Radio Uprising!

12.15.11 Stereotypes and Coverage of the PHS Stabbing

2011-12-22T16:56:00.000-08:00

On 12.15.11, Children's Media Project held an emergency lab session of Radio Uprising so that youth producers could use media and technology to process what had happened and what they were thinking.

Our theme for the day was supposed to be stereotyping, but in light of what had happened in PHS earlier that day, we weaved discussion of what that violent act says about Poughkeepsie, and what it means for Poughkeepsie, into our show.

Here's the full audio of Part 1!

In the first part of our show, we introduce our themes for the week, and hear a PSA made by the Turn It Up crew from the summer 2011 collaboration between CMP and Mill Street Loft.

Part 2 is a reaction podcast made by youth producer Nick during our emergency lab:

Here's Part 3!

In the third part of our show, we react to Nick's podcast about the stabbing in PHS. We discuss some stereotypes of Poughkeepsie, and how those stereotypes end up reinforcing the problems Poughkeepsie deals with.

Here's Part 4!

In the fourth part of our show, we hear "Stereotyping and the Racist KFC Commercial" by Khary, Kiana, and the Turn It Up crew of the summer 2011 Mill Street Loft / Children's Media Project collaboration. Radio Uprising loves Mill Street Loft -- check them out at www.millstreetloft.org! The in-studio youth DJs also discuss how stereotypes have affected their lives.

Here's Part 5!

In the fifth part of our show, we discuss recent Census statistics about how 1 out of every 2 Americans qualifies as poor and/or low income. We talk about what stereotypes exist about poor people, and how the stereotype keeps people from realizing that so many of us as a nation are poor. We also hear the first part of a project on stereotyping that was recorded at CMP's Media Magic after-school program.

Aaaaaaaaand here's Part 6!

In the final part of our show, we hear the rest of the stereotyping project piece. In this piece, we wrote about our experiences in being stereotyped, mixed up our answers, and randomly drew them out of a hat and read them. Even though the topics made us uncomfortable, we all agreed it was an important experience!

COMING SOON:

On 12.22.11, Nick recorded some of his fellow PHS students' thinking on what the climate of the high school is like, one week after the stabbing. We're editing that video now -- stay tuned!

11.10.11. Gender

2011-12-21T13:26:00.000-08:00

We talked about gender during this show! Before we dove in, though, we took some time to discuss Veteran's Day (11.11.11). We listened to Nick's piece about honoring Veterans (below), then talked about how we can honor Veterans in-studio. Everyone agreed that schools and communities should do more to remind students and citizens how important it is to remember and honor our Veterans. We also read these inspiring quotes, to remind ourselves and listeners to honor our Veterans:

"Our veterans accepted the responsibility to defend America and uphold our values when duty called."

- Bill Shuster

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. "

- Joseph Campbell

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

- John F. Kennedy

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."

- Elmer Davis

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and

she-roes!"

- Maya Angelou

“Freedom is never free.”

- Unknown

Then it was time to talk about gender. We listened to some great pieces about colors, weddings and a radio round table called "Girls Vs Boys."

Here's Cally's Piece about Colors:

And here's the radio round table:

We talked about a lot of different things in the studio. We took a lot of time to discuss stereotyping, specifically with gender, and how it affects people. We tried to discover if the stereotypes we're constantly hearing about (for example, pink is only for girls) is seen in real life, or if it usually seen in the movies. We also did a really interesting exercise where we named a bunch of movies we'd seen within the year. We then thought about each one, and decided if the relationships in the movie were ever homosexual. We found that every movie we initially named only featured heterosexual couples. It was an interesting way to consider the influence the media has on how we approach discussions on gender and sexuality.

11.3.11. Texting

2011-12-21T09:11:00.000-08:00

This show was all about texting! We started off the show with Remy's opinion piece about texting in class, listen to it here:

We then heard a radio round table from the Poughkeepsie Day School Radio and Podcasting class that discussed texting. (Listen!!)

Our awesome in-studio DJs then discussed the following questions:
Could you live without texting?
Is it ever appropriate to text in class? For example, what if there was an emergency and your mom really needed to tell you something quickly, is it ok to text in class in this situation?

Our DJs believed that while texting was convenient, they do not need it in their lives! We also discussed texting in a more serious manner; we talked about texting and driving. Did you know that in 29 states there are laws that ban texting while driving for everyone. In 7 states, there are laws that ban texting behind the wheel for new drivers. That leaves 14 states that don’t have any laws about texting while driving!
We asked:
Do you think that there should be a national law banning the act?
What are your thoughts about texting while driving, in general?

Our DJs were definitely worried about texting while driving, and believed there should be a nationwide law against it.

Remember, Radio Uprising! airs on WVKR (91.3fm) on Thursdays from 4-5PM, or catch us online at WVKR.org

10.27.11. Names, Identity and Clothing

2011-12-21T08:47:00.001-08:00

On October 27, we had a show about name, identity and clothing! Students from Poughkeepsie Day School’s Radio and Podcasting Class made short pieces explaining why they like their name, where it comes from, and any interesting stories about it! Some students had really awesome stories about their name, and almost everyone expressed that they liked their name for some reason. We listened to a Radio Round Table about identity and discussed the following questions:

What is identity?

How do you identify yourself?

What are some things that come to mind first when asked what your identity is? What influences your identity (media, upbringing, education, etc)?

We then listened to some pieces about clothing. We discussed clothing stereotypes and uniforms in schools. Our in-studio DJs had mixed feelings about uniforms—some thought it would be nice to never have to worry about what you’re going to wear to school, while others worried that uniforms stifle the expression of individuality through clothing.

It was a great show! Make sure you tune in on Thursdays from 4-5 PM to hear it live!

9.29.11. Outsiders

2011-12-21T08:44:00.000-08:00

Radio Uprising! had a busy Fall season! On September 29, 2011 we had an awesome show about Outsiders! We heard Alexis’ piece on Bullying and Teen Suicide, Alex’s piece on Tech Addiction and Alexis and Khary’s piece on Teen Pregnancy in Poughkeepsie. We also listened to Swany’s song called “Money Stuggles,” which he produced at CMP! Make sure you listen to Swany's song!

7.8.10 Deconstructing Comedy (haha!)

2010-07-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

Today, on Radio Uprising, we explored comedy in its various, brilliant forms!

Youth-produced Audio:
First, a homemade laugh track to set the tone:

Vox Pop

After that, we played another youth-produced vox pop, inquiring about what makes us laugh, whether there aren't certain issues that shouldn't be joked about, and whether humor is the most powerful political tool we have.

CMP Comedy RRT featuring Radio Uprising and DROP TV Producers

PSA 1: Teens and Stress (Will Rogers Institute)

Pre-recorded Piece:
Raeva and TelevIsm: Breaking down offensive jokes

Raeva deconstructs the dynamics of controversial humor.

Pre-recorded Piece:
Jon and Raj researched and recorded a piece about the top grossing comedies from 2008 and 2009, trying to pinpoint exactly why these particular comedic narratives are funny, and what their popularity means for America.

PSA 2: Grace Smith House (produced by GSH and CMP students)

Call-in Joke Segment

Our lovely listeners called in and shared the following jokes with us:

What do you call a snowman in the desert?
A puddle.

Why was the Energizer bunny arrested?
He was charged with battery.

What cheese isn't yours?
Nacho cheese.

What color is a burp?
Burple.

Why was 6 afraid of 7?
Because seven ate nine.

What do you get when you cross a car, a bird, and a dog?
A flying car-pet.

What did the big chimney say to the little chimney?
You're too young to smoke!

When Chuck Norris falls into water, he doesn't get wet. The water gets Chuck Norris.

A man is driving through the country, when he sees a farmer standing next to a puddle in the middle of the road. The man rolls down his window and asks the farmer, "is this puddle very deep?" The farmer assures the man it's not deep at all. The man proceeds to drive through the puddle, but sinks up to the car windows! Enraged, the man yells to the farmer, "I thought you said it wasn't deep!"
"Well," said the farmer, pointing to his chest, "it's only up to here on the ducks."

Thanks to our listeners for participating!

7.1.10 Environmental Empowerment!

2010-07-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today on Radio Uprising, we investigated methods of empowering ourselves through environmental action!

In-studio Piece:
First, Raeva reported on The Story of Stuff, a 20 minute documentary about the way we treat our stuff, from start to finish: extraction from nature, production in factories, distribution through stores, consumption through purchases, and disposal. Raeva composed a special write-up and read it on air:

***********
Only in the past few years has the word “green” metamorphosed from merely a color to a way of life. When examining the sweeping trend, one can only wonder who’s behind it. Annie Leonard is the author and host of the documentary film, The Story of Stuff, the author of the book, The Story of Stuff, and the director of The Story of Stuff Project. The Story of Stuff is the astonishing and groundbreaking tale of what it takes for the innumerable things we buy everyday to pass through our money-stained fingertips, and what happens after we trash just about 99% of it in less than 6 months. For nearly twenty years, Annie Leonard explored 40 different countries, researching the materials economy. By that time, she had acquired more than enough information on the topic to spread her vast wealth of knowledge, so she took to giving speeches and doing all she could to get the word out. As she explains in the documentary, our society’s nonchalant way of flipping through consumer goods like television channels is, “a system in crisis… it’s a linear system on a finite planet”, and that is clearly not something that can run infinitely. Her discoveries did not go unnoticed. Free Range Studios teamed up with Ms. Leonard to produce The Story of Stuff, as a documentary in 2007. Receiving a chart-topping 10 million views and counting, the phenomenal success that was The Story of Stuff spawned The Story of Stuff Project in June 2008, an organization lead by Annie Leonard that worked to do more research along the same lines, and work in innovative ways to educate more and more people.

In my opinion, one of the most stunning, yet more than slightly unnerving fruitions of the research is revealing the truth behind why our country is in this crazy cycle of continuous consumption. For youth such as us today, like ice cream, the telephone, and cars, the problems of our world are not a result of our own actions, they have been thrust upon us to deal with, so understanding the root causes of our situations is critical, as we were not there to watch the history preceding us unfold. A clear example of our county’s problem is the amount of oil we use. A 2003 textbook study on BP showed that the country that consumes the most amount of oil is the U.S. by a large margin. Out of the 27 oil refineries BP owns, 8 are located in the U.S. In The Story of Stuff, Ms. Leonard explains, “We have become a nation of consumers… not mothers, teachers, farmers, but consumers.” But the problem started after World War II, when the government and large corporations were working to rebuilt the American economy. The documentary cites Victor Lebough, the economic advisor to the President, “Our enormously productive economy… demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption… we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever accelerating rate.” After watching The Story of Stuff Project’s three documentaries (The Story of Stuff, The Story of Bottled Water, and The Story of Cap and Trade, with a fourth and fifth, The Story of Cosmetics, and The Story of Electronics coming soon), we at Radio Uprising are so honored to be featuring in this week’s episode an exclusive interview with none other than Ms. Allison Cook, the Special Projects Coordinator who has been with the Project since the original film debuted in 2007, and one of the only three staff members at the Story of Stuff Project.

**********

Pre-recorded Interview
Next, we played the interview with Allison Cook. Special thanks to Allison for taking the time to speak with us!

Full audio here:

To watch "The Story of Stuff," and to learn more about the Story of Stuff project in general, please visit:
www.storyofstuff.com

Following our Story of Stuff segment, we played part of another Story of Stuff documentary -- "The Story of Bottled Water." To watch The Story of Bottled Water, please visit: www.storyofbottledwater.com

Quotes from the studio:
"Now, when we watched this yesterday, we got to thinking about Cleveland tap water beating Fiji bottled water in taste tests, and wondering if the same would hold true for Poughkeepsie. So we took a blind taste-test of three different kinds of water. We drank cups of water from three samples, and took notes about which one we thought was the tap water. As it turns out, most of us guessed “C” was the tap water, because it smelled like chlorine! And “C” was indeed the tap water. It’s funny, because the Story of Bottled Water had us thinking tap water would taste just as good, if not better than, bottled water. But we all agreed “C” was our least favorite. And it was even tap water filtered through a Brita – and it still tasted like chlorine! Maybe Poughkeepsie is one of those places the documentary mentions where public water just isn’t clean."

PSA 1: Dutchess Peace Coalition
PSA 2: Middle East Crisis Response

Pre-recorded Interviews
After that, we turned to empowerment of a different nature. Recently, Children’s Media Project teamed up with Verizon and the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to create a series of video PSAs about internet safety for gay, lesbian, queer and questioning youth. We interviewed Mayor John Tkazyik, as well as Mary Jane Carger from GLSEN, and a few City of Poughkeepsie council people.

Mayor John and Catherine Gasteyer of Verizon:

Mary Jane Carger of GLSEN:

Councilwoman Mary Solomon, Councilman Bob Mallory, and Councilman Tom Parisi:

In-studio Piece

Finally, Amanda read a list of ways that youth can change their lives to positively impact the environment.

6.24.10 Shakespeare in Popular Culture p. 2

2010-06-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Today, Radio Uprising completed its two-part series on Shakespeare in Popular Culture. We investigated Shakespeare's perennial resonance with culture world-wide, and questioned whether or not pop cultural adaptations are what have kept him alive in the 21st century.

Pre-recorded Piece: Shakespeare Roundtable
When were you first introduced to Shakespeare? Did you like him then, and do you like him now? Why or why not? Would you say Shakespeare lives on in popular culture?

As you'll hear, it turns out most people are introduced to Shakespeare in school, but only really begin liking him when they experience a current, modern, or popculture adaptation of Shakespeare...leading us to think that pop culture renews his influence.

Full audio here:

Images taken via Google Images. Background music: Elizabethan Minuet called "Another Branle" by Anon (16th century).

PSA 1: Vassar Powerhouse Theater Apprentice Program

In-Studio Piece: Famous Quotes Quiz
We gave ourselves a quick quiz in the studio to see if we could identify some famous Shakespeare quotes. Although we couldn't all place each quote, we all readily recognized them -- more evidence of Shakespeare's enduring effect on cultural consciousness!

See if you can place these quotes:
“The lady doth protest too much”

“All that glitters is not gold”

"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts."

"If music be the food of love, play on!"

(for answers, email radiouprisingcmp@gmail.com)
Pre-recorded Piece: "Romeos and Juliets" by Amanda and Raeva

Full audio here:

PSA 2: Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival

"Comparing Hamlets:" by Raeva
(read aloud in-studio; full text reproduced below)
****************

The 2000 film, “Hamlet”, directed and adapted by Michael Almereyda, starred Ethan Hawke as a modern-day Hamlet living in New York City, and Julia Stiles as his wife Ophelia. Almereyda’s script featured most of Shakespeare’s original prose, untouched, at the same time that it worked to blend the 16^th century story into modern-day. In the film, Denmark the country transforms into Denmark Corporation, and King Claudius into the CEO. In an interview with Cynthia Fuchs, the PopMatters Film and TV Editor, Almereyda explained how he believed his modernization of this classic play did deviate from Shakespeare’s intended themes, merely expanding on them and blending them into modern-day culture. He said, “there's still a class system in the world and in America… and that's aligned with corporate power…. I don't know that that's the most profound aspect of the film but it seemed like a natural way of talking about contemporary power… I don't think that's completely divorced from what Shakespeare was talking about… So, Hamlet sparks a lot of these questions, and I hope the film does also directly address some of those themes and ideas that are spoken about in the soliloquies.”

Unlike many other renditions, 2000’s Hamlet focused less on Hamlet’s madness, and more on his youthfulness, as a reason for his supposed inability to make decisions. Almereyda left Ophelia with the “madness prize”, saying “Ethan and I thought that [Hamlet] didn't have a problem making decisions, he would make a decision and then he'd reverse himself, which is a very different thing, more truthful to human nature and to the character…Hamlet wasn't mad, he was feigning madness. I mean, he was dangerously depressed, which is a kind of madness, but the whole element of him acting goofy, we downplayed that.”

Grossing $1,568,749 in the box office, critics’ reviews were mixed. Almereyda however, remained pleased, saying, “I've had good responses from Shakespeare scholars [pertaining to my adaptation], so I've been lucky to have a good balance [between sticking to the original play and also blending it into modern pop culture].”

In 1996, Kenneth Branagh released his version of the classic Shakespeare tragedy. Branagh himself directed, adapted, and starred in the film, with Kate Winslet as his Ophelia. Released on Christmas day, the movie won a number of awards, as well as four Oscar nominations, including Best Writing of a Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. Branagh put less effort into integrating the plot into pop culture, focusing more on keeping the production grounded in its Renaissance roots. The play took place as it was originally intended, in Denmark.

Though only playing in limited theaters across the United States, the 1996 Hamlet still managed to gross $5 million, quite a bit more than its 21^st century counterpart. On a whole, critic reviews for the movie were more positive than for Almereyda’s. The New York Times stated that “[Branagh’s] lavish, four-hour Hamlet in 1996, did much to further his status as a man who knew his Bard.”

Five years prior to Branagh’s Hamlet, Franco Zeffirelli had directed another of the same Shakespearean tragedy, starring Mel Gibson as Hamlet and Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia. Nominated for two Academy Awards, critics later agreed that though good, the 1991 Hamlet could not compare with Branagh’s. The production made $20,710,000 in box office sales.

What is most interesting about the level of success of the three movies is that it seems to correlate directly with how true they stayed to Shakespeare’s original Hamlet. Critics in general agreed that Branagh’s Hamlet followed most in accordance with the 16^th century version, and though Mel Gibson’s Hamlet grossed more in box office sales, Branagh’s Hamlet won far more awards and was recognized by most reviewers as the better movie. Branagh’s production also was featured in only 100 theaters so that would also have played a part in determining sales. Making $5 million playing in just 100 theaters is a considerable feat. On the other hand, the 2000 Hamlet deviated quite a bit more from the original, and did not do nearly as well, in both box office sales, as well as critic reviews. This, of course, is not to say that all attempts to reinvent or reincarnate Shakespeare’s century-old tradition are futile. It merely suggests that it is harder to produce work based more loosely on Shakespeare than one might think. Not only does the recreation have to stand as a piece of work in its own right, but it must also be juxtaposed with the original, to see if the new can truly be called masterful.

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In-Studio Piece: "King Lear Through the Ages"
Mary Ellen tells us all about this famous tragedy's turbulent textual history.

6.17.10 Shakespeare in Popular Culture p. 1

2010-06-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today's show began our two-part series on Shakespeare in Popular Culture! We kicked things off by reading an unabridged list of Shakespeare's works in chronological order.

In-Studio Roundtable: Which of Shakespeare's works have you read in school? How was it taught to you, how did you like it, and how do you think your class overall received it?
Answers by Nory and Amanda

PSA 1: Vassar Powerhouse Theatre Apprentice's Program

In-Studio Piece: "Sassy Gay Shakespeare" Deconstructed
A recent series of YouTube videos, entitled "Sassy Gay Friend," re-imagine Shakespearean scenes to answer the question: "What if Juliet/Desdemona/Ophelia had sassy gay friends?" Each video features an exuberant (and, we are to assume, gay) young man entering Shakespeare's scenes just prior to each woman's death, dispensing cheerful and helpful (if somewhat flippant) advice, and convincing the young woman to change her outcome.

Youth deconstructed the piece and debated how these videos expand our understanding of the fate of young women in Shakespearean works, as well as debated whether the videos' portrayal of homosexuality ultimately perpetuates or subverts stereotypes about gay people.

PSA 2: Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival

Music:
"My Time Outside the Womb" by Titus Andronicus

5.13.10 State of the Union

2010-05-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

We started of today's "State of the Union" show with Amanda's very own State of the Union address: "High School and CMP updates" (new programs and administration). Due to the current economic circumstances several positions at local High Schools and CMP have been let go, and changes are being made to restructure the staff system. Consequently, the future of class curriculums and CMP programs, like Radio Uprising, are somewhat unclear.

Box Question: If you were the President of the U.S.A, what changes would you make to the government?

Answers from Becky, Juliana, John and Kristine: Take down the Mexico-U.S. border, Health Care for all, paint the White House with polka dots, ice cream for all, no military presence in non-U.S. territories, and greater funding for non-profits like CMP.

Fun Facts (read by John):

George Washinton gave the first State of the Union address on January 8, 1790. Calvin Coolidge's 1923 speech was the first to be broadcast on radio; Harry S. Truman's 1947 address was the first on television; and Bill Clinton's was the first on the World Wide Web in 1997.

Pre-Recorded Piece: Nory's Diary of an Activist Part 2: "Death to Homophobia. Love, Nory"

In-Studio Piece (read by John): Louisiana Oil Spill.

The pressure from an oil vein being drilled caused an oilrig off the coast of Louisiana to blow up on May 3rd. Now oil is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. Some measures are being taken by British Petroleum to contain the spill, but will this be enough?

Poem (read by Kristine): To A Terrorist by Stephen Dunn

In-Studio Discussion: "Terrorism in the U.S. Takes on a U.K. Pattern", an article by Dina Temple-Raston, analyzes the changing sources of terrorism in the Unites States.

Our discussion questioned the redefinition of the term 'terrorism' by U.S. and European citizens after 9/11. Are terrorists just from the Middle East? Or do they come from the U.S. and other countries, as well, even if their form of terror goes relatively unnoticed in comparison? Can, and should, terrorism be associated with a single nationality or ethnicity, like Pakistan? These are some of the questions we explored.

Question:Growing up in post-9/11 America, what are your associations with terrorism?

Nory's Answer: I've grown up with the idea that terrorism was about 'us' vs. 'them', with 'them' being the terrorists. However, after a recent school project on Weather Underground and the Timothy McVey case, I've realized that terrorism can be a domestic entity, as well.

In-Studio Interview: ROBOTICS (flashback to last week's show)

Our guest today, Ken Livingston, Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Vassar College, has recently become involved in two robotic projects. Livingston's interest in robotics first developed from reading and watching SciFi books as a kid. The first robot Professor Livingston made was out of legos, cheap electronics, and a circuit board. The Professor thinks it's important for students to learn about robots because they are being used more and more for manufacturing and repair work . But technology, he says, is only useful if we understand it. There's a discussion of what roles will robots play in our lives? what roles should they play? And one can only contribute to this discussion if one is knowledgeable about robots and what they are potentially capable of doing, or being used for.

Book Recommendations:

1) Becky's: "Harrison Bergeron", a short story from "Welcome to the Monkey House", by Kurt Vonnegut. The USA added an amendment that all people be equal. Because people can't be made smarter or more talented, everyone with special abilities was hindered somehow (ex. beautiful ballerinas wore ugly masks). A 5 minute read that will keep you thinking for months!

2) John's: "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov. A SciFi novel about a collection of Futuristic robots. Written in the 1950s, the future is considered the 2000s. Three ethical codes for the robots are set in place: 1) Robots have to do what humans say, 2) Robots can't hurt humans, and 3) Robots have to save themselves at all costs, unless the 1st and 2nd law forbids it.

PSAs:

1)Caroline Dash Davis Gleitur Lecture on Social Justice at Oakwood Friends School on 22 Spackenkill Road, Poughkeepsie, NY. Author Linda Kenney Miller will speak about "Beacon Hill", the story of a pioneer African American physician. Friday, May 14th at 2:30pm. Free and open to the public. 845-462-4200.

2) New workshop series, "Learning in the Garden", sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County's (CCEUC) Mater Gardener Program. This month: "Adding Summer Color". Workshops every 3rd Saturday of each month through October at Ulster County Community College. Master gardeners available 9am-noon for help and questions. Short lectures at 10am. No pre-registration. Free! Rain or Shine. 845-340-3990.

Music:

"Can't let go", Lucinda Williams

"Change", Blind Melon

5.6.10 Technology

2010-05-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

There was a Radio Uprising reunion today since Becky and Mary Ellen joined us in the studio. The show started off with a robot introduction recorded by John that Becky, Juliana and I had the pleasure of lending our voices to. This past Monday, while preparing the script for today's show, I got to see John in action as we recorded this piece but also as he mixed it together with cool sound affects on Garage Band--I was impressed by his tech-savy abilities, to say the least.

And technology was the theme of the show. With special emphasis on robots and the internet.

Fun Fact (sponsored by Wikipedia): the word robot was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel Capek in his play Rossum's Universal Robots, published in 1920.

Pre-Recorded Pieces:

1)In "File Sharing Vox Pop", Mick Pratt from Blunt Youth Radio interviews teens about their opinions on file sharing.

2) From CMP, Nory's Diary of an Activist: Facebook Activism

In-Studio Pieces:

1) Becky told us how she tried explaining the internet to her 90-something year old grandmother once; and how it didn't go so well. Although a very sharp lady, Becky's grandmother thought Becky's description of the internet as an invisible network that connects people was a bad idea of a joke.

2) Juliana spoke about how high school students in Chile used technology to rally for school reform in 2005. They used youtube, radio, fotolog, and blogs in their movement called "March of the Penguins" (Marcha de los Pinguinos), a name that came from their school uniforms. They wanted to make education available to all students independent of their background, including their financial situation.

In-Studio Interview: Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen explained her use of technology and media in teaching the English language and speech patterns to ESL (English as a Second Language) students. In the 'Age of the Image' that we're in right now, all people (regardless of country of origin) recognize certain images (logos, brand names, etc) and their meanings. But for ESL students, articulating these meanings in English can be difficult. So Mary Ellen helps students learn more-and-more English words to increase their literacy through the use of popular media.

In-Studio Discussion: How has technology changed your interactions with other people? Do you believe Americans are more or less alienated with the progression of Technology?

Music:

"We Built a Robot", Panda Bear

"The Great Unknown", Dar Williams

"We Will Become Silhouettes", Postal Service

Harkening back to our Environmentalism show, here are two outdoorsy PSA's.

PSA 1: The Center for Environmental Innovation and Education is holding its first Walk and Talk series in Beacon on Friday, May 7th from 12pm to 2pm. Pre-registration required. To register, visit www.bire.org. 845-838-1600 ext.16.

PSA 2: International migratory bird day: free bird movies, a bird of prey demonstration, bird walks, etc. Hasbrouck Park (Delaware Ave in Kingston, NY) on Saturday, May 8th at 10 am. Call or e-mail Mark DeDea at forsythnature@aol.com or 845-339-3053. www.forsythnaturecenter.org.

4. 29. 10 Environmental Consciousness

2010-04-30T07:49:00.001-07:00

Although National Earth Day was a week ago, it's never to late to celebrate and respect the environment! And today's Environmental Consciousness themed show has this basic message: go outside and hug a tree! Or better yet. REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE!

DJs Warm-up Question: How much do we actually interact wiht the environment? We are all about saving it, but how much time do we actually spend outside in nature?

John and Amanda spend time outside at school during Recess and P.E., respectively. But sometimes things like homework prevent them from getting outside more often. They are still environmentally conscious by composting and recycling. A major way to live sustainably is to reduce and reuse consumer products. Buying less, and buying local is always a good way to go.

Recorded Piece:

In "Everybody's Green", Ahmina James from Youth Radio looks into the ways in which the environmental movement is controlled and popularized by "old white men," which makes it difficult, in her experience, for her black peers to feel motivated to become involved.

Poem:

Usually we think of television as the antithesis of living green. On one hand, it does use electricity, and it does keep us from going outside. But in "Cartoon Physics, Part 1", Nick Flynn shows how staying in and watching cartoons on Saturday mornings tell us everything a kid should know about the world.

Fun Facts: by Fraiser Cain at http://www.universetoday.com

1) Earth is composed mostly of iron, oxygen and silicon

2)Earth doesn't take 24 hours to rotate on its axis. It takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds.

3) A year on Earth isn't 365 days; it's actually 365.2564 days. And the extra .2564 days create the need for leap years.

PSA 1:

Jeremy Scahill will give a lecture titled "War in the Age of Obama" in the Weis Cinem at Bard College on Monday, May 3rd at 7pm. Scahill is a corresponded for Democracy Now!, and has received numerous awards for his investigative journalism. This lecture is FREE and open to the public. It's co-sponsored by Bard Students for a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine and the Bard Human Rights Project.

Recorded Piece (by our DJ Nory): A Different Perspective on Environmental Conservatism

Why compost? Why Recycle? For one, they're an excuse to go outside. But they're also an easy way to conserve the environment. Nory explores the difference between taking care, and being conscious, of the environment and being a leading advocate for environmental conservation.

Interview: Emily Vail, the Collins Research Fellow at Vassare College, spoke with us about her work with watersheds in the Dutchess County Area.

What is a watershed? The land area around a body of water (stream, river, lake) that drains into it. So activity on the land effects the quality of water in nearby streams, lakes, etc. It's important not to pollute the land because these bodies of water are a source of drinking water for people and animals; and they are also important aesthetic and recreational resources.

Concrete is a problem in Poughkeepsie. Rain water is not able to filtrate through it; and water. picks up all the street pollutants drains straight into our water sources. Clean soil is important because water filtrates through the soil, which gives plants water, it slows the flow of water into streams, and it removes pollutants.

Important: Storm drains are directly linked to the river. DO NOT DUMP anything into them, especially chemical substances. If you see people doing this, know that it's illegal.

Adopt a Spot: a Dutchess County Youth Program that promotes stream clean up. Held in July--Watershed Awareness Month. For information on more Adopt a Spot activities and events, visit www.dutchesswam.com. For information on the Vassar College Environmental Research Institute, or for resources about major, local streams and parks, visit www.dutchesswatersheds.org.

Book Recommendation: The Giving Tree, By Shel Silverstein

This book is filled with messages, ranging from an argument for conservation to a nostalgic look at life's progression. It's a classic. Read it with a critical eye, paying attention to ideas on: Friendship, Woman's role in society, How we ask-ask-ask but don't give back, and What we expect conservation to look like.

On Air Radio Play: John and Nory read a frustratingly, funny piece about an outside game of baseball. It's a classic joke--and slightly frustrating. Two New York Yankee coaches, Abbott and Costello, are talking about the team, discussing Who's on First, What's on second, and I Don't Know is on third. Who, What and I Don't Know are the names of players and Abbott is aware of this. Costello is not, and he tries to figure out repeatedly who is playing on first, second and third, but only gets thoroughly frustrated and confused.

PSA 2:

Monday-Friday. 8am to 5pm. Through June 25. Exhibiting at the Dyson Center for Cancer Care: Artist Ellen Crimmins and Vassar Brothers present "Oil on Water". The exhibit provides a soothing and healing atmosphere for patients undergoing cancer treatment. Located at Vassar Brothers Medical Center on 45 Reade Place in Poughkeepsie, NY. For more information, call 845-454-8500.

Music:

"Mother Nature's Son", The Beatles

"Big Yellow Taxi", Joni Mitchell

REMEMBER: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

4.22.10 Mentors and Women

2010-04-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was Mentorship and Women. We examined the dynamic of female role models and mentors, and interviewed a Vassar student about her thesis on Feminism as it relates to Mormonism.

The show began with an in-studio discussion about our daily "Wows" concerning women; and they included the women's right to vote, and the ability to do basically any job a man can do and to negotiate salaries.

In a piece called "A Softer Side" for Blunt Youth Radio, Charlotte McDonald interviews a female musician about her encounters with biases in her musical education.

Poem (read by Juliana):

"Proletariat Portrait" by William Carlos Williams

Fun Fact (told by John):

A woman holds the Guiness World Record for the highest recorded IQ. Marilyn vos Savant is recorded to have an IQ of 228.

John then chimed in that if anyone had a IQ higher than 228, they should please call in to the station. So go test your IQ and let us know if you score higher than 228!

PSA (read by Kristine):

Free Film Showing: "Rethink Afghanistan", a documentary by Robert Greenwald. A discussion will follow the film. When: Saturday, May 8 from 7:00-8:00 pm. Where: Poughkeepsie Friends Meeting, located on 249 Hooker Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY. Sponsored by the Poughkeepsie Friends Meeting (www.poughkeepsiequakers.org) and Duchess Peace Coalition (www.dutchesspeace.org). For more information, contact: (845) 454-6431 or (845) 454-2870.

Interview

In the studio today we had Jenny, a Sociology major at Vassar College who grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY. She is a counselor for CARES, a student run, nonjudgemental, non-political, confidential, peer-listening resource for anyone affected by abuse. But the reason she was in the studio today was to talk about the thesis she wrote about Mormons, and the role of women in the Mormon family structure. A very interesting fact is that Mormon women in the Utah Territory had the right to vote before women in any other part of the country. They also had the right to divorce and to pursue an education when other women did not. But various historical circumstances led to a decline in female rights. Yet, there is still a space for Feminism in the Mormon church. Women have formed their own groups to do charity and relief work, among other things.

Box Question Discussion: Who are you favorite heroines in history? or in fiction (tv, movies, books, etc)? Amanda shared her admiration for Margaret Sanger (1883-1966), the founder of Planned Parenthood.

Juliana then read an excerpt from page 5 of the book This Bridge Called My Back by Anzaldua, which talked about being feminist and latina.

Book Recommendation: Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a five-and-a-half year old prodigy misunderstood and neglected by her family; but she finds comfort in learning and teaches herself to read. Matilda is the extraordinary tale of the triumph of a brave young girl who dares to question and challenge the authority of the misguided adults who control her life.

4.15.10 Letter M

2010-04-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

Photos (left to right): Amanda and John, John and Nory, Juliana and Amanda.

Mars, Macavity the Mystery Cat, Moon Madness, Merriment, Meatballs, and Music. Mmm-mmm good. Today was all things M.

The show started off with a piece recorded by Curie Youth Radio called "Trying to Act Grown"--anecdotes on what teens did as kids to act grown-up: applying make-up, smoking pretend cigarettes, wearing their dad's ties, etc.

Then John shared about a piece called Why We Need to Go Back to Mars (http://www.ted.com/talks/joel_levine.html), which was followed by a recording made by John--sounds of moon landing and shuttle take offs filled the station and 3...2....1....Take Off! The show was on its way to M madness. And what could be more appropriate then a poem by T.S. Eliot.

John, Nory, Amanda, and I (Kristine) each read a part of Eliot's poem, Macavity: The Mystery Cat. If you've never read or heard this poem, it's witty and whimsical--check it out! Because, "Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw...Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity".

Fun Facts were read by John and Nory today:

1) Shakespeare was baptised on 26 April 1564; and although his birthdate is unknown it is celebrated on 23 April. Coincidentally, Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616. And if he were alive today, he'd be 436 this month!

2) The Royal Shakespeare Company presents, "Such Tweet Sorrow", a twittered modern interpretation of Romeo & Juliet. During the five weeks of their performances, people will be able to read the "tweets" (twitter updates) of Romeo, Juliet, and four other characters. To read more visit www.suchtweetsorrow.com.

PSA

TONIGHT! Celebrate National Poetry Month and Young People's Poetry week at the Adriance Memorial Library Teen Room (Market St., Poughkeepsie) with an open mic poetry event! Youth made video poems will also be screened. All are welcome to the FREE event. We ask that poems be appropriate for all ages. TIME: 6-8pm.

Box Question Discussion: What is the most unique thing you have ever heard someone have a collection of?

Juliana shared that many Brazilians collect their baby teeth and some people even wear them on necklaces. Both Juliana and Kristine shared a childhood tendency to collect the most random things, like paper, erasers, office supplies in general it seemed like.

An article called Myths and Legends About the Moon was read by Juliana, which described the sun as a woman and the moon as a man, and their mythological relationship. To read this story go to http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Interesting-Myths-and-Legends-About-The-Moon.

Short Film Recommendation: Becky recommends Feiffer's short film, "Munro", for our M themed show. "Munro" was based on a comic strip written by Feiffer in the 1950's after he was drafted into the army. It's a satirical critique of military training and drafting practices; and it won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short in 1961. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNgiWU9LY7A

The next piece was a parody of Shakespeare's Macbeth. The parody is called Macbeth and Macduff Get Into An Argument Over Semantics, by Raphael Bob-Wakesberg. Our cast included: Nory as Macbeth; John as Mcduff, Amanda as Doctor; Juliana as the narrator; and Kristine as the witch. This modern interpretation, with mixed Shakespearen speech and modern day slang, was hilarious. Please visit http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/4/9waksberg.html

PSA 2:

CENTERstage Production will be performing Macbeth at Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck. When: April 16-18. THIS WEEKEND. Curtain Times: Fri.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 3pm. For more information and ticket prices, call 845-876-3080. The Center for Performing Arts is located on Route 308 in Rhinebeck.

And there's no better way to end something than with food and music--so that's what we did.

The In-Studio Discussion was "what's your favorite food?" Almost everyone attempted to come up with an M related food. Meatballs, Al-Monds, Macaroni, among other foods were mentioned. All sounded delicious.

Music

De La Soul, "Transmitting Live From Mars"

David Bowie, "Life On Mars"

The Magnetic Fields, "I Have the Moon"

Elton John, "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters"

St, Vincent, "Marry Me"

Feist, "My Moon My Man"

The Be Good Tanyas, "Midnight Moonlight"

And to conclude the show, a shout out was given to Mentors--of all kinds--but specifically to those working at CMP. Thank you for all you do!

4.8.10 Radio Uprising Rocks!

2010-04-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

With Amanda gone yesterday, the show’s theme switched from Women/Feminism to a non-denominational free-flow show titled: “Juliana and John rock!” Of course it quickly became, “Juliana, John, Nory, Jade and ( if I may say so) Kristine rock!”

April being poetry month, several poems were read, including an all time classic “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll, read with whimsical passion by John. Other poems included two youth pieces: “Almost Perfect” by 16 year old Gavin Admire, a student at Silver Creek Alternative School in Haily, ID; and “I Wish” by Pablo Alfaro, a 10^th grader at Manual Arts High School in L.A. Both of these pieces exhibited a sense of individuality, thoughtfulness, and strength that some students at this age struggle to grasp because they’re consumed, or overcome, by the pressures of trying to fit in. To be honest, it’s a pressure that never completely disappears; but the fact that they’re aware of the pressures—and they don’t allow the pressures to control their life, and deplete it of uniqueness and joy—is admirable and worthy of respect.

These poems tied in appropriately with other pieces shared on the show, which dealt with issues of finding, retaining and asserting individuality with in a greater context of community, whether it is family or school.

The first piece was, “The All-American Cambodian”, by Chandra Touch. “Chandra, a Portland teen, talks to her mom, a Cambodian immigrant, about why she does not support some of Chandra’s extracurricular activities, such as cheerleading. Chandra understands the cultural differences between American High School and the environment her mother grew up in, but she also wants to make a life of her own”. Chandra, an ambitious student involved in a plethora of clubs, Honors classes, sports, etc, is destined to be the first in her family to graduate High School, and inevitably College. Even so, her proud mother doesn’t want Chandra to forget about quality time spent with family, and honoring their family values. Striking a balance is always difficult, as Chandra is learning.

For the In-Studio Discussion, Nory read an article from Time Kids about Standardized Testing. The article pointed out how American kids are more stressed-out than ever over testing. Test scores have been shifting away from revealing student strengths and weaknesses (so as to alter lesson plans in order to address student needs), to a means of assessing schools’ success or failure. The general consensus from us at Radio Uprising was that bubble tests (like the SAT) only measure one kind of intelligence, and overlook other important qualities that would be better tested through essay writing, art projects and science labs.

Another recorded piece was “Finding Laughter in Iraq”, from War News Radio (Hansi Wang). “In the years since the American invasion, Iraqis have struggled through sectarian violence, lack of electricity, and widespreas unemployment. But somehow, they’ve found things to laugh about. War News Radio’s Hansi Lo Wang explores a lighter side of Iraqi life, taking a look at what makes Iraq smile”.

After the recordings, Nory made an announcement about Day of Silence, which will be this Friday, April 16. "On the National Day of Silence hundreds of thousands of students nationwide take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in their schools" (www.dayofsilence.org). Along with the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), Nory has also been involved with the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Along with another girl, she will be receiving a leadership award for her involvement! Congratulations Nory! For more information visit www.glsen.org.

On another lighter note, John and I presented two fun facts. John informed us that woodpeckers eat insects from living and dead trees, along with fruit, nuts, and sap. Thus, their ecological role consists of protecting trees from mass infestation! My fact, although unrelated, was also fun. Topeka means “to dig potatoes” in Kansa and Ioway (Native American languages). And Topeka became a place name in 1826, and was chosen because it, “was novel, of Indian origin, and euphonious of sound”. Also, Topeka, Kansas became a city in 1857, founded by Eastern anti-slavery men.

For this week’s Book Recommendation, John shared Warriors by Erin Hunter with us. Warriors is a series about cats who can talk, build forts, fight and seem to be an overall adventurous bunch. Each cat has a first and last name; and the last name changes to signify their stage in life, and their position as a warrior (ex. Claw) or a leader (ex. Star). Another series by Hunter is Seeke, a series about bears.

PSA’s this week included:

1) 1) Young People’s Poetry Week: Open Mic. Celebrate Poetry Month and Young People’s Poetry Week at the Adriance Memorial Library Teen Room! Bring a favorite poem to share—written by you or a favorite poet. A short program of videos (made by youth video makers!) will also be screened. ALL are WELCOME to this FREE event! We ask that poems be appropriate for all ages. LOCATION: Adriance Memorial Library, Teen room, Market St., Poughkeepsie. DATE: April 15, 6-8pm. Co-sponsored by the Poughkeepsie Public Library District and Children’s Media Project.

2) 2) Autism Awareness and Education Day at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Date: Saturday, April 10. Time: 9:30am-3pm. April is Autism Awareness month and Vassar Brothers Chronically Ill Children’s Support Group will be hosting this event. Families can learn more about programs, services, and skills they can utilize. Lunch will be provided, along with activities for kids. For more information or to RSVP, call Katie Rapp at 845-454-8500 ext. 72384

And we can’t forget the MUSIC!

Prince, “Purple Rain”

Talking Heads, “This Must Be the Place”

Wilco, “Please Be Patient With Me”

Davide Byrne and Brian Eno, “One Fine Day

4.1.10 April Fools Day

2010-04-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

Annnnnnd we're back. Actually, this is my first time on the blog--but recaps of the weekly shows are back!

This is Kristine Olson, a Vassar freshman interning for CMP this semester; and I'm excited to be of service to Radio Uprising productions and to the upkeep of this blog.

Since today, April 1, was April Fools Day, the theme followed suit. To honor this day of jokesters, pranksters and unsuspecting, often gullible, victims Radio Uprising (Amanda, Juliana, Jade, and myself) hosted Vassar students and comedians, Madeline '10 and Elana '12. These funny ladies are members of the Vassar College comedy troupe called Happily Ever Laughter, or HEL.

As music was being played, and poetry was being read, the ladies joked that they had come unprepared, and that it might actually be a very serious show: "there might be tears," joked Elana. Tears of joy, maybe. From Betty Backpack, a Centaur coming to dinner, making boring topics funny by using a Minnesotan accent, to the overall absurdity of HEL's humor, Elana and Madeline kept us laughing.

Dispersed throughout jokes and witticisms, tidbits of comedic wisdom and advice were imparted on all who listened. Both ladies noted that they were class clowns in school; and as young students, they had a lot of fun ideas; but it wasn't until college that they realized they could write these ideas down and make something out of them, that they could make groups of people laugh simultaneously! Even if the sketches they write aren't performed, they still find value in recording their ideas--if only to look back on them and laugh by themselves, or amongst friends.

The sketches that are performed push things to the absurd. And the key to HEL's success lies in writing about "universal funny things". Elana interjected that, "you hit the comedy jackpot when you find those things". One such 'funny thing' is Betty Backpack. A 12' x 8' HUUUGE back pack stuffed with newspapers--a comment on the giant backpacks that one can see college students (even high school students) lugging about as if out on a Himalayan mountain trek. Madeline commented that what makes backpacks so interesting is that they define people. For example, she can pick out her friend from a distance just based on the color of the backpack she wears.

We learned that other seemingly ordinary things are equally as funny. I particularly enjoyed their discussion about nothing in particular, nothing exceptionally funny, but in Minnesota accents which...ARE funny (no offense to anyone from that wonderful state. You bring us joy, and for that: we thank you).

But what happens if the audience doesn't find these things funny? What if they don't laugh?, we ask. "We still have fun, and that's what counts," say Madeline and Elana. Different people find different things funny. Sometimes you're funny, and sometimes you're not. Happily Ever Laughter, however, (verified by Amanda who's seen a show) is generally very funny.

If you're in need of some laughs, they're next show is on Saturday, April 24 at 9 and 11pm in the Mug (in the Main building on Vassar's campus, below the Retreat). Two shows. One night. Appropriate comedy (they assured us). FREE!! For more information call 845-437-7178.

Music and Poetry featured in today's show was chosed based on the April Fools theme:

Music:

"Fools in Love"--Inara George

"The Fools on the Hill"--The Beatles

"Only Fools Rush In"--Elvis Presley

"One April Day"--Stephin Merrit

Poetry:

This is just to say by William Carlos Williams

Hug O War by Shel Silverstein

01.21.10

2010-01-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

And we are back! Happy new year radio listeners!

This week our DJs Caianne, Zach, Amanda, John, Mia and Jade talked about a variety of things such as:
- Zach's exciting trip to NYC where he won a basketball skills challenge and went to a Knick's game
- Mia read a poem in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
- the game Walking History, produced at the Children's Media Project (for more information, take a look at www.childrensmediaproject.org)
- I-pods, which lead to an in-studio discussion about this handy-dandy device
- Garbage and the importance of recycling.

12.10.09: Whatever!

2009-12-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

That's right! Youth producers Caianne, Amanda, Mia, Jade and John did another show on whatever they wanted! Here are some of the things they talked about in this completely unpredictable show:
- Emily Lafond talked about her poor performance on the swim team in a piece called "We are Lane One" from Blunt Youth Radio
- Our weekly co-DJs interviewed each other about why they like being on the radio
- Lena read a poem about magic produced at DROP Media Lab
- Caianne talked about how she would take over the world
- During a workshop with the Children's Media Project and Pawling Public Radio, youth producers discussed why siblings are always fighting for a radio roundtable.
- Then we listened to some parenting tips from Lauren and Andra
- We finished off with a lively discussion on what inanimate object we would be, as well as what imaginary creature we would like to be real.

Hope you listen to us next time!

12.03.09_Power

2009-12-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

It's December already! Goodness. This week our engaged youth producers Amanda, Jade, John (a new member on our show - welcome!), Becky and Juliana had an invigorating show on the theme of power. With the help of DROP Media Lab producers, here are some of the things they talked about:
- In order to understand the cost of the war in Iraq, we played "The Cost of War, in Sound" from Blunt Youth Radio Project.
- On a lighter note, we talked about the power of music. David Barber-Callaghan, a reporter for Blunt Youth Radio Project, talked about how he misses bluegrass jams in his piece "Ricky, the Banjo and Music."
- Then Jade talked about her passion: skateboarding. Talk about power!
- DROP Media Lab producers had a very interesting radio roundtable on two issues: the war in Iraq as well as what super power we would like to have.
- Then Juliana talked about the power of youth taking a hold of media.
- We finished off with an in-studio discussion about how we felt about the Obama administration and the continuing war in Afghanistan. We also talked about what we would like to be when we grow up.

Thanks for tuning in!

11.19.09_Food and Tradition

2009-12-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year! In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, youth producers Amanda, Jade, Becky and Juliana talked about food and tradition during this week's show.

In between mentioning fun facts about Thanksgiving, here is what they talked about:
- Miguel Macias gave us a taste of Los Angeles and a new food movement in his piece about Kogi, a Korean BBQ Taco Truck that moves around Los Angeles. ("Korean Taco" from Youth Radio)
- Weekday High youth producer Beno Picciano talked about his tricky home-stay experience in Morocco. ("Lunch Time in Ait Iktel" by Weekday High youth producer)
- DROP Media Lab had a radio roundtable on what you like more on Thanksgiving: the food or the people?
- Juliana talked about Feijoada, a typical Brazilian dish that originated during the colonial period in Brazil.
- Jade shared her favorite part of Thanksgiving.
- Pawling youth producers Lauren and Andrea told an interesting story about Grandma's cookies. ("Grandma's Cookies" by Pawling youth producers)
- We finished the show with a discussion about what holiday food you can no longer stand eating.

Thanks everyone! Happy Thanksgiving!

11.12.09 Whatever!

2009-11-17T17:41:00.000-08:00

The studio was full today during our show on... who even knows!? Whatever!

Youth producers Caianne, Amanda, Mia, Jade, Jack, along with youth producers in the DROP Media Lab had a really good show on a variety of topics:
- Lauren and Andrea did a piece on the Big Foot;
- We played a piece by Johanna Greenberg from Blunt Youth Radio Project called "Let's Talk about Sex";
- DROP Media Lab had a radio roundtable on their favorite videogames. Mia and Jade also shared their favorite video games with our listeners;
- We played a piece by Aoife Baker from Blunt Youth Radio called "The Graceful Art of Breaking Up";
- And we had an in-studio discussion on the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy"

Great show everyone!

If you want to learn more about the Blunt Youth Radio Project, go to http://www.bluntradio.org/

11.05.09 Dreams

2009-11-06T08:48:00.001-08:00

This week youth producers Amanda, Jade (our newest addition!), Becky and Juliana floated off to a world where anything is possible: our dreams! Thanks to the production at the DROP Media Lab, this week's show covered:
- The scientific explanation for dreams
- The Pie Monster story
- A reading of the story of Freddy Kruger
- An explanation of whether humans only dream in black and white or in color
- An explanation of whether animals dream or not
- A tutorial on dream interpretation
- A radio roundtable produced at DROP Media Lab on the question of whether dreams have a meaning
- An in-studio discussion on what were our childhood recurring dreams

Sleep well radio listeners!

10.30.09 Halloween!

2009-11-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

Youth producers Becky, Amanda, Caianne and Juliana held it together as a ghost haunted the studio and prevented DJ Amanda from playing any music or any of the materials produced at the Drop Media Lab. It's ok though, because these lovely women also have lovely voices and talked about things like:
- What costumes could you wear for Halloween?
- What is the meaning of Halloween?
- What are some of your favorite Halloween candies?
- What does Halloween look like in other countries?
- The Boogieman
And more!

10.22.09 - Monsters

2009-10-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Youth producers at the Children's Media Project and our DJ Amanda had a great show about Monsters! The scary themes just keep on coming!

Here are some of the things we talked about:
- Why are people so crazy about monster movies? Here is what the folks at the DROP Media Lab have to say. (Radio Round Table on why people like monster movies)
- Amanda defined Bogeyman
- Amanda and Juliana had a conversation about what defines a monster
- Amanda red a poem by Shel Silverstein called Skin Stealer from A Light In the Attic.
- Juliana talked about stories and songs for children about monsters

Careful with those monsters lurking under your bed!

09.24.09 Women

2009-10-16T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hello radio listeners and blog readers! It has been a while since we last updated the blog... We are playing catch-up with our blog posts.

Radio Uprising is a youth-produced radio show on Independent Radio 91.3fm WVKR Poughkeepsie. Please tune into our show on Thursdays from 4 to 5pm. You may also listen online at http://www.wvkr.org/

This week youth producers Caianne and Amanda talked about women and feminism.
- Caianne talked about Images of Women in the Media
- Becky listed her top 5 kick butt women
- Mary Ellen talked about fictional kick butt women
- Amanda read Emily's piece about Blues Women Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith
- Juliana talked about women involved in peace movements
- Amanda interviewed her friend on friendships with other women
- Becky talked about women and gossip

Power to all these amazing women DJs and producers!

10.15.09 Make Believe

2009-10-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

For just a second, imagine that Amanda, Caianne, Juliana and Becky had a great show on make believe. Oh! You don't need to, because they did! With the help of Drop Media Lab, this week's show demonstrated an abundance of creativity and make believe.

- Amanda talked about growing older but still participating in Halloween
- Louise talked about acting
- Amanda talked about the Snuffleupagus and his appearance on the Sesame Street
- DROP Media Lab's radio round table on how we use imagination as we get older
- Caianne talked about guitar hero
- Juliana spoke about costumed holidays around the world
- Maria interviewed two women film-makers in DROP Media Lab, Jamie and Lena, about their films on imaginary friends

10.01.09 Banned Books

2009-10-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

In honor of Banned Books week, the theme for this week's show was (you guessed it!) Banned Books! The American Library Association explains: "Banned Books Week 2009 is the twenty-eighth annual celebration of the freedom to read. This freedom, not only to choose what we read, but also to select from a full array of possibilities, is firmly rooted in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of press. Although we enjoy an increasing quantity and availability of information and reading material, we must remain vigilant to ensure that access to this material is preserved."

Here are some things Caianne, Amanda, Becky and Juliana talked about:
- Amanda: Stephen King article from her 10th grade history book
- Juliana: Howard Zinn's book
- Banned Books roundtable made by DROP Media Lab producers on whether it is ok for books to be banned, and if so, when
- Caianne: Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- Becky article on controversies of Banned books week

10.8.09 Fear

2009-10-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

Today Caianne, Becky, and Zach discussed FEAR (scary right?)!

- Tim red a scary story called "The Big Toe"
- Radio Round Table by DROP Media Lab producers on silliest childhood fears
- Becky and Zach talked about phobias
- Amina's scary story
- Zach red a story by Alvin Schwartz
- Nick interviewed fellow DROP Media Lab producers on What is your favorite scary movie and why?
- In studio discussion about why people like being scared?

Hope you can sleep tonight!

7.23.09 Marriage Equality

2009-07-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

This week's show featured:
- The Mia Report: Definitions of marriage
- Caianne deconstructs the wedding industry
- A Vox Pop from the streets of Poughkeepsie: Do you believe in same-sex marriage?
- Pat and Pete: Two Views on Religion and Homosexuality

7.16.09 Race, Culture and Identity

2009-07-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

This week's show featured:
- "What is Race?" by Amanda
- a Radio Roundtable on race, culture, and ethnicity in American society and American media
- an in-studio discussion on "What is our identity?"
- "How Religion Affects Identity" by Caianne and Raeva

7.9.09 Right vs. Wrong

2009-07-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

This week's show featured:
- a Radio Roundtable about the difference between right and wrong
-"Gray Areas" by Louise
- an in-studio discussion on Gut reactions

7.2.09 TV, Movies and Youth Restriction

2009-07-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Join youth producers Caianne, Mia, Raeva and Lena as we examine the reasoning and the politics behind the Parental Advisory labels found on most media. Featuring:

A Vox-Pop produced by Amanda on favorite movies and characters - and what shows you wouldn't want your kids to watch;

PSA and Vox Pop "What television shows offend you?" by Radio Rootz and students from Cesar Chavez High School in Washington D.C. (www.peoplesproductionouse.org);

Live, in-studio discussion about what ratings are meant to protect youth from - and what youth are actually offended by;

Critique of the MPAA and the latent bias in their ratings system by Caianne;

"Disney and People of Color" by Raeva

6.25.09 Music Videos and Culture

2009-07-02T17:02:00.001-07:00

Youth producers Amanda, Caianne and Mia explore music videos and the impact they have on culture world-wide. Radio Uprising is proud to present:

"Videos Around the World" in which Amanda compares and contrasts music videos from America, Russia, and Japan;

"How Music Videos Portray Breakups," in which Mia investigates how mainstream music videos portray issues of materialism, drug use and neglect in relationships and breakups;

"Selling Out," in which Caianne and Amanda discuss what people mean when they use the term "sellout"

6.18.09 Commercials and Comercialization

2009-07-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

Join Radio Uprisings youth producers Amanda, Caianne, Mia and Raeva as they tackle the topic of Commercials and Commercialization. Featuring:

a "witness" deconstruction of several advertisements from mainstream media - and the sneaky tactics employed to get you to buy things;
"Why Do People Buy Things?" a piece in which Radio Uprising youth discuss how commercials try to appeal to their materialistic sides;
"A Sign of the Times," audio from a documentary by youth filmmaker Daisy Khamphakdy courtesy of Bay Area Video Coalition (www.bavc.org), with audio commentary by Caianne;
Weekly editorial by youth correspondent Raeva Kumar

6.11.09 Corporate Media vs. Grassroots Media

2009-06-11T16:43:00.001-07:00

Youth producers Amanda, Mia, and Caianne investigate the corporatization, commercialization, and consolidation of media. Featuring:

Caianne and Connor Tackle the Music Industry, a piece in which the music industry is revealed to be marketing itself as diverse when in reality it is owned by a homogeneous handful of corporations.
A voxpop by Radio Rootz and workshop participants at the 2009 Grassroots Media Conference on the vibe and value of the conference
"Generation of Consolidation," an audio documentary by Sami Muilenburg and Brooke Noel broadcast here courtesy of Reel Grrls that explores the impact of media consolidation on news content as well as its impact on youth both as viewers and media makers.
Original Radio Uprising youth interviews with:

Kristal of Radio Rootz
Cynthia of Human Rights Watch International Film Fest's Youth Producing Change program
Judi from IndyKids

Recommended musical accompaniment:

"School's out" by Alice Cooper
"Sound System" by Operation Ivy

Please support:
Radio Rootz: www.radiorootz.org, www.peoplesproductionhouse.org
Generation of Consolidation: www.generationofconsolidation.org
Reel Grrls: www.reelgrrls.org
Indy Kids: http://indykids.net/main/
Human Rights Watch: www.hwr.org
Youth Producing Change: http://www.hrw.org/en/iff/youth-producing-change-0

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AUDIO COMING SOON! STAY TUNED!

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6.4.09 A Fresh Start

2009-06-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

Join youth producers Amanda, Raeva, Mia and Caianne for a multi-dimensional contemplation on what it means to get "a fresh start." Featuring:

personal essays by Amanda
social critique by Caianne
lyrical essay by Raeva
live radio roundtable discussions on:

the ethics of memory erasure in Dollhouse

discussion on the nature of souls

procrastination - plus tips on how to get down to work painlessly!

**Recommended musical accompaniment:
"Get by" by Talib Kweli
"Start today" by Gorilla Biscuits
"Don't let's start" by They Might Be Giants

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AUDIO COMING SOON! STAY TUNED!

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**Since we only publish original or explicitly permissioned material on this blog, we provide here a list of recommended songs that address our themes and makes us want to dance.

9.25.08 Vampire Mania!

2009-06-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome, Radio Uprisers!

2009-06-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by the Radio Uprising blog. We're just getting things started, so stay tuned for playlists and select episodes to be posted here.