Cultured Media :: More than a sound byte

Development of Cultured Media has ceased

Stephen James — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:51:12 +0000

I’m sorry to report, but I do not have the time to manage Cultured Media anymore. I hope that you have enjoyed listened to or watching these insightful interaviews and discussions with scholars, newsmakers, and writers. I hope each and everyone of you continue to critically think and challenge passively accepting the daily meme.

Obama, McCain interviewed with impromptu questions

Stephen James — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:17:57 +0000

Even outside faith, I haven’t seen non-sound byte interviews with both candidates recently. Personal faith, abortion, stem-cells, adoption, patriotism, economics and more are discussed. Always skeptic, I was pleasantly pleased by the candidness of the impromptu questions and answers (for the most part). As Rick Warren, interviewer and pastor of Saddleback Community Church, said afterward, they displayed their personalities, the straight-talking warrior and the nuanced professor. You can view the four part video online at CNN.com. Here is a link to the first part. You may have to locate the rest.

Obama, McCain interviewed by Rick Warren at Saddleback Church

Murderers released, building homes for Rwandan victims

Stephen James — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:58:24 +0000

Discussion with Laura Waters Hinson, director and producer of “As We Forgive,” about her stumbling upon her thesis topic on a church trip to Rwanda, told the ongoing story of reconciliation between killers and the families of genocide victims. The majority of militia members have been released after confessing their slaughter of women and children. Some have chosen to do community service in penitence. Plus, a look at a new Rwandan report accusing top French officials of complicity in the 1994 genocide.

Listen on the Diane Rehm Show

Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System

Stephen James — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:15:13 +0000

The world food supply is an oligarchy. Only a few large corporations have control of the supply chain. Farmer suicides are up. Even our supermarkets are designed to cause us to buy highly processed foods. Raj Patel explores the global food system and what he contends are its inefficiencies in Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. Mr. Patel details how food is produced, marketed and sold and reports that currently more people are starving and more are overweight than at any other time in history. Raj Patel discusses his book with Evan Kleiman, host of the radio program “Good Food” that is heard on Southern California NPR affiliate KCRW. Raj Patel is a fellow at the Institute for Food & Development/Food First and has written for the Guardian and Los Angeles Times. He is currently a visiting scholar at the UC Berkeley Center for African Studies.

Listen on After Words

Return to 19th century diplomacy: liberal democracies, autocratic governments, and radical Islamists

Stephen James — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:44:31 +0000

In “The Return of History and the End of Dreams,” Robert Kagan, Washington Post columnist and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior associate, argues that the international stability predicted after the end of the Cold War did not emerge and that instead we now have a contest for power between liberal democracies, autocratic governments, and radical Islamists.? He states that the majority of the world has regressed into 19th century diplomacy with their spheres of influence.

Listen on Book TV

Ladies of Liberty - Female leadership in the early 1800’s

Stephen James — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:30:28 +0000

Anecdotes from the time of the founding fathers that do not make the founding fathers appear as noble as their statues around Washington, D.C. This care-free discussion covers serious topics such as adultery, pregnant mistresses and their orphans, overseas travel, and the role of women as second class citizens.

Author and ABC News political commentator Cokie Roberts tells the story of some of early America’s notable women and their achievements in “Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation”. In her book, she draws on personal correspondence, private journals and previously unpublished writings to recount the history of former first ladies such as Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison and other women such as Theodosia Burr, Aaron Burr’s daughter. Ms. Roberts discussed her book with Pat Schroeder, CEO of the Association of American Publishers and former Democratic Congresswoman from Colorado.

Listen on Book TV - After Words: “Ladies of Liberty”

Interviews with mortgage buyers and investors about credit crisis

Stephen James — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:25:44 +0000

A special program about the housing crisis. We explain it all to you. What does the housing crisis have to do with the collapse of the investment bank Bear Stearns? Why did banks make half-million dollar loans to people without jobs or income? And why is everyone talking so much about the 1930s? It all comes back to the Giant Pool of Money. Ira Glass and his associates interview mortgage buyers and investors.

Listen on This American Life

Current challenges to Islamic democracy and governments

Stephen James — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:56:34 +0000

Why Islamic states thrived for hundreds of years, what led to their downfall, and the some of current challenges of Islamic governments in the modern world. Noah Feldman, professor at Harvard Law School, is a contributing writer for the “New York Times Magazine,” adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Divided by God, What We Owe Iraq,” “After Jihad” and “The Rise and Fall of the Islamic State.”

Listen on Diane Rehm

Coping with being bipolar

Stephen James — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:24:44 +0000

At 24, Marya Hornbacher, author of “Madness,” was diagnosed with the most severe form of bipolar disorder. After struggling for years with eating disorders, she finally learned what caused her wild mood swings. A personal account of struggling with, treating, and eventually accepting bipolar disorder.

Listen on Diane Rehm

William Esper: “The Actor’s Art and Craft”

Stephen James — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:21:28 +0000

Long-time acting coach William Esper explains the ‘Meisner Technique’ and how actors use it to create compelling characters. William Esper, founder of the William Esper Studio and the Professional Actor Training Program at Rutgers.

Listen on Diane Rehm