Category Archives: Norman B

Dispelling The Myths Of Thomas Cromwell

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After a decade of researching the Royal Archives, the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, Diarmaid MacCulloch has emerged with the most thoroughly researched and complete biography of Thomas Crowell – a polarizing political figure most know for his unwavering service to volatile King Henry VIII, the demise of Anne Boleyn, and his hand in the Reformation. Thomas Cromwell: A Revolutionary Life sheds light onto a fascinating part of history, one that helped shape the course of English politics and the future of the Protestant religion. Since Crowell’s life met its end on the scaffold in 1540, history has not been kind to this self-made commoner who rose from obscurity to become the architect of England’s split with Rome. However, MacCulloch unveils a more sympathetic figure. Was Cromwell the villain of history or the victim of its creation? A masterful storyteller, not afraid to interject a healthy portion of English wit, MacCulloch dispels popular myths. Despite being unable to control the violent humor of his King, Cromwell made his mark on England, setting her on a path to religious awakening and indelibly transforming the system of government of the English-speaking world. Norman B’s conversation with Diarmaid MacCulloch is certainly not for history buffs alone, as illustrated by the author’s deadpan reference to the current US President’s possible resemblance to the one-time narcissistic, volatile ruler of England.

The Podcast is available at NPR One & iTunes

Sundays 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3
Sundays 10.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Mondays 5.00pm PT & Wednesdays 2.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio
Thursdays 6.00pm ET at Internet Radio Network
Fridays at 9.00pm GMT on Cornucopia Radio

If you miss any editions of Life Elsewhere, go here then go to the Listen On-Demand panel, choose the date of a show and click play.

Life Elsewhere Music airs:
Sundays 11.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Wednesdays at 3.00pm Pacific Time on NWCZ Radio
Fridays at 10.00am Eastern Time on IRN
Cornucopia Radio airs Life Elsewhere Music throughout each week
You can hear all the volumes over at Mixcloud

Show #298 V2

Obstructing Justice

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The Constitution Demands It – The Case For The Impeachment Of Donald Trump

by Ron Fein, John Bonifaz, & Ben Clements

Written by a trio of veteran constitutional attorneys who argue that according to the Constitution, the time to talk about impeachment is now. They offer a precise case against the president, detailing eight legal grounds, including illegal payments from foreign governments; using government agencies to persecute political enemies; obstructing justice; abusing the pardon power; undermining of the freedom of the press. Ron Fein, Legal Director for Free Speech For People joins the program to talk about his book and answer questions emailed in by listeners. “Why isn’t anyone moving forward with impeachment? Why are the people in power so forgiving and willing to look the other way?” Asks Janis in Seattle. Ron Fein expertly gives his opinion on what could well be the most important question right now.

The Podcast is available at NPR One & iTunes

Sundays 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3
Sundays 10.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Mondays 5.00pm PT & Wednesdays 2.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio
Thursdays 6.00pm ET at Internet Radio Network
Fridays at 9.00pm GMT on Cornucopia Radio

If you miss any editions of Life Elsewhere, go here then go to the Listen On-Demand panel, choose the date of a show and click play.

Life Elsewhere Music airs:
Sundays 11.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Wednesdays at 3.00pm Pacific Time on NWCZ Radio
Fridays at 10.00am Eastern Time on IRN
Cornucopia Radio airs Life Elsewhere Music throughout each week
You can hear all the volumes over at Mixcloud

Show #292

A Passion & An Obsession

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Madeline Puckette buffeted her fledgeling life as a graphic designer by working in a Seattle wine bar. Her wine knowledge stopped at cheap sweet white Zinfandel’s. Then, as she poured a variety of wines for customers, she began to somewhat timidly sample and finally taught herself to taste. From there, Madeline quickly realized she had a passion, if not an obsession for wine. She shared her unbridled enthusiasm for wine by co-creating, WineFolly.com. Using her astute graphic design skill, Madeline has crafted and co-authored, Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide. This is a marvellous book that will appeal to the novice and wine snob alike. Norman B, eager to chat with Madeline about one of his favourite topics, was enchanted by her exuberance. You will too, make sure you don’t miss this edition of Life Elsewhere.

The Podcast is available at NPR One & iTunes

Sundays 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3
Sundays 10.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Mondays 5.00pm PT & Wednesdays 2.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio
Thursdays 6.00pm ET at Internet Radio Network
Fridays at 9.00pm GMT on Cornucopia Radio

If you miss any editions of Life Elsewhere, go here then go to the Listen On-Demand panel, choose the date of a show and click play.

Life Elsewhere Music airs:
Sundays 11.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Wednesdays at 3.00pm Pacific Time on NWCZ Radio
Fridays at 10.00am Eastern Time on IRN
Cornucopia Radio airs Life Elsewhere Music throughout each week
You can hear all the volumes over at Mixcloud

Show #292

The Man With A Very, Very Big Brain

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Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters
cannot be trusted with important matters.
Albert Einstein

Trump On The Couch, the new book by Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Dr Justin Frank is a deep dive into the mental and emotional state of Donald Trump. No President in the history of the United States has inspired more alarm and confusion than Donald Trump. As questions and concerns about his decisions and qualifications for office have multiplied, they point to one primary question: Does Trump pose a genuine threat to our country? In his book, Dr Frank answers this question by observing Trump’s actions through a psychiatric lens, using years of study to connect Trumps’s actions to the psychosis of narcissism, misogyny, pathological deception, racism, and lack of empathy. While for years the American Psychiatric Association’s Goldwater Rule has precluded psychiatrists from offering diagnoses on public figures who are not patients, Dr Frank feels the actions of our President are too destructive for him to remain silent. According to Dr Frank, Trumps’s Presidency caps a lifetime of dysfunction and disorder, stemming from his childhood. His mother was known for riding around Queens in a rose-coloured Rolls Royce with vanity plates to collect the change from laundry machines in her husband’s buildings. His ruthless father and grandfather made their fortunes in dubious ways – brothels during the gold rush, seedy housing deals during the Great Depression – and took financial advantage of government-funded programs originally meant to benefit WW11 survivors. Cut to the present, Dr Frank observes that we find ourselves with a President whose verbal idiosyncrasies range from deception to hyperbole, and a whose inability to experience empathy permits him to express misogyny and racism/sexism toward anyone he sees as a critic. Norman B interviewed Dr Frank the day after Trump’s aberrant press conference where he told the world “The Chinese like me because I have a very, very big brain”.

The Podcast is available at NPR One & iTunes

Sundays 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3
Sundays 10.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Mondays 5.00pm PT & Wednesdays 2.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio
Thursdays 6.00pm ET at Internet Radio Network
Fridays at 9.00pm GMT on Cornucopia Radio

If you miss any editions of Life Elsewhere, go here then go to the Listen On-Demand panel, choose the date of a show and click play.

Life Elsewhere Music airs:
Sundays 11.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Wednesdays at 3.00pm Pacific Time on NWCZ Radio
Fridays at 10.00am Eastern Time on IRN
Cornucopia Radio airs Life Elsewhere Music throughout each week
You can hear all the volumes over at Mixcloud

Show #292

Three Very Different Books + One New EP

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About a week or so ago, late night talk show host, Jimmy Fallon introduced The Tonight Show’s first ever book club and included The Immortalists, the brilliant new novel by Chloe Benjamin. Perhaps, because Fallon has come under critical scrutiny after his gentle-cozy interview with Trump, the least cerebral of late-night comedians is not usually associated with anything other than chummy-chats with show-biz guests promoting whatever they are obligated to flog to the masses. So it came as no surprise when a few of Life Elsewhere’s attentive listeners decided to voice their opinions. Our interview with Chloe Benjamin had been well-received but our listeners were mystified as to how such a smart book managed to be on Jimmy’s book list! Had they missed the plot? Laney wrote to say that she wondered, “Is The Immortalists that lightweight?” And Meredith asked, “The book sounded serious and intense, did I miss the part about it being funny?” These questions prompted us to revisit Norman B’s interview with Chloe Benjamin. Yes, it is an intense book and it’s a note-worthy interview. Hear it again in this edition of Life Elsewhere, then perhaps we can all reevaluate the intellectual standing of Fallon, or at least give a big thumbs up to his producers.
Katja Pantzar discovered the simple, nature-inspired ways that Finns stay happy, healthy and strong – no matter what life has in store. This included swimming every day, even in winter when the water is 1 degree Celsius (34 Fahrenheit and feels as if hundreds of pins and needles are pricking your body. Katja joins the program to discuss her new helpful book, The Finnish Way.
The Great Believers is one of the first books to chronicle the AIDS epidemic from its initial outbreak to the present. Rebecca Makkai has written a powerful novel of friendship and redemption in the face of tragedy. She weaves together 1980’s Chicago and contemporary Paris to tell a story of survivors who were forever affected by the AIDS crisis. Rebecca’s achingly beautiful novel touches on governmental indifference, survivor’s guilt, and a broken healthcare system. This is an emotive interview, you won’t want to miss.

Every so often, we like to squeeze in a new music discovery, Slippery Eyes are from Portland, Oregon. Their excellent EP is titled Take Care, Be Well and the track we selected is Slippery Eyes. The band is Cai on vocals and guitar. Cassie plays bass, Christian is on drums and Jesse is also on guitar. Check out more new music at Life Elsewhere Music.

 

Life Elsewhere is now available at NPR One & iTunes

Sundays 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3
Sundays 10.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Mondays 5.00pm PT & Wednesdays 2.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio
Thursdays 6.00pm ET at Internet Radio Network
Fridays at 9.00pm GMT on Cornucopia Radio

If you miss any editions of Life Elsewhere, go here then go to the Listen On-Demand panel, choose the date of a show and click play.

Life Elsewhere Music airs:
Sundays 11.00am ET at WNRM The Root
Mondays at 6.00pm & Wednesdays at 3.00pm Pacific Time on NWCZ Radio
Fridays at 10.00am Eastern Time on IRN
Cornucopia Radio airs Life Elsewhere Music throughout each week
You can hear all the volumes over at Mixcloud
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