Claire Hagan on Ron Paul

USA on NI - Scott Nicolson

Scott, in Avatar Form

University of Pittsburgh offers a class on the politics of Northern Ireland every semester.  Tony Novosel teaches it with the intention that it will be the most challenging – and most involving – class the students will ever take. 

The veterans of the class — like Scott Nicolson, heard here — leave with an intricate understanding of the Troubles, as well as some insight into the unexpected comic book connections + psychological conditions of the province.

produced for The Politics Show

 Another World Episode 41

Terri Hooley

Terri Hooley, purveyor of the Good Vibrations record shop in Belfast, and the man who released The Undertones’ “Teenage Kicks” talks about the evolution of the music scene in the city.  Even as his contemporaries abandoned Northern Ireland for less bombs and more culture, Terri stuck to the city.  From Them + Van Morrison playing the Martime Hotel in the 1960s, through the coming of punk with shouts of SS RUC, to the current crop of young Belfast talent, he walks us through his unprofitable, trouble-making, fame-brushing career.

Another World Ep. 40

Rick Washington

Rick Washington, a video games designer and teacher at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, explains the psychology of popular video games. He also discusses the growing field of serious video games, the four personality types of gamers, and the morality programmed into the games.

Another World Episode 39

Belfast past midnight

Thriteen years ago, Nervys Young came from a village outside of London to Northern Ireland.  She intended to stay for a three year degree program and has not left since.  Ned talks about how totally naive she was when she first moved here, whether she’s ever considered herself a local, how people react to her accent, and why she hasn’t run for the hills yet.

Another World Ep. 38

Kornel in Normandy

This summer Kornel Andrys quit his job as an architect in Belfast and hitchhiked back home to Poland. In today’s episode, he recounts his journey: how he found truck drivers to take him, which countries were best and worst for hitchhiking, how he stayed hygienic, and whether he’d ever trade office work for life on the road.

In the second half of the show, Tom Macic, the owner of The Celtic Cross, in the South Hills of talks about his Irish shop. He sells all kinds of Irish clothing, sweets, music, and miscellany to Pittsburghers and Irish and British expats. Tom explains what sells, what tea makes American tea taste like boiled popsicle sticks, and what the Irish American scene in Pittsburgh looks like.

Foreign Nationals on the US Election

Another World Episode 37

Liam Watson

Two Belfast stand-up comedians on today’s episode.  First, Liam Watson, who started performing earlier this year and now is organizing and compering a fortnightly gig at the Pavilion. Liam talks about when he learned he was funny, what finally pushed him into taking the stage, and what he envisions for the future of Belfast comedy.

Then Paddy McGaughey sizes up how tortured his soul is, why he’s invented a girlfriend, whether he can perform with a stomachful of beer, and why stand up comedy is the best career ever. Plus!: his newest joke, written fresh that day.

The comedy night Liam organizes is every other Monday night at the Middle Bar at the Pavilion on the Ormeau Road.

Another World Episode 36

Chess in Bar Sub

It’s all about chess on episode 36, with interviews with three members of the QUB Chess Club, Chris Millar, Steve Scannell and Ciara Pugh. Since the club was brought back to life in 2005, its players have found great success, winning the title of Irish University Champions last year and Ulster Club Champions this year. This month, several of the Queen’s players head to Greece for a Europe-wide tournament. In today’s episode, Chris, Steve and Ciara talk about their entry into the world of chess, their stress levels, their game faces, their addictions, and their strategies for victory.

Another World Episode 35

Ahmed Seyar Zia

Ahmad Seyar Zia is, as he has proclaimed himself to be, the King of Love.  He is a young Afghan man, studying abroad in India now.  Born in Kabul, raised in different places around Afghanistan and Pakistan, he has developed his own life philosophies that, he finds, hold him apart from most other young people around him.  

 In today’s interview, Ahmad talks about growing up in the tumultuous past decades of Aghanistan, of the religious and philosophical system he’s developed, of taking up Tae Kwan Do after his brother lost his leg in a mine explosion, and why he’s intent on returning to his country. 

Ian Knox is one of Northern Ireland’s premier political cartoonists.  After studying for a career in architecture, he made his way into the world of cartooning and now contributes to a whole array of outlets – including The Irish News, Hearts & Minds, Sky News, and The Guardian.  He talks about why he likes to annoy people, how he knows if his cartoons succeed in their attempts to shove his opinions down the audience’s throats, which politicians he most likes to draw, and how he survives his daily threat of a heart attack.

Ronan Breathnach-Cashell

 Another World Episode 34

Common Grounds

Today we begin with coffee and end up with teeth.  First a Common Grounds barista-slash-waiter tells about his work in the cafe.   Tucked away in the Holylands, the cafe is only a few years old, attached to City Church, and run with the help of volunteers and profits going to charities. 

Then, up to the Lisburn Road to hear from Adam Jaffa of Gentle Dental Care, all about the dental practice — especially the increasingly popular cosmetic procedures it offers.  Dentistry can be fun, he claims, and he explains how the practice ended up going beyond teeth, to move into the world of art (especially local work) and charity activities in Africa.

Another World Episode 33

A Hairpiece at Shauna's Shop

We go to Chameleon Hair Extensions in Smithfield Market to hear from shop owner Shauna Mullan all about hair.  She’s been dong hair extensions and weaves since she was a young teenager and business has blossomed for her in the past decade, as more women in Belfast want hair extensions and many have bad experiences with home jobs or inexperienced stylists, resulting in bald spots, lumpy hair, matted clumps and other disasters.

Shauna discusses how she got into the hair extension business, where the hair comes from, what the concerns and preferences of the customers are, and why hair is so important.

Another World Episode 32

Michael MacBroom

It’s all about local independent filmmaking this week, with conversations with two young filmmakers, Michael MacBroom & Stuart Sloan.  Michael wrote and directed a feature film, finished earlier this year, called I Wanted To Talk To You Last Night, and is now working on a second feature to begin shortly. 

Stuart Sloan

Stuart worked on the feature too, and has completed his own film recently, a short documentary on cranes and redevelopment in the city.

You can see Stuart’s crane film, Counterweight, at his YouTube site, http://www.youtube.com/ user/sloanowski, and there you can also find a short documentary with Michael MacBroom about the making of his first feature.