Meditations and recollections on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; with guests and listener call-ins.
August 27, 2010 Download this episode (right click and save)
The New York City "Mosque" hysteria...
A sincere effort to sow the seeds of peace falls on the old ground of basic American Racism--and a thousand crazy plants bloom.
...An angry/sad monologue on basic American racism, cynical political opportunism and media thugs exploiting fears and inciting riots. Is it just part of human nature to always need an evil enemy?
August 20, 2010 How and why we forge our own chains, build our own jail cells...
The empty comfort of loneliness vs. the pains of love.
August 13, 2010 PFC Bradley Manning and Wikileaks
Is anything permissible, any law or rule to be broken, to give the American public the information about the wars fought in its name?
Is the giving of the documents to Wikileaks the same as Daniel Ellsberg giving the NY Times the "Pentagon Papers?"
When is the violation of the laws of national security a patriotic duty and when is just a treacherous crime?
August 6, 2010 What lies between hitting a home run or striking out?
...Alex Rodriguez, Zen archery and the complex psychology of attempting perfection.
July 29, 2010 Bang Bang, you're dead...
Mike's personal history of guns, with a few comments on gun laws, hunting and the Second Amendment.
July 21, 2010 "Once upon a time"...
An essay about telling (and being told) stories, especially at bedtime--Mike's wanderings in the world of audio-books and how stories are the main transmission line for the DNA of humanity.
July 12, 2010 In a world where flying men shoot elephants, people are just naturally going to want to get high" (from Dog Soldiers by Robert Stone).
...Our national priorities continue to resemble Imperial Rome and Nazi Germany while our national rhetoric ramps up our championing of "Democracy" and "Justice". How does a decent human live in America and remain sane?
July 9, 2010 Independence Day, Part 2
Wherein we take a good look at the words of, and history behind the Declaration of Independence - And we wonder: Are today's celebrity-entranced, technology-manic and over-entertained Americans even aware of what this country was/is/and should be all about?
July 2, 2010 Afghanistan - Vietnam Squared!
America's psychopathic, careerist generals and greedy corporations bleed us dry again.
In Afghanistan, the United States goverenment, against the wishes of the majority of its citizens, is once again spending billions of dollars on an immoral and unwinnable war. We have brought corruption, addiction and death to a people already exhausted from endless struggles. Time for the United States to get out--as soon as possible.
June 21, 2010 Is There Life After Death? Do We Have A Soul?
And if we do, what is it, where does it come from and what’s the proper care and maintenance involved? A bumbling, but heartfelt examination of the Afterlife—the only conclusion being that it has to be better than living in Manhattan.
June 14, 2010 Father’s day coming… Who is a father? What is a father.
The universal psychological need for a strong, caring father; how rare it is to find one and the desire for the perfect father. Looking into the desire for our leaders to be strong fathers as cultural experience—an examination of Barack Obama and other presidents.
June 7, 2010 Gaza, what?
Mike takes a look at the current crisis between Israel and the Palestinians in blockaded Gaza, and expands the discussion into area politics, Israel, and, finally what it means to be an American Jew in relation to Israel—and in general.
June 2, 2010 Leaving The Garden of Eden…
Or, where did that snake come from anyway? An examination of the universal multiple; the Jekyl and Hyde in all of us, and, somewhere in the constantly shifting middle, our fragile humanity.
May 24, 2010 Delusion Of Childhood?
Is there such a thing as “the good old days”, or is that just a delusion of childhood, an avoidance of the complexity of interior and exterior life?
Comparative views of the world from a Fifties child and a 2010 adult.
May 19, 2010 Throwing Tantrums…
Mike speculates on the ways children and “grown-ups” struggle to differentiate themselves from their parents… For some, a life-ling endeavor.
Finding one’s own true self may really be a re-discovery of something already there— Its finding your way through the layers of expectations, guilt, and even overfond love to get back to where you started.
May 12, 2010 Mike Approaching 65!
Unbelievable! Unacceptable! How could this (actually getting old) have happened to such a nice boy? This vital question - and many others - are asked...but are they answered?
May 6, 2010 Freedom of Speech, A Vanishing Reality
A discourse on freedom of speech and censorship. Is there enough freedom of speech—Can there be too much?
April 29, 2010 Sand In The Face
Mike recalls the famous Charles Atlas comic book ads of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s…
The 97 pound weakling is insulted, but then, gets his revenge on the bully at the beach, wins back his girlfriend (and, no doubt, goes on to head Goldman Sachs). Sex, power, dominance and revenge—Ancient tribal code meets the American dream.
April 22, 2010 He's A Hero!
A soldier gets the Medal of Honor for courage above and beyond the call of duty. But do you have to risk your life to be a hero? Is a baseball player making 25 million dollars a year a hero for hitting a homer and winning the world series? Is a guy working 60 hours a week at a crummy job , and coming home to endless bills, then just being good to his family a hero?
Who’s a hero and why—and why do we seem to need them so much?
April 15, 2010 Don't Try This At Home
The use and abuse of live radio; a discussion of the magical nature of live broadcasting.
