The Next Big Thing

War is Heavy Metal

Show #508

Friday, October 22, 2004

Soldiers in Iraq make their own music for wartime. Novelist Cathleen Schine seeks advice from anyone and everyone. A translator sets out to tell a small story in Baghdad. Non-Americans try to make sense of America through its blogs. And anxious Americans seek understanding through their dreamlife.

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Tiebreakers

In the event that the electoral college is split this year’s election, what will we do? Host Dean Olsher turns to the experts: NPR’s political analyst Ken Rudin, and Graham Walker, leader of the World Rock Paper Scissors Society. Produced by Amanda Aronczyk.

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Presidential Mortal Combat

The sounds you might hear if our greatest video game makers turned the current election into a test of reflexes. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell.

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Babel Bloggers

Tower of babel They say U.S. relations with other countries are rife with distrust these days. Could it be that something about us is getting lost in translation? Producer Sherre DeLys puts American political blogs through Babelfish, an online computerized translation service, to see if that provides some explanation.

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In Their View

Novelist Cathleen Schine seeks advice from a gaggle of her most prized advice-givers. Produced by Julie Subrin.

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Walkman Busting

A guy walks up to you on the street and asks you what's playing on your Walkman. You tell him. But wait - now he says he wants to listen, too. Before you know it, he's plugged his recorder into your player and he’s taping your music. That's right, Gideon D'Arcangelo is at it again with his "Walkman Busting." Produced with Jill Krauss.

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War Is Heavy Metal

Soundtrack to War Artist-turned-filmmaker George Gittoes traveled to Iraq to find out what soldiers there are listening to. He discovered that much of it is music of their own – recorded in computer studios they’ve assembled in their barracks. Cath Dwyer used Gittoes’ footage to produce a radio piece for ABC Radio National in Australia, from which this piece was adapted. Technical production by Mark Don and Michelle Goldsworthy.

» Hear a longer version of this piece

» More about George Gittoes' film
» More about George Gittoes
» More about Street Stories, where the radio version of this story first appeared

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Visits with a Tea Seller

As an Iraqi translator and fixer for foreign journalists in Baghdad, Hiba Dawood has covered many dangerous situations. Recently, she needed a break, so she took a tape recorder and headed to a busy intersection in her neighborhood. There, she met Amu Muhanid. This is his, and her, story. Produced by Julie Subrin.

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Dreaming of Osama

We don’t know exactly where Osama bin Laden is. But there have been sightings here in America… at night… in people’s dreams. Produced by Pejk Malinovski.