CitizenReporter.org

Janelle Ward and I were once eager grad students at the University of Amsterdam where we dove head first into the world of personal publishing before most of the world had any idea what this was or why it would matter.

20+ years later, we are communications professionals, somehow still sitting in the Netherlands, watching events unfold online and offline.

The past few months, with the growing unrest and major changes taking place at social media companies, we wonder if this is a major moment that will define the next era of personal publishing and existing online? Today we chat about what it might all mean and what we remember about how we got here.

Matthew Dons is back! And after having been diagnosed with terminal cancer over 6 years ago; that's saying something!

Today on the program we continue to follow his story of life, not after cancer, but with cancer. Including the launch of his new online course to help combat the misinformation that has found its way into every corner of the internet. "Making Cancer History" is the course he is teaching and tune in to hear why people all over the world are participating.

For Trui Hanoulle it started as an interest in going places and learning about people. Over the past two decades what followed became a life’s work; to gather stories about women who dare to move even in the face of prejudice, stereotypes, and other elements of gender barriers.

Today on the podcast Trui joins me to talk about her mission and what she has seen and learned from the back of a motorcycle across continents and within cultures that many of us do not often hear from. She has also been kind enough to share photos of her project “Move She Does” which you can see here or in your podcast app as the episode plays.

In a time of so much frustration, confusion and despair - a podcast is always appropriate. Especially when you couple that with the backdrop that this month I also became a father! So much joy on the one hand, so much struggle on the other, and then you have the incredibly unjust world taking another horrible turn. This monologue is the story of the rollercoaster month it has been and the mounting questions that obviously I am not equipped to answer but that doesn’t stop me from trying.

Once a year I have the great pleasure of spending a few days in Boston with my dear friend and audio legend Christopher Lydon. We listen to Duke Ellington, pour over audio for his next program, and find time to turn on the microphone and have our “state of the world” conversation. Having missed our standing appointment during the pandemic, this year I managed to cautiously get back to Boston, back to my happy place; sitting across from Chris and discussing life.

Today on the podcast, it’s the State of the World in 2021, starring the one and only Christopher Lydon.

Tara Brown and Sean Bonner are some of the most creative and curious people I’ve ever known. Among the many things they are fascinated by, there are NFT’s; which coincidentally have also become something of a curiousity over the past years.

Today on the podcast, to better understand NFT’s and what is possible and where the conversations around them have gone and could yet go, Tara and Sean are my guests. Have a listen!

Matthew Dons was told five years ago that he had less than one year to live. 5 years later, he is still living with terminal cancer. The struggle has not gotten easier yet at the same time Matthew has gained a wealth of knowledge about health care costs, cancer treatment options, humanity and I would argue… life itself.
Today on the program, recorded some weeks before his major surgery he is struggling to recover from currently, we talk about these past 5 years, and we also discuss the recent loss of the great Dan Kaminsky. In between there is podcasting, media, information, friendships and well.. the stuff life is made of. Listen in and enjoy.

Picture it: You meet someone new who introduces themselves to you. You proceed to start a conversation, but this person's voice sounds exactly like that of a childhood friend. In that moment, although you're supposed to be listening to the conversation, you're also thinking back to those days and that person. You're there but you're somewhere else. Budhaditya Chattopadhyay is very interested in the "somewhere else" that sound can take us to. As an artist, researcher, writer and theorist, Budhaditya's work revolves around lived experiences as well as contemplation through listening.
In today's podcast I get to ask him about his life, work, and the kinds of sounds that most fascinate him, particularly during a pandemic when people are moving less and perhaps noticing one another more. Along the way we do something I love to do… remember music and films.

Beyond the loss, the distance, and the isolation brought on by the global pandemic, Bilal Ghalib has found creative and effective ways to keep learning; about himself, his loved ones, and humans in general. He also has never stopped experimenting with ways of connecting with people or tapping into his own talents and fears.
Today on the podcast, we spend the hour speaking with Bilal about his reflections over the past year, what he has figured out and what he struggles with. We tackle history and the parts of our past that are difficult to talk about or make sense of. We speak of family and the complication of distance when being the outsider /foreigner becomes a way of life. We also manage to discuss what gaming means to us, so far, with limited experience.

Bilal is a very special person who has appeared on this podcast numerous times over these past two decades, and Im very thankfully to have had this time together and to be able to share it with you the listeners.

When the global pandemic broke out, Davey Brightbill was struggling to make it home to his cooperative community in Florida. In the months that followed he faced a personal health scare and the more well known shortages of PPE among first responders in his region and across the country. Now over a year into the pandemic, he is part of a network of maker spaces that rose to the occasion - providing that much needed equipment. He has also navigated, like so many senior citizens, the new world of vaccines and testing.

Back in the winter of 2016, Madhavan Pillai welcomed me with open arms and warm conversations in the mountainous tranquility of Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India. He was new to the city and we talked about the kinds of projects in art and photography that he hoped to make a reality for the community. 4 years later, Maddy’s creativity and commitment is as contageous as ever.
Today on the podcast, Madhavan Pillai speaks about his experiences over these past years, and his current project called “People of India”, a project that brings together artists from around the nation, as part of the ongoing effort to decolonize photography in India.
Listen and enjoy!

In the spirit of celebrating the holidays and spending time, virtually, with your loved ones, this holiday edition of CTRP features an interview with my nephew: Alexander Rendeiro. Since we can't be together in person, he joins me from New Jersey to discuss what his year has been like as a high school student and an avid connaisseur of music, gaming, and all things internet. But not cereal. Don't ever ask him about cereal.

Michael Schaap is a documentary maker, a voice over artist, and an arm-chair historian who I have had the pleasure of knowing for almost two decades. For the past four years he has been watching in frustration and sadness as the US and the rest of the world, walk down a dangerous path not unlike what we've seen before.
Today on the podcast, an end of the year, Hanakkuh-Christmas-Kwanzaa-Festivus special looking at the glboal impact of the election in the US. And like every good holiday film, if you listen close you'll hear an inspiring message… as well as Michael's cat chewing on cables and documents. Listen and enjoy!

Over the past 4 years documentary film maker Shafiur Rahman has been regularly back and forth from his home in the UK to the Rohingya Refugee camps in Bangladesh. Until the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Now 10 months into this global crisis on top of an already nightmarish situation for millions of Rohingya people, Shafiur has used these months to find new and creative ways of raising awareness and helping improve life for refugees living in the camps. Today on the podcast, we talk about the situation in 2020 for the Rohingya and how Shafiur has approached the issue in these trying times.

John Aravosis has been fighting for a better country and a better world for over 30 years. As a journalist and a commentator, despite all his experience, he says there has never been anything as confounding and threatening as the current president of the United States. Scary times in America. Yet somewhere in the madness, John also talks about where he finds hope, possibility, and humor.
Today on the podcast we hear about what he's seeing in Washington DC, and talk about the state of the media and his personal experience from legendary blogger to a rising force in the podcast world. Listen and enjoy!

South Africa is not a place where keeping a distance from one another matches the traditions of how communities have survived and thrived for generations. But since March of this year, the nation has lived with restrictions, lockdowns, closures and limits of social activities familiar to many people around the world. Meanwhile, the ongoing struggle with gender based violence rages on, though it is not clear if this is a new chapter with real change on the horizon or just a continuation of injustice as usual.

The longest running mashup podcast in the world started in London under the name Radio Clash where to this day Tim sits behind the mic. A member of the original podcasters generation, he has seen trends emerge and disappear, crises, change, the good the bad… the odd.. all of it. And then came Covid19.

Today on the podcast, from Lockdown London, it's Tim from Radio Clash to talk music, politics, culture, gentrification, London, BLM, and more.

Cornelius Kibelka somehow got on the last flight from Europe to Brazil before they closed the border earlier this year. Upon arrival he was greeted by a São Paulo under lockdown, and a nation deeply divided about how to deal with a virus along political lines.
Today on the podcast he tells us what he is seeing, feeling and hearing in the most populous city in Brazil and what it all might mean for the weeks and months to come.

Before there was youtube, twitter, or any other major platform for sharing video content, Ruud Elmendorp was producing content from the continent of Africa for the internet. His focus, then and now: everyday life.
With the onset of the global pandemic, Ruud is where he has been for the past two decades, trying to report on daily life from a region that doesn't get the global headlines that North America and Europe do. Today on the podcast, Ruud Elmendorp joins us from Tanzania, to talk about life as a journalist in East Africa during corona times.

During this time of Corona around the world, there are some stories you hear over and over; political manuvering, some scientific explanations, the occasional story about a medical worker in a well known metropolitan area. Then there are the stories you will rarely hear: about cities with less than 1 million people, about professions like librarians - who play an essential role in daily American society during non pandemic times. Today on the podcast we hear from my good friend Leanne Kubicz in Kansas City, Missouri; about her work as a librarian and what happens to her city and members of her community when a pandemic comes to town.

Fiona Krakenbürger knows her home town of Berlin under normal circumstances and now knows it during Covid19 times. Whats the difference? Today on the podcast we get into Berlin over the past weeks as well as uncovering what has been going on in DC over the past months (for her). Along the way we talk about Planet Money, sourdough, serious concerns for at-risk groups, hackerspaces, ultimate frisbee, and home office politics. Very pleased to have this podcast with Fiona to share with all of you. Have a listen!

If you told me while I was visiting Mumbai some years ago, that in 2020 a city of 20 million people would have deserted streets and closed restaurants, I would have argued that such a thing is simply not possible. Yet here we are. Mumbai, like the rest of India, is self-isolating and battening down the hatches for what is sure to be a very difficult battle with Covid-19.

The award winning writer and journalist Dilip D'Souza is experiencing this hard-to-believe reality first hand from his living room, and he joins us today to talk about life, math, and other possibly virus inspired things to consider about humanity.

If you want to talk about decolonizing museums and other knowledge institutions in this world then you need to speak with those who preserve, produce, and pass on culture. In the fascinating and complex case of the Maasai and their engagement with museums in the UK, it is women who play an essential role in knowing about what an artifact is, how it is made, and why it is important. Despite this fact, in this growing global conversation, the voices we more often hear are male.

As someone living with terminal cancer, Matthew Dons is not one who would panic in the face of a global pandemic. From his home in Tokyo he joins us on the podcast today to talk about what is happening in Japan, but also what it is like to be a person with a compromised immune system in the midst of the international corona virus crisis. Listen and enjoy and then go support his Health Fund to help him continue to live.

Almost three years ago Samwel Nangiria paid a visit the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. While there he was presented with objects gathered from his culture around 100 years ago. To his shock the collection included items that would normally never have made it into a museum or out of the hands of specific members of the Maasai community. He would eventually express his feelings to the museum, and what follows has become a fascinating and at times emotional engagement to de-colonize museums and empower the Maasai to tell their own story of who they are as a living culture today.

Today on the podcast we explain the process from the unlikely way it began to the interesting ways it has evolved. With help from Nick Lunch - Director of Insight Share, Dr/ Laura from Broekhoven - director of the Pitt Rivers Museum, and Samwel Nangiria of the Pan-African Living Cultures Alliance.

The Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania have a long tradition of living in harmony with nature. However, for the past century they have also seen their land and way of life targetted by encroaching intiatives related to nation-building, development, tourism, mining, etc. As a new decade begins the Maasai are once again being pushed off their lands and told their way of life must end in the name of "progress" or "development". Today on the podcast, we hear from three members of that community who explain their way of life and the reality they face on the ground today. It's the story of the Maasai and their struggle to survive.

Somehow the end of a year (and a decade this time) doesn't feel right if I don't find myself at the dinner table in Boston sitting across from Christopher Lydon. The voice of the world's first podcast, he's been my north star ever since I started this thing long before itunes had podcasts or NPR knew what to do with the internet. As luck- or perhaps fate- would have it, Chris and I have become close friends over the years and the annual "where are we, what happened, where are we going" podcast conversation are among my most favorite rituals. (right after oatmeal, working on an episode of ROS with Mary and the team, and a historical walk around a neighborhood of Boston).
This year we can't help but talk about the socio-policial state of the world, as well as the environmental crisis we continue to march towards. Then there's music, books, conversations that have been important to us which may shed some light on why all this is happening and what there is to appreciate or condemn when all is said and done. Lastly, as good friends surely will, we take time to appreciate one another, as we both arrive at landmark decades when it comes to age and wisdom.
Listen in and stay for the whole ride for what is an honest and heartfelt conversation… to end one year and welcome in another.

Identity. Land. Displacement. Trauma. History. Struggle. Fear. Anger. Future. Environment. Income. Danger. Knowledge. Loss. Curiousity. Safety.

These are a few of the words that came to mind listening back to this very special round table discussion recorded in South Africa with 3 South African friends. The major topic was identity in this age of information. From the city to the rural areas. From the past to the present and beyond, we discuss what is happening for many people around the topic of identity. This was a spontaneous, beautiful conversation recorded a few weeks ago at the V4C gathering in Boschendaal. Furthermore, as our dear guests ask at the end of the program, it would really mean something to hear back from you about what you think, feel and experience around these issues.

There is a force referred to as development that has arrived in Northern Kenya. It brings highways, wind farms, pipelines, cables, standardized education, and new towns where the government wants people to live and work. What it also brings is pollution, inequality, disappearing cultures and languages, an end to nomadic lifestyles that have existed for hundreds of years. While all this is happening, extreme weather has also arrived, taking people who have long known how to live in balance with the environment and thrusting them into the uncertainty and destruction climate change leaves in its wake.

This month I had the great honor of being present at the Video 4 Change gathering in South Africa. This meeting brought together indigenous activists from different parts of the continent, as well as allies and friends from the rest of the world. The topic: the struggle for indigenous rights in a globalized world where in the name of profit and development, people who have long lived in harmony with their environment are being forced to discard their identity and physically pulled from their ancestral land. How is this happening in an era of sustainable development goals and human rights? What can be done to help communities defend themselves and be heard on a national and international scale?

My esteemed colleague and media icon Madge Weinstein returns to the podcast today to dissect the podcast hype. As one of the first podcasts ever to exist in the history of the world, you will rarely hear from a visionary with the extensive experience and self-loathing that Madge brings. We also discuss impeachment, social media narcissism, and eventually things that we actually like. So amazing. Weew. It’s Madge!

For decades Wim Kruiswijk has lived on the Dutch coast walking the beach before people arrive and after they have left. His treasure: messages in bottles. Over the years he has collected thousands, and turned beach combing into meaninful friendships. He’s also become extremely knowledgeable about why people write messages and bottles, as well as what else is happenning to the environment along the coast. Today on the podcast, in assocation with the For Keeps podcast, we pay a visit to Wim Kruiswijk to learn about his incredible experiences with messages in bottles.

Somewhere in the year 2005, as podcast slowly sprang up around the world, I began listening to and communicating with the great David Brightbill. Over the years we have kept in touch, followed each others projects, and above all kept our love of audio, creativity, and community. Also riding bikes, we both like that. Listen as David and I sit at my kitchen table for our first recording since 2007 and examine just what is going on in this online audio space of ours, as well as many things in the offline space too.

In the eyes of Matthew Dons, whomever you are in this world, if you could make it over to Japan, you absolutely should be here. Why? Because Japan.Today on the podcast, we take a long walk past the houses and trains, the fields and shrines, while looking at how things work here compared to anywhere else. There is learning but there is also a lot of laughing, mostly my own. Listen and enjoy.Reminder also, Matthew is fighting to live longer, in a relentless battle against cancer; you can help his family afford this struggle by going to http://matthewdons.org and join the almost 900 people that have already donated.

High above the Kofu and within view of the all mighty Mt. Fuji, my friend Mieko joins me to tell the story of her family and this magical place they created. What starts as a conversation about a natural spring, quickly becomes the story of a family that believes very strongly in giving to those who are in need. As day turns to night and the sun goes behind the mountain, Mieko also reflects on her happy years living in the Netherlands and how she see's her home country of Japan changing. (special thanks to Mieko and her family for one of the greatest weekends of my life)

We begin today with my ode to Berlin and what remains a city with real heart despite all the speculators and grifters doing their best to co-opt that beautiful soul. Then its over to a modern classic that I finally read/listened to: Tuesdays with Morrie. There is something so profound and very relevant to our current status as people on this planet, Morrie's words are still well worth hearing. And even more fun we can hear them in his own voice. This leads to an examination of the power of the mind to create so much in our lives. And lastly I will be returning to Japan in less than 2 weeks, hear all about it on this podcast. ---

There are only a hand full of places in the world that come close to Essouira when it comes music and art. For hundreds of years this place has been a crossroads for trade, culture, and a self-expression. In 2018, from traditional music to spontanous improvised sound, that tradition continues.Today on the podcast we're recording in Essouira, Morocco, with the great Imad telling the story of music and why this place was, is, and will remain so vital to anyone who loves art and the beauty of spontaeous collaboration.

Chris Lydon is a journalist, radio host, and observer of human behavior. He also has a deep love for jazz, books, and a good bowl of oatmeal. Chris and I became friends some ten years ago because of his legendary radio show and podcast, Radio Open Source. The first podcaster in the history of the medium, a former reporter for the NY Times, Chris cares a great deal about where we've been, as citizens of planet earth, and where we are going.Over the years it has become a tradition that I come spend some days in Boston, talking with him and participating in his daily life. A tradition that has had a massive impact on my life, a pilgrimage that I dare not miss. At Chris's kitchen table, eating oatmeal, talking about the world... thats where I love to be. So what better way to start a 2018 of restoration and rebirth.... it's Chris Lydon and myself.. looking back at 2017 and finding clues about 2018.

The South of Mumbai podcast series rambled into the busy and bustling city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, where we were immediately emersed in the topic of mobility. On one particular afternoon we went to visit Manikandan at his office where he told us about the history of Coimbatore, the impact of growth and the strong tradition of manufacturing. The centerpiece of our conversation, a project close to his heart - the Spero E-Bike. Listen in as we talk history, mobility, awareness, sustainability, industrial hemp and yes.. bicycles!

What do you get when you combine a group a friends who studied engineering, a passion for bicycles, and a city known for manufacturing? My answer: a sweet bike, a unique approach to working, and a really good time. Today on the podcast, as part of the South of Mumbai series on the road in India, we hear from the talented team at Scolarian bikes in Coimbatore about what they do and why they do it. And how it all ties back into life and changes in India.

The conflict is a familiar one no matter where you live in the world: Beautiful natural ecosystem where a vast amount plants and animals thrive is also the same land that a mining company wants to extract resources from.Kudremukh National Park got its status in 1987. Unfortunately it was the target of Iron-ore extractions since the 1960s. Over the years instead of halting the mining, the company found ways to continue. That is -until a group of concerned and determined activists came together to bring about an end to the mining in 2005.Niren Jain was part of this group that dared to take on the powerful forces in business and government. Their story is one of success but also struggle, as part of a battle that should be over, but somehow, finds new ways of carrying on.Today on the podcast, in Mangalore, Karnataka, we hear the story of how mining was stopped in Kundremukh, and the aftermath of such a momentous achievement.

While there is much pride about India as a democracy where people have rights and representation, there is also another side of India which domestic and international media rarely hear about - the marginalized groups of this vast country (think geography, caste, class, ethnicity, gender, and more).Since 2003, Video Volunteers has been daring to challenge the status quo of media within Indian democracy, helping train and amplify video reporting by members of communities that are considered by those in power as unimportant, weak, or inferior. Today on the program we're in Goa, at the headquarters of Video Volunteers listening to founder Jessica Mayberry explain what the organization has been up to; their successes, goals, and challenges that have come along with helping these embattled voices be heard. Fun fact: Back in 2010 we spoke with Stalin of Video Volunteers on this very podcast, listen to that show here.

When you think recycling and reusing, India might not be the first place that comes to find. But you'd be wrong to underestimate the longstanding traditions of making use of waste materials that exist throughout the subcontinent. One of the foremost states for recycling in India is Goa, and one of the key protagonists in the story of upcycling as well as wildlife preservation in Goa is my guest on today's podcast, Clinton Vaz. A program we recorded in just the right setting; at night on one of South Goa's most beautiful beaches.

Jazz, konkani, Portuguese, bollywood; these are just the tip of the iceberg when you start to examine the rich heritage of Goan music. Colin D'Cruz is a one stop shop for music made in Goa. As a musician, producer, and record label, he's got his ear to the ground when it comes to what sounds are coming out of Goa; yesterday, today and in the future. We went to visit him in the studio where we recorded this brief tour of Goan music.

Amin Sheikh grew up living on the streets of Mumbai, with all the horror and joy that only they can bring to a child with no one to turn to. Those streets might have eaten him alive, and they almost did- until someone came along and changed all that. A few someones in fact, who's actions changed the direction of his life. His personal slogan, "I am because of you", means exactly what it sounds like. If you're reading this, listening to this, sharing in this experience, then he is in many ways - because of you.We sat in his Mumbai cafe-library, "From Bombay to Barcelona", in a state of euphoria enjoying delicious food and drink. But what really makes everything taste better is getting to sit in the presence of such a passionate and loving human being. Today on the podcast, the story of Amin Sheikh, in his own words.

While global shipping is a massive and lucrative business that benefits people in so many ways, there is another side to it. Once the massive vessels need to be retired, they have to be broken down and their valueable materials recycled. Doing this using well equipped workers and proper facilities comes at a cost, and for decades, companies have been getting around that cost by sending their ships to parts of the world like India and Bangladesh where neither equipment nor proper facilities are required. Where no one is looking, and where toxic materials can be dumped and handled with minimal complaints. My guests on today's program from the Brussels based NGO ShipBreaking Platform are among the most well informed and dedicated observers of this practice, advocated to stop harmful practices and push companies to act responsibily. A major challenge in an industry few people follow or feel able to influence, listen in and hear what is going on out there.

Just over 2 weeks ago Matthew and I recorded our first podcast conversation in 5 years. 2 weeks ago he was getting himself mentally and physically prepared to take on chemo therapy, knowing it would be bad, but how bad would it get? 2 weeks of chemo therapy and its horrid side effects, today Matthew checks in to talk about how his daily struggle is progressing. We also talk about family, friends, the internet, gaming and how it all ties into this ongoing battle to live.

Matthew Karamoon is a longtime friend of this podcast who over the years has contributed his observations on and off the air. This summer he learned that he is dying of cancer that is uncurable. In an effort to survive longer and have more time with his young family, he is persuing immune therapy that comes at a price tag he cannot afford. Therefore we as a community of friends and yes even strangers, are getting involved and helping Karamoon get the therapy he needs. On today's program I talk about Karamoon and go back to moments where he has been on the program. The goal here is to get more support... so if you're reading or listening.. I'm talking to you.

The topic is unfortuantely overly discussed in an almost routine way in our world today: the sharing economy, the good that it does, who is in it, and who is against it. Yet even the definition of what is the sharing economy is pretty fuzzy. On today's podcast the subject is the sharing economy and growth, what happens when these often interesting and beneficial services grow into global empires? Where does the human and society fit into this equation that is so focused on earning income by tapping into untapped resources in every day life?Talk by Yochai Benkler "Challenges of the Sharing Economy" for the World Economic Forum

Remember when I used to record podcasts about social issues with guests from around the world? Well this is not one of those. I do discuss issues, in addition to things that have been going on; journeys, etc. All this from the comfort of my new home while making a dam fine cup of chai. If you enjoy me talking about life and the world for about 40 minutes, give this one a listen. Also you may enjoy Kate's ukulele songs from hacker camp a few weeks ago. Well worth a listen!

São Miguel, the main island of the breathtaking Azores has been an adventure this summer, traveling in circles around the island from the highest peaks to the sea and back again. It is a place of incomparable beauty and beyond that, a people who have such a good hearted caring nature you dare not ask a small question unless you're ready for the extensive information and help they're going to insist on giving you. While the world watches as society changes in interesting and sometimes very painful ways in different parts of the world, here on the island things are as they have surely always been. Cows are grazing. Fish are jumping. Tourists taking pictures. Wash, Rinse, Repeat.What was I talking about? Oh yeah, I recorded this podcast on one of our last nights in the Azores on a trip that has taught me a lot and inspired some future journeys in the effort to experience and learn even more.

Over the past year (maybe more) my friend Yves has been on a journey of self discovery and observing human behavior. Each time he returns to Amsterdam we talk about his observations and attempts to change what is considered "normal everyday" communication. This time, we bring microphones to one of those conversations, in attempt to bring in you -the audience- to discuss people, communication, needs, and yes - the meaning of life. Never thought I'd write that as a podcast title :) Don't be scared. It's nothing. So have a listen!A small but perhaps relevant link:Marshall Rosenberg - Nonviolent Communication

Some ask where I've been, but actually I never stopped producing podcasts with Source Code Berlin and Newz of the World having lots of new content coming at you quite regularly. Meanwhile on today's program I'm talking about the world of pocasts and how it is changing, what these changes mean for us in general. Also an announcement about upcoming projects both here on this channel and elsewhere. It's a classic podcast update as many of us used to do in the golden days of podcasting.

On February 11th, 2015 my friend Raja Oueis passed away at the age of 27. I was lucky enough to meet Raja at hacker camp (OHM) in 2013. We spent several happy days exploring that crazy carnival of creativity, an event that we always looked back on with fondness. Not long after we were able to meet again, in Amsterdam and at the Hacker congress in Hamburg. Each in person meeting would be a joyous occasion for eating, laughing, thinking out loud and plotting future hanging out oppertunities. It seemed only right, I think for both of us, that we did meet and become friends. One of those classic cases of someone you feel like you always knew from the first moment you speak.Sadly over the past year, as Raja fought a daunting battle against cancer, our communication would be limited to short conversations online. I convinced myself that there would be time, that despite everything, we would get to sit and talk and drink chai and discuss matters of the heart one last time. Just as it felt meant to be that we would become friends, naturally fate would allow us one more chance to talk til the wee hours of the morning. But time ran out on us. My ticket to Beirut reads March and Raja's ticket to another dimension seems to have been set for February.Thankfully, though it is hardly enough, during those happy days camping among some of the kindest and most creative people on the planet, we turned on a microphone and together with many friends and strangers, talked about what we were experiencing and why it was special to us. In this podcast I'll revisit those moments with Raja. Though his voice is one of many in these recordings, his wonderful answers mean even more to me now. I wish we had left the recorder on for so many more hours and days. But thats not how it works, I suppose. Nevertheless, I consider myself lucky to have known him and I'm pleased to be able to share this little tiny piece of such a larger than life human being.

Richard Bluestein is a longtime internet content creator who pioneered much of what we know today as popular comedy and entertainment genres. His program, as well as his legendary character Madge Weinstein, have quietly pushed the limits and challenged conventions in the world of audio/visual content and satire. He is one of my favorite guests to sit back with for a long conversation to discuss life, changes, observations, films, shows, podcasts and more.

Award winning graphic designer and global citizen Tarek Atrissi joins me on the podcast to talk about Arabic script, logos, design, and the impact these things have on society. If you enjoy hearing from people with unique careers who are passionate and well informed about their field, if you're curious about what is happening in the world - especially the arabic speaking world-, if you'd like to learn something new; these only some of the reasons that you will enjoy listening to his words.

If you've been alive for a few decades you've surely noticed how fast time passes and how things seem to change, sometimes even without us fully comprehending what has happened. Once a year, somewhere in Germany, several thousand enthusiastic individuals get together to consider those changes and look into what else is possible in the future. Beyond that, old and new friends get a chance to catch up, share knowledge, and maybe even get inspired.This event, known as the Chaos Communication Congress, has brought me friends and acquaintences that I feel very fortunate to have and look forward to seeing year after year. Two such friends and fellow audiofiles, join me on today's program to kickoff CTRP 2015 properly; by reporting from the congress and evaluating what this meeting is all about and how this thing connects to the big thing out there. Today on the program: Emmanuel and Kyle of 2600 Magazine, Off the Hook and Off the Wall.

"Fate also plays a role, " says the middle aged head of an investment group in the sky lobby of the world financial center as we look out over Shanghai, "just imagine the odds that you and I would be here in this building in this city at the same time and have this conversation." -- Whether it is the result of fate or some of the most genius moves in recent history, I find myself in the world's largest city, seemingly in the epicenter of the most important place in the world. "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere" has long been New York City's motto, but while they were busy singing the same ol tune in the empire state, Shanghai kept chugging right along and one day the world awoke to find that it is now Shanghai where if you make it here, you can definitely make it anywhere. Sorry Frank, somewhere along the way Mao stole your thunder.The following is a podcast of my reflections and things I have learned during my educational visit to Shanghai this week. Have a listen!

Not since the cold war has the world needed to take a time-out from political posturing and the information game to get beyond the gate keepers and speak directly with the people referred to as "Russia". Not unlike 25 years ago, we in the west are once again talking about a people as if they cannot be spoken with and do not have a wide range of opinions and values. Over in Russia, similar is happening with what the media refer to as "the west".Enter the power of the podcast:On today's program I am coming to you from Moscow, the heart of the nation that so many are talking about these days with angry and confused tones. But this is not about Ukraine or Putin. This is about the city, life, culture, changes, and other developments that remind us of the wealth of things we citizens of planet earth have in common. Today we speak with my friend Victor, an resident and keen observer of this country and its culture, to hear what he sees and has seen.

In order to properly say goodbye to the Dubai Taxi Project, you have to have a podcast. On today's program there are final notes, unpublished reflections, hypocracies, musings, future plans and even an easter egg. No guests, no taxi's, just me and a microphone and you listening wherever you are in the world. Podcasting the way it was in the beginning, where it is good to return to after a long journey or time away.

Are we living in an era where the art of storytelling has risen to some newfound prominence? What kinds of stories are inspired and produced by the cultures of the Arabian peninsula these days? How difficult is it to achieve a balance between life and work in this environment? These and other subjects are a part of this lunchtime podcast we recorded at the American University in Dubai this past winter.Meedo Taha is, among other things, a storyteller based in Dubai. But before making a life in this city, his story went from Lebanon, to London, to Tokyo, to LA and beyond.

Imagine yourself at work one day when the boss comes to you, hands you a shovel, a gun, and says "the invasion is starting, you must defend your workplace." It may sound implausible but that is exactly what happened to my guest on the program today.Ali Al Shouk was your average working chemist when the invasion of Iraq began in 2003. It was then that a series of traumatic events and coincidences would begin, eventually leading him to a career in journalism and a place he did not expect to end up.In between my taxi interviews Ali and I sat down together in Dubai to talk about his amazing experiences that made him who he is today.

Until now you've heard stories of individual taxi drivers and entrepeneurs in the UAE. Today Im going to bring you the voices of several taxi drivers, as they speak about probably the most common theme of my trip: LOVE.Start talking with a taxi driver in the city of gold and chances are you will get to the topics of relationships, marriage, love and family. Many will tell you that all these things are very closely related and extremely important. Their outlooks and philosophies vary, from the very traditional to the free thinkers who would go as far as to defy their family. Stories vary from charming to frustrating, and from beautiful to deeply sad.Today on the podcast, Love in a Dubai Taxi, stories and reflections on love from taxi drivers in the UAE.

He arrived in Dubai just as the UAE came into existence. He started working at the Dubai airport in a time where there were no computers and this town was nothing more than a stopover for flights on their way somewhere. In his 37 years as a Dubai resident, KJ Bhatia raised a family, developed a career, and enjoyed a front row seat to see a world of change in both the city and the region.As luck would have it, one day as I was shopping for postcards, we struck up a conversation in his shop which would eventually lead to this podcast. This is one man's story, a rare voice of experience, that runs parallel to the story of a nation. One of my favorite voices from Dubai, Mr. KJ Bhatia.

Somewhere along the neverending Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai, within view of world famous sky scrapers and people enjoying themselves on the beach, you'll find a little oasis of healthy food and unique style. The place is Comptoir 102, a concept cafe created and run by my guests on today's podcast: Alexandra de Montaudouin and Emma Sawko. While their place may not be far from downtown, this little cafe is in a very different world from the brand name corporate culture that took root in Dubai more than a decade ago.

Life wisdom comes from unexpected places at unexpected times. On one particular evening I was making my way from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and I found myself seated next to Mr. AJ from Nepal, a taxi driver-philosopher-extraordinaire. As I got into the car I asked how is life? and his immediate response was, "I am a bad man, I have wasted my life chasing money." I knew right there, this was going to be an interesting ride.Making a life in Nepal has become more and more difficult over the past 20 years and as a result, hundreds of thousands of Nepalese are now working outside the country and sending money home to family members. They can be found in countries like Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, the UAE, and until recently Saudi Arabia. Mr. AJ has tried working in many of these countries but a combination ofhostile politics and racism would eventually land him in Abu Dhabi, a place he doesn't love, but has come to understand. At the age of 36 he has arrived at a life altering realization, all these years spent "chasing money", away from his family and the people he loves, have been wasted. The pursuit of material things has led him to the conclusion that he and many people like him have been focusing on the wrong things in life. What is needed to find true satisfaction and happiness, Mr. AJ explains, "is to either help someone or grow something."During this long car ride we talked at length about what humans are doing with this planet and with their lives, and what could be done to improve things, and what we as individuals will do in the coming years in an effort to reach that happy place so many of us wish for. It's an example of taxicab wisdom at its best and a great example of why I wanted to do this series in the first place.

Ali Al Saloom, better known on the internet as Ask Ali, came on the scene in the same way many of us podcasters, bloggers, and other independent content creators did over the past 10 years; with an idea and a dream. His goal, to teach the world about his people and his culture, to dispel myths and contribute factual information about the UAE. The result: thousands of published answers to all kinds of questions about the UAE, a successful cultural consultancy service, and an internationally recognized representative of a country and a culture that until recently were little known or poorly understoodA pioneer in both new media and internet outreach, Ali can run down the list of reasons people around the world are coming to this region and he is proud of what his nation has accomplished. At the same time he sees the risks and responsibilities that come with success and wealth, as he talks about the things that concern him in the near future.While much of my journey has been about taxi drivers and the wisdom they can share about this place and life as a whole, a conversation with Ali Al Saloom provides a rare chance to hear from a citizen of this nation and to learn from his unique experience.

Mr. A is a young man in his early twenties, but he refers to himself as an old driver. So it goes in a country where the average taxi driver has a contract of 3 or 5 years. Like many drivers he is a modest man and when I ask him about life, at first he says he leads an uninteresting life. But after a few minutes of talking about Dubai, we find just the opposite to be true. Unlike many people of the modern metropolis, Mr. A believes his life is just fine, especially after seeing the kinds of problems his passengers are carrying with them. Though respect is an issue and the stress is considerable, here is a man who's number one matra is "I can't complain, I have a good life."As we drive along the famed Jumeira Beach Road, passing alongside the world famous Burj al Arab, we talk about how he got started as a taxi driver. What his life was like in his home country. And what its like to love a job that so many people, including his own family, label as no good or unacceptable.

I may have come to Dubai to listen to the stories of taxi drivers, but what I quickly figured out is there are many layers and many stories in this rapidly growing city that has attracted people from every corner of the world. And so, on my first days in Dubai, in between taxi rides, I did a quick search for healthy quality cuisine in this extremely new neighborhood I was staying in. Although this massive area is filled with hundreds of restaurants, the internet somehow led me to Marta's Workshop*, where Marta Yanci originally from San Sebastian, Spain, and her talented staff, cook up a different menu everyday.Marta's work represents a growing movement in a city that is more known for its tall skyscrapers and massive shopping malls rather than small, unique neighborhood businesses. The moment I sat down at the communal table in this modest and charming dining room, I knew something worth talking about was going on here. A thought that would be only further reinforced when I tasted the fantastically delicious food.No it isn't a taxi story, but it is an interesting part of this big Dubai puzzle that – honestly- few media organizations ever dedicate the time and energy to look at in its entirety. Dubai might be young in terms of history, but it already has many layers, each of which shows us something potentially worth learning from. My original inspiration and my focus is still Taxi Drivers, but what you might notice when you listen to Marta, and I have noticed in and out of the cabs, there is something bigger going on here that interconnects everyone.* You can also follow Marta on twitter

Mr. X seemed a bit miserable and quiet when I threw myself into his front seat. He seemed to be talking to himself somewhat and I slowly removed the soundless headphones from my ears. "Were you listening to something very closely, like your music? - I though you were. Maybe it is just habit?" I look over at the brown skinned smiling gentleman in his 60's with streaks of silver in his dark sideburns. - You're absolutely correct, it is a bad habit of mine.That is how the conversation starts, the subject of audio in one's ears is a gateway for me to bring up radio and my passion for recording stories. Mr. X, an Indian gentleman who has been driving in Dubai for over a decade, is amused, "So you record people's stories, like who?" -- Like you -- I tell him. Watch, I'll show you, and to his consternation I've got the recorder and microphone out and on before he can say another word. "So I just talk about me? My life? My work?" -- Yes I tell him. I want the world to know that there are people inside and around this shiny buildings, that make the city what it is today.Mr. X considers this idea and lets out a big laugh and licks his lips, "Ok then, let us try it!"

Much can be learned from 30 years of watching the international hacker community develop, or a decade of watching China do the same. From the broadcast area of the 30th Chaos Communication Congress in Hamburg, Germany, this week I am joined by internet audio pioneer Tim Pritlove and the guru of all things blinking and TV turning off, Mitch Altman. Together we discuss just what is and has happened at this world famous event this year and what it all means for the big picture of work, life, and tube messaging.

As part of preparations for the Dubai Taxi Driver project, this week on the podcast we discuss what to expect inside and outside the car in one of the world's most famous cities. My guest is Agnes Tandler, a Dubai based journalist who has been taking taxi's almost everyday for the past 4 years. In her experience, anytime you get into a cab in the "city of gold"- you're in for a surprise.Also this week, the Dubai Taxi Driver project countdown begins, with 4 days left to join the kickstarter funding campaign, and 1 month before the journey starts. If you haven't yet been to the page, read the plan, or watched the video, click over now as time is running out!At the beginning of the podcast this week you will also hear music by Neighbor from their new album "Water in the Pocket." Highly recommended.

This past Friday marked the launch of a campaign to fund my next multimedia project, "The Dubai Taxi Driver." In the tradition of the great Tony Schwartz, the master of sound who recorded so many wonderful stories from New York City in the 50's, 60's and 70's, my journey will be to Dubai, to speak with a group of people that have long fascinated and inspired me with their stories and life experiences. My task will be to sit in the front seat and record the stories, wisdom, and observations of this special group of people who drive the taxi's of this world renowned metropolis.Like special series and journeys that I have previously been able to share with you, this one needs your direct involvement. My brand of media is non-commercial and always personal, as is this project. And if you like what you've heard in the past, or if this idea sounds interesting and you'd like to know more, click on the kickstarter link.

Frank Edward Nora believes, as that now cliché Chinese proverb says, we actually do live in very interesting times. Part of his love and dedication to creating original audio content and preserving bits of audio from the past is because of his interest in what will be available for future generations. For over ten years he has produced the Overnightscape, a personal audio journey, a chronical of one man's daily life and thoughts in the New York City Tri-State area.

Rabble was the first ever employee at twitter and had the opportunity to watch how it went from activist tool to massively popular communication medium. In a world where everyone thinks they know why twitter or tools like twitter exist and are good, Rabble has unique knowledge that can explain why it exists and how things changed over time. He can tell you the good, the bad, and the in between, as is so often the case with such a widely used platform.

One week since the death of my grandfather, this podcast contains a few personal and professional stories from my life over the past few months. Though this program is usually focused on interviews and issues from all over the world, its origin is this very formula: one person, a microphone, honest observations, and you the listener. So consider this an example of going back to the roots of my work online. It's personal.

The shipyard of Gdansk Poland is legendary both for its well known capacity to build ships and the labor struggles that would send shock waves of inspiration to the entire world. The tireless and selfless efforts of workers of the Solidarity Movement who stood up to authority and brute force, demanding justice and respect, no doubt made a better life for countless people in Poland, Europe and beyond. Yet decades later, the now privatized, downsized, and struggling shipyard feels more like a graveyard or a shrine to a lost past. The victories, on the grand scale of time, were short lived, as the world of ship building, labor, and politics, changed yet again, and Solidarity went from engine of change to historical symbol of a bygone era. Was it all for nothing? Are the dreams of those workers still alive in Gdansk or elsewhere? When the new luxury condominiums and shopping malls break ground on the same site where workers lost their lives and built their dreams, will their efforts matter anymore? Should they? Or is this just life.

Hacker Camp, which takes place every two years in Europe, is an event where creative, quirky, and passionate minds from around the world gather to form a temporary physical community where ideas are exchanged. The areas of interest vary greatly, as do the personal stories of those who participate. One area of interest that has long been present at camp is that of conflict resolution, quality of life, and development projects. Making use of tools or knowledge in and from different parts of the world in a effort to improve quality of life for those who desire change and access to technological solutions.

Lamija Tanovic grew up in a Yugoslavia with a quality of life that makes today's Bosnia look like another planet. A time where values such as education, cooperation, and participation were essential. An era that would later give way to a terrible war and a dysfunctional plan to create a new nation in its aftermath. Through it all, Lamija explains, everyone always wished to come home and make a life in this beautiful place. The problem is, today's Bosnia makes it quite difficult for anyone to have a decent life and as a result, people have left and will continue to leave.

"People here are a whole lot more rational than they give themselves credit for. They all think they are more moderate than the norm; they don't realize they are the norm."Kurt Bassuener has been working on the issue of Bosnia for over 15 years and in that time has figured out what many people inside and outside the country have not - what is wrong and what can be done about it. That is, in fact, one of the key lessons to take home from this Bosnia 101 conversation; there is hope, there are things that can be done, if specific actors would be willing to change the status quo.

In 2011 Ahmad and Karam, two university students from Deir ez-Zor took to the streets as part of the mass protest movement demanding an end to the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad. Their protest was met by violent reprisals, mass arrests, and soon war broke out and the government undertook a full siege of the city. Since that time, these two friends have become a reporting team, collecting videos and still images as their families and their community have been decimated by war.

Has your water utility been privatized in the past decade? Are today's water companies really investing in infrastructure and improvements? How much democracy is there in your water bill? If any of these questions sound familiar, you probably care about who is in charge of bringing water to your home. And after all the promises that came with the privatization of water systems, many cities around the world have determined they want their water utility to be transparent, democratic, and public again. They call it, the re-municipalization of water. And on virtually every continent, it is taking root.

You can't windsurf, because that would be elitist. But, if you're the American president, you can drive around your ranch in a golf cart shooting guns, because people can relate to that. As comedian and writer Lizz Winstead explains it, sometimes there is no debate possible if we don't agree on fundamental and proven facts. Over the past few months Lizz has been promoting her book "Lizz Free or Die" and travelling around the United States to see what people are doing and what they think about politics or life in general. Having written for several memorable television programs which includes having co-created The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Lizz can tell you thing or two about what is good and what is bad about politics and media in the United States.By chance, I ran into her at a conference in Sweden earlier this month and spent a few afternoons having excellent discussions, such as this one featured in today's podcast.

Tony Pierce was blogging before most of us had broadband internet and well before smart phones existed. For over a decade he has been writing daily and bringing people into his world on the busblog, where nothing is true. Through it all, he has preached about what would only years later be understood as good advice for anyone interested in writing or creating content online: keep going, do what makes you happy, and tell some good stories along the way.

As I have now published all the interviews I have to share with you from the journey, I realized there was still audio that I had never put together and released to the public - the audio from Tahrir Square, as Chris and I, together with inspiring friends and people who just came right up to us, speak about what was going on around us. It was, and remains, a unique moment in my life and clearly from listening to people, an unforgettable moment in their lives as well. Part of a long struggle where there are beautiful and terrible days. This one, I believe, was a beautiful one. Take a listen, one last podcast from the Arab Artists in a Revolution series, one last chance to be transported back to a time and a place that captured the imagination of the entire world. Special thanks to the dear friends who every time we came to the square, stuck with us made us feel at home.