Wednesday, September 25 - Why Public Higher Ed

Wednesday night at 8 PM on KPFK 90.7 FM in Southern California:  ROBERT SAMUELS.  It's a special public education education night with an expert, who's also in the trenches.  Well, no, there aren't any actual trenches but the warfare metaphor - however tired - certainly makes itself useful when you consider - as has my guest, Robert Samuels - the assault on public higher education.  In Why Public Higher Education Should Be Free, he explains where the money goes, who profits, the ways in which higher ed has been purposefully underfunded, and how to fix the problems, and help students and promote labor justice, too. In his short, well-argued explanation and critique, the head of my own labor union, University Council - American Federation of Teachers, offers a radical proposal that's only as radical as a re-imagining, to start, of the potential for our higher ed system, one of the best things about our democracy.  If you think this is pie in the sky, check out the promise of his subtitle: How to Decrease Cost and Increase Quality at American Universities, and then go right to the chapter titled "Where the Money Goes at Research Universities, and Why Students Don't Complain." Or, yes, read his proposal in Chapter 9, "Making All Public Higher Education Free."  Bob Samuels is president of UC-AFT, representing over 3,000 Lecturers and Librarians at the University of California. He's taught at both UCLA and UCSB, and is the author of the blog Changing Universities, as well as a contributor to the Huffington Post. His other books include New Media, Cultural Studies and Critical Theory after Postmodernity and Writing Prejudices:  The Psychoanalysis and Pedagogy of Discrimination from Shakespeare to Toni Morrison.  Thanks for listening, on the radio or online, or as a free download from the station archives.

Wednesday, September 18 - Banned Books Week

Tonight on Bibliocracy, 8 PM on KPFK:  BARBARA M. JONES, on BANNED BOOKS WEEK 2013: Celebrating the Freedom to Read.  Sponsored by the American Library Association, this annual event is a favorite of mine, and anybody with an attitude about freedom.  Read my own enthusiastic endorsement at the OC Weekly’s “OC Bookly”

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2013/09/banned_book_weeks_2013.php

and go to the ALA’s terrific Office for Intellectual Freedom http://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek for more information, an event organizing toolkit, other resources, lists of frequently challenged books.  Jones is the Office’s director, and she joins me tonight to talk about the motivation, the mission and this year’s reasons for celebrations or commemorations.  She and her staff --- and hundreds of thousands of American teachers, parents, kids and cultural workers --- will celebrate or commemorate or agitate (or all three!) starting next week, Sunday, September 22 through 28.  You can too.  Sponsor an event, or just show up someplace and read a naughty book out loud.  There’s an international dimension as well, my favorite US export to the rest of the world.  So, yes, the whole world is listening, and reading.  Thanks to you for listening, live on the radio or online, and whenever you like as a download from the station’s audio archives.  

Wednesday, September 11 - Son of Ruthie!

Well, no.  I think UNCLE RUTHIE BUELL already has an actual son, but the title above is hopefully funnier and more provocative than only "Uncle Ruthie Part II."  Either way, if you can't get enough of everybody's favorite Saturday morning children's radio host and all-around performer-activist-poet (and who can?) then tonight's second half of my hour in Studio C with Uncle Ruthie is right for you. (I wish there were a third and fourth show, but you can purchase CDs and tune in on Saturdays, 8:30 am, can't you?)  On the occasion of the publication of her new poetry collection, Come to My Voice, I share with you my time with Uncle Ruthie playing her CDs, her guitar and reading from the book, a completely satisfying yet also surprising collection of all kinds of work, in all kinds of genres, on any number of topics. This is one wise, funny, generous and witty writer, performer, which you already knew of course. But I hope you have as much fun listening as I had being reminded of that.  Thanks for listening, on the radio, online or anytime you darn well please on a little machine in your ear. Go to the station archives for that. And read my appreciation and review at the OC Weekly  http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2013/08/uncle_ruthie.php

Wednesday, September 4 - Uncle Ruthie

Tonight on Bibliocracy, 8 pm on KPFK 90.7 FM:  UNCLE RUTHIE BUELL!  There are just now all kinds of reasons, occasions – as if we needed them – to celebrate my guest but the latest is publication of her poetry collection, titled, perfectly, Come to My Voice.  Perhaps that will also be the title of her memoir, when she sits down to write it, a life- story encompassing so very much, and so much exemplary.  Singer-songwriter, poet, musician, teacher, activist she is Uncle Ruthie Buell.  You know her voice and, if you are like me, you sing along when she sings to her listeners on KPFK on Saturday mornings on “Halfway Down the Stairs,” and you sit quietly when she reads to you, poems and stories and folk tales and more, sometimes written by Ruth herself, but often classic or rediscovered work she shares as part of one of the most important and enduring half hours of arts and culture programming on this station, or anywhere.  She’s brought her CDs, guitar and new collection of poetry, and we are together, Ruthie Buell and I, presenting the first of a special two-part show because I have so many questions to ask, she has songs to sing, poetry to share, and stories to tell, and it’s my pleasure to be in Studio C today with one of my favorite people, the one and only Uncle Ruthie.  Don't be shy about reading my celebratory review at  http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2013/08/uncle_ruthie.php.  Next week, Part II of Uncle Ruthie.  Thanks for listening, on the radio or online, and anytime you like free from the KPFK audio archives.  Peace.