508 #13: Needles

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel includes Brendan Melican, Cha-Cha Connor, and Bruce Russell.

Note: About halfway through this episode, my voice becomes de-synched from the rest of the conversation. I cut out the most unlistenable parts, including a funny rant from Bruce about how Worcester development projects are all misguided. Hope what remains isn’t too confusing.

You can download the mp3 or see more formats.

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Show notes:
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Learning to Read

I just discovered this article by Janine Schwab in PeaceWork Magazine. It’s about living in a foreign country, poetry and activism. It includes the author’s own translation of a poem by Viennese refugee Erich Fried.

Whosoever
from a poem
awaits salvation
should rather
learn
to read poems

Whosoever
from a single poem
expects no salvation
should rather
learn
to read poems.

508 #12: Icy sidewalks

00001508 is a show about Worcester. This week, Mike is joined by Brendan Melican and Bruce Russell.

Brendan points out an interesting story about people avoiding jury duty in East Brookfield. The T&G website features odd comments on a photo about Shrewsbury’s menorah (related blog post: “It’s time for a ceasefire in the Christmas culture wars”), and a man who’s been in prison 30 years.

Mike reads the Worcester Local First brochure and the Coalition of United Students’ Distorientation Guide. He’s been leafleting for Vegan Outreach at the local colleges, and notes that WPI students have an attitude. Brendan recommends Rolling Stone’s article on factory pig farming.

Bruce notes that many sidewalks are still icy, and threatens to sue or destroy the city.

Don’t miss the Stone Soup 1st anniversary party!

You can download the mp3, subscribe to the feed, or see other formats.

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508 #11: Community

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, Brendan Melican talks about privatization and municipal employees; Mike Benedetti flips through the InCity Times and complains about the Green-Rainbow Party; Dante Comparetto talks about Worcester Local First (here’s a WCCA interview with two of the businessmen organizing it); and Nick Reville talks about Miro.

You can download the mp3, subscribe to the feed, or see other formats.

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The Notorious Baxters

At the dawn of the First World War, New Zealand surveyed its draft-age men and asked if they would be willing to fight. One out of six said they would not. When it came down to a choice between joining the army and going to prison, many changed their minds, but many others spent the war in detention. Of those imprisoned, fourteen were deported to Europe, three of them brothers: John, Archibald, and Sandy Baxter.
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508 #10: Worcester journalism

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panelists are Bruce “Snow Ghost” Russell and Jeff “Wormtown Taxi” Barnard.

We talk about the upcoming ballot recount and the price of gas vs. inflation. Also, even though this week Pie and Coffee posted an interview with a Cirignano juror, and the 2008 National Catholic Worker Gathering webpage, the additional traffic was drowned out from the traffic generated by a mention in Teresa Neilsen Hayden’s linkblog. What does this portend for the future of Worcester journalism?

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Items

Santas Hair Salon, WorcesterThis Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is Buy Nothing Day! If you oppose the commercialization of Christmas, for religious or secular reasons, make a statement by not shopping.

One of the best Buy Nothing Day projects ever was Mark Dixon’s 49 hours in Wal-Mart. See also Thoughts on “My 49 Hours at Wal-Mart” and 49 hours at Wal-Mart vs. 39 hours in an abandoned building.

2008 Catholic Worker National Gathering will be in Worcester!
July 9 – 12, 2008, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. See the webpage for more details.
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Interview with a Cirignano juror

I recently spoke with a juror in the Larry Cirignano case. The juror chose to be anonymous.

I edited the juror’s answers only lightly, but I removed some of my more aimless questions, and some of our conversational exchanges that aren’t really relevant.

If other jurors would like to come forward with their stories, please e-mail us at pieandcoffee@gmail.com.

Some would say that the details of deliberations can’t be revealed without hurting the whole process. But I learned a lot from this conversation, and I hope it will make me a better juror if I’m ever called to serve.
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Fr Bernie Gilgun’s homily, November 9, 2007

This is a recording of a homily by Father Bernie Gilgun, from his weekly Mass at the Mustard Seed in Worcester, Massachusetts. Begins with some thoughts on the Basilica of St. John Lateran and the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and concludes with an explanation of why the Mustard Seed exists.

I think this is the best homily we’ve posted so far.

You can download the mp3 (4.8MB) or see other formats. You can also subscribe (RSS) to the podcast.

Reading for November 9, 2007.

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