The Future Of United States?

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Anne-Marie Slaughter urges us to confront the questions of, “Where is the United States going in the world? How can we get there? What are the guiding stars that will illuminate the path along the way?”

Mark Mykleby

Mark Mykleby writes that the complexity, competition, and interconnectedness of a new century require a fresh perspective on the U.S.' enduring goals of prosperity and security and that our current path is simply unsustainable. Over time, the best way to shape the force of the future is to invest in the science, technology, education, and training. Mark Mykleby is interviewed by Terrence McNally who is a radio host (KPFK 90.7fm in LA, WBAI 99.5fm in NY), featured journalist at Alternet.org.
Source: Terrence McNally podcast: Free Forum Q&A: Mark Mykleby, Natl Security=Sustainability

Ronald Wright

What is America?

Allan Gregg interviews Ronald Wright who is a Canadian author of travel, history and fiction. America is the world's only superpower, but how did it get there? In a provocative new book, Ronald Wright contends that right from its start as a frontier society, America has used militarism and religious extremism to expand and prosper. Wright is the bestselling author of A Short History of Progress. His new book is What is America? A Short History of the New World Order.
Source: YouTube: Ronald Wright - What is America?

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Music includes Lenny Kravits - We Want Peace, Flobots - Handlebars, Reverend Billy - First Amendment Song, William Valenti - Wall Street Greedheads, Green Day - 21 Guns, Capitol Steps - Michael Brown, Kasper Band - Conspiracy Of Silence, Jimmy Cliff- We Don't Want Another Vietnam in Afghanistan, Herb Alpert - Taste of Honey, Charlie Parker - Anthropology

Why Violence Has Declined

Neal Conan & Steven Pinker

Believe it or not, today we may be living in the most peaceful moment in our species' existence. Steven Pinker shows that despite the ceaseless news about war, crime, and terrorism, violence has actually been in decline over long stretches of history.

Trends that have resulted in the decline of violence.

1. Our evolution from hunter gatherers into settled civilizations.
2. The consolidation of small kingdoms and duchies into large kingdoms with centralized authority and commerce.
3. The emergence of Enlightenment philosophy, and it's respect for the individual.
4. Since World War II, violence has been suppressed, first by the overwhelming force of the two parties in the Cold War, and more recently by the American hegemony.
5. The general trend, even apart from the Cold War, of wars to be more infrequent, and less violent, however autocratic and anti-democratic the governments have become.
6. Lastly, the growth of peace and domestic societies, and with it the diminishing level of violence through small things like schoolyard fights, bullying, and picking on gays and minorities.

Steven Pinker is interviewed by Neal Conan, who is host of "Talk of the Nation" on National Public Radio. Steven Pinker is one of the world's leading authorities on language and the mind.
Source: Great Conversations: Steven Pinker and Neal Conan

Donald B. Louria

Donald B. Louria talks about the loss of faith in the future.

"I fear we are now in great danger of a large percentage of the public having their hopes for the future battered, being overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness in regard to our ability to cope with the major problems facing the society. If that occurs, there are substantial societal and individual consequences.

• There will be a dramatic increase in the frequency and severity of anxiety and depression.
• There will be a much greater focus on hedonism with increased risk taking and pleasure seeking, including the use of mind-altering drugs, both legal and illegal (alcohol included).
• There will be little attention paid to preventing or mitigating future problems and threats; politicians, even more than now, will focus almost entirely on present issues, thereby making the future even more bleak.
• The depression epidemic will have physical and other consequences with increased incidence of suicide and heart attacks, marital discord, inability to function effectively, and overeating (a well known response to depression) that will exacerbate our obesity and diabetes epidemics.

Make no mistake about it. Loss of faith in the future is very serious business – if widespread enough, it is society threatening." ~ Donald B. Louria
Source: EcoShock Radio: DONALD B. LOURIA: LOSING FAITH IN THE FUTURE IS UNHEALTHY AND SELF-FULFILLING

Download or Play Decline Of Violence Part 1
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Race Baiting and Eric Deggans

Eric Deggans is a TV and media critic for the Tampa Bay Times and argues that the media has fractured into ever-smaller divisions populated by pundits who play upon the fears and prejudices of their viewers to garner larger audiences. Mr. Deggans proposes that the pursuit of higher ratings and greater website page views erodes political dialogue. Mr. Deggans makes a smartly presented call for more civil discourse.
Source: BookTV: Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation

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Music includes Reverend Billy - Church Of Stop Shopping First Amendment Song, Capitol Steps - The Right Will Fight, Studies In Non-Violent Action - Gandhi Is Camping Out At City Hall, Almanac Singers - C for Conscription, Sam Hinton - Old Man Atom, Solar Twins - Rock The Casbah, FDR-1-6-1942, Sweet Honey in the Rock - Give the People Their Right To Vote, Joan Baez - One Tin Soldier, Terry Gangstad - National Institute of the Blonde, Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Shirley Basey - Goldfinger, Soundtrack 2001 - A Space Odyssey, Mamborama - Es Solo Musica

The Pipeline to Hell

From left to right Greg Croft, Dan Miller, Cassie Doyel, Sam Avery

Greg Dalton moderates a discussion about the Canadian tar sands and Keystone XL pipeline. Canadian diplomat Cassie Doyel say it’s better for America to get its energy from Canada than unfriendly nations. Author Sam Avery warns that there’s enough carbon in the tar sands “to send Earth’s climate into an irreversible tailspin.” Dan Miller, Managing Director of the Roda Group, looks at the long term saying “as a price on carbon kicks in, and it starts to build over time, the tar sands will be the first things that will be knocked off the list.” Greg Croft, Lecturer at St. Mary’s College of California, points out that “the carbon problem is global and we haven't solved any problems on a global basis.”

Climate Protesters in front of the White House

To read the transcript go to climate one: Pipeline Paradigm.
Source: Tar Sands & Crude Oil - Pipelines & Paradigms (Full Program)

Tar Sands

Download or Play The Pipeline To Hell Part 1
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Music includes Jimmy Cliff - We Don't Want Another Vietnam in Afghanistan, Matisyahu - One Day, Michael Franti & Spearhead - Bomb The World, Tracy Chapman - Talkin Bout A Revolution, David Rovics - After The Revolution, Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us, Capitol Steps - Everything's Coming Up Roguey, David Rovics - The Draft Is Coming, Lenny Kravitz - We Want Peace, George Carlin - Heaven Hell Purgatory Limbo, Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street, Matrix Soundtrack - Clubbed to Death [Kurayamino Mix]