City Belt

DAY JOB: DARREN DEICIDE

Over the past five or so years, there's been a renewed interest from indie rockers, punks, and other assorted rockers in roots music, country and the blues. I can vividly remember hopping from bar to bar in the Lower East Side and East Village on the night of Johnny Cash's death -- who knew so many skinny hipsters considered themselves hard-boiled "Cash men?"

What's that got to do with Jersey City's Darren Deicide? Well, a little, but ultimately, not all that much. While Deicide comes from a punk rock background (he was formerly the vocalist/guitarist for Hopeless Dregs of Humanity) his solo stuff sounds like someone applying the ethics and values of punk rock to front-porch, gather 'round, hootin' and hollerin' blues-stomp -- in other words, it feels natural, not like musical chameleon-ship. His latest release, Temptation and the Taboo, Part 1, is a concept album of sorts, about -- you guessed it -- temptation and taboo, among other things.

'CULTURAL KARATE'

Photo by Fred Askew

On the streets and in the stores with Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir on Buy Nothing Day
By Matt Hunger

Unless otherwise noted, all photos for this story are by Flickr user Ianqui.

My embarrassing confession is that I keep sneaking looks at the passing store windows’ display items -- definitely one of those “wrong time, wrong place” type of situations.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t walking down Spring Street in downtown Manhattan on Black Friday, mumbling along with Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir, surrounded by about 100 red robed activists and a sea of poster board with such catchphrases as, “Manipulative Advertising, Don’t Buy It!” and “I’m NOT a Consumer, I’m a PERSON.” But I am.

SOMEBODY BLEW UP THE FIRST AMENDMENT

Guest Viewpoint
By Daniel McNulty

The State of New Jersey, despite having birthed and hosted a pantheon of great American poets -- Walt Whitman, Allen Ginsberg, and W.C Williams amongst many others -- currently does not designate an official Poet Laureate. Let’s back track a little though.

We once, in the not too distant past of 1999, instated the office, beginning with the appointment of Gerald Stern by then governor Christine Whitman. Amiri Baraka was the next and last in line of NJ Poet Laureates, holding the title for a year starting in July 2002 until the office was officially eliminated under the auspices of James McGreevey in a bill passed through the NJ Senate. The hubub was spurred by Baraka’s poem “Somebody Blew Up America,” read at the annual Geraldine R. Dodge poetry festival, in which Baraka uses the events of 9/11 in the context of questioning many historical atrocities, focusing on the homespun terror inflicted for hundreds of years against blacks. The stanza which ignited the controversy included the following:

Who knew the World Trade Center was gonna get bombed
Who told 4000 Israeli workers at the Twin Towers
   To stay home that day
Why did Sharon stay away?

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: TIS THE SEASON

I don't know about you, but over the past few days, we've watched a lot of TV. A lot. And I've been absolutely bombarded by Christmas. Apparently, this store has as well. This photo, of the Kennedy Department Store on Central Ave. in Jersey City Heights, was taken by Michael Gates, aka Flickr's Channel Z.

We know more of you are out there, taking pictures of New Jersey. We want to feature you here -- so in Flickr, tag your NJ photos with CityBelt -- or you can just e-mail them to us. If you do either, you might be next week's Photo of the Week.

On the Web:
Channel Z's Flickr page
City Belt's Flickr page

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THE AGENDA: EXECUTIVE ORDER

For full calendar listings, check The Agenda. To have your event listed, please e-mail the editors.

FRIDAY | 11.24.06

Concert. The Hold Steady's lastest album, Boys and Girls in America, extends many of the band's trademark lyrical themes, like drugs, girls, parties, the Mississippi River, Minneapolis, and, of course, Charlemagne. The buzz that has steadily built around this band since 2004's Almost Killed Me is not misplaced -- these guys are a Rock band with a capital "R," and despite the backlash that is starting to unfold, and the just-a-tad-too-slick production of the new album, the Hold Steady are one of the best Big Rock bands around today. If you've got tickets to see them tonight at Maxwell's (a smaller venue than they've been playing recently), consider yourself lucky. If not, you might want to check the Craig, because it's sure to be a killer party ... er, show.

DAY JOB: JOE CONDIRACCI

Joe Condiracci is a well-known veteran around Hudson County's music scene, as a singer-songwriter and as part of the now-defunct Uncle Joe's. These days, the "39-year-old" from Hoboken can be found at the Corkscrew in Jersey City Heights, which, since July, has given Jersey City two new DJ nights (STD Saturdays and now Fridays as well) and may soon start featuring bands.

SPLENDID MARBLES: THE STICK-UP

Editors' note: We at City Belt are very pleased to be working with the excellent cartoonist Greg Strid. He'll be providing City Belt with one cartoon a month, in print and online, titled "Splendid Marbles." Hope you enjoy!

On the Web:
Splendid Marbles

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YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS: MILTON'S MILTON

By Tris McCall

From: Manhattan, via Larchmont, New York. Larchmont is an extremely distinctive suburb, and not just because of its long tradition of talented native sons. Still, Milton’s perspective is likely to resonate with anybody who’s left an automobile suburb to grab for the brass ring in the big city.

Format: Full-length album. Twelve of these songs are new, and Milton appends a live version of “In The City,” his best-known song (so far). If you don’t know “In The City” already, it’ll just sound like a killer closer.

BUT I DIGEST ... LET THEM EAT PIE

By Kimberly Kaye

I am not much of a cake eater - never have been. Sure, the Pillsbury FunFetti cupcakes of my childhood were appreciated when they appeared, but I was generally more interested in eating the frosting off the top and throwing the rest away. I insisted on Snicker’s cheesecake instead of birthday cake as a child, and switched over to my father’s peanut-butter pie (which will, no doubt, also be the top tier of my wedding cake someday) at 16 without looking back. So it stands to reason I’m a pie person. Which is why the news that Grace Van Vorst Church in Jersey City was both hosting an old-school Pie Bake-Off/fund raiser, and asking me to fill in as a judge was nothing short of squeal inducing.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: READY TO PUMMEL

Eric Harvey Brown, aka "Dogseat" on Flickr, is definitely one of Jersey City's most talented -- and prolific -- photobloggers. He took this shot of one of our resident roller girls from the Jersey City Bridge & Pummel roller derby team -- the silhouette/shadow combo makes the photo nice and iconic.

We know more of you are out there, taking pictures of New Jersey. We want to feature you here -- so in Flickr, tag your NJ photos with CityBelt -- or you can just e-mail them to us. If you do either, you might be next week's Photo of the Week.

On the Web:
Eric's Flickr page
City Belt's Flickr page
Jersey City Bridge & Pummel

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HOW THEY VOTED: MAKING THE WORLD A SAFE PLACE (FOR NUCLEAR WAR), REPRISE

The Bill: H R 5682 (United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act)
Date Passed: Nov. 16
About: This act reverses US policy, and allows India to buy American nuclear reactors and fuel, despite the fact that India has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and has tested nuclear weapons in 1998 and 1974.

This summer, we wrote about this bill when it was passed by the House. Yesterday, by a vote of 85-12, the bill passed the Senate. The Washington Post notes that many Democratic Senators voted for the bill, especially those "with close ties to the India lobby." Many Senators, bothered by India's close relationship with Iran, wanted to add a provision that would make the country essentially choose between cooperating with the U.S. or with Iran. But when India balked, so did the Senate.

And so, the bill ultimately will make the world a more dangerous place. India will be able to increase production of its nuclear weapons five-fold.

We live in a state with a large Indian population, and both Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez voted for this bill.

How They Voted is a regular City Belt feature breaking down how New Jersey’s congressmen voted on the bills we think are important.

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POEM: BABY, LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THE RAIN

Let's not talk about the rain
The next world war is waging.
This globe's really beginning to cook.
A flood is rising to claim us.
The old messiah is coming
but it's only to take a peek.
There's not much we can say or do
to change the fate of tides.
So baby, while the ground's still dry
and before the dirt's awash
let us take our fingers
off the windowpane
and wrap them till they knot.

- Daniel McNulty

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Daniel McNulty is a founding member of Raconteur Publications who's first book, The Raconteur Reader, is due out in June. He was the general manager of The Raconteur's Word Fest, a four hour literary event held at Metuchen's landmark The Forum Theatre. He is a graduate of Rutgers University.

THE AGENDA: EXECUTIVE ORDER

This week, mostly because of the rapid approach of Thanksgiving, there's not much worth noting past Sunday. So there you have it. For full calendar listings, check The Agenda. To have your event listed, please e-mail the editors.

FRIDAY | 11.17.06
Concert. On first listen, I wrote OK Go off as yet another generic radio-ready power-pop band. After further investigation, though, I'd say one of those descriptors doesn't quite fit the bill: generic. The band reminds me of early Supergrass, the Cars, some Blur, and even a little bit of Weezer. You'll notice two brits there -- strangely, the group isn't from the other side of the pond at all, even though some songs sound like they must be of British blood. At other times, like on "Oh Lately It's So Quiet," they sound a lot like their opening band tonight, the French Kicks, with smooth, clean and slightly bittersweet modern indie-pop. They're both at the Starland Ballroom tonight, starting at 7 pm.

DAY JOB: RICO STEAL

RICO Steal was born in Trinidad and Tobago, but the 31-year-old now resides in Jersey City. He's a jack-of-all-trades: a poet and spoken word performer, a graphic designer, and a novelist. His spoken word is often angry but always intelligent and reasoned -- witness "Don't Play Golf," where he connects the Iraq War, white privilege, the president, and the golf course. He's currently working on a T-shirt line and graphic novel.

OF RAISED PROFILES AND TRICKLE-DOWN THEORY

Of course there's more awareness of Rutgers ... so what?
By Jon Whiten

So, according to this story in the Star-Ledger today, "Rutgers' success on the gridiron has generated awareness of New Jersey's state university across the country." Beyond the initial "Duh" after reading the sentence, you most likely say to yourself, as a proud New Jerseyan, "...and that can't be bad," or something to that effect. Indeed, that's the way the two newspapers that ran stories on the new survey by Opinion Research Corporation frame it. The S-L headline: "A game raises Rutgers' national profile." And in the Asbury Park Press: "A lot more people know Rutgers' name." The headlines are so banal, it's hard to think about what's really going on here. I mean, who could disagree with new puppies?

But the most interesting part of the survey findings seems to work against the hypothesis presented by Athletic Director Robert Mulcahy and other Rutgers officials. They argue that the success of the football team, and the subsequent national recognition, will bring not only cash to the university, but a higher standard of academic learning. It is a hallucinatory pipe dream Mulcahy seems to be having quite a lot lately, in which the main actor, Jane Six-Pack in Anytown, America watches Rutgers on TV, maybe in a bowl game, and maybe she sees one of those ridiculous ads some schools run whilst their football team is playing, and she thinks, "I bet that Rutgers has some kick-ass philosophers/scientists/etc. -- maybe my gifted son/daughter should think about applying!"

So what does the survey say?

- Recognition of Rutgers is increasing nationally (from 22 percent to 34 percent after the victory over Louisville). This part is obvious and you can't argue with it.

- The devil is in the details, though, and in this case, that devil takes the form of "what people know about Rutgers." After the Louisville win, 83 percent of the people had heard of Rutgers had done so because of "athletic accomplishments." "Academic accomplishments" was 19 percent, while "famous alumni" was 16 percent.

So what's my point?

The Rutgers administration, and their boosters in the mainstream press, need to stop pretending that trickle-down theory will work any better for them than it did for poor people under Ronald Reagan. Thus football's success will not raise the academic prestige of the university. Nor will it magically recreate all those courses, programs, staffers and professors lost thanks to years of budget-cutting from the state.

Mostly, R.U. football's success will be good for one interest: R.U. football. Sure, there may be stray examples of other parts of the university being buoyed, or maybe it will convice one incredible scholar to come here. But that doesn't mean it's a successful plan, or a good idea. To paraphrase John Kenneth Galbraith, "if you feed enough money to the football team, some spare change will pass through to pay for education."

THE THIRD DEGREE: ALBUS CAVUS

Still from Quality of Life, which gets its NJ premiere this weekend

If you've driven or walked through New Brunswick or Highland Park, the name Albus Cavus probably rings a bell. The artist collective was founded four years ago as a basement gallery, and now engages in public art and murals, as well as more traditional gallery shows at the New Brunswick train station and Yoga Vayu. The group is currently working on a large-scale outdoor gallery, slated to open in mid-2007, but right now, it has film on the brain. This weekend on Rutgers' New Brunswick campus, film and video works about graffiti, street art, and the overall urban environment will be screened as part of the Street Art Film Festival. Films include the feature-length Quality of Life, as well as shorts from artists from locales as wide-ranging as Brazil, Washington, D.C, the Netherlands, New York City, and, of course, New Brunswick. We recently spoke with the co-founder of Albus Cavus, Peter Krsko, about the film festival.

MEDIA MASSAGE: WHAT MULCAHY MISSED

Editors' Note: This Media Massage column is a little later than usual, because it was, in its original form, a letter to the editor of the Star-Ledger. It was printed today. (For some reason, it is not available online.)

Robert E. Mulcahy, in defending the Rutgers' football program, ["Football helps Rutgers reach its goal," 11.1.06] points to "a small but vocal group of people who say they are troubled by the team's success." I consider myself a part of this minority, as someone who has repeatedly called into question the focus on football. Mulcahy argues that "the program" -- not the University as a whole, mind you -- "is successfully balancing athletic and academic success." He then goes on to site the academic success of student-athletes at Rutgers.

All this is fine and well, but what Mulcahy doesn't mention in his op-ed are the drastic cuts -- $50 million worth -- in academic programs, staff and student services (not to mention other sports), that are being felt all across the University. For Rutgers to cut so much academic funding while not cutting funding for football is bad enough. But for Rutgers officials to make the argument that the football team's success is somehow going to "help Rutgers reach its goal" of being a world-class public institution and not even address the cuts is disgusting.

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BEYOND RADIO

What does podcasting’s ever-increasing popularity mean?
By Matt Hunger

"But is it really broadcasting if there's no one there to receive?" intones Steve Albini, the front man and brains of Shellac, craning his neck awkwardly to reach the microphone before him, asking his contemporary reassessment of that philosophical cliché. Rhetorically. But not.

His blue jumpsuit is turning gray from sweat, his glasses are fogging up, his hands are nowhere near the guitar he's probably supposed to be playing at this point in the song. Meanwhile the drums and bass continue their incessant hit, metronome monotonous, a painful slow dirge.

Appropriate to the music, Albini's question – inadvertently posing the beginnings of a dissertation on new media- is part of a eulogy for the then-recent passing of legendary DJ John Peel. But it seems clear that Albini commiserates more than just the passing of Peel, as the great rotting stink of the hall seems to embody the idea that something far bigger than just one person has died.

The traditional answer to the tree-forest problem is that "sound" requires both the source of sound (the tree falling) as well as a listener – otherwise it's just a bunch of meaningless waves.

"The last announcer plays the last record and the last watts leave the transmitter to circle the globe in search of a listener,” Albini continues. “Can you hear me now? It's the end of radio."

A bit dramatic, perhaps, but a serious concern all the same.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: PABLO AND ALEX ROCK!

I have no idea if this mariachi band is for sale or just for decoration -- but one thing I do know is that it is pretty cool. This photo was snapped by Kayt Hester at a C-Town in Jersey City.

We know more of you are out there, taking pictures of New Jersey. We want to feature you here -- so in Flickr, tag your NJ photos with CityBelt -- or you can just e-mail them to us. If you do either, you might be next week's Photo of the Week.

On the Web:
Kayt's Flickr page
City Belt's Flickr page

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POEM: AFTER THE FIRST DEATH, THERE IS NO OTHER

No other to speak of
no other to know -

There are bodies, nameless, soulless now,
empty carcasses, profound loss
turning mundane, TV news offering
tales of gunshots and fires and
an air force bombing raid that
incinerates as it goes, the faceless others
(call them victims, perhaps,
call them what you will)
of no concern, of less importance than
the quarterback of a losing team or
a random drug dealer shot
when a bust went bad -

After the first death -
What? -
What do you expect,
a fanfare, a public condemnation,
or maybe some level of remorse
appropriate to the occasion,
the mayor stepping forward, offering
platitudes and observations,
saying how this small child
was just an unlucky victim,
caught in the web by chance?

Just a headline, that's
what you get, in small type somewhere
back inside the paper,
or, maybe, if you're lucky,
there will be 30 seconds of video,
a mother's grief, a neighbor's shock,
but nothing more,
nothing.

-- Hank Kalet

MORE POETRY

The poem's title is the last line of "Refusal to Mourn the Death, By Fire, of a Child in London" by Dylan Thomas.

THE AGENDA: EXECUTIVE ORDER

For full calendar listings, check The Agenda. To have your event listed, please e-mail the editors.

FRIDAY | 11.10.06
Concert. Perhaps Boyz II Men really did say it best -- "we've come to the end of the road." Oh well, they probably weren't the first popsters or rockers to express such sentinments, you're right. No matter -- on with it. Tonight, New Brunswick's The Sunshine Will -- with none other than City Belt contributor Matt Hunger wielding the proverbial axe -- will play their last show ever. OK, maybe it's not a breakup on par with K-Fed and Spears, but it saddens nonetheless. Their dissonance, loathing, and noise -- and let's not forget their reverb -- will all be missed. Their sendoff is at New Brunswick's Southwest Burrito and features Philly's excellent Algebra of Need, Secret Photos, and Bubble/Gum. It all starts at 7 pm.

DAY JOB: VICTORIA MACK

Back before City Belt was launched, it was Victoria Mack -- her hectic waitressing schedule and her stunning talent -- who inspired this very column. We're coming full circle, folks. Even though her performances have been lauded by publications from the New Yorker to the Star-Ledger to Variety, she still can't quit her day job -- more proof (as if we needed it) that critical success doesn't always bring home the bacon. The 27-year-old actor is currently starring as Elizabeth in Bonnie J. Monte's adaptation of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. The show is running through Nov. 19 on the campus of Drew University in Madison.

FRAUD AND DISENFRANCHISEMENT

New Jersey needs to become the eighth state to legalize same-day voter registration.

Guest Viewpoint by Jon Shure

Editors' Note: Today is the day -- election day. Be sure to go out and vote. And be in touch with us if you notice anything weird going on, or see anything interesting. If you are having problems at the polls, you can call 1-800-792-VOTE.

It wouldn’t be out of the question to imagine that somewhere in New Jersey, someone in late October woke up not only to a new day, but also to a new interest in politics. Maybe it was the war in Iraq that made him or her feel for the first time energized about taking part in the electoral process. This person might well think, “I’ve never cared about politics before but this US Senate race has really captured my attention. I think Kean/Menendez/fill in the blank is speaking for me and I want to make sure he’s elected. There’s a lot at stake and for once in my life I want to participate. This matters to me.”

Eager to act on this headiness, our person marches straight to town hall and proudly registers to vote -- only to be told thank you very much, and you can cast your first vote next year.

Next year? But there’s an election this November. What’s the problem?

No problem, you just missed the deadline. It was October 17th.

Deadline? Why is there a deadline for signing up to vote three weeks before the election?

Um, because we’re afraid of fraud?

LIVES (AND VOTES) LOST

After he spent 17 years in prison, DNA evidence proved Larry Peterson's innocence.

Prisoners, parolees and probationers cannot vote in New Jersey -- but for one former prisoner who was wrongfully convicted and can, it's the last thing on his mind.

By Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg

Nothing ties Larry Peterson to the rape and murder of Jacqueline Harrison but the stubborn say-so of the Burlington County prosecutor's office. Their obstinance makes sense when you consider that Peterson is planning a civil suit and demanding an investigation into those responsible for his wrongful conviction and 17 years in prison.

THE THIRD DEGREE: MARK WHITECAGE & ROZANNE LEVINE

Photo by Rozanne Levine

They say repressive and conservative politics often sows the seeds for expressive and groundbreaking art. McCarthyism and post-war consumerism led to the hippies, the narrative goes, and later, the ascendance of Reagan led to political hardcore and punk, not to mention hip-hop. In the George W. Bush era, there have been myriad artistic responses, from Neil Young to Green Day to the Coup. Jazz veteran Mark Whitecage has added his two cents with "BushWacked," an angry indictment of the Bush administration, the war, and failed neoconservative policy. Noisy, violent bursts of free jazz mingle with smooth walking basslines -- then the music recedes and the spoken word comes in and tells the stories of life during wartime. Whitecage, along with his wife and bandmate Rozanne Levine, will lead what promises to be a raucous performance of "BushWacked" this Tuesday, at the closing reception for What Have You Got To Say? 2006, the excellent and wide-ranging exhibit of political art at Mana Fine Arts in Jersey City. Whitecage and Levine recently took the time to answer some questions from City Belt.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

Kamaya was probably the youngest protester at the weekly peace vigil in Highland Park when this photo was taken, but she had one of the strongest signs.

We know more of you are out there, taking pictures of New Jersey. We want to feature you here -- so in Flickr, tag your NJ photos with CityBelt -- or you can just e-mail them to us. If you do either, you might be next week's Photo of the Week.

On the Web:
City Belt's Flickr page

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POEM: NO SHIRT NO SHOES NO SERVICE

Out of work
I walk into
the Hindu
convenience store
downstairs from
the crummy
apartment
ask the proprietor
for a pack
of smokes
on credit. 

BUT I DIGEST ... (CLAM) SOUP FOR THE SOUL

• 

By Kimberly Kaye

There is a prelude to autumn in the air this morning, a slight chill at the edge of the breeze. It is not yet the characteristic fall bite that pierces flimsy clothing, just the exuberant front end of a post-summer gust which travels freely now that the oppressive humidity has lifted. It is accompanying the muted light of a rainy dawn, scooting through the cracked window and energizing my companion and I at this ungodly, unreasonable hour of the morning. The rain itself is lifting as the sky lightens, revealing a promise of sun, a tease of pure blue sky.

I do not have the presence of mind to celebrate this potential blessing, or to take in the changing scenery as we glide off the Parkway. Today I am consumed by something greater. Today, I have clams on the brain.

THE AGENDA: EXECUTIVE ORDER

For full calendar listings, check The Agenda. To have your event listed, please e-mail the editors.

Friday | 11.3.06
Concert. It’s CMJ time again, and NYC’s clubs are filled with music writers, bloggorific hipsters, industry types, and, of course, bands “on the cusp” – all just hoping that someone will take to their particular brand of indie rock. Over here in Jersey, where the shows aren’t as glamorous (or as perennially sold-out), Maxwell’s plays host to an amazing showcase tonight. City Belt contributor Tris McCall is being backed by members of the late Cropduster, he promises to “slay you” with “songs that explicitly thematize how royally screwed-up the ‘alternative’ music industry is.” As if that alone weren’t worth the cover, Asbury Park’s Rachel Zamsteen opens the show with her soul-inflected pop gems, the dark pop-rock of Della Valle -- the evening is rounded out by the Jersey power-pop of Readymade Breakup.

DAY JOB: TYSON THORNE

Graphic designers are an interesting bunch. They are clearly artistically-inclined, and in many cases, they truly get to express these tendencies through the art of graphic design. But for other designers, who might fall into a corporate hierarchy of sorts, they're left wondering how such an "artistic" career could be so explicitly not artistic, as they pick from the three colors and four fonts allowed by the front office.

Tyson Thorne is a graphic designer by day, and an art photographer by evening and weekend, I suppose. The 30-year-old Jersey City resident takes wonderfully bright and bold photographs of urban life, or as he says, he "documents the people and places I come in contact with." This includes an ongoing project photographing people wearing the likeness of the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. Thorne currently has a show of photos, DEMO, hung at LIFE in Jersey City. The opening cocktail reception is this Saturday, Nov. 4, from 6-11 pm.

THE THIRD DEGREE: SHELDON RAMPTON

The co-author of The Best War Ever discusses Iraq, propaganda, the Bush administration and the press.
By Jon Whiten

If you go into a bookstore these days, the number of books deconstructing the failure of the Iraq War is astonishing. While the proliferation is certainly welcome, this sub-genre has clearly become a major publishing trend.

One book you might see at the store next to The Freedom, A Good War is Hard to Find, or 10 Excellent Reasons Not to Join the Military is The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Mess in Iraq. But co-authors Rampton and John Stauber, both from The Center for Media and Democracy, aren’t new to the game: this marks their second book since the invasion of Iraq. Rampton recently discussed the book with City Belt.