Didactic Synapse

You asked for it, you got it. Here is my presentation on East Timor, from soup to nuts. It’s a story of bloodshed, atrocity, suffering, oppression, resistance, nonviolent struggle, peace, and hope. It’s how I met my wife and why I am who I am today.

DS #80: East Timor

As you listen, you are encouraged to watch the following slideshow and YouTube clip:

• East Timor Slideshow (The old SWF is broken, and this new PDF is different from the one I used in the audio recording, but it will have to do for now.)
• 1991 Santa Cruz Protest (Start at 4:08)

When you’re done, please visit these websites:

• The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
• aideasttimor.org
• Wikipedia: Indonesian occupation of East Timor
• Amnesty International Urgent Actions
• DemocracyNow!

What did you forget?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5ultqz1Pdk

I’ve changed so many times since this morning, you see..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbntWU7pG8

This week I’m back with 77 minutes of news and perspectives on fracking, movies, gun violence, economics, and killer robots. Buckle up and tune in!

DS #79: Nuclear Fracking

Action of the Week: Fight Media Consolidation

Top 3 Links of the Week

• BusinessWeek: To prevent massacres like Newtown’s, expand Medicaid
• Documentary film: The Inconvenient Truth Behind “Waiting for Superman”
• Pain continues after war for American drone pilot

Current Events

• Connecticut School Shooting
  • RIP Victoria Soto
  • Amish community response in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania (2006)
  • Tim Wise: Of heroes and hype: Mass murder and the absurdity of the “more guns” crowd
  • Jeffrey Sachs: America’s real freedoms
  • Why most mass murderers are privileged white men
  • Davey D: An open letter to the media about the Sandy Hook shooting
• Greek hospitals suffer in ailing economy
• Fracking
  • Colorado drilling rigs closing in on ‘60s nuke site
  • Promised Land trailer
  • Matt Damon on Tavis Smiley
  • Fracking lobbyists prepare case against Matt Damon’s Promised Land
  • Affirming Gasland
  • Gasland’s Josh Fox on PBS NOW

Economics

• Dirty white gold: Monsanto in India
• HSBC: Too big to jail, the new poster child for US two-tiered system of justice
• DemcoracyNow: Matt Taibi on HSBC
• DemocracyNow: Barlett and Steele on The Betrayal of the American Dream
• Paul Krugman on robots and economics
• Microwave vies with fiber for HFT

Education

• 2010 Merit pay study: Teacher bonuses don’t raise student test scores
• Brookings Institution: Class size: What research says and what it means for state policy
• Maryland schools chief calls for three-year moratorium on standardized testing
• Rhode Island teacher’s resignation letter

Killer Robots, Etc

• BusinessWeek: Robot workers: Coexistence is possible
• It’s time to target Cerberus
• Ban helium balloons, academic warns

Hip-Hop

B. Dolan: “Which Side Are You On?”

From The Washington Post:

“[Victoria Soto] put herself between the gunman and the children,” said Wiltsie, a police officer. “Her instincts as a teacher kicked in.”

Like Liviu Librescu, Ms. Soto represents the ultimate test of a loving teacher — the willingness to sacrifice your life for your students. If I were ever placed in such a circumstance (heaven forbid), I hope to have the same courage and ability.

Jasiri X has done a lot of good work making hip-hop about important issues. Here’s a new track from him about the most powerful gangsters in the world today: