Interview with Fife School Board member Daniel Pace - 9/8/2008

In November of 2007 twenty-two year-old Daniel Pace unseated longtime Fife School Board incumbent Lew Wolfrom by a 59.45% landslide. He thus became the youngest person ever elected to the Fife School Board. Daniel is not a teacher, a parent, nor a native of the district. He claims he was "an average student" in school who ran cross-country but was nothing special to be sure. The son of a police officer and a working professional - both of whom live outside his school district (and thus, did not vote for him) he lacked the family connections that generally are associated with upsets like his.

Inspired by his unlikely victory, The Melon met with Daniel at Sam's Taqueria in Puyallup to discuss the many challenges that confront the young leaders of today.

Interview with John Reed - Gospel Star of Tully's of Tacoma

John Reed’s life has been filled with dramatic ups and downs. Married at 19, he once was a bright young man from a good Christian family in Ohio’s rustbelt region with a promising future marked by a full ride scholarship to his state’s university. But within a few years he would be divorced, separated from his children and addicted to drugs and alcohol. He managed to escape his situation by joining the army where he rose in the ranks to captain, only to find himself in the clutches of addiction once again. Discharged from the army, Mr. Reed checked himself into a VA rehab center in Jacksonville Mississippi. Midway through his treatment, Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf, forcing the still fragile Reed to be evacuated to another center near Fort Lewis. Last week, Mr. Reed became homeless following a dispute with his landlord and now finds himself unemployed and living at the Tacoma Rescue Center.

And yet Reed remains hopeful because of his self-evident talent for gospel music, which he now performs for spare change at Tully’s Coffee House at the intersection of 9th and Broadway in downtown Tacoma. Over the course of the following interview, Mr. Reed shares his thoughts on gospel music and how it has touched his less than blessed life. Mr. Reed ultimately concludes that perhaps gospel music is his ticket to success – as well as salvation.

Super Electric - Episode 1

Since I can't always get Peter or Chris to do a Melon or Core with me, I decided to start my own show called Super Electric. It's nothing special, and not up to the Melon/Core caliber (in fact it's basically just me being a jack ass), but it's just going to be me talking about what I find interesting in the news.

Without further ado, here's episode 1 of Super Electric:

Melon Radio Returns!

That's right,

After a brief hiatus, we're back with a whole new Melon episode. Well, it's actually only a brief version of the show, but a slice of Melon is better than some vegetable. Take a listen and enjoy. My favorite part is when I say "Defense Security" instead of "Defense Secretary".

Melon 4 (Iraq, Same-Sex Marriage, Ted Kennedy, Purple Heart):

Interview with Skip Dreps about the Purple Heart:

Electric Elliot

It's the end of Melon Radio - Final Show!

That's right folks, our final radio show on KUPS will be Saturday at noon. We've got a wonderful finale planned featuring an abundance of awesome guests.

For our first segment we're proud to bring you Frank Blair of Equal Time Radio, Veteran, Rossi Campaigner and Melonite John Alexander.

In our second half we'll appropriately be doing a focus on Independent Media and will be joined by famed Tacoma Cartoonist RR Anderson, Melonite and Indy Media fellow Joseph La Sac, and filmmaker Lila Kitaeff!

Who knows what other surprises we'll have in store for our final show. I really don't.

Tune in from noon to 2pm on 90.1FM KUPS Tacoma, or stream offline here.

Electric Elliot

Melon Radio Ep 21 Recording - Veterans

04/26/08 - Special Edition - Veterans
Guests: Professor of IPE at the University of Puget Sound David Balaam, Government Relations Director of the Northwest Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans for America Skip Drebs, Congressman representing WA 6th District Norm Dicks, US Senator Patty Murray.

The Melon - Melon 5 (Food Crisis w/Prof. Balaam and International Correspondent Walid Zafar, Zimbabwe, Hamas, Student Loans, Supersonics), Tech Report, Local Yokel.

Professor Balaam on the World Food Crisis

The Core - Veterans w/Skip Dreps

Interview with Congressman Norm Dicks

Interview with US Senator Patty Murray

Melon Radio SPECIAL EDITION - Veterans

Melonites,

I've got some exciting new for you. This Saturday we'll be focusing on Veterans Issues in our Core Section and will be having an abundance of fantastic guests. In studio we should have Government Relations Director of the Northwest chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America, Skip Dreps.

Thanks to Skip, we've also arranged phone interviews with Congressman Norm Dicks and Senator Patty Murray! 

We'll be talking with them about the recent Department of Veterans Affairs hearings and a number of issues regarding US vets ranging from mental health to homelessness.

In our first hour, Walid Zafar (our International Correspondent) will be speaking with Professor of International Political Economy at the University of Puget Sound David Balaam about the world food crisis.

This should prove to be one of The Melon's biggest shows yet, so be sure to tune in from noon to 2pm PST on 90.1 FM KUPS Tacoma or listen online here.


Electric Elliot

...more.

Melon Ep 20 Recording

04/19/08 Georgia, Haiti food crisis, Supreme Court lethal injection decision, discussion on Iraqi War. Guests: Whitney Rhodes from exit133 and Professor of English at the University of Puget Sound Hans Ostrom.

The Melon - Melon 5/Tech Report

Tech Report

The Core - exit133 report/ discussion with Hans Ostrom

This week's Melon 04/19/08

Melonites,

This week on Melon Radio we'll be joined by Whitney Rhodes of Exit133.com who will be presenting a special Tacoma report and Professor of English at the University of Puget Sound Hans Ostrom to discuss Iraq and the arts.

Tune in tomorrow at 90.1FM KUPS from noon to 2pm PST.

Melon Ep 19 Recording

04/12/08 Columbia Trade Pact, the Petraeus Paradox, the food crisis in Haiti Guest: Professor of History at the University of Puget Sound Theodore Taranovski

The Melon - Melon 5/World Report

Around the World with Walid Zafar

The Core - Interview with Professor Taranovski