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Thomas Frank, columnist at Harper’s and author of the brilliant Pity the Billionaires, returns to dialogue and digress with your humble host on a range of topics.Yes, another frank chat with Tom Frank, always as interesting as it is entertaining.  We talk about his recent book tour and the hard times hustle of the coporate right in this election year.  Frank shares tales from the road, including a recent appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO.  He dodged the question about smoking weed with Maher, but copped to being loaded on Red Bull during the show and its online “overtime” segment.  We talk about Frank’s recent column about the late Andrew Breitbart–who was featured uncritically on Maher’s show–and his ugly legacy of political “pranks” against liberal groups like ACORN.  Frank reveals that he shared with Breitbart an affection for Spy magazine and an aversion to Hollywood.  Having recently visited his homeland, the scene for his seminal What’s the Matter with Kansas? he has an interesting answer to the question about Obama’s shift on marriage equality and the Kansas Effect–will it cause people to vote against their economic self-interests?

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Mary Boyle, VP of Common Cause, exposes the conservative legislative lobby group called ALEC, and challenges their tax exempt status;  Larry Hancock reveals new angles and players to the plotting that led to Dr. King’s murder in 1968Boyle, a former print journalist, details the work of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a corporate funded lobby group whose bills get passed in many state legislatures.  Recently exposed as the promoter of the NRA’s “stand your ground laws” like the one in Florida related to the Trayvon Martin shooting, ALEC has been active for more than 20 years, and came into view last year as the source of union busting and voter ID laws in many states.  Boyle talks about the collaboration between Common Cause, Center for Media and Democracy, and Color of Change that has led to more than a dozen major corporations severing ties to ALEC. We talk about New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie, who has embraced many ALEC ideas, and the exposure in the Star-Ledger, here, with a special shout out to reporter Salvador Rizzo.  We also talk about this story about copycat laws requiring drug testing of welfare and unemployment recipients.

At 28:11, we talk with Hancock, co-author with Stuart Wexler of the new book, The Awful Grace of God: Religious Terrorism, White Supremacy, and the Unsolved Murder of Martin Luther King, Jr.  This new investigation uncovers the network of Christians and Klansmen who plotted repeatedly to kill Dr. King, and the many failures of the FBI to follow important leads at the time.  We examine some of the early plots, and talk in detail about events leading to the April 4, 1968 killing in Memphis.  In addition to the new information on white radicals who were hoping to ignite a national race war, the book also shows that convicted killer James Earl Ray was much smarter than he was given credit for, and pokes many holes in the notion that he acted alone.  Book info here.

And at 1:18:22, Will Durst talks about Obama’s new embrace of marriage equality rights.

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In this Boiling Frogs interview co-hosted with Sibel Edmonds, we talk with author and activist Jon Gold about his personal odyssey on the road to the real story of September 11.Longtime 9/11 activist and 9/11 Truth News contributor Jon Gold joins us to discuss his recently released autobiographical book 9/11 Truther: The Fight for Peace, Justice and Accountability. Gold shares with us the catalyst that put him on the path to 9/11 activism and truth seeking, the common obstacles and challenges encountered by devoted 9/11 truth-seekers, the many still-unanswered questions involving the terrorist attacks on September 11, and the importance of continuing the quest for truth and justice. His book is currently available at Amazon.

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Gareth Porter returns, as he is making news again with this investigative story from Truthout.  Author James Olson explains the differences between left-brain people and right-brain types.Porter, the historian and journalist, uses a credible Pakistani source to discredit the lies and spin of the bin Laden raid a year ago.  His key findings are that bin Laden was not still the leader of al Qaeda at his death–he had been sidelined several years ago to a figurehead role; and that the discovery of the courier and the Abbottobad compound did not come from torturing prisoners at Guantanamo, but from Pakistani intelligence, the ISI.  One of the reasons given for bin Laden’s forced retirement was his obsession with attacking the Pakistan nuclear weapons facilities at Kahuta, and corresponding doubts in his ranks that this was a good target.  Porter calls “disinformation” the claim that torture of detainees produced the location, citing an electroic intercept in August, 2011.  We start the interview with a discussion of when bin Laden actually died, acknowledging that many people believe he was dead well before 2011. And we end the interview with an update on Afghanistan following Obama’s photo op in Kabul last week.

At 42:50, we talk with James Olson, author of The Whole-Brain Path to Peace.  Olson helps us understand the different functions of the left and right sides of the brain, and how left-brain dominant people tend to be more conservative.  Olson gives special attention in his book to the madness of the War on Some Drugs, and makes the case for a more peaceful world if right brain dominants, including most women, were in charge.  You can see the charts we discuss about brain characteristics and get more information here.

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In this second interview installment, Sibel Edmonds reveals many of the dramatic episodes related to her reports to superiors of an active spy in the FBI Language Unit, and the unprecedented retaliation and coverup. Based on her new book, Classified Woman, Sibel Edmonds shares many details of her disclosures of espionage at the FBI, the ensuing coverup, and the failures on Congress, the courts and the media to address the pattern of wrongdoing.  Starting with her immediate supervisors, she also reported the breach to Special Agent in Charge Thomas Frields–who made it clear he intended to cover it up.  Frields tried to intercept a letter from Edmonds to Asst. Director Dale Watson, but was too late.  Edmonds also talks about her attempts to expose the spying and the coverup to Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), then chair of Government Oversight Committee.  Waxman and his staff showed deep interest, until Edmonds explained that her information implicated top government officials–including Democrats in Congress.  At that point, they ignored her and their promises to hold hearings.  She also talks about the media–including 60 Minutes–and its failure to report abuses by government officials.  And she gives us a recap of the evil State Secrets Privilege and how is was used to gag her.

Be sure to listen to the last 10 minutes or so, as Sibel gives a powerful summation of her ordeal and how it has changed her views of her country and its government.

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Sibel Edmonds explains why she wrote Classified Woman: The Sibel Edmonds Story and shares some anecdotes as she encountered corruption and espionage in the FBI’s Language Unit.Edmonds has become a friend and colleague of your humble host since we began talking in 2005.  She was hired as a translator right after 9/11, and soon encountered corruption in that unit.  When an agent for Turkey joined her department, tried to recruit Edmonds, and was exposed for protecting individuals and groups from scrutiny, Sibel reported to superiors as required by her employment contract and security clearance.  This led to incredible waves of retaliation as FBI management worked to cover up her revelations and punish her as an example to other employees.  In this first installment of our 2-part interview, Edmonds explains why she wrote the book, rejections from publishers who were intimidated by the government, and efforts by the FBI to block publication of this book.

Classified Woman is a powerful book that gives the full story of corruption and coverup at the FBI, and the remarkable efforts to silence her to avoid embarrassment, under the guise of the State Secrets Privilege.  As we discuss in the interview, like a teacher who is required to report signs of child abuse, Edmonds was a “mandated reporter” who did her duty and paid a terrible price for it.  Our system failed her–or, more accurately, screwed her– at every turn, as powerful players blocked action by Congress, the courts, and the Inspector General of the Justice Department.  This harrowing story is a must read for all who believe in our Constitution and the curtailment of our rights since 9/11.  Get more information and order the book here.

We offer these interviews free to all, and ecourage you to share this–people need to know this story, and we don’t expect the corporate media to cover it.

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Gareth Porter returns to talk about the recent talks with Iran in Istanbul, and the latest from Afghanistan;  Rebecca Griffin of Peace Action West on their PAC for peacePorter is one of the best-informed reporters on Iran and the recent escalation of tensions driven by the US and Israel.  We talk about the cost of saber-rattling at our gas pumps, that any rational evaluation of the intelligence–and potential blowback–should cause sane people to avoid conflict with Iran.  He talks about the recent negotiating session in Istanbul, UN inspections of the plant near Qom, and the meaning of the Supreme Ayatollah’s fatwa that says a nuclear Iran would violate principles of Islam.  He also updates us on Afghanistan, including the recent atrocious photos released by the LA Times, Karzai’s threat to resign early, changes to the rules for night raids (mostly meaningless) and more.

At 45:10, Rebecca Griffin tells us about the work of Peace Action West, and their Voter Fund (PAC) to support candidates with a strong pro-peace agenda.  We talk about their mission, and the challenges for Democratic electeds and candidates in challenging Obama’s policies in Afghanistan and elsewhere.  She describes the process of endorsing candidates, and you can find out more here. We also talk about the inconsistency of US policy toward liberation movements, and about candidates willing to fight for justice for Palestinians.

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In this Boiling Frogs interview, Sibel Edmonds co-hosts as we speak with BoilingFrogsPost contributor William Engdahl.  Engdahl returns to our show to discuss the continuing tension with Iran driven by Israel and US propaganda, the effect of the war rhetoric in creating the ideal backdrop for a massive speculative spike in oil, and the role of key banks such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan along with oil majors such as BP in manipulating this new oil price bubble since last Autumn. He talks about MEK and its high-level guardian angels in Washington, the recent Kony 2012 hysteria as a major AFRICOM & US State Department manipulative propaganda campaign to undermine Chinese influence in Central Africa, and more!

F. William Engdahl is an American-German freelance journalist, historian, and economic researcher. He has a degree in engineering and jurisprudence from Princeton University and graduate study in comparative economics at the University of Stockholm, and has been working as an economist and free-lance journalist in New York and in Europe. Mr. Engdahl is the author of several books including A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics in the New World Order, and may be contacted through his website at www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net

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John Stauber, retired co-founder of Center for Media and Democracy, on ALEC’s role in fostering right-wing laws; Anarchist scott crow on his FBI harassment, New Orleans after Katrina, and more.  From a live bradcast 4/18/12 on KPFK/Los Angeles.Stauber is an author and longtime anti-corporate activist.  He helped start the Center for Media and Democracy in Madison, which has been exposing ALEC and its corporate sponsors for more than a year.  Stauber talks about the “Stand Your Ground” law, likely to be used as a legal defense by the man who shot Trayvon Martin, the role of ultra-right leaders like Paul Weyrich in ALEC, and the long arc of conserative organizing that’s visible today.  Stauber also talks about the upcoming Wisconsin recall election of Gov. Scott Walker.

At about 41:25, scott crow returns.  He talks about his book, Black Flags and Windmills.  crow volunteered to help in New Orleans after Hurricane, and helped organize the Common Ground Collective.  He talks about the recent sentencing of 5 cops for the murder of survivors on the hurricane and floods.

At 56:56, Gary Chew returns from the movies to tell us about the new film Bully.

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James Bamford, author of  The Shadow Factory and top expert on the NSA, returns in this Boiling Frogs interview, co-hosted with Sibel Edmonds. 

James Bamford returns to our show to discuss the gigantic $2 billion data center that’s being built in Utah for the National Security Agency and other agencies geared to target everyone and every single communication, and how for the first time since Watergate and the other scandals of the Nixon administration, the NSA has turned its surveillance apparatus on the US and its citizens.  Here  is the full story, in Wired.  Bamford also talks about the privatization of intelligence and its implications, the prosecution of NSA whistleblower Thomas Drake, the Obama presidency and his escalating assaults on our liberties and privacy, and of course, the ever-absent mainstream media when it comes to investigative journalism and reporting.

James Bamford is one of the country’s leading writers on intelligence and national security issues. His books include “The Puzzle Palace,” “Body of Secrets,” “A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq and the Abuse of America’s Intelligence Agencies,” and most recently “ The Shadow Factory”. Mr. Bamford coproduced NOVA’s “The Spy Factory”, which was based on his latest book. He has written for many magazines, including investigative cover stories for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post Magazine and The Los Angeles Times Magazine, and is a contributing writer for Rolling Stone. His 2005 Rolling Stone article “The Man Who Sold the War” won a National Magazine Award for reporting. He also spent a decade as the Washington investigative producer for the ABC News program, World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, and taught at the University of California, Berkeley, as a distinguished visiting professor.