GUEST:
Tom Rider--who once worked for Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey Circus caring for the elephants,
became a whistleblower after witnessing the abuse
of the circus' elephants, and is now a central figure
in a federal lawsuit brought against Ringling by multiple
animal groups--discusses his two and a half year stint
working for Ringling and what he saw and experienced
then, addresses the circus' constant chaining of the
elephants, explains what an ankus is and its constant
use on the elephants, describes the lawsuit in which
the plaintiffs (including Rider himself) focus on
Ringling's mistreatment of the elephants under the
Endangered Species Act, responds to listener questions
about USDA inspections of Ringling's animals and about
the effectiveness of protests staged at venues where
Ringling is performing, and more. [www.awionline.org]
GUEST:
Dr. Anne Lampru--a Tampa-based holistic veterinarian
who operates a practice called Animal Alternatives,
emphasizing a host of holistic therapies, often including
homeopathic remedies--discusses her training, early
work in a conventional veterinary practice and how
growing dissatisfaction with the results in the treated
animals there prompted her to attend a conference
for holistic veterinarians, which led to her embracing
a holistic approach in her practice from that point
forward; she also addresses the debate within the
veterinarianary world about rabies vaccinations, touches
on the extensive preparation of paperwork and considerable
time involved in administering a "holistic evaluation"
for a new patient, and fields numerous phone calls
and e-mails from listeners with questions about the
ailments and treatments of their animals. [www.AnimalAlternatives.org]
COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan's "Flipper
& Gentle Ben" (snippet) (www.BrianRegan.com)
MUSIC: The Budos Band's' "King
Cobra," Nellie McKay's' "The Dog Song"
instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Norma Tanega's
"Walking My Cat Named Dog"
GUEST: Chrissie Hynde--The Pretenders
singer-songwriter-guitarist (currently touring the
U.S. behind the acclaimed new Pretenders album, "Break
Up The Concrete") and longtime animal advocate--discusses
the enormous and somewhat surprising (to her, at least)
success of VegiTerranean, the vegan restaurant she
opened in 2007 in her native Akron, Ohio; the encouraging
conclusions she's drawn from the VegiTerranean success,
including that the restaurant's menu and approach
could succeed virtually anywhere (if it did so in
Akron) and with those who aren't rock start at the
helm; she also outlined the contest that The Pretenders,
PETA & YouTube have teamed for, inviting animal-loving
fans to make a music video for the band's new song,
"Boots Of Chinese Plastic," addressed concerns
raised in the conversation about PETA and some practices
and campaigns in recent years that may have undermined
the organization's credibility and effectiveness,
and responded to a variety of listener calls and e-mails.
[www.ThePretenders.com]
GUEST:
Dr. Temple Grandin--an internationally-renowned
expert on both animals and autism; she herself is
autistic, and much of her work is rooted in her thesis
that animals and autistic people share some fundamental
traits, including that they're considerably more sensory-based,
visual thinkers than verbal ones-- discusses various
aspects of her new, best-selling book "Animals
Make Us Human: Creating The Best Life For Animals,"
including: her view of the unintended consequences
that often result when animal rights organizations
try to change things by passing laws and filing lawsuits;
her assessment of the virtues and downsides of Cesar
Millan's approach and techniques; the implications
of cats being less neotenized than other domestic
animals; what to look for in adopting a dog or cat;
the way some plants have started to embrace her proposal
of setting up cameras to continuously monitor livestock
handling; and more, as well as responding to a handful
of listener calls & e-mails. [www.TempleGrandin.com,
www.Grandin.com]
GUEST:
Catherine Doyle--an elephant expert with
In Defense Of Animals, an international animal advocacy
organization, and a central figure in the national
story about the debate that's erupted over the Los
Angeles Zoo, its lone elephant, Billy, and the Zoo's
plans to build a $42 million "Pachyderm Forest"
elephant exhibit-- discusses various aspects of the
debate and some of the underlying issues; a pioneering,
peer-reviewed study published in the Dec. 2008 edition
of the journal Science; documenting that elephants
in zoos live dramatically shorter lives than their
wild counterparts; In Defense of Animals annually
issues a "Ten Worst Zoos For Elephants"
list, and the IDA's recently-released 2008 list includes
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, Lowry's first appearance on
the list, so Doyle also discussed the list's history
and criteria, and what exactly qualified Lowry Park
for inclusion on the list, and more. [www.IDAUSA.org,
www.HelpElephants.com/topten2008]
GUEST:
Dr. Will Tuttle--an educator, speaker, musician
and former Zen monk who holds a Ph.D in education
from U.C. Berkeley, and author of "The World
Peace Diet: Eating For Spiritual Health and Social
Harmony"--discusses his own description of "The
World Peace Diet" and whether that's altered
since the book was published; the way the political
landscape has shifted since Barack Obama was elected
President and the impact of that change on the prospects
of wider embracing in this country and globally of
the tenets of "The World Peace Diet"; addresses
the challenges of--through the book, a full dance
card of lectures and other speaking engagements each
year,, etc-- preaching to the converted relative to
efforts to reach the people who might benefit most
from his information and philosophy; and responds
to listener calls and e-mails. [www.WorldPeaceDiet.org,
www.WillTuttle.com]
There
was no "Talking Animals" broadcast on this
day because it was pre-empted by WMNF's Fall Fund
Drive, March 25-April 1.
A huge, heartfelt
"thank you" to all those who donated or
otherwise supported the program--and the station.
April
8, 2009
GUEST:
Dr. Jennifer Conrad--a veterinarian and Director of
The Paw Project, a Santa Monica-based organization
that seeks to educate the public about the harmful
effects of feline declawing, to end the practice of
the declaw surgery (a procedure considered so inhumane
that it's illegal in numerous countries, including
Austria, France, Israel, and the UK), and to rehabilitate
big cats that have been declawed--discusses the misconceptions
surrounding the declaw procedure (which actually involves
amputating the animal's toes at the last joint--not
just the nail, but a portion of the bone is removed),
the effects and complications of the procedure, including
infection, disfigurement, crippling pain and behavioral
issues; some of the alternatives to declawing; the
legislative efforts to outlaw declawing cats, including
the Paw Project spearheading the campaign that resulted
in the ban on declawing in West Hollywood, CA, the
first law of its type in North America; and more.
[www.PawProject.com]
GUEST:Carol
Leifer--the veteran, top-notch comedian and Emmy-nominated
writer who's worked on such shows as "Seinfeld,"
"Saturday Night Live" and the Academy Awards--discusses
her new book, "When You Lie About Your Age, The
Terrorists Win," a memoir-cum-collection of humorous
essays in which she opines about a host of topics
while revealing some significant changes she's undergone
in recent years, including becoming a latter-day animal
advocate and vegan; addresses some specifics of her
major transformation into passionate animal person;
elaborates on her "Five Lessons Of Animal Adoption"
and recounts some of the notable adoptions she and
her partner Lori (and Lori's parents) have enjoyed
in recent years; explains what prompted her decision
to go vegan, and more. [www.CarolLeifer.com]
GUEST:
Jose Sanchez--a naturalist trained in marine
biology and an expert on the so-called "friendly
whales" of San Ignacio Lagoon in the Baja California
region of Mexico--discusses his own background and
relevant history of San Ignacio Lagoon (including
that whaling was active in the area until about 1938,
at which point most of the whales were killed off;
in 1946, Mexico became party to the anti-whaling policies
and other protections of the International Whaling
Commission); describes the "friendly whales"
phenomenon, in which the mother California grey whales
not only allow humans near their babies, but bring
the calves over to them to be touched and petted;
muses about the issue of whether some of these whales
are old enough to be survivors of the whaling days,
making it all the more remarkable that these whales
and their offspring freely approach these boats that
in a previous period carried whalers with harpoons;
the various measures in place at the Lagoon to protest
the whales, and more. [www.BajaEx.com]
GUEST:
Holly Robinson--an award-winning writer and author
of "The Gerbil Farmer's Daughter," a new,
colorful, often-funny and eloquent memoir of growing
up as the daughter of a career military man whose
second (and secret) career was studying, breeding
and raising gerbils, evolving into the world's largest
supplier of gerbils--discusses various facets of her
unusual, gerbil-centric childhood (and father), including
the complicated issue of Mr. Robinson sending off
many of those gerbils to be used in medical research,
an issue made considerably more complicated and poignant
after Holly's sister Gail dies of cystic fibrosis;
she also addresses the multitude of additional breed
of gerbils that have developed since her Dad's foray
into the gerbil world, offers guidance on how to care
for and house gerbils, and more [www.AuthorHollyRobinson.com]
GUEST:
Beth Lockwood--the Executive Director of
the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Tampa--discusses
various aspects of her 26-year tenure, arriving as
a veterinary technician and, in the ensuing quarter
century, assuming various responsibilities before
filling the SPCA Tampa's top post; outlines some of
the traits that distinguish the SPCA Tampa nationally
(including recognition for its expertise and accomplishments
in hurricane/disaster planning for animals), addresses
the organization's imminent fundraising events, explains
a bit about their adoption procedures and costs, and
more. [www.SPCAFL.org]
Special
edition - Talking Animals/Sonic Detour - June 24,
2009
The
interview with Terry Adams occurs during "Part
2" of the audio archive.
Hello. As you may know, in addition
to "Talking Animals," I host another program
at WMNF, an afternoon-drive music show on Wednesdays
called the "Sonic Detour."
On the June 24 edition, I presented a "Talking
Animals"-oriented version of the "Sonic
Detour," which mostly meant playing all animal
songs, drawing on music from multiple genres and eras;
the playlist--including all instrumentals--is included
here.
I also incorporate some other elements of "Talking
Animals," including a coupla round of "Name
That Animal Tune," and an interview--with
Terry Adams perhaps best known as the singer-songwriter-keyboardist
of NRBQ (the legendary rock/R&B/jazz/pop/etc.
band formed some 40 years ago), who recently released
a new solo album, "Holy Tweet," and who's
a longtime vegetarian and champion of animal welfare.
It was fun to play some different--and longer--songs,
and to chat with Terry. Enjoy.
Thanks
~Duncan
MP3 Audio Archive:
MP3
Audio Archive:
Animal-related songs played during show:
A long-time vegetarian
and champion of animal welfare, Terry Adams recently
released a solo album, "Holy Tweet."
The
interview with Terry Adams occurs during "Part
2" of the audio archive.
