff on January 1 (00:58:00)
On today’s ‘BradCast’: A Defense Dept. Inspector General report on ‘Signalgate’ found that Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth endangered U.S. military personnel when he shared sensitive military information on an unsecured app. Congressional Democrats were ‘deeply disturbed’ after viewing video of lethal boat strikes in the Caribbean that experts say violated US military and international law. Justice Department charged a suspect in the case of pipe bombs planted near the Capitol before the Jan. 6 insurrection. Grand jury declined to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James. The rightwing Supreme Court majority allowed Texas to use new Trump-backed gerrymandered map in the midterm elections. Global child mortality is rising after the Trump Administration dismantled US AID. Politico’s Alice Miranda Ollstein lays out the political and policy landscape as the nation heads towards a Republican health care crisis cliff as of January 1. Plus Desi Doyen has our new ‘Green News Report.’
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
THURSDAY 12.04.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Thursday December 4, 2025
https://www.democracynow.org/shows
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: Lights! Camera! Donated food! (00:01:30)
A Hollywood team gathers unused meals from TV and movie sets to share with food pantries, shelters, and low-income apartments.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
RADIO ECOSHOCK: Harsh Weather – the new normal (00:58:00)
More extreme weather is coming. Dr. Malte Stueckers team finds El Nino and La Nina get stronger changing other big ocean systems in the North Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Expect drought to floods in a predictable see-saw of disasters. Over 50,000 Europeans died due to excess heat in 2023 and again in 2024. Even wealthy countries cant adapt. Dr. Christopher Callahan with latest findings on heat deaths in Europe. Hourly temperatures reveal a week less winter and over a week more heat stress in parts of America. Distinguished Professor Sandra Yuter explains. Three breaking-science interviews this week on Radio Ecoshock.
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: Defy Donald Together (00:58:00)
Donald Trump may have fantasized about maiming civilians and now he is doing it. Former DHS Chief of Staff Miles Taylor joins Thom Hartmann to discuss Trump’s war crime fantasy. Kushner’s Moscow mission wasn’t just corrupt. It was unconstitutional. Crazy Alert! Is this real? Did Pete Hegseth do an open wink at Nazis during the cabinet meeting?
RISING UP WITH SONALI – 2025-12-02 (00:58:30)
This week, well tackle the problem of plastic use and pollution with Judith Enck, the president and founder of Beyond Plastics, whose new book is The Problem With Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before Its Too Late. Shell explain if it’s possible to have a plastic-free holiday season. Finally, Norman Solomon joins us to discuss how corporate Democrats paved the road to Donald Trump’s victories in 2016 and 2024, and how defeating Trump means ousting figures like Chuck Schumer and other unpopular liberals from power.
https://risingupwithsonali.com
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 20 (00:25:28)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
TEXT: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/140/140-h/140-h.htm
WINGS #34-25 16 Days on Kenya’s Coast (00:29:00)
Since 1991, thousands of women’s organizations around the world have marked 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women (aka Gender violence) from November 25 through December 10th. In this program, you hear about organized efforts against these problems in the coast region of Kenya. Speakers: Violet Muthiga, Chief Executive Officer of Sauti ya Wanawake Pwani (Voice of Women in the Coast region); Mary Kiambi, a paralegal for the International Center for Reproductive Health at the Gender Violence Recovery Center; Betty Sharon, Chief Executive Officer of Coast Women in Development; video sound about work with male sex offenders (and victims) from Coast Women media.
THE BRADCAST: 12/3/2025 TN Special Election’s ‘Flashing Red Light Warning Sign’ for GOP; Degenerate President spews racist invective (00:58:00)
Independent, investigative news, reporting, interviews and commentary.
On today’s ‘BradCast’: In Tennessee’s special U.S. House election on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn lost the deep red, heavily-gerrymandered seat to her Republican opponent, but like virtually all special elections this year, the results showed a massive voter shift toward Democrats – – a ‘flashing red light warning sign’ for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Donald Trump unleashed a tirade of racist remarks demonizing Minnesota’s American Somali population. Minneapolis officials vowed they will not assist Trump’s federal jack-booted thugs reportedly set to launch another round of immigration raids in the city. Similar raids are also reportedly planned for New Orleans. Plus Desi Doyen has our new ‘Green News Report.’
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
WEDNESDAY 12.03.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Wednesday December 3, 2025
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: Want to reduce your neighborhoods pollution? Start with a walk audit (00:01:30)
This exercise will help prepare you to push for a more pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
FOOD SLEUTH RADIO: Coco Newton, RD, MPH, CNS, discusses how she applies functional medical nutrition therapy for those diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) (00:28:00)
Did you know that there is hope for patients diagnosed with ALS? Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the debilitating neurodegenerative disease commonly known as Lou Gehrigs Disease, is influenced by genetics and environmental factors, including living near bodies of water frequently impacted by harmful algal blooms. Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Coco Newton, RD, MPH, CNS, a registered dietitian and holistic practitioner with expertise in functional medical nutritional therapy for improving the diet quality and quality of life for those diagnosed with ALS. Newton has been involved with Healing ALS: www.healingALS.org. She references the ALS Clinic at Duke University: https://alsclinic.duke.edu/our-research/ and the international conference on ALS and Motor Neurone Disease will be held Dec 5-7 in San Diego, CA: https://symposium.mndassociation.org/programme/. To learn more about algal blooms and neurodegenerative disease, see: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1087706
Related Websites: https://www.coconewton.com/
https://foodsleuth.transistor.fm
THIS WAY OUT #1966 Steven Reigns Outliving Michael & more! (00:28:59)
Our NewsWrap crew took the U.S. holiday weekend off, but next week they’ll catch up on this week’s stories like the key marriage equality court rulings in Japan and the European Union.
On this weeks special show we commemorate World AIDS Day with a reflection in poetry and the press ” but its mostly the poetry of Steven Reigns from his 2025 book Outliving Michael, Interspersed with music and news reports of the times. [Our regular NewsWrap segment returns next week.]
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: The War always comes home (00:58:00)
Is This What the Oval Office Has Become, a Conspiracy Content Farm? The shocking reason of why Trump pardoned the former Honduran president. Malcolm Nance – Venezuela, Russia and Ukraine, Oh My. The War always comes home, and that’s what happened in DC the day before Thanksgiving.
CIVIC CIPHER: Does Hard Work Really Lead to Success? / Reagans Racism Tanked U.S. Education (00:59:00)
Today we pull from a public World Government Summit lecture offered by professor of political science, Dr. Roy Casagranda discussing the economic history of the United States as well as the dismantling of the free/low-cost education system once found in the United States.
In the first half of the show, discuss the idea that hard work leads to success. We challenge the idea that a few aligned factors can create a universal pathway to the American dream. We also discuss the systemic barriers and advantages present in society and how certain groups are more likely to encounter these forces.
In the second half of the show, we talk about the shift in the United States approach to education after the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. We discuss how an increase in costs was strategically implemented by conservatives to create barriers for would-be protesters and social dissenters.
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 19 (00:25:28)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
TEXT: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/140/140-h/140-h.htm
CHOOSE TO BE CURIOUS: Curiosity & Nature Journaling, with John Muir Laws (00:28:00)
“Slow down to the speed of wonder.” ~ John Muir Laws
This is an episode about nature journaling, but Jack would be the first to say: it isn’t about the journal, it’s about the journey. He’s developed interdisciplinary programs that combine art with science and train us to observe the world with rigor and joy — strengthening our capacity to be intentionally curious.
THE BRADCAST: 12/2/2025 Military law expert Carrie A. Lee, PhD, on Pentagon politicization and unlawful boat strikes (00:58:00)
On today’s ‘BradCast’: The Trump Administration cited their supposed ‘war on drugs’ as legal justification for blowing up small boats carrying civilians in international waters near Venezuela. Trump Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth reportedly issued orders to conduct a second strike to kill shipwrecked survivors of one such attack, which military experts say is wildly illegal. Hegseth threatened veteran U.S. congressmembers for reminding military personnel that they must reject illegal orders. CARRIE A. LEE, PhD, an expert on civil-military relations, discusses the politicization of the U.S. military and Trump’s attempts to weaponize the military justice system to punish political opponents. Relatedly, Donald Trump pardoned the former President of Honduras, a drug kingpin convicted by a U.S. jury for his role in trafficking some 400 tons of cocaine to the U.S.
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
TUESDAY 12.02.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Tuesday December 2, 2025
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: Why scientists monitor carbon dioxide levels at a Hawaiian volcano (00:01:30)
Over nearly 70 years, they’ve documented atmospheric CO2 levels rising at Mauna Loa.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
ENCOURAGEMENTOLOGY: Finding Our Way Back to Each Other: The Lost Art of Human Connection (00:29:00)
On this show we’re talking about something that feels simple on the surface but has quietly gotten complicated over the years; the lost art of human connection. Let me ask you this. Have you ever caught yourself choosing the easier, more convenient option even when you knew the real thing would’ve felt better? Maybe it was sending a text instead of having a conversation. Maybe it was Googling an answer instead of asking someone for help. Or maybe, without even realizing it, you’ve replaced community with convenience.
MAKING CONTACT: Exposed Part 2: the Human Radiation Experiments at Hunter’s Point from SF Public Press (00:29:00)
On part 2 of “Exposed” from our friends at San Francisco Public Press, we hear how hundreds of servicemen and shipyard workers became unwitting volunteers for Cold War scientists’ biology and safety research. This miniseries first aired on Making Contact in February 2025
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: This is a Explicit War Crime (00:58:00)
Did Hegseth send the order to murder the helpless shipwrecked men clinging to the remains of their boat destroyed by American Navy? Will Republicans ever suffer consequences for flagrantly breaking US law, military law, and the laws of war?
THE CHILDREN’S HOUR: The Children’s Hour is Kids Public Radio (00:53:00)
The Kids Crew and Katie Stone explore what it means to truly be yourself. Everyone is different, and those differences make our world beautiful. On this episode, the crew talks with two guests who have built their lives and careers around being true to who they are.
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 18 (00:27:11)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
TEXT: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/140/140-h/140-h.htm
WITH GOOD REASON Weekly Half Hour: Radical Acceptance (00:29:00)
New-to-this-country students are constantly being asked to adapt. And often, their wellbeing is measured almost entirely by their ability to speak English. Alfonzo Perez Acosta (Virginia Humanities K-12 Education Fellow) is an arts educator. In his classroom, he gives students the tools to let their art do the talking. And: Everybody has a story. Not everyone has a place to tell it. Through the Community Media Center, Chioke IAnson (VCU ICA Community Media Center hopes to solve the problem of the untold story.
THE BRADCAST: 12/1/2025 Follow the Voting: Elections, accountability, callers and more (00:58:00)
On today’s ‘BradCast’: We catch up on a number of important developments that unfolded over the Thanksgiving holiday week. Donald Trump lost again in court: a federal appeals panel ruled Trump’s appointment of Alina Habba as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey was unlawful, and a different court upheld a $1 million judgement against Trump over his frivolous lawsuit against Hillary Clinton. Following former(?) MAGA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) resignation announcement, new reporting suggests more Republicans plan to leave Congress. Democrat Aftyn Behn is shockingly close to winning a special U.S. House election in deep red Tennessee. Democrats expanded their wins across most local and county races in New York State in the November elections. Callers weigh in.
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675
MONDAY 12.01.25 PROGRAM Notes
6-hour loop begins at NOON, repeats until following noon
(scroll down for previous notes)
Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman
Monday December 1, 2025
CLIMATE CONNECTIONS: Can farmers help reduce harmful algal blooms in New York’s Finger Lakes? (00:01:30)
Reducing pollution runoff from their fields could help prevent algal blooms that lead to beach closures.
www.YaleClimateConnections.org
WHEN THE BIOMASS HITS THE WIND TURBINE #78: Fake Meat (00:29:00)
What is plant based meat made out of?
What do the majority of Americans think about animal meat vs. plant-based meat?
What are flexitarians?
What about the need for protein?
What’s in the meatless stuff?
Meat substitutes: What is Heme?
Does it really matter how food is produced?
Fast food plant-based foods
What new on the horizon? the Cultured Meat Industry in 2020?
https://bluerockstation.podbean.com
ECONOMIC UPDATE: The Key Concept of ‘Surplus’ in Economics (00:29:00)
On today’s episode of Economic Update, Professor Wolff delivers an introduction to the key economic concept of the surplus.” He explains economic structures as ways of organizing the production and social distribution of the surplus. Then he briefly applies this concept to the economies of slavery and feudalism before focusing on the role of the surplus in capitalism. Finally, we use the surplus to delineate the ways alternative post-capitalist systems, such as socialism or communism, distribute it.
https://economicupdate.libsyn.com
LABOR HISTORY IN 2:00 – On This Day in Labor History
https://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/labor-history-in-200
THOM HARTMANN Best of 1 Hour: How Banks Took Over Almost Every World Government (00:57:59)
Wisdom School Lesson: In Defense of Dirt: Rewilding Our Children Before Their Bodies Forget. Investigative reporter Greg Palast joins Thom Hartmann for a shocking revelation detailing how the banking sector took over almost every world government. With scrutiny of Larry Summers, Epstein and the End Game Memo.
SPIRIT IN ACTION: Confronting Big Brother In America – Thom Hartmann (00:55:00)
(Originally aired 3/12/2022) Thom Hartmann’s completely articulate voice & extensive knowledge & insights all combine to insure his place as the USA’s #1 progressive talk show host. His more than 30 books are equally compelling, and today we talk with Thom about his latest, The Hidden one of the most articulate voices of progressive radio in the USA, and he’s a compelling writer as well. His most recent book is The Hidden History of Big Brother In America: How the Death of Privacy and the Rise of Surveillance Threaten Us and Our Democracy and it combines history, current events, & clear-sighted analysis or the way forward.
LITERATURE ALOUD: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair – ch. 17 (00:24:48)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. In fact, just the opposite is quite likely to occur. The family, naïve to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. The main character Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement. This novel was written during a period in American history when “Trusts” were formed by multiple corporations to establish monopolies that stifled competition and fixed prices. Unthinkable working conditions and unfair business practices were the norm. The Jungle’s author, Upton Sinclair, was an ardent Socialist of the time. Sinclair was commissioned by the “Appeal To Reason”, a Socialist journal of the period, to write a fictional expose on the working conditions of the immigrant laborers in the meat packing industry in Chicago. Going undercover, Sinclair spent seven weeks inside the meatpacking plants gathering details for his novel. (Summary by Tom Weiss)
https://librivox.org/the-jungle-by-upton-sinclair
TEXT: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/140/140-h/140-h.htm
GREEN STREET with PATTI and DOUG WOOD: THE SUGAR SCANDAL (00:29:00)
The sugar industry has spent years downplaying the health impacts of sugar and promoting the use of fluoride in public water supplies. In the news this week, Patti and Doug talk about a new warning on plastic pollution and children’s health, how play sand in Australia has been found to be laced with asbestos, and the EPA’s head-scratching approval of another PFAS pesticide ingredient. Then scientific researcher Chris Neurath talks about his work uncovering documents that show how the sugar industry manipulated science and worked secretly behind the scenes to support community fluoridation programs despite evidence of fluoride’s neurotoxicity and links to other serious health impacts.
https://www.greenstreetnews.org
THE BRADCAST: 11/28/2025 Encore: President of United States Calls for Killing Democratic Officials (00:58:00)
Encore: Original airdate 11-20-2025. On today’s ‘BradCast’: The pathetic, desperate coward in the White House, Donald Trump, called for six Democratic members of Congress, all veterans, to be executed for sedition after they published a video accurately advising all U.S. military service members that they are required by law to reject unlawful orders. Republicans, who have pretended for months to be furious about political violence, today remained silent or lied to cover up for Trump. A senior military attorney warned that Trump’s killings of civilians in boat strikes off the Caribbrean and Pacific coasts are unlawful, but was overruled. Federal prosecutors dropped a bunch of cases against people who protested federal immigration raids in Chicago. The Trump Administration’s new plans to drill off the coasts of California and Florida face ferocious opposition. Plus Desi Doyen has our new ‘Green News Report.’
https://bradblog.com/?cat=675