http://www.radiocurious.org/category/american-history/ Fri, 01 May 2026 04:07:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.1 Welcome to the 20th year of Radio Curious, half hour interviews on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. All of the almost 400 half-hour archive editions on our website are free for you to enjoy, download, copy, share or rebroadcast as you wish. Please give credit to Radio Curious and let us know what you like about the program. www.radiocurious.org Radio Curious no Radio Curious curious@radiocurious.org curious@radiocurious.org (Radio Curious) Creative Commons-Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Radio Curious Radio Curious, Interviews, Environment, Education, Chautauquan, Psychology/Psychaitry, Sex, Mendocino, Law, Religion, Feminism http://www.radiocurious.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/radio-curious-rss-logo.jpg http://www.radiocurious.org/category/american-history/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/10/31/katy-chevigny-election-day-fairness-in-the-voting-booth/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/10/31/katy-chevigny-election-day-fairness-in-the-voting-booth/#comments Fri, 01 Nov 2024 04:44:54 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5373 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/10/31/katy-chevigny-election-day-fairness-in-the-voting-booth/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - In 2004, filmmaker Katy Chevigny followed eleven Americans from dawn until past midnight and put a face on the voting rights issues to reveal the disparity between wealthy and poor neighborhoods, Click here to begin listening. In 2004, filmmaker Katy Chevigny followed eleven Americans from dawn until past midnight and put a face on the voting rights issues to reveal the disparity between wealthy and poor neighborhoods, and the disenfranchisement of former felons. This became the documentary film, “Election Day.” Katy Chevigny founded Arts Engine, a film making group with the goal to explore social issues in 1998. “Election Day” is now the centerpiece of  “Art Engine’s Ten Year Anniversary Collection,” a series of ten feature-length documentary and short films. Take a look at their website, www.artsengine.net for more information. With fairness in the voting booth during the 2008 election in mind, I spoke by phone with Katy Chevigny on October 23, 2008. Our conversation began when I asked her to discuss how she became involved in making social films and the drama they carry. The movie she recommends is, “Thrown Down Your Heart,” created by Sasha Paladino   Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/09/26/president-jimmy-carter-life-after-the-presidency-3/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/09/26/president-jimmy-carter-life-after-the-presidency-3/#comments Fri, 27 Sep 2024 04:26:53 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5357 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/09/26/president-jimmy-carter-life-after-the-presidency-3/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - The Virtues of Aging – Considering the alternatives, growing older is really not all that bad. The frame of mind that we develop and carry with us as we age controls much of how we feel and behave. Click here to begin listening.  (https://www.radio4all.net/files/vogel@sonic.net/Carter_Jimmy%209.27.24%20IA.mp3) The Virtues of Aging – Considering the alternatives, growing older is really not all that bad. The frame of mind that we develop and carry with us as we age controls much of how we feel and behave. James Earl Carter Jr., more often known as Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the US, is the author of a book called, “The Virtues of Aging.” President Carter’s book covers issues from Social Security and medical expenses to the importance of staying active and involved. Radio Curious spoke with President Jimmy Carter by phone, in the fall of 1998, and I asked him what prompted him to write the book. President Jimmy Carter recommends “The Age Wave: How the Most Important Trend of Our Time Can Change Your Future,” by Ken Dychtwald. Originally Broadcast: December 4, 1998 Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/09/19/david-ebershoff-how-many-wives-are-enough/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/09/19/david-ebershoff-how-many-wives-are-enough/#comments Fri, 20 Sep 2024 04:32:47 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5354 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/09/19/david-ebershoff-how-many-wives-are-enough/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - Polygamy used to be a central aspect in Mormon beliefs. However, it has not been for over 100 years now, due partly to considerable effort by Ann Eliza Young, one of Brigham Young’s many wives. Click here to begin listening.  Polygamy used to be a central aspect in Mormon beliefs. However, it has not been for over 100 years now, due partly to considerable effort by Ann Eliza Young, one of Brigham Young’s many wives. In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with David Ebershoff, the author of “The 19th Wife”, recorded on August 29, 2008. “The 19th Wife,” is the story of Ann Eliza Young, and her realization and then quest to let the world know that marriage should only pertain to two people, instead of one man and a plethora of wives who were referred to as “sister wives.” We discuss what marriage is, how religion plays a large role in many people’s lives, and how the quest that Ann Eliza had effected her world and the world we live in today. Our conversation began when I asked David Ebershoff why Ann Eliza wanted to apostate (or leave without approval) from the Mormon Church in relationship to the politics then and now. The book that David Ebershoff recommends is, “American Wife: A Novel” by Curtis Sittenfel Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/08/15/kate-magruder-celebrating-community/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/08/15/kate-magruder-celebrating-community/#comments Thu, 15 Aug 2024 23:55:48 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5339 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/08/15/kate-magruder-celebrating-community/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - Ukiah, California, a small vibrant community, approximately 100 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge is the home to the Ukiah Players Theater. An annual May fundraiser for the theater offers a tour of old and new hom... Click here to begin listening.  Ukiah, California, a small vibrant community, approximately 100 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge is the home to the Ukiah Players Theater. An annual May fundraiser for the theater offers a tour of old and new homes on the west side of town, offered by the residents willing to share their history with community members. Kate Magruder, a founder of Ukiah Players Theater and considered by many to be the soul and life force of the UPT, successfully strives to search out and tell historical stories of the Ukiah, the ancestral home of the Pomo people who called the area Yokayo, meaning long narrow valley. In this program Kate Magruder explains the importance of place, knowing where we come from and our history, and in the benefits of telling communities’ stories. This interview was recorded May 11, 2008. The books Kate Magruder recommends are, “Our Land Ourselves, Readings on People and Place,” and “The Great Remembering: further Thoughts on Land, Soul, and Society,” both published by The Trust for Public Land. Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/07/18/francis-moore-lappe-toward-understanding-the-predicament/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/07/18/francis-moore-lappe-toward-understanding-the-predicament/#comments Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:14:55 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5325 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/07/18/francis-moore-lappe-toward-understanding-the-predicament/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - There is a lot of discussion about hope in this time of the pending election for president.  Francis Moore Lappe, author of, “Diet for a Small Planet,” discusses the need to give up certain old assumptions in her new ... Click here to begin listening.  (https://www.radio4all.net/files/vogel@sonic.net/LAPPE_INTERVIEW_7.18.24%20IA.mp3) There is a lot of discussion about hope in this time of the pending election for president.  Francis Moore Lappe, author of, “Diet for a Small Planet,” discusses the need to give up certain old assumptions in her new book, “Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity and Courage in a World Gone Mad.”  One path to abandoning old assumptions comes from curiosity, which is also a guiding principal for this program.  When I visited with Francis Moore Lappe on Feburary 20, 2008, from her office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, we discussed curiosity and her reflection that she should have included “curiosity” in her title of, “Getting a Grip.” The book she recommends is, “The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe,” by Lynne McTaggart Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/06/13/beth-wenger-jewish-americans-three-centuries-of-jewish-voices-in-america/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/06/13/beth-wenger-jewish-americans-three-centuries-of-jewish-voices-in-america/#comments Fri, 14 Jun 2024 04:48:43 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5306 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/06/13/beth-wenger-jewish-americans-three-centuries-of-jewish-voices-in-america/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - North America, as we have known for millennia, has been populated by ethnic groups looking for a new place to live. Beginning in the early 17th Century and through the present time, Click here to begin listening.  North America, as we have known for millennia, has been populated by ethnic groups looking for a new place to live. Beginning in the early 17th Century and through the present time, Jewish people from around the world have seen North America as a favored place to live and in waves of migration over time have come here to make a new life as part of the American fabric. In the winter of 2008 the Public Broadcasting System presented a major six hour television series: “The Jewish Americans: Three Centuries of Jewish Voices in America.” A companion book to this series with the same name, written by Beth Wenger, the Director of the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Pennsylvania, is a collection of first person stories about lives of American Jews who maintained their own culture as they became part of the American culture. Our visit with Beth Wenger in January 2008, by phone from her office at the University of Pennsylvania, began when she described the distinctions and similarities of the Jewish American experience as compared to other immigrant groups. This program was originally broadcast January 30, 2008. The book she recommends is, “The Yiddish Policeman’s Union,” by Michael Chabon. Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/03/21/charles-ferguson-will-this-war-ever-end-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/03/21/charles-ferguson-will-this-war-ever-end-2/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:20:56 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5263 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/03/21/charles-ferguson-will-this-war-ever-end-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - “The Endless War,” a movie released in late July 2007, written, directed and produced by Charles Ferguson, depicts the blunders and ill-prepared manner in which the United States initiated and carried out the war agai... Click here to begin listening.  (https://www.radio4all.net/files/vogel@sonic.net/FERGUSON_INTERVIEW_3.21.24%20IA.mp3) “The Endless War,” a movie released in late July 2007, written, directed and produced by Charles Ferguson, depicts the blunders and ill-prepared manner in which the United States initiated and carried out the war against Iraq. This full-length feature film juxtaposes the statements and actions of the Washington leadership of the war, which at the outset failed to include President Bush – the Commander-in-Chief, with the leadership’s actions and grievous consequences that followed.  Charles Ferguson holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has extensive experience in foreign policy analysis, and lives and works in the San Francisco Bay area. When I spoke with him on July 20, 2007 we began with his explanation how the war and the occupation of Iraq were shaped by an extremely small group of people In Washington D.C., with limited foreign policy and post war occupation experience. The film he recommends is “The Lives of Others,” a story about East Germany under the community regime.   Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/03/08/tom-allman-the-sheriff-and-marijuana-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/03/08/tom-allman-the-sheriff-and-marijuana-2/#comments Fri, 08 Mar 2024 06:27:32 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5255 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/03/08/tom-allman-the-sheriff-and-marijuana-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - This program was originally broadcast on June 19, 2007. - Marijuana, some say, is on the lips of many people here in Mendocino County, California, and likely many other places throughout the world, Click here to begin listening. (https://www.radio4all.net/files/vogel@sonic.net/-ALLMAN_INTERVIEW%203.7.24.%20IA.mp3) This program was originally broadcast on June 19, 2007. Marijuana, some say, is on the lips of many people here in Mendocino County, California, and likely many other places throughout the world, to some with pleasure and to others with distaste. Nonetheless it doesn’t seem that marijuana will go away. Not withstanding federal laws prohibiting use and possession of marijuana, the people of the State of California adopted the Compassionate Use Act in 1996 and in November 2000, the voters of Mendocino County approved a resolution by a vote of 58% to 42% to decriminalize the personal use of marijuana. In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Tom Allman the Sheriff of Mendocino County to discuss the enforcement of the many conflicting marijuana laws. Estimates of the value of the crop produced in Mendocino County vary from five to ten billion dollars. We began when I asked the Sheriff to comment on this estimate. Tom Allman recommends “The Hunt for Red October,” by Tom Clancy Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/02/09/stephen-most-the-klamath-river-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/02/09/stephen-most-the-klamath-river-2/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 06:24:42 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5241 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/02/09/stephen-most-the-klamath-river-2/feed/ 0 Originally Broadcast: March 21, 2007 - Click here to begin listening. - River of Renewal, Myth & History in the Klamath Basin - Since the last Ice Age ended about 12,000 years ago, human beings have traveled along the Klamath River and it tributari... Originally Broadcast: March 21, 2007 Click here to begin listening. River of Renewal, Myth & History in the Klamath Basin Since the last Ice Age ended about 12,000 years ago, human beings have traveled along the Klamath River and it tributaries in the northwest corner of California and the coast of southern Oregon. Many people finding an abundance of food, have stayed. The main source of their food was salmon. The power of the myth of the salmon may derive from the fact that wild salmon spread out across the Pacific Northwest about the same time that human beings did, at the end of the last Ice Age. In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Steve Most, author of “River of Renewal, Myth & History in the Klamath Basin,” a book that tells the story of the history of the Klamath River and the people who have continuously lived there for the past 12,000 years. Steve Most is a playwright and documentary storyteller. Among many other works, he wrote the texts of the audio voices and videos for the permanent exhibit of the Washington State History Museum. In this interview recorded in mid-March 2007, I spoke with Steve Most from his home in Berkeley, California. We began our conversation when I asked him to give a perspective of the geological and human aspects of the Klamath River and its place in history. Stephen Most recommends the “Essays and Letters of Ralph Waldo Emerson.” Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/01/12/clarina-nichols-portrayed-by-eickhoff-diane-the-revolutionary-heart-of-clarina-nichols-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/01/12/clarina-nichols-portrayed-by-eickhoff-diane-the-revolutionary-heart-of-clarina-nichols-2/#comments Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:13:00 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5230 http://www.radiocurious.org/2024/01/12/clarina-nichols-portrayed-by-eickhoff-diane-the-revolutionary-heart-of-clarina-nichols-2/feed/ 0 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/12/21/dr-daniel-j-levitin-music-on-the-brain-part-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/12/21/dr-daniel-j-levitin-music-on-the-brain-part-2/#comments Fri, 22 Dec 2023 05:19:28 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5221 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/12/21/dr-daniel-j-levitin-music-on-the-brain-part-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - Originally Broadcast: November 8, 2006 - This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession - The understanding of how we humans experience music and why it plays a unique role in our lives is this topic ... Click here to begin listening. Originally Broadcast: November 8, 2006 This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession The understanding of how we humans experience music and why it plays a unique role in our lives is this topic of two interviews with Dr. Daniel Levitin, author of, “This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession,” recorded from his home in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in late October 2006. Professor Levitin runs the Laboratory for Musical Perception, Cognition and Expertise at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He asserts that our brains are hardwired for music and therefore we are all more musically equipped than we think, and that music is an obsession at the heart of human nature, perhaps even more fundamental to our species than language. Professor Levitin believes that the music we end up liking meets our expectations of what we anticipate hearing, just enough of the time that we feel rewarded, and the music that we like also violates those expectations just enough of the time that we’re intrigued. In the first interview Dr. Levitin begins by describing how the human brain learns to distinguish between music and language. The second interview begins with a discussion of what happens when people listen to music they like. www.yourbrainonmusic.com Dr. Daniel J. Levitin recommends, “Another Day in the Frontal Lobe,” by Katrina Firlik, and, “The Human Stain,” by Philip Roth. Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/12/15/dr-daniel-j-levitin-music-on-the-brain/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/12/15/dr-daniel-j-levitin-music-on-the-brain/#comments Fri, 15 Dec 2023 07:22:33 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5216 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/12/15/dr-daniel-j-levitin-music-on-the-brain/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - Originally Broadcast: November 1, 2006 - This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession - The understanding of how we humans experience music and why it plays a unique role in our lives is this topic ... Click here to begin listening. (https://www.radio4all.net/files/vogel@sonic.net/LEVITIN_DANIEL_12.14.23%20IA.mp3) Originally Broadcast: November 1, 2006 This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession The understanding of how we humans experience music and why it plays a unique role in our lives is this topic of two interviews with Dr. Daniel Levitin, author of, “This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession,” recorded from his home in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in late October 2006. Professor Levitin runs the Laboratory for Musical Perception, Cognition and Expertise at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He asserts that our brains are hardwired for music and therefore we are all more musically equipped than we think, and that music is an obsession at the heart of human nature, perhaps even more fundamental to our species than language. Professor Levitin believes that the music we end up liking meets our expectations of what we anticipate hearing, just enough of the time that we feel rewarded, and the music that we like also violates those expectations just enough of the time that we’re intrigued. In the first interview Dr. Levitin begins by describing how the human brain learns to distinguish between music and language. The second interview begins with a discussion of what happens when people listen to music they like. www.yourbrainonmusic.com Dr. Daniel J. Levitin recommends, “Another Day in the Frontal Lobe,” by Katrina Firlik, and, “The Human Stain,” by Philip Roth. Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/11/23/anthony-arthur-changing-america-upton-sinclair-style/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/11/23/anthony-arthur-changing-america-upton-sinclair-style/#comments Fri, 24 Nov 2023 05:46:21 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5205 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/11/23/anthony-arthur-changing-america-upton-sinclair-style/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - Originally Broadcast: September 6, 2006 Radical Innocent: Upton Sinclair - Since I was young, I have been intrigued by the work of Upton Sinclair. I remember as a boy hearing about Sinclair’s books and efforts to ch... Click here to begin listening. Originally Broadcast: September 6, 2006 Radical Innocent: Upton Sinclair Since I was young, I have been intrigued by the work of Upton Sinclair. I remember as a boy hearing about Sinclair’s books and efforts to change the world. A close friend of my family was the writer for Sinclair’s campaign newspaper, when he ran for governor of California in 1934 and, although that was long before I was born, the stories rolled during his later visits. Sinclair is perhaps best know for, “The Jungle,” published in 1906, which openly revealed the inhumane conditions of the Chicago stockyards and how the meatpacking industry operated, resulting in the passage of the pure food and drug laws within months after the books publication. “Radical Innocent: Upton Sinclair,” is a biography written by retired professor Anthony Arthur, released in June 2006, 100 years after the publication of, “The Jungle,” and tells the story of Upton Sinclair’s life and work. Arthur weaves the strands of Sinclair’s contentious public career and his often-troubled private life, which Sinclair at times willingly revealed, into a compelling personal narrative. Anthony Arthur rates integrity as Sinclair’s greatest strength, and claims his eloquence in writing and speech, along with his reputation for selflessness as the basis of a ground swell of support for Sinclair and his ideas. When I spoke with Professor Anthony Arthur at the end of August 2006, from his home near Los Angeles, California, he began by describing what attracted him to study and write about Upton Sinclair. Anthony Arthur recommends, “Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph,” by T.E. Lawrence. Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/11/03/paul-goldstein-the-artists-right-of-ownership-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/11/03/paul-goldstein-the-artists-right-of-ownership-2/#comments Fri, 03 Nov 2023 06:11:07 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5195 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/11/03/paul-goldstein-the-artists-right-of-ownership-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - Originally Broadcast: August 9, 2006 - Errors and Omissions - Who owns the rights to a play, a song, or a work of art? How important and fragile is the authorship? These and other issues of intellectual property rig... Click here to begin listening. Originally Broadcast: August 9, 2006 Errors and Omissions Who owns the rights to a play, a song, or a work of art? How important and fragile is the authorship? These and other issues of intellectual property rights begin to be revealed in, “Errors and Omissions,” a novel by Stanford Law Professor, Paul Goldstein. “Errors and Omissions,” follows the story of Michael Seeley as he locates a World War Two era Polish refugee who is the author of a screenplay that has the potential to make a huge amount of money not only from the movie rights, but also from the sale of associated paraphernalia. Goldstein, who began writing fiction at the age of twelve, hopes now, fifty years later that readers of his first full length novel will carry away the sense of the fragility of authorship, when an artist creates a work out of thin air. I spoke with Paul Goldstein from his office at Stanford University and began by asking him to define intellectual property. Paul Goldstein recommends, “Aspects of the Novel,” by E.M. Forster. Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/10/26/bruce-patterson-old-time-tales-of-anderson-valley-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/10/26/bruce-patterson-old-time-tales-of-anderson-valley-2/#comments Fri, 27 Oct 2023 04:33:32 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5190 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/10/26/bruce-patterson-old-time-tales-of-anderson-valley-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - Originally Broadcast: August 30, 2006 - Walking Tractor And Other Tales of Old Anderson Valley - Stories of the days that no longer exist in rural areas tell us how things were, how people worked, lived and played, Click here to begin listening.  Originally Broadcast: August 30, 2006 Walking Tractor And Other Tales of Old Anderson Valley Stories of the days that no longer exist in rural areas tell us how things were, how people worked, lived and played, and bring to life conditions that most of us never knew existed. “Walking Tractor and Other Tales of Old Anderson Valley,” is a collection of stories written by Bruce Patterson, who lives in Philo, a rather small community in rural Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California. The introduction to, “Walking Tractor,” quotes Ernest Hemmingway as saying, “You can only write about what you know,” something that is verified in the stories of Bruce Patterson, who is known to his friends as Pat. I met with Pat in the studio of Radio Curious, in the last week of August, 2006 to learn about his life, his stories and the man he is. Ignacio Ayala no http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/10/05/dr-steven-miles-a-blind-eye-to-torture-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/10/05/dr-steven-miles-a-blind-eye-to-torture-2/#comments Fri, 06 Oct 2023 03:01:33 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5178 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/10/05/dr-steven-miles-a-blind-eye-to-torture-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - This interview with Dr. Steven H. Miles was recorded in mid July 2006. - The silence of doctors, nurses and medics in cases of torture and physical abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan is the topic of this edit... Click here to begin listening. This interview with Dr. Steven H. Miles was recorded in mid July 2006. The silence of doctors, nurses and medics in cases of torture and physical abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan is the topic of this edition of Radio Curious. Our guest is Dr. Steven Miles, the author of “Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity and the War On Terror,” a book based, in part, on eyewitness accounts of actual victims of prison abuse and more than thirty-five thousand pages of documents, autopsy reports and medical records. His work explores the information provided by physicians and psychologists to determine how much and what kind of mistreatment could be delivered to prisoners during interrogation. Dr. Miles is a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and its Center for Bioethics. He is a recognized expert in medical ethics, human rights and international health care. This interview with Dr. Steven Miles was recorded in mid-July 2006 from his office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We begin when I asked him about his motivation to write a book about the treatment of people who are disarmed and imprisoned. The book Dr. Steven Miles recommend is “Bury The Chains: Profits and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves,” by Adam Hochchild. This interview with Dr. Steven H. Miles was recorded in mid July 2006. Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/07/20/tovah-feldshuh-goldas-balcony-the-story-of-golda-meir-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/07/20/tovah-feldshuh-goldas-balcony-the-story-of-golda-meir-2/#comments Thu, 20 Jul 2023 22:53:02 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5140 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/07/20/tovah-feldshuh-goldas-balcony-the-story-of-golda-meir-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - William Gibson’s new play “Golda’s Balcony” is the story of Golda Meir, her life, her love, her work and it’s a significant part of the story of Israel. This one-woman play is currently being performed by Tovah Feldsh... Click here to begin listening.  William Gibson’s new play “Golda’s Balcony” is the story of Golda Meir, her life, her love, her work and it’s a significant part of the story of Israel. This one-woman play is currently being performed by Tovah Feldshuh at the ACT Theatre in San Francisco, California until August 13. Tovah Feldshuh plays the roles of Golda Meir and those of 38 other people who influenced Golda Meir’s life and her work and she holds the record for the longest running one-woman play on Broadway. The opening performance of Golda’s Balcony in San Francisco created a palpable feeling of appreciation in the theater that evening and I highly recommend seeing it. When Tovah Feldshuh and I spoke the next day about her work and Golda Meir, we began when I asked her how the audience affects what she is able to on stage. For more information look at www.tovahfeldshuh.com and www.goldasbalcony.com. Tovah Feldshuh recommends “Blink,” by Malcolm Gladwell. Originally Broadcast: August 2, 2005 Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/22/ellsberg-daniel-the-pentagon-papers-3/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/22/ellsberg-daniel-the-pentagon-papers-3/#comments Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:10:21 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5125 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/22/ellsberg-daniel-the-pentagon-papers-3/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - Few moments in American history have held the tension of the early 1970s. The nation was fundamentally divided between the jaded counter-culture and Nixon’s ‘silent majority, Click here to begin listening.  Few moments in American history have held the tension of the early 1970s. The nation was fundamentally divided between the jaded counter-culture and Nixon’s ‘silent majority,’ a rupture particularly connected to the still-escalating Vietnam War. The release to the public of the Pentagon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg in 1971 focused national attention on US foreign policy and on our right as individual citizens to freedom of the press. Daniel Ellsberg recommends “Our War,” by David Harris. Originally Broadcast: March 19, 1997 Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/15/davis-kenneth-c-independence-where-does-it-come-from/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/15/davis-kenneth-c-independence-where-does-it-come-from/#comments Fri, 16 Jun 2023 05:22:07 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5121 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/15/davis-kenneth-c-independence-where-does-it-come-from/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - Don’t Know Much About History, Everything you Need to Know About American History But Never Learned - “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, Click here to begin listening.  Don’t Know Much About History, Everything you Need to Know About American History But Never Learned “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” These words may sound radical today, but in fact come from the Declaration of Independence drafted in 1776. In this edition of Radio Curious, broadcast during Independence Week of 2005 we talk with Kenneth C. Davis, author of “Don’t Know Much about History,” and review some of the issues of 1776 from our perspective now. This interview was recorded on July 2, 2005 with Kenneth C. Davis from his home in southern Vermont. He began by commenting on the role religion played the declaration of the Independence. Kenneth C. Davis recommends “Diane Arbus, A Biography” by Patricia Bosworth. Originally Broadcast: July 5, 2005 Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/01/sam-totten-genocide-in-darfur-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/01/sam-totten-genocide-in-darfur-2/#comments Fri, 02 Jun 2023 01:53:28 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5114 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/06/01/sam-totten-genocide-in-darfur-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  Genocide is the intent to exterminate in whole or in part a specific group of people often based on nationality, ethnicity, race or religion. For the past two years, in the Darfur region of the nation of Sudan, Click here to begin listening.  Genocide is the intent to exterminate in whole or in part a specific group of people often based on nationality, ethnicity, race or religion. For the past two years, in the Darfur region of the nation of Sudan, located in north central Africa and populated primarily by black Africans, the Sudanese government has been committing racial genocide. Reports are that as many as 400,000 black African civilians have been murdered by the Sudanese government together with Arab rebel groups in Darfur. Professor Sam Totten, a scholar in Genocide Studies at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, visited the Darfur area in the fall of 2004 and has been examining this present day massacre that most of the world has chosen to ignore. I spoke with Professor Totten from his home in Arkansas and asked him to explain the reasons behind the genocide. www.savedarfur.org (http://www.savedarfur.org/) Sam Totten recommends “Shake Hands With the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda,” by Romeo Dallaire. Originally Broadcast: June 7, 2005 Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/05/18/paul-m-lisnik-juries-fair-or-corruptible-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/05/18/paul-m-lisnik-juries-fair-or-corruptible-2/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 05:07:01 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5105 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/05/18/paul-m-lisnik-juries-fair-or-corruptible-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening. - The Hidden Jury, and Other Tactics Lawyers Use to Win - What happens when a guilty person is acquitted of crime? Or worse, when an innocent person is convicted of a crime? Click here to begin listening. The Hidden Jury, and Other Tactics Lawyers Use to Win What happens when a guilty person is acquitted of crime? Or worse, when an innocent person is convicted of a crime? This injustice can sometimes be prevented with the help of jury consultants, people who assist lawyers in picking juries in all types of trials, not just criminal trials. Paul Lisnik, the author of “The Hidden Jury and Other Tactics Lawyers Use to Win” is an attorney, jury consultant and journalist, who advised and assisted in the O.J. Simpson other trials. He debunks the myth that juries are fair and impartial; that if someone commits a crime, they get convicted; that only guilty people are ultimately put to death; and that only the wealthy or famous can afford a trial consultant. In this interview recorded in March 2005 Paul Lisnik begin with his interpretation of the jury system. Paul M. Lisnik recommends “Bush World, Enter At Your Own Risk” by Marueen Doud. Originally Broadcast: June 28, 2005 Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/04/20/peggy-bulger-the-story-corps-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/04/20/peggy-bulger-the-story-corps-2/#comments Fri, 21 Apr 2023 04:06:18 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5090 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/04/20/peggy-bulger-the-story-corps-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - The American Folklife Preservation Act of 1976 directed the Library of Congress to gather stories and art of everyday people to reflect the identity of America, which is recognized as the core of family and community ... Click here to begin listening.  The American Folklife Preservation Act of 1976 directed the Library of Congress to gather stories and art of everyday people to reflect the identity of America, which is recognized as the core of family and community life. The thought is that by linking us to the past we are better able to develop our understanding of the present. The Story Corps is a current project of the American Folklife justify of the Library of Congress. Two air stream trailers, retrofitted with state of the art recording equipment, will visit towns and cities throughout the United States for about a year beginning in June 2005, to collect recordings of every day people interviewing each other about their lives. Anyone will be welcome to visit the Story Corps trailer that may be near where you live, by signing up on line at www.storycorps.net. Each participant receives a copy of the interview, and may donate a copy to the Library of Congress. This interview with Dr. Peggy Bulger, the Director of the American Folklife justify at the Library of Congress was recorded in her office at the Library of Congress on May 20, 2005. She began by reviewing the history of the American Folklife and the purpose of Story Corps project. You can locate the Story Corps on the internet at www.storycorps.net, and the Library of Congress at www.loc.gov. www.storycorps.net and www.loc.gov Peggy Bulger recommends “Ireland, A Novel” by Frank Delaney. Originally Broadcast: May 31, 2005 Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/02/23/mark-feeney-nixon-at-the-movies-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/02/23/mark-feeney-nixon-at-the-movies-2/#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2023 23:59:34 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5058 http://www.radiocurious.org/2023/02/23/mark-feeney-nixon-at-the-movies-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  - Nixon at the Movies, A Book About Belief - Richard Nixon, and the movies he watched while he was president… On his third night in office, January 22, 1969 Nixon saw The Shoes of the Fisherman in the White House movie... Click here to begin listening.  Nixon at the Movies, A Book About Belief Richard Nixon, and the movies he watched while he was president… On his third night in office, January 22, 1969 Nixon saw The Shoes of the Fisherman in the White House movie theater. From then until August 1973, when he resigned the presidency Nixon watched over 500 movies in the White House, at Camp David, and other places he frequented. This is an average of 2½ movies per week during his presidency. The book, Nixon at the Movies, A Book About Belief, by Boston Globe journalist Mark Feeney examines the role movies played in forming Nixon’s character and career, and the role Nixon played in the development of American film. Ronald Reagan may have been the first movie star president, but Feeney argues that Nixon was the first true cinematic president. In this program, recorded in January 2005, Mark Feeney begins by commenting on the effect that the 500 plus movies that Nixon watched had on him and his presidency. Mark Feeney recommends “The Whole Equation,” by David Thompson. Originally Broadcast: February 22, 2005 Ignacio Ayala no 29:00 http://www.radiocurious.org/2022/12/29/dr-francis-adams-are-we-still-racists-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2022/12/29/dr-francis-adams-are-we-still-racists-2/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2022 04:49:42 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5038 http://www.radiocurious.org/2022/12/29/dr-francis-adams-are-we-still-racists-2/feed/ 0 Click here to begin listening.  Alienable Rights: The Exclusion of African Americans in a White Man’s Land, 1619 to 2000 “Alienable Rights: The Exclusion of African Americans in a White Man’s Land, 1619 to 2000” is a book in part written by Francis A... Click here to begin listening.  Alienable Rights: The Exclusion of African Americans in a White Man’s Land, 1619 to 2000 “Alienable Rights: The Exclusion of African Americans in a White Man’s Land, 1619 to 2000” is a book in part written by Francis Adams, an independent scholar living in Los Angeles, California. The book posits that the drive for equal rights for black people in the United States has never had the support of the majority of America. Rather, racial progress has been made in brief historic bursts, lead by the committed militant minorities of abolitionists, radical republicans, and civil rights activists. In this program, we visit with Dr. Francis D. Adams. I asked him to explain the importance of the trial of James Somerset that took place in England in 1772. Dr. Francis Adams recommends “Collapse,” by Jared Diamond. Originally Broadcast: January 29, 2005 Ignacio Ayala no 29:21 http://www.radiocurious.org/2022/11/18/dr-david-ray-griffin-was-this-a-cause-of-the-911-attacks-2/ http://www.radiocurious.org/2022/11/18/dr-david-ray-griffin-was-this-a-cause-of-the-911-attacks-2/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2022 06:22:11 +0000 http://www.radiocurious.org/?p=5016 http://www.radiocurious.org/2022/11/18/dr-david-ray-griffin-was-this-a-cause-of-the-911-attacks-2/feed/ 0 The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions about the Bush Administration and 9/11 - The forces behind the disasters of September 11, 2001 are said to be unclear and undefined, notwithstanding the Official Report of the 9/11 Commission. The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions about the Bush Administration and 9/11 The forces behind the disasters of September 11, 2001 are said to be unclear and undefined, notwithstanding the Official Report of the 9/11 Commission. David Ray Griffin, a Professor Emeritus from the Claremont School of Theology, and the author of “The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions about the Bush Administration and 9/11,” casts doubt on the official version, as well as the role of the Bush Administration. In a two-part interview, we discussed these issues. Dr. David Ray Griffin recommends “Cover Up,” by Paul Lance & “The Terror Timeline, Year by Year, Day by Day, Minute by Minute: A Comprehensive Chronicle of the Road to 9/11 and America’s Response,” by Paul Thompson. Click here to listen to Part 1.  Click here to listen to Part 2.  Ignacio Ayala no 29:00