Category Archives: Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS)

Dr. Binoy Kampmark. Zac Bissonnette. Kelela.

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Dr. Binoy Kampmark
Zac Bissonnette, author
Kelela

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew home Wednesday to face a tougher, less adoring crowd than the cheering legislators in Washington. What was Bibi’s controversial speech really all about? Why did a foreign leader usurp protocol? Will ISIS cast a long shadow over the next presidential election? Can resolve be possible in the middle east? What’s happening in Russia? Does Putin actually kill off his detractors? Is everything in our world going crazy? To answer these questions and more, Dr. Binoy Kampmark, Senior Lecturer in Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT University Melbourne, Australia and contributing editor for Counterpunch magazine will join the program to help us make sense of what appear to be, ever-increasing problems. Dr. Kampmark has a unique ability to explain complex global issues. His well-considered opinions make for essential listening.

The Dark Side of Cute, is a fitting subtitle for an investigative book on  the “plush toys”, better known as Beanie Babies. Bestselling author, Zac Bissonnette delved into the peculiar, sad, funny and fantastic story of how a troubled and reclusive college dropout named Ty Warner turned his dream of creating the most adorable plush toys the world had ever seen into the largest personal fortune in the history of the American toy industry. Norman B will talk to Zac Bissonnette about his fascinating new book, The Great Beanie Baby Bubble.

This week’s Hit That Never Was features a reverential cover of John Lennon’s haunting, Jealous Guy. Can you guess the name of the artist? Plus, Norman B will introduce you to the music of first generation Ethiopian-American, Kelela. The Los Angeles-based singer sports magnificent dreadlocks, which she appears to chop off in the video for her new single, A Message. This powerful video is a must-see. We wonder if it was intended to be homoerotic? Go to BACK. to view the video and tell us what you think.

It’s a bumper-packed show, you will not want to miss! Life Elsewhere airs Sundays, at 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3  and Mondays, at 5.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio

Make sure you check out the cultural links at BACK.

Life Elsewhere is now available at Soundcloud

Never Exaggerate The Importance of Incompetence.

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Screen Shot 2014-07-02 at 3.26.59 PMIn the latest edition of Life Elsewhere, Dr. Binoy Kampmark joined the program to help us understand the turmoil in Iraq and what caused it. Dr. Kampmark, a learned scholar, appraises the Bush administration’s invasion of Iraq with a terse rebuke by saying, “Never exaggerate the importance of incompetence”. After summing up the past and current crisis in Iraq, Binoy Kampmark offers an opinion which can only regarded as optimistic when he says, “If the United States is prudent about this, they can actually do well as a powerbroker”. This is a fascinating interview, where you’ll hear an original take on  the history and future of Iraq.

Also in the program, Norman B asks Caitlin O’Connell  senior writer at World Soccer Talk and Robert Priest founder and editor-in-chief of the new soccer magazine Eight By Eight for their response to the question “Is sex appeal driving the appeal of soccer in the USA?” Our two soccer experts weigh wit their thoughts and give us update on the World Cup so far. Considering that Team USA were still in the running at the time of this show, it will be interesting to re-hear Caitlin and Robert’s predictions.

The influential R & B pioneer, Bobby Womack, sadly passed away two days before the broadcast, so Norman B created a special tribute which included a selection of Womack’s hits, including, It’s All Over Now, Woman’s Gotta Have It, That’s The Way I Feel About Cha, Harry Hippie, Across 110th Street and Please Forgive My Heart.

The Podcast with Dr. Binoy Kampmark, Caitlin O’Connell, Robert Priest and Bobby Womack is available now for download here.

The Sexy Beautiful Game?

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All over the world Soccer is known as The Beautiful Game. It’s also known as Football. In the USA, the moniker Football has long been claimed by what the rest of the world see as a gladiatorial spectacle, where the players clad in armor play a distant cousin of venerable Rugby, driven by the time demands of TV commercials. The World Cup 2014 has created an excitement unparalleled previously for Soccer in North American media. The fact that team USA remain a contender doesn’t hurt either. But, is there another reason why Soccer is rapidly gaining America’s attention? Could it be the appeal some of the soccer players have? Is The Beautiful Game sexy? To help us investigate this phenomenon, we invited back to Life Elsewhere, Caitlin O’Connell  senior writer at World Soccer Talk and Robert Priest founder and editor-in-chief of the new soccer magazine Eight By Eight. We’ll also ask our two Soccer experts for their up to the minute take on World Cup action so far.

Plus, Dr. Binoy Kampmark will join Life Elsewhere to answer the question, “Who Created The Turmoil In Iraq?”. Norman B will offer a tribute to the influential R & B pioneer, Bobby Womack, who sadly passed away this weekend.

Life Elsewhere airs 9.00am ET, Monday, June 30
WMNF 88.5fm
www.wmnf.org
Podcast 

Who Created The Turmoil In Iraq?

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IraqThe “Cradle of Civilization” is a common term for the area comprising modern Iraq as it was home to the earliest known civilization, the Sumerian civilization, which arose in the fertile Tigris-Euphrates river valley of southern Iraq in the Chalcolithic (Ubaid period). It was here in the late 4th millennium BC, that the world’s first writing system and recorded history itself were born. The history of Iraq from then until now is fraught with invasions, occupations, coup d’etat’s and of course, wars. As we prepare for the next edition of Life Elsewhere conflict in Iraq still rages, with forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) just an hour outside of Baghdad while the Syrian military is reportedly bombing the insurgents. Binoy KampmarkTo help us better understand the complexities of the Iraqi situation, Dr. Binoy Kampmark will join the program. Dr. Kampmark’s research and teaching interests lie in the intersections of law, international relations and history. Much of this involves the examination of conflict, diplomacy, and the various crises confronting international society. diplomacy, and the various crises confronting international society. Binoy teaches core legal courses within the Legal and Dispute Studies program for the Bachelor of Social Science at RMIT University.

Life Elsewhere airs 9.00am ET, Monday, June 30
WMNF 88.5fm
www.wmnf.org
Podcast