OneBigTorrent.org

Letter to Anna - The Story of Journalist Politkovskaya's Death

Category: Documentary
Description:
A documentary always needs a skillful hand and eye to bring it together, otherwise the subject can easily get lost in the layout and presentation of the film. However, the true magic behind a documentary is often luck. No matter how much planning and careful crafting go into the film, there is always a degree of fortuity involved -- that your subjects will be cogent and engaging, or that the story unfolds in a cinematic way. This luck is what made The Ghosts of Cite Soliel so insanely gripping, and why this new documentary by Eric Bergkraut, Letter to Anna -- The Story of Journalist Politkovskaya's Death, is worth your time. The benefit of making documentaries about current or recent media figures who have passed away is that there is a fountain of information to choose from -- video clips, interviews, memoirs, family members, friends. They allow for a deeper and more personal look at the subject, and free the filmmaker from having to make educated guesses based on old sources skewed by translation, agenda, and lost bits of information. But rarely, if ever, do we see a documentary about someone who has passed away where their interviews speak directly to the theme of the film. In the case of Letter to Anna, Bergkraut is fortunate enough to have hours of interviews with slain journalist Anna Politkovskaya from his previous documentary, Coca: The Dove from Chechnya. These conversations not only infuse the film with a definite sense of who she was, but also allow us to learn about Anna's passions and personality directly from the source. When Vladimir Putin turned 54 on October 2, 2006, he received a bloody gift -- one of his biggest critics, Anna Politkovskaya, was murdered as she entered her home in Moscow. It is a crime that has never officially been solved, but one that is surely connected to the journalist's political critiques. A champion for those who suffer, Politkovskaya was a persistent voice against the oppressed, especially those suffering through the war in Chechnya. In the face of threats, a poisoned drink, and a particularly brutal arrest and detainment, she continued to tell the stories of those that suffered, determined to make their voices heard, no matter what the cost. Narrated by Susan Sarandon (and by Catherine Deneuve in the French version), Letter to Anna lays out the entire world of this famous journalist from belief to practice. Politkovskaya was a woman dedicated to her convictions and work -- at the expense of her once carefree ways, her marriage and, ultimately, her life. The doc details her work in Chechnya and explains the politics she fought for and against, but it's the moments where the film dips into Politkovskaya and her personal life that are most memorable. Beyond the wealth of footage of Anna, there are intimate discussions with both of her children. Footage of her son shows a man determined to know who gave the order for her mother's murder, and likening those who carried it out as nothing more than pawns in the story, while her daughter reveals the woman behind the work -- a strict mother obsessed with truth. In her candid interviews you can tell it's not just about praising her mother for the camera, but talking openly and honestly about the woman Anna was. There are moments in this story where the documentary drags, especially with overused shots of Politkovskaya walking -- a convention that can be helpful when delivering voiceovers, but in this film just seems like filler. But overall, the crisp HD shots are beautiful, and Bergkraut catches a number of special moments -- both the insistent professional purpose of Politkovskaya and the moments when she laughed, as well as how her work impacted others. In one scene, a police officer demands that a woman take down a poster she has attached to the wall of Anna's home. She refuses, he rips it down, and then another woman steps up, asking him for the poster. "Why?" he asks. She responds: "So I can stick it back on the wall." Anna Politkovskaya was a beacon of determination, and to see her in action in Letter to Anna is inspiring, just as it is to see the determination she has inspired in the women who admire her.
Seeders: 3
Leeches: 2

The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe

Category: eBooks, Magazines, Audio Books
Description:
The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe Over a period of nearly two millennia, the Christian Church has oppressed and brutalized millions of individuals. Meticulously researched and courageously written, The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe examines the Church's devastating impact upon human freedom, dignity and spirituality. Written for the lay reader, this controversial book is especially relevant today as the religious right is attempting to assert greater influence in American politics and society. "The Dark Side of Christian History presents a compelling argument that the Church's desire to control and contain spiritually motivated its persecution of heretics, its burning of libraries, the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the witch-hunts. This dark Christianity has left a legacy, a world view, which permeates every aspect of Western society. It is a legacy which fosters sexism, racism, the intolerance of difference and the desecration of the natural environment. Contents: I. Seeds of Tyranny II. Political Maneuvering: Making Christianity Palatable to the Romans III. Deciding upon Doctrine: Sex, Free Will, Reincarnation and the Use of Force IV. The Church Takes Over: The Dark Ages V. The Church Fights Change: The Middle Ages VI. Controlling the Human Spirit: the Inquisition and Slavery VII. The Reformation: Converting the Populace VIII. The Witch Hunts: The End of Magic and Miracles IX. Alienation from Nature X. A World Without God XI. Conclusion Published in 1995 by Morningstar Books See additional info and reader reviews here: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Christian-History/dp/0964487349/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top/191-4512599-7896554 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pdf format - 221 pages. OCR pdf created by unknown. Chapter bookmarks added by me. Enjoy.
Seeders: 81
Leeches: 11

NORTH KOREA DOCUMENTARY PACK

Category: Documentary
Description:
Film list: 1. Friends of Kim North Korea is the country many love to hate. Declared as a nation on the axis of evil by George W. Bush but embraced by an international delegation of friends: the Korean Friendship Association.They set out for a march through North Korea. Its aim: to show solidarity with the regime and the North Korean people. The authorities even allowed some US citizens in and an American journalist from ABC. This 'International March for Korea's Peace and Reunification' is organised by the KFA, the Korean Friendship Association; a worldwide group of supporters of North Korea. Its leader is a 29 year old Spanish citizen, Alejandro Cao de Benos de Les y Perez. Originating from an aristocratic family he heads an organization with mainly young members who are fed up with the consumerism of the Western world. In 12 days the 22 participants of the march travel through a country full of monuments, propaganda and poverty. Friends of Kim is a film about idealism, trust and crime. What begins as a magical mystery tour ends in a road to claustrophobia. 2. Holidays in the Axis of Evil The Bush regime claims that North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya and Cuba are part of an "axis of evil". In a remarkable two-part travelogue, reporter Ben Anderson, armed with a hidden camera and a tourist map, visits all six rogue states and tries to find the reality of life in some of the most repressive regimes in the world. He spoke to us about this unusual vacation. 3. North Korea: A Day in the Life A day in the life of an ordinary familyà in North Korea, land of the beloved leader Kim Jong-il. Filmmaker Pieter Fleury gives us a glimpse into the world of Hong Sun Hui, a female textile worker. At the factory, everything is highly controlled and all the workersÆ actions and results are meticulously entered in notebooks. Like puppets, the workers impassively carry out their tasks and finish their days singing hymns to the glory of Kim Jong-il. In her kindergarten class, HongÆs daughter learns that ôflowers need the sun and she needs the love of the Great Leader to grow.ö When the family gathers at home in the evening, the propaganda continues to flow through the television. Unexpectedly, relief from the Orwellian control and clockwork regularity comes from the English classes that HongÆs brother is taking: they provide a moment of humour and open-mindedness. The mechanisms of this perfect system of indoctrination and oppression are depicted through coldly precise images. The resulting film is a terrifying vision of a totalitarian state that recalls MaoÆs China, on which it was largely based. Absurd, grotesque, but sadly true. 4. The Real Dr. Evil North Koreans call him "dear leader." President Bush calls him part of an "axis of evil." Kidnapper, terrorist, and likely nuclear tyrant also apply. This program uses extensive newsreel footage, archival materials, and exclusive interviews to create a biographical and psychological profile of Kim Jong Il in order to understand what motivates his sometimes bizarre and often tragic deeds. Interviews include former bodyguards, a former central committee member, a former North Korean spy, CIA profilers, Pentagon advisers, former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Donald Gregg, and Selig Harrison, author of Korean Endgame. A BBCW Production. (46 minutes) 5. Undercover in the secret state Documentary reporting on life in North Korea under the highly repressive regimed of Kim Jong II, using undercover footage and interviews shot by filmmaker Kim Jung Eun and other volunteer dissidents. Includes footage of prison camps and public executions. Also looks at how dissident groups are utilising South Korean soap operas, transmitting them illegally, to foment discontent as they starkly contrast standards of living between the North and South and undermine North Korean propaganda. 6. Welcome to North Korea This film, shot mostly covertly, shows the irony of a regime where 20 million people lived in poverty, some on the brink of starvation, while former dictator Kim II Sung built extravagant monuments to reflect his power. He fostered a grotesque personality cult, which his son and successor Kim Jong Il perpetuates. All around the capital, Pyongyang, an endless stream of propaganda glorifies the leaders. Monuments and museums pay homage to them, but they are strangely empty. The contrast between capitalist South Korea and the impoverished North is dramatically shown. The founder of Hyundai, Tsjoen Joe Jung is held in great esteem in the south. He believes in uniting the two Koreas and has made significant donations to economic development in the north, trying to ease the way to reunion. The film crew was not allowed to interview people at random. The ones "selected to speak to foreigners" gave an idealized image of the regime that was hardly credible. Footage shot secretly by a Chinese relief organization attests to a generation dying from starvation and disease, and suffering terrible human rights abuses. Welcome to North Korea captures in a vivid manner the tight grip the regime has on its people, with a power not used benevolently. 7. Children of the Secret State Children of the Secret State' is an investigation into North Korea, considered by many as the last Stalinist dictatorship, a hidden and sealed country riddled with propaganda and saturated with hostility to democracy and the West. Joe Layburn and the Hardcash team discovered a young North Korean, known by the pseudonym 'Ahn Chol', who has been filiming undercover so that the world can see what is going on in his native land: the country where his parents both starved to death. His devastating footage shows some of the estimated 200,000 street children, mainly orphans, foraging for food in the mud and the gutters, ignored by the adults around them and ignored by the state which claims they are at its bosom. Joe embarks on a state-run tourist visit of North Korea, revealing vast unoccupied hotels, empty boulevards and countless monuments of Kim Jong II, the county's leader. 8. North Korea - Desperate Or Deceptive A silent revolution has started in North Korea. This documentary looks behind the closed doors of the country and investigate the social, political and economical changes that happens. North Korea is, despite its fear for changes, a country that needs to embrace the new routine if the current government wishes to keep the power. 9. Nuclear Nightmare : Understanding North Korea Meet Kim Jong II, leader of North Korea a nation imprisoned by poverty and with a population so hungry, people eat bugs and grass. Now this megalomaniacal dictator is holding the civilized world hostage with what many see as a cunning strategy of extortion, threatening to develop an arsenal of nuclear weapons. It's a strategy by which the United States has indicated it cannot abide. In a joint production between the Discovery Channel and the New York Times, go behind the headlines to discover the little-understood origins and almost-stranger-than-truth facets of this dangerous confrontation. See a side of Kim Jong Il rarely revealed his love of slasher flicks and his affinity for prostitutes and learn why the United States may have no other palatable option than to play ball with Kim, allowing him to continue his weapons development program. It's quite literally a race against time if North Korea, as it promises, goes into nuclear production mode, giving Kim as many as 10 nuclear bombs within six months, it would create a destabilizing offensive nuclear capability that could touch off a regional arms race...and even nuclear war. It's a game of international intrigue and high-stakes military strategy. But more importantly, it's the story of destitute North Korea and its bizarre leader, and how he has brought the U.S. and the world face-to-face with the unimaginable. 10. North Korean Junket This documentary is 48-minute look at a North Korean propaganda march from 2004. The trip is organized by a group called the Korean Friendship Association. As they zealously espouse Kim Jong Il's version of North Korea (which is little more than a Potemkin Village) their zeal ends up biting themselves in the rear. 11. Parallel Universe - North Korea How do North Koreans feel about their country's nuclear ambitions and their place in the world? This rare report from inside Pyongyang provides a rare insight into the mindset of North Koreans. Is Pyongyang really prepared to demolish its Yongbyun nuclear facility? At the demilitarized zone in North Korea, a military officer explain why his country needs nuclear weapons. 12. People and Power A documentary made by the North Korea government showing what it is like to live in there country under the rule of kim jong ill II ALL FILES ARE FLV VIDEO!!!!
Seeders: 0
Leeches: 3

Bad Samaritans The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism

Category: eBooks, Magazines, Audio Books
Description:
Please seed With irreverent wit, an engagingly personal style, and a battery of real-life examples, Ha-Joon Chang blasts holes in the "World Is Flat" orthodoxy of Thomas Friedman and other neo-liberal economists who argue that only unfettered capitalism and wide-open international trade can lift struggling nations out of poverty. On the contrary, Chang shows, today's economic superpowers - from the United States to Britain to his native South Korea - all attained prosperity by shameless protectionism and government intervention in industry. We in wealthy nations have conveniently forgotten this fact, telling ourselves a fairy tail about the magic of free trade and - via our proxies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization - ramming policies that suit ourselves down the throat of the developing world. Unlike typical economists who construct models of how economies are supposed to behave, Chang examines the past: what has actually happened. His pungently contrarian history demolishes one pillar after another of free-market mythology. Both justice and common sense, Chang argues, demand that we reevaluate the policies we force on weaker nations. Bad Samaritans calls on America to return to its abandoned role, embodied in programs like the Marshall Plan, to offer a helping hand, instead of a closed fist, to countries struggling to follow in our footsteps. -Read by Jim Bond - 9 Hours seperated into 8 disks.
Seeders: 1
Leeches: 3

Unreported World~ Papua New Guinea: Bush Knives/ Black Magic 2009 05 08 Ch 4

Category: Documentary
Description:
Unreported World~ Papua New Guinea: Bush Knives/ Black Magic 2009 05 08 Ch 4 233.00 MB/24:08.560 Reporter Ramita Navai travels to one of the most remote parts of the world, to investigate the growth of 'witch' murders in Papua New Guinea. More than fifty people accused of being witches were tortured and murdered last year in two provinces alone and the programme reveals that the problem is now spreading from remote highland areas into the towns and she meets the victims, the so called witch hunters and the police struggling to keep order. ........... The Unreported World team begins their journey in the Highland province of Simbu, a hotspot for witch-related murders. In the remote village of Koge, they uncover a number of burnt-out huts where locals tell them that more than thirty people were forced to flee after two of their female relatives were accused of being witches and killed .... ...the team discovers that witch-hunts are now spreading to towns. A witness reveals a shocking case of a woman burnt alive on tyres at a rubbish dump. It is the first case in the town. Perhaps more disturbing, the belief in witchcraft appears already well developed in the area. While the witness found the incident disturbing, he believes the woman needed to be killed or she would be a threat to the community. The practice of witch-killings appears to be going from strength to strength. edits http://www.channel4.com/programmes/unreported-world/episode-guide/series-2009/episode-9 File Name: Unreported World S17E09 - Papua New Guinea Bush Knives and Black Magic (8 May 2009)[WS.PDTV(XviD)].avi No international video stream SOURCE: THEBOX.BZ~http://www.thebox.bz/details.php?id=76531 CAPPER: geclipse, with thanks shunster other active torrents/uploads at: http://www.bt-chat.com/browse.php?category=11
Seeders: 28
Leeches: 5

Istgah-Matrouk (aka Deserted Station) (Raisian, 2002)engsub-aNaRCHo

Category: Misc
Description:
Istgah-Matrouk (aka Deserted Station) (Raisian, 2002)engsub-aNaRCHo FARSI WITH HARDCODED ENGLISH SUBTITLES The leaders of Iranian film, Abbas Kiarostami and Mohsen Makhmalbaf, have spent a good deal of their time training and helping young filmmakers get started. Makhmalbaf has his own film school, and his wife and daughter have released extraordinary films under his tutelage. Kiarostami has helped out new filmmakers like Jafar Panahi by contributing story ideas and taking "story" credit on films like "The White Balloon" and the recent "Crimson Gold." Less familiar in the US, filmmaker Ali Reza Raisian also gets a little help from Kiarostami for his latest film, "The Deserted Station." It could be that Kiarostami has the magical touch. His films often consist of simple ideas that can be easily explained in a one or two-sentence pitch, and yet when you sit down to them, they grow much more complex and much more truthful than expected. "The Deserted Station" follows the adventures of an Iranian couple, a photographer husband (Nezam Manouchehri) and a schoolteacher wife (Leila Hatami). The wife has retired due to some unknown sickness or weariness, and the couple now makes a cross-country journey by truck to Tehran. When their truck breaks down, the husband walks to the nearest town, a dismal little place devoid of men; they are all off working in the cities. One man, Feizollah (Mehran Rajabi) stays behind to take charge of the local school. He's also a mechanic and a farmer. Feizollah accompanies the husband to help fix the abandoned truck while the wife temporarily takes over the class. It's a simple enough setup, but Raisian packs so much into it that multiple viewings may be necessary. When the couple's truck breaks down, it's because they swerved to avoid hitting a deer or some kind of fleet-footed beast. But everyone tells them that no deer live anywhere near there. At the same time, a pregnant sheep wails in pain in a room underneath the schoolhouse; she's been in labor for two days. When the lamb comes in the middle of the day, it's stillborn. One of the children in the school is a deformed little girl who can't walk on her own and must be carried. Another of the children can't come to class without shirking his duties in his family's cornfield. Many of these details circle around back to issues of birth and death and the fear surrounding both. We come to know so much about this little village in a ludicrously short amount of time. The photographer learns all about the jack-of-all-trades Feizollah and his utterly selfless care for the well-being of his village (he does admit from time to time that he's looking for good karma points for the afterlife), while the wife becomes attached to all the little children and each of their funny little faults. Credit should go to both Kiarostami and Raisian for another powerful, beautiful female character in an industry that very seldom recognizes such things. When we first meet the wife, she's asleep in the truck. Her husband lovingly photographs her and tells her how beautiful she is. Later we come to see her patience, intelligence and care for the schoolchildren. Even her nightmares and her deepest fears come to light during a hide-and-seek game aboard an abandoned train. Usually if women are the centerpiece of an Iranian film, it's to underline their suffering. But with Kiarostami's recent "Ten" and this new film, things appear to be changing for the better. Kiarostami has always cooked up powerfully affecting endings for his works, and "The Deserted Station" is no exception. When it comes time to leave the village, the husband and wife attempt to drive off, but the children do something extraordinary. I can't describe it without taking its force away. It's a near-great film, but I'm not sure if "The Deserted Station" quite attains greatness. Raisian's mise-en-scene doesn't quite have the rhythmic punch that Kiarostami or Panahi have and his use of space and terrain isn't quite as polished or poetic. (Consider Kiarostami's brilliant use of these elements to enhance the emotional impact of "Where Is the Friend's Home?" and "The Wind Will Carry Us.") PLEASE SEED AND ENJOY!!!
Seeders: 2
Leeches: 3

Magic Weed - History of Marijuana(Cannabis Sativa)

Category: Documentary
Description:
THE MAGIC WEED traces the story of the Cannabis plant, which has a ten thousand year history in human culture. With its origins in China, its uses have ranged from medicine, clothing, war, feed stock, and of course, recreational. Also explored in this documentary is the American relationship with hemp, including its ban during the 1920s.
Seeders: 20
Leeches: 7

Audio Books: Atheism (Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, Sagan and Bertrand Russel)

Category: eBooks, Magazines, Audio Books
Description:
All files encoded at 32kbps, with excellent quality apart from a little tape-hiss from the cassettes of Russell and Sagan. Three complete essays on religion - by Bertrand Russell, read by Terence Hardiman (2½hrs) Terrence Hardiman gives an excellent reading of three philosophical essays from Bertrand Russell (1870-1970). Russell was one of the prominent voices that defined the religious and moral questions of the 20th century. These essays (What I Believe; Why I Am Not A Christian; and A Free Man's Worship) present Russell's persuasive opposition to any dogma that he believed could shackle the human mind. A British philosopher and mathematician, an ardent pacifist, opponent of nuclear weapons, and an advocate of sexual freedom, Russell once stated that his life had been governed by three passions: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and an unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. Remarkably relevant, beautifully written, and filled with wit and wisdom, these three essays will delight anyone who values the free and impassioned exchange of ideas. Religion and Science – by Bertrand Russell, read by David Case (2¼hrs) Bertrand Russell was a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge University, where he taught for many years. He also lectured widely in the United States. Winner of the 1950 Nobel Prize for Literature, he authored many books including the influential Principia Mathematica, with Alfred North Whitehead, and The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell 1872-1967, published in three volumes. In Religion and Science, Russell offers a brief yet insightful study of the conflicts between science and traditional religion during the last four centuries. Examining accounts in which scientific advances clashed with Christian doctrine or biblical interpretations of the day, from Galileo and the Copernican Revolution, to the medical breakthroughs of anaesthesia and inoculation, Russell points to the constant upheaval and re-evaluation of our systems of belief throughout history. In turn, he identifies where similar debates between modern science and the Church still exist today. In the paperback edition, Michael Ruse's new introduction brings these conflicts between science and theology up to date, focusing on issues arising after the Second World War. This classic is sure to interest all readers of philosophy and religion, as well as those interested in Russell's thought and writings. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything – written and read by Christopher Hitchens (9hrs) In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris' recent best-seller, The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope's view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty of the double helix. Hitchens contends that religion is "violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children." Regarding his friend Salman Rushdie and the ayatollah’s fatwa: “One might have thought that such arrogant state-sponsored homicide . . . would have called forth a general condemnation. But such was not the case. In considered statements, the Vatican, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the chief sephardic rabbi of Israel all took a stand in sympathy with – the ayatollah. So did the cardinal archbishop of New York and other lesser religious figures. While they usually managed a few words in which to deplore the resort to violence, all these men stated that the main problem raised by the publication of The Satanic Verses was not murder by mercenaries but blasphemy.” God Is Not Great is a coolly angry book, but there are good laughs too; for example, Hitchens’s hilarious account of how Malcolm Muggeridge launched “the ‘Mother Teresa’ brand upon the world” with his story that, while the BBC struggled to film her under low-light conditions, she spontaneously glowed. The cameraman later told Hitchens the true explanation of the “miracle” – the ultra-sensitivity of a new type of film from Kodak – but Muggeridge fatuously wrote: “I myself am absolutely convinced that the technically unaccountable light is, in fact, the Kindly Light that Cardinal Newman refers to in his well-known exquisite hymn”. A wonderful review of this book (by Richard Dawkins) can be found at http://tls.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25349-2649121,00.html The Portable Atheist – by Christopher Hitchens, read by Nicholas Ball (10¾hrs) From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of God Is Not Great, a provocative and entertaining guided tour of atheist and agnostic thought through the ages. Christopher Hitchens continues to make the case for a splendidly godless universe in this first-ever gathering of the influential voices--past and present--that have shaped his side of the currently raging God/no-god debate. With Hitchens as your erudite and witty guide, you’ll be led through a wealth of philosophy, literature, and scientific inquiry, including generous portions of the words of Lucretius, Benedict de Spinoza, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Mark Twain, George Eliot, Bertrand Russell, Emma Goldman, H. L. Mencken, Albert Einstein, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and many others well-known and lesser known. And they’re all set in context and commented upon as only Christopher Hitchens can. Atheist? Believer? Uncertain? No matter: The Portable Atheist will speak to you and engage you every step of the way. The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark – by Carl Sagan, read by Michael Page (13½hrs) The Demon-Haunted World is a collection of twenty-five essays, several written with Sagan's wife, Ann Druyan. The essays range in scope from eloquent paeans to science to impassioned denunciations of bigotry, from humorous accounts of a variety of pseudoscientific endeavours to serious attempts to understand the nature of alien abduction delusions. With intelligence and wit, and the rational calmness that was his trademark, Sagan takes on a wide variety of topics, among them: alien abductions, astrology, Atlantis, the Bell Curve, channelling, crop circles, demons, ESP, the face on Mars, fairies, faith healing, magic, miracles, prayer, religion, Roswell, satanic rituals, therapy, and, of course, one of his favourite topics, UFOs and extra-terrestrials. Through each of his essays he extols the virtues of scepticism, empirical evidence and control studies, while uncovering a multitude of errors and weaknesses in the positions of occultists, para-normalists, super-naturalists and pseudo-scientists. And he does so with extreme grace, gentility and civility. The God Delusion – by Richard Dawkins, read by Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward (14hrs) The God Delusion caused a sensation when it was published in 2006. Within weeks it became the most hotly debated topic, with Dawkins himself branded as either saint or sinner for presenting his hard-hitting, impassioned rebuttal of religion of all types. His argument could hardly be more topical. While Europe is becoming increasingly secularised, the rise of religious fundamentalism, whether in the Middle East or Middle America, is dramatically and dangerously dividing opinion around the world. In America, and elsewhere, a vigorous dispute between 'intelligent design' and Darwinism is seriously undermining and restricting the teaching of science. In many countries religious dogma from medieval times still serves to abuse basic human rights such as women's and gay rights. And all from a belief in a God whose existence lacks evidence of any kind. Dawkins attacks God in all his forms. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry and abuses children. The God Delusion is a brilliantly argued, fascinating polemic that will be required reading for anyone interested in this most emotional and important subject. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason – by Sam Harris, read by Brian Emerson (9¼hrs) Harris offers a vivid historical tour of mankind's willingness to suspend reason in favour of religious beliefs, even when those beliefs are used to justify harmful behaviour and sometimes heinous crimes. He asserts that in the shadow of weapons of mass destruction, the world can no longer tolerate views that pit one true god against another. Most controversially, he argues that we cannot afford moderate lip service to religion - an accommodation that only blinds us to the real perils of fundamentalism. Harris' main premise, simply stated, is that in an age of Weapons of Mass Destruction, religious belief is a hazard of major proportions. Any belief system that speaks with assurance about the hereafter has the potential to place far less value on the here and now. And thus the corollary -- when death is simply a door translating us from one existence to another, death loses its sting and finality. Harris pointedly asks us to consider that those who do not fear death for themselves, and who also revere ancient scriptures instructing them to mete death out generously to others, may soon have these weapons in their own hands. If thoughts along the same line haunt you, this is your book. Letter to a Christian Nation – by Sam Harris, read by Jordan Bridges (2hrs) "Forty-four percent of the American population is convinced that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead sometime in the next 50 years," writes Sam Harris. "Imagine the consequences if any significant component of the U.S. government actually believed that the world was about to end and that its ending would be glorious. The fact that nearly half of the American population apparently believes this, purely on the basis of religious dogma, should be considered a moral and intellectual emergency." In response to his award-winning best seller The End of Faith, Sam Harris received thousands of letters from Christians excoriating him for not believing in God. Letter to A Christian Nation is his courageous and controversial reply. Using rational argument, Harris offers a measured refutation of the beliefs that form the core of fundamentalist Christianity. Addressing current topics ranging from intelligent design and stem-cell research to the connections between religion and violence, Letter to A Christian Nation boldly challenges the influence that faith has on public life in the United States. “If you believe in a religion, even the mildest form of Christianity, please read this book. It won’t take you long, but it might change your mind.” — Matt Ridley, author of Genome and Nature via Nurture This combination of ruthless argument with polemic designed to provoke (he describes the Catholic Church as the “institution that has produced and sheltered an elite army of child-molesters”) will further delight Harris’ supporters and infuriate his critics. — San Francisco Chronicle "Reading Harris’ Letter to a Christian Nation was like sitting ring-side, cheering the champion, yelling “Yes!” at every jab. For those of us who feel depressed by this country’s ever increasing unification of church and state, and the ever decreasing support for the sciences that deliver knowledge and reduce ignorance, this little book is a welcome hit of adrenalin." — Marc Hauser, Professor of Psychology, Biology. and Biological Anthropology at Harvard University, author of Moral Minds
Seeders: 60
Leeches: 20

Cuba’s Healthcare Revolution… for the rest of us

Category: Talks, Debates, Interviews
Description:
from http://www.radioopensource.org/cubas-healthcare-revolution-for-the-rest-of-us/ This trip to Cuba turned around on an astonishing moment of serendipity. At a bus stop in Havana my colleague Paul McCarthy heard a laugh he recognized from high school in California. “Only Akua Brown laughs like that,” he blurted. And Akua Brown it was, the friend he hadn’t seen for a decade, now finishing her fourth year at the Latin American Medical School in Havana. Over the next few days, Akua Brown and her friends poured out their four-year immersion in Cuban life and language, Cuban magic and slang, the Cuban versions of sexism and racism, Cuban boyfriends and families, drums and faith, bureaucracy and student volleyball, and by the way, this strange Cuban thing about toilet seats and toilet paper: the revolution doesn’t seem to believe in either. But the core of our long conversations is medicine, the Cuban way. This is aggressive, free, hands-on health care that makes house calls, and lingers for the feel of emotions and homelife. Doctors’ training like doctors’ care is free: the payback required of the students here from all over the hemisphere is only that they return to underserved areas of their home countries. Michael Moore and our friend the Nobel Prize cardiologist Bernard Lown knew the results in Cuba all along. “I have been to Cuba 6 times,” Dr. Lown emailed me, “and learned much about doctoring in Cuba. Their thinking on social determinants of health, on the primacy of public health and the vital role of prevention strategies are unmatched in the world. With spending of less than $200 per person per year for health care, they have achieved health outcomes no different than in the USA where expenditures now exceed $7000 per person annually!”
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IFC Media Project - Episodes 1 & 4

Category: News & Current Affairs
Description:
--These are my own TV captures of this show-- IFC - The IFC Media Project(2008) Program Info: This new IFC (Independent Film Channel) original series, produced by Meghan O'Hara (FAHRENHEIT 911 and SICKO) and Nick McKinney (The Daily Show and Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days"), reveals the truth behind the news. The thought-provoking series examines the current state of investigative journalism and how it affects our perceptions of the world around us. 1. Episode One - News Fixations and Taboos: This Premiered Tuesday, November 18 In this episode, we look at news taboos – the issues the media can't figure out how to discuss and the ones they just can't stop talking about. The News Loves Missing White Girls! (4min) In this mini-feature, we follow a media consultant who brought us nearly two years of Natalee Holloway coverage as he works a new missing girl story in the media. The Media Encyclopedia: Allegedly (2min) In our weekly look at the tricks and tropes of the news trade, we examine the media's use and abuse of the word "allegedly" – that magical word that allows a reporter to report anything, even if its demonstrably untrue. Israel: The Third Rail of American Journalism (10min) Israel and Middle-East expert Mark LeVine explores the evolution of his own Jewish identity by digging into the American media's coverage of Israel. Mark talks to pro-Israel lobbyists and other experts on the subject to find out how the media's failure to critically examine America's relationship with Israel affects our foreign policy and our international standing. News Junkie: Race in the News (2min) In our animated viral segment, we enter the paranoid world of our News Junkie. Holed up in his apartment, surrounded by a constant flow of news-information, the Junkie this week ponders the media's use of correspondents based on the color of their skin. Interview: Tucker Carlson (4min) We sit down with Tucker Carlson and explore the polarization of the television news and its devolution into one big shouting match. Carlson talks about his own political beliefs and the trouble he's gotten into by not being afraid to piss off liberals and conservatives alike. Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson is an American political news correspondent and commentator. Currently, Carlson is listed as MSNBC's Senior Campaign Correspondent, and appears regularly on Verdict with Dan Abrams as a panelist in political discussions. Carlson most recently served as host of the MSNBC program Tucker. Carlson joined MSNBC in February 2005 from CNN, where he was the youngest anchor in the history of the network. While with CNN, he hosted a number of shows and specials, including the network's political debate program, Crossfire. During the same period, Carlson also hosted a weekly public affairs program on PBS, Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered. As a magazine and newspaper journalist, Carlson has reported from around the world, most recently from Iraq and Lebanon. He has been a columnist for New York and Reader's Digest. He currently writes for Esquire, The Weekly Standard, The New Republic and The New York Times Magazine. 2. Episode Four - Unreliable Sources: This Premiered Tuesday, December 9 This episode looks at the people and outlets that provide us the news, and asks: Who are they? Why should we trust them? Wall Street (4min) New Zealander Tim Wilson struggles to understand the American financial market and collective madness that led us all to believe in it. Looking back at previous crises, Wilson demonstrates that the current collapse was entirely foreseeable for anyone who was looking – but, unfortunately, the folks who deliver the financial news are more cheerleaders than reporters. Who's Your Daddy (3min) As a show, we at the The IFC Media Project are always telling you about the forces and influences behind the news. But what about the force behind our own show? In 3 minutes of animated fun, we drop the dime on our corporate ownership and reveal just who pulls the strings that make this show happen. Atlantic Yards (10min) New York has three major daily papers all competing for readers, advertisers and power. This should lead to great coverage of major stories – but in the case of one story at least, it hasn't. Atlantic Yards is one of the biggest real estate developments in the city's history, yet the three papers have barely scratched the surface. In this piece we examine how government collusion with the developer and the developer's business ties to the paper have resulted in a half-told story that's failed to serve the public interest. News Junkie: TBD (2min) Our viral animated and news addled Junkie checks in with the latest installment of his hilarious paranoid rantings. Interview: The Yes Men (4min) The Yes Men have made a career (and a couple movies) out of fucking with corporate bad guys and the news media that cover them. Playing pranks on everyone from the big oil companies to the New York Times, The Yes Men use humor and subterfuge to attack greed, environmental destruction, and shitty news coverage. Sorry, but I don't have Episodes 2 & 3-hopefully they'll replay them soon. Episodes 5 & 6 will be coming shortly. Site: http://www.ifc.com/on-ifc/mediaproject/ Test your Media IQ: http://www.ifc.com/on-ifc/mediaproject/quiz Video Info: IFC.Media.Project.Episode.01.700x388.xvid.mp3-snach.avi Format : AVI Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave File size : 247 MiB Duration : 26mn 9s Overal bit rate : 1320 Kbps Writing application : MediaCoder 0.6 Video Format : MPEG-4 Visual Format profile : Streaming Video@L1 Format settings, BVOP : No Format settings, QPel : No Format settings, GMC : 3 warppoints Format settings, Matrix : Default Codec ID : XVID Codec ID/Hint : XviD Duration : 26mn 9s Bit rate : 1194 Kbps Width : 700 pixels Height : 388 pixels Display aspect ratio : 4/3 Frame rate : 29.970 fps Resolution : 8 bits Colorimetry : 4:2:0 Scan type : Progressive Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.147 Stream size : 223 MiB Writing library : XviD 1.2.0.dev47 (UTC 2006-11-01) Audio Format : MPEG Audio Format version : Version 1 Format profile : Layer 3 Codec ID : 55 Codec ID/Hint : MP3 Duration : 26mn 9s Bit rate mode : Constant Bit rate : 112 Kbps Channel(s) : 2 channels Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz Resolution : 16 bits Stream size : 21.0 MiB IFC.Media.Project.Episode.04.700x388.xvid.mp3-snach.avi Format : AVI Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave File size : 229 MiB Duration : 24mn 17s Overal bit rate : 1320 Kbps Writing application : MediaCoder 0.6 Video Format : MPEG-4 Visual Format profile : Streaming Video@L1 Format settings, BVOP : No Format settings, QPel : No Format settings, GMC : 3 warppoints Format settings, Matrix : Default Codec ID : XVID Codec ID/Hint : XviD Duration : 24mn 17s Bit rate : 1194 Kbps Width : 700 pixels Height : 388 pixels Display aspect ratio : 4/3 Frame rate : 29.970 fps Resolution : 8 bits Colorimetry : 4:2:0 Scan type : Progressive Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.147 Stream size : 207 MiB Writing library : XviD 1.2.0.dev47 (UTC 2006-11-01) Audio Format : MPEG Audio Format version : Version 1 Format profile : Layer 3 Codec ID : 55 Codec ID/Hint : MP3 Duration : 24mn 17s Bit rate mode : Constant Bit rate : 112 Kbps Channel(s) : 2 channels Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz Resolution : 16 bits Stream size : 19.5 MiB Trackers: http://tracker.conspiracycentral.net/announce http://tracker.thepiratebay.org:80/announce http://denis.stalker.h3q.com:6969/announce http://open.tracker.thepiratebay.org/announce http://torrent-downloads.to:5869/announce http://www.h33t.com:3310/announce http://inferno.demonoid.com:3403/announce Visit & Join us at: http://tracker.ConspiracyCentral.net Enjoy & Seed!
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