It’s Earth Week on BTR!

Today on Third Eye Weekly, we’re joined by Erich Schwartzel, writer for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He’s been covering the shutting down of solar energy mirror manufacturing plants outside Pittsburgh, Penn. belonging to Flabeg, an American subsidiary of a German glass finishing company.

And later, we chat with Tad Dehaven, budget analyst on federal and state budget issues for the Cato Institute. Previously he was a deputy director of the Indiana Office of Management and Budget. DeHaven also worked as a budget policy advisor to Senators Jeff Sessions and Tom Coburn.

Tad’s writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Washington Times, New York Post, Wall Street Journal Online, National Review and Politico.com. His television appearances include contributions to the CBS Evening News, CNBC, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Channel, and NPR.

And as a bonus for Earth Week, we talk with Les U. Knight. Les U. Knight is the leader of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement, which he founded 22 years ago to advocate for species-wide reproductive abstinence as a solution to what they consider the devastating impact of the human presence on the earth’s biosphere.

Spoken word segments from this week’s podcast feature the talents of Stephen Maher and Harrison Fine.

Lastly, to find out more about the stories we discuss on today’s show, check out our Tumblr and Twitter accounts, as well as the following links:

This Week in Independent News:

“Obama signs STOCK Act modification” (Apr. 15, The Hill)

“Obama Signs Partial Repeal of STOCK Act” (Apr. 15, Roll Call)

“Obama quietly strips anti-corruption provision from STOCK Act” (Apr. 17, RT)

“FDA Let Drugs Approved on Fraudulent Research Stay on the Market” (Apr. 15, ProPublica)

“Judge permanently blocks North Dakota ban on medication for abortions” (Apr. 19, RawStory)

“Anonymous calls for Internet blackout to protest CISPA” (Apr. 21, RT)

“Anonymous Calls for Internet Blackout Monday to Protest CISPA” (Apr. 21, PCMag)

“FBI Criticizes Internet Vigilantes in Boston Case” (Apr. 19, Mashable)

“Bradley Manning Trial Secrecy Upheld by Military Court, Lawyers May Appeal” (Apr. 18, The Huffington Post)

“Military appeals court upholds Manning trial ‘secrecy'” (Apr. 17, McClatchy)

In Case You Missed It – The Week in Under-Reported News:

“Judge denies bid for relief from Gitmo prisoner on hunger strike” (Apr. 15, Fox News)

“Judge denies emergency relief for Gitmo hunger striker” (Apr. 16, UPI)

“Supreme Court Rules Foreign Human Rights Cases Can’t Be Tried in U.S.” (Apr. 17, PBS)

“Supreme Court Limits Human Rights Suits” (Apr. 17, ABC News)

“Justices Bar Nigerian Human Rights Case From U.S. Courts” (Apr. 17, The New York Times)

“Step toward possible military intervention in Syria” (Apr. 17, LA Times)

“U.S. military to step up presence in Jordan in light of Syria civil war” (Apr. 19, CNN)

“US drone destroys Taliban base in Pakistan, five killed” (Apr. 16, Global Post)

“US drone destroys ‘Taliban base’ in Pakistan” (Apr. 17, Al Jazeera)

“Report: Mali refugees endure ‘appalling’ conditions at Mauritania camp” (Apr. 14, CNN)

“Israel: Drones To Replace Aircraft Eventually” (Apr 21, The Huffington Post)

So without further ado…

The Playlist!

The Music!

Hot Chip
(Official Our Heads cover art)
May 22 – Parc del Forum – Barcelona, Spain
June 1 – Ahmad Tea Music Festival – Moscow, Russia
July 12 – Ilosaarirock – Joensuu, Finland

Broken Social Scene
(Official Forgiveness Rock Record cover art)
June 8 – Field Trip Music and Arts Festival – Toronto, Canada

The Tallest Man On Earth
(Official There’s No Leaving Now cover art)
May 24 – Sasquatch! Music Festival – George, WA