Filed under: Radio | Tags: Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Andrew Carnegie, Mon Valley, Homestead, George Wallace, KKK, Racism, Conscientious Objectors, Henry Clay Frick, Strikebreakers, Scabs, Amphibious Assault, Steel Mills, The Deer Hunter, Union, Pinkertons, Steel Workers, Labor Battles, Mob Rule, Allegheny County, George DeBolt, Martial Law, Amalgamated, Treason, Hippies, Flaming Moderates, Anti-War Protest, Vietnam War, Liza Minnelli, Martin Luther King Jr, Belize, Peace Corps, Draft Board, Mellon Bank, Gentrification, Reform Party, 1968, Steven Spielberg, Disney North, Buick World, Community Redevelopment, US Steel
Homestead Mills
George DeBolt takes us through the life and decline of Homestead, a town in the Mon Valley area of Pittsburgh, via his own life story. He recounts getting conscientious objector status in front of a conservative draft board, living in a prominent Protestant family in a working class Catholic neighborhood, and how he discovered his grandfather’s secret labor history. George also details Homestead’s radical labor activism as its steel mills closed in the 1980s, with protests involving hundreds of dollars in pennies, dead fish, skunk oil, safe deposit boxes, and Sunday school invasions.
As industry in the Mon Valley collapsed, its leaders did little to keep the neighborhood alive, instead relying on pie-in-the-sky schemes, involving Steven Spielberg, Buick World, Disney theme parks, Saudi sheikhs, and the state lottery. George describes all the schemes, along with his own attempts to improve the area, as well as invoking the wisdom of Liza Minnelli.
Filed under: Radio | Tags: Adidas, Architecture, Ardoyne, Battle of the Bone, Belfast, BMX, Cave Hill, David Belle, Extreme Sports, Film, Fire Service, Football, Free Running, Gary Whelan, George Clarke, Graffiti, Hollywood, Hooliganism, Jump London, Parkour, Peace Walls, PSNI, Queen's University Belfast, Sculpture, Skateboarding, Stuntmen, Supercriminals, Superheroes, Team Bacteria, Traceurs, Victoria Square, Waterfront Hall, Yellow Fever Productions, YouTube, Zombies
Gary at City Hall
Parkour Jumps & Vaults
Filed under: Radio | Tags: Allergies, Belfast, Butchers, Cooking, Cracow City, Cregagh Road, Farming, Immigrants, Meat, Organic, Poland, Polish Food, Restaurant, Slaughterhouse, St. George's Market, Supermarkets, Tesco
Cracow City Restaurant
This week: food in Belfast.
First, to the city’s first Polish restaurant, Cracow City, located on the Cregagh Road in East Belfast. Its owner tells of why he opened Cracow City, how he’s adapted Polish home-cooking to the Irish palate, and upcoming events at the restaurant. He also treats us to a Polish sing-along, with some of Cracow City’s customers providing him back-up vocals.
Then, to St. George’s Market to hear from Brian Wallace, who runs an independent organic farm with his family near Coleraine. They sell fruits, vegetables and meat at the market every Saturday. He explains why they decided to start their own farm, what the advantages and drawbacks of going organic are, and how local farmers cope with the business practices of supermarket giants like Tesco.
Kristof, Cracow City's owner
Filed under: Radio | Tags: Alcohol, Ballymena, Bouncers, Colorado, Gym, Mixed Martial Arts, Northern Ireland, Rodney Moore, Ultimate Fighting Championship
Rodney Moore
Episode 21 goes to Ballymena, to Rodney Moore’s gym. He works as a bouncer along with the other guys at his gym, and they also train for Ultimate Fighting Championship. Rodney explains what it means to be a bouncer, how they can spot trouble, and what they’ve done to clean up Ballymena night life. Also on topic: the growing scene of UFC and mixed martial arts in Ballymena and beyond.
In the Gym
