Back of the Book links for the July 21, 2003 program

Here is the latest on the saga of Pacifica. The big meeting of the interim Pacifica National Board (iPNB) in June in New York City, was postponed until August. The iPNB had a telephone meeting in June to finally approve the bylaws for Pacifica. Once again the usual obstructionist factions stopped the bylaws from being approved, even though two thirds of the iPNB members present and voting voted in favor of them. However, iPNB Secretary Carol Spooner filed a motion with the judge to declare the bylaws passed and get on with this process already! And the judge granted the motion! Read more about it here. Now 3 of the 5 Pacifica Local Advisory Boards must agree to the bylaws for them to go into force. We may finally get elections by January.

The previous iPNB meeting was held March 7-9, in Los Angeles, CA, to discuss and possibly even pass the new bylaws for the Pacifica Foundation. Well, it was a big flop, the various schemers sank the bylaws again. I'll be updating this link one of these days.

WBAI now has a program schedule up on its Web site. The site has gotten many of the individual program pages together to provide links and such, so check it out. Here's a schedule made by a listener who has Web links for various programs and producers.

Our colleagues from Off the Hook now have both a RealAudio streaming web cast operating, and a new MP3 stream both of which were working at about 9:54 PM last night. The MP3 feed is now the preferred feed.

The Pacifica Foundation, which owns WBAI, has revamped its Web site and now has something called the Pacifica Lounge where you can post messages about Pacifica, WBAI and other Pacifica radio stations. This may be a good thing, and of course there are other, long term fora in which to participate.

Pickles of the North and I watched the mars rover “Opportunity” finally get launched this past fortnight. That's a relief. If it hadn't gotten off by July 15^th it would not have had to wait until November of next year for its next set of chances.

We're really looking forward to these four rovers roaming the Martian surface sending back information about their adventures.

A very old planet has been found. This means that it's possible that planets have been around a lot longer than some scientists had thought they could be. And this increases the chance that life, and intelligent life, might exist elsewhere in the universe.

So men who masturbated frequently were able to “flush their ducts” and keep hormonal carcinogens from accumulating in their prostate glands. Man who only had a lot of sexual partners did not get the same benefits.

When I was a kid the Catholic Church was very against masturbation, saying it was a mortal sin which could send you to Hell. More guilt from superstitionists over something that was beneficial.

We got caught up in terms of the mail on this program, with the exception of a pair of Fernando E-mails.

Subject: Back of the book
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 23:39:59 -0400
From: Justin
To: rpm@glib.com

Was the Back of the Book program ever on tv in the 80's?

Thanks,
Justin

Speaking of standards, our next correspondent has some crummy ones. I couldn't be bothered to read the right wing Christian fundamentalist drivel he started spouting on the air. Isn't it odd how all branches of science show a planet Earth that's billions of years old, and yet the adherers to one silly, old book insist that their book is right?

Subject: Response To Broadcast Of June 8
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 08:25:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Fernando
To: rpm@glib.com

Dear R.Paul Martin,

I am writing in response to a letter you read on the air on your most recent broadcast on June 8th. I have written to you before on occasion. The letter dealt with the subject of the Mokele-mbembe, which are a race of sauropod dinosaurs which continue to thrive in the swamps of the Congo. This is a subject I am very interested in and of which I have written to you before.

I would like to refer you to the work of Dr. Kent Hovind, a Creation Evangelist. I sent you two of his books last year but I don't know if you received them because I wasn't listening regularly at that time because of the trouble between us. In his books, Dr. Hovind explains how the Earth is only six-thousand years old and not millions of years old as secular scientist would have us believe. Carbon-dating is NOT reliable as it is only good for a few thousand years.

God created man, the Earth, the Garden of Eden and the dinosaurs. According to Dr. Hovind, a canopy of water enveloped the Earth high up in the atmosphere and this canopy allowed everything to grow much larger including the dinosaurs. Men too reached heights of nine to ten feet and lived hundreds of years. This is supported by accounts in the Bible. The existence of giants and dinosaurs are both verified in the Bible as well.

Dr. Hovind explains that this canopy of water fell to the Earth causing the Great Flood during which Noah saved as many species fanimals as he coul. This included the dinosaurs of which Noah was only able to save a few species because of limited space aboard the ark. After the Flood, the Earth changed and men no longer lived hundreds of years or reached gigantic sizes. The surviving dinsaurs also started dying out because of the climatory changes. Dr. Hovind also points out that EVERY known culture includes dinosaurs and the slaying of dragons as part of it's history. He believes that many more dinosaurs were slaughtered by knights, vikings, and other warrior cultures. This leaves us with the very few surviving dinosaurs in places like the Congo and lakes such as Lock Ness and Lake Champlain. In the Book of Job, there is a reference to a “Leviathan” (or “Behemoth” in some versions) and it is very clear that this creature was a dinosaur!

R, I refer you to www.drdino.com for further info on Dr. Kent Hovind, his theories, and on the conspiracy liberals and communists are participating in to remove God from the classroom an effectively KILL God in order to impose their satanic one-world government.

I appeciate your time and consideration, R. Paul. I hope you are doing well with your health. I enjoy your radio show although I think you forfeit too much of YOUR airtime to other people. I will continue to listen to a radio when your show is on.

Fondly,
Fernando
Florham Park, NJ

Look around in here for some stuff about “Creationism” bullshit. As per Fernando's suggestion I didn't forfeit any more time to two more E-mails he'd sent on this program.

Subject: Dormouse Watch
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2003 17:04:30 -0400
From: Bill in Manhattan
To: rpm@glib.com

R. Paul -- or rather I am reporting the cameo appearance of Alice in Arthur C. Clarke's “3001: The Final Oyssey.” I dare say he has other books better than these, but they strike me the non-scientist as pretty good reading any way you look at it. One of things he does in the final book (or I think he's doing this) is now and again to pay tribute to other writers/scientists. Heinlein, of course, even though they differed on Star Wars ... and E. E. Smith. My guess is the brief reference to Alice might be a nod to Philip Jose Farmer's “Riverworld.” What he does is have the Society for Creative Anachronisms recreate “an accurate replica, based on the Reverend's photos” (p. 79). I've seen the photographs myself, they aren't too alarming. Hell, I've even seen the Society for Creative Anachronism out in Jersey City. You are a very good writer yourself. Wish we could see you write science fiction. Of course I myself (cough cough) wrote a short story in which the chuck wagon cook at Bar Bee Hey Eye turns out to be Hannibal Lector. His accents change as he gets closer and closer to mealtime. You'll be pleased to know he saves the ranch. Talk about cameo appearances -- when our hero walks into the bunkhouse, someone says “Welcome to the Ass End of the Panhandle!” Anyway let us return to the sublime -- if any of your listeners want to rent the film “2010” with John Lithgow they will see close-up photography from Outer Space, i.e., the moons of Jupiter as captured by the Voyager expedition. I am giving away nothing about the future adventures of Hal and Dave. Keep up the good work, Bill in Manhattan.

Well, I'm not writing science fiction these days, but I am slowly writing my little book of short stories. Maybe it'll be half way done before I'm dead. But who knows what the future, if any, holds?

Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 20:12:02 -0700
From: cell phone listener
To: rpm@glib.com

Don't get appendacitis! I just got D bill! Sit down 4 this one! $21,888!!! NOT countin' X-RAYS! Datz ANOTHR $1000! & NO insurance!

I've already had appendicitis back when they were having a discount on it. My appendix was removed on December 1, 1965, so I no longer have to worry about the damned thing. But that bill you got! Ouch! And I mean that in more ways than one. I have no idea what to tell you about that. It's obviously terrible. You might try to see if you can get some of that knocked off the bill. Lack of affordable health insurance certainly is a big problem of our advanced society.

Subject: free form, you can read this
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 04:29:29 EDT
From: Xxlasher666xx
To: rpm@glib.com

Hey dudes, have a fun 4th of July day!!! I want to also say please don't play with fireworks drunk cause you can pluck an eye out !!!! gross that gota hurt huh. P/S i dunno what this means but the monkey's dead, the shows'over, sue you....
Good Bye dude p/s kiss that chick for me ..
xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxooxox for you both ....

Subject: 7-4-03
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2003 15:28:18 -0700
From: another cell phone E-mailer
To: rpm@glib.com

Happy birthday AMERICA.

Thanks to both of you for the nice wishes. Actually, we saw the fireworks at Coney Island on July 25^th.

Subject: Strom and who?
Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2003 13:07:36 -0400
From: Steven
To: rpm@glib.com

On the program, you mentioned that Strom Thurmond and some enemy of civil rights died at the same night. Who was that other guy?

-Steven

The other creep was Lester Maddox, who chased sit-in protestors out of his diner with threats of bodily harm from pick handles he and his pals were swinging. And this creature took advantage of some political weakness in Georgia and became that state's governor! Bad guy.

Subject: R.pauls computer problem
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 00:55:12 EDT
From: Ronnie from Staten Island
To: rpm@glib.com

Hey R.Paul,

Hope you finally fixed your pc video card problem.I upgraded my pc this sunday with a new soundcard. The pc I built has a intel mobo with onboard sound and because I tend to play a lot of pc games onboard sound is not the way to go. The installation of the drivers drove me nuts!!!! After the install of the card itself the driver install took three times the effort.I do not know about you but when my pc is running right all seems right with the world. I have been a loyal listener to your show for many years. I loved the link on your page about the thunderbolt coaster at Coney Island which led me to a web sight about coney island rides and everything else you would every want to know about the island of Coney.I have always been a big fan of New York City history. I hope to read a book that I have heard Mike Feder speak about, I think its called Gotham . I have to due a search at amazon .com for the proper title.

See Ya,

Ronnie from Staten Island

Well, my video card problem is sort of fixed, but it's still sort of a problem. I'm getting a lot of crashes owing to some driver conflicts, and I think it's the drivers for the new video card that are misbehaving. I'm still thrashing around trying to correct it. I'm glad one of our links got you into something larger that you liked. That's the world Wide Web for you!

Subject: letter
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2003 12:50:48 -0400
From: Mathias
To: rpm@glib.com

I used to listen to you in the early 90s. Then once I got a job I stopped. However when I bought a computer in 1997 the first thing I did was look for your site and email you to see if you sent the letter to Susan in long island. You replied that you didn’t.

It crossed my mind again, so again I ask, did you ever mail her the letter?????

Mathias

Jersey City

No, I never sent the letter. Susan From long Island said I didn't have to after a while. So that's where that is.

Subject: Loyal listener when awake
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 18:10:30 EDT
From: Linda A.
To: rpm@glib.com

Hello Mr Martin and Ms Pickles of the North, Just wanted to let you know there's at least one college student that appreciates your show (since I never hear anyone my age -21- calling and having any email/letters read). I do wish you would have more Pickles of the North commentary on the show and more pictures of you two in your site!
Keep rockin
Linda A.

Well, thank you, Linda. We do have some younger listeners (I don't know why someone even younger than you are would listen to an old fogey but some do), and some even write in occasionally. I'm glad you like the program. As for Pickles of the North, she does as much as she pleases on the program. We'll encourage her to do more though.

Subject: Pimping GOD , (could read on air)
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 23:08:24 GMT
From: rich
To: rpm@glib.com

Dear R , before i get to my main topic a quick note : on your last program you said Fernando was wrong about 'nuff said 'being on Sunday nights , well i think he was right , i seem to remember listening to it on Sunday nights at 12 to 1 ,and then it moving to Tuesday nights at 10 to 11 pm ...Uncle Sidney who sometimes mentions 'nuff said ' may know more about that....... Now my main topic , I was getting ready for work one morning when while looking at the tv, i happened to come accross the likes of Reverend Kenneth Copeland and his trusty sidekick/guest preacher Creflo Dollar ,the two were doing the morning sermon while having coffee, sort of like a Martha Stewart setting .
Copeland said he does not have to worry about whats in his bank account,'God always takes care of that'. while clips of Creflo Dollar showed him telling his congregants God sanctions his right to live well and have the finer things in life, reminding them to give to the lord ,'hell if the spirit moves you give your whole paycheck ,remember the bigger your contribution the bigger the blessing coming back to you'...his analogy was you have to plant many seeds so you can reap a big crop ,at that point an old woman in the audience shouted out 'Hallelujah...praise be to God'.... and worse yet , these creeps have now gone high tech ,- They Have Web Sites -where you can log on and order their ministries Stuff and Crap and "Make your Offerings" That particular morning Copeland was pushing his big upcomming Summer Gospel Extravaganza in which surprisingly to me gospel singer CeCe Wynans would be a guest performer , why would she associate with these people R ? she is from the serious gospel singing family 'The Wynans' i doubt she needs the money , they have many top 10 Soul and Gospel albums... i guess some people are not to particular when singing for the Lord...
And now Copeland's wife is now making a name for herself on the preaching circuit ,doing the Benni Hinn style of instant miracle healings , can Benni Hinn sue her ? Tell me R where does copyright law stand on bogas healings ?
I must also mention Rev.Peter Popoff who is pushing some brand of 'Miracle Healing Water' which judging by audience testimonials ;Heals the terminally ill, Heals bad relationships ,Helps you find true love , instantly helps you find money for rent ,also gets you jobs that pay big salaries ....the 'water ' is addvertised as free ,but i'm sure that at some point money will leave your pocket and find its way into Popoff's.. .. i sometimes wonder why these people are never caught and sentenced to hard time for fraud,trickery and thievery etc., perhaps the authorities find messing with religious situations a touchy subject. i think belief and worship or non-belief and non-worship if you choose to do so should be a personal thing , hopefully the followers of these huksters will one day wake up and smell the coffee but if past history is any indication thats most unlikely. So until my next expose ,or other topic take care , will be listening Rich :Prospect Heights .

Uncle Sidney came in during this segement and said that he thinks that at one time 'Nuff Said was on before him. And he thought it alternated, as Sidney and I do, so it would never have been on before me. I've asked Ken Gale, who was co-host of 'Nuff Said, an E-mail asking about this, so we'll see what he recalls.

Subject: Santa Monica
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2003 09:56:33 -0700
From: cell phone E-mailer
To: rpm@glib.com

Looks like a Manchurian Candidate to me.

Is this about the Republican effort to depose Governor Gray Davis of California? Sometimes messages can be too short.

Subject: Hey, R! U going to B on the air tonight?
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2003 19:08:21 -0400
From: Tom
To: rpm@glib.com

Hey, R!

Lately, BAI's been down for transmitter maintenance during the time your shift is scheduled -- for example, my usual tape of Weaponry was two hours of dead air this week.

Will the same be true for Back of the Book, or have you heard
otherwise?

Later...

P.S. If you were still using that Atari 800 I sold you all those years ago, you wouldn't be having all these PC problems...

Yes, I was on the air for this program, only on a different antenna. As of July 9^th, and continuing for six to eight months “there is nightly transmitter maintenance at the Empire State Building. This will occur Monday through Saturday unless it's raining. We will switch to the back-up antenna at 12:40 AM and back to the main at 4:45,” as per information from our now even more interim Operations Director Maxwell J. Schmid.

You'll notice that even the TV stations which broadcast from the Empire State Building switch over at around 12:45 AM, although they've switched at various times withing five or ten minutes of then from what I've seen.

In Brooklyn this takes WCBS Channel 2 effectively off the air after 12:45. I hope it's not attenuating the WBAI signal and resulting in even fewer listeners to the overnight programs!

There are a lot of issues that are considered hazardous to talk about on the air at WBAI. But there is an Internet list called “Free Pacifica!” which you can subscribe to, and these issues are discussed there. If you subscribe to it you will receive, via E-mail, all of the messages which are sent to that list. You will also be able to send messages to the list.

The above list has occasionally produced a high volume of E-mail because of the attention that these issues have drawn. If you would prefer to subscribe to a low volume list that only provides announcements of events related to these issues then subscribe to the FreePac mailing list.

Another list that's sprung up is the “NewPacifica” mailing list. This one is very lively and currently includes over 400 subscribers coast to coast. Being lively, of course, it sometimes also gets a bit nasty. All sorts of things are happening on this list. With that warning in mind, you can look at the NewPacifica list here, and you can join the list from that Web page too, although you'll have to deal with Yahoo! to do so.

There is also the more WBAI specific “Goodlight” Web based message board. This one has a great many people posting anonymously and there's also an ancillary board that's just totally out of hand.

The “Goodlight” Web based message board has expanded to cover all Pacifica stations.