He probably knows more about rocket launchers, refugees and environmental degradation than half the bureaucrats in the United Nations, and over the last 20 years Bruce Cockburn has refined his way of exploring them in song. However, it wasn’t always politics and it isn’t today.

His love songs are among his most introspective pieces. Cockburn approaches his music as a conversation; he’ll put his travels, his ideas and his emotions into wondering where the landmines are, and he desires something in return, a response, a reaction. A recent album of his is “Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu” and he takes his global citizenship seriously. Part folkie, part beat-poet and part ‘wandering minstrel.’

Guests:

Bruce Cockburn, singer, songwriter, activist.

Whether it’s the “clickety-clickety whoosh” of the old steam train, or sitting down to a seven-course meal on the venerable City of New Orleans – Americans love trains. Unfortunately most train lovers are so caught up in the rail-side penny-flattening nostalgia of the steel rail, there’s not a lot of thought given to rail travel as it can be. Bullet trains that rip along at over 200 miles per hour are popular in Asia and Europe. But, the sad story of Amtrak chugs along, frustrating travelers, politicians, and promoters of better rail service.
A new report says “break it up, sell it off, let the market rule.” Others say that would effectively de-rail passenger train travel in all but a couple of high traffic corridors.

Guests:

Jonathan Richmond, transportation consultant, former fellow at Harvard University’s Taubman Center, and author of “The Private Provision of Public Transport”

Jim Motavalli, Editor of “E Magazine” and author of “Breaking Gridlock”

and Nancy Connery, member of the Amtrak Reform Council and an independent transportation consultant.

Markets hate a loser. When Enron went belly-up late last year, it didn’t take long for the analysts who’d been singing the praises of the energy dynamo to shift into a new chorus: “Of course it was too good to be true.” Better to forget about Enron. Move on. Buy and sell other stocks. Make more money. But a skeptical public is looking more carefully now at auditing, promotion and trading. The return to “business as usual” is not so brisk. If there’s anything the markets hate more than a loser, it’s fear. Fear that there’s another house of cards out there waiting to fall.

Guests:

Jim Stanton, Editor of “Low Risk Strategy Daily”

and Mark Zandi, economist with Economy.com

Enron, once the King of Energy Alley, is now being considered the Grand Daddy of Corporate Fraud.This last week the nation has seen a series of shrugged shoulders, between the, “I don’t know,” of Arthur Andersen’s Joe Berardino, answering Congress’ questions about the firm’s auditing activities; to the, “He didn’t know,” of Kenneth Lay’s wife, defending her husband’s non-actions in the debacle; and the, “We didn’t know,” of Enron’s Board in a scathing report blaming the exec’s for widespread deceit. Now a few more key players are set to appear on the Congressional stage, including Andrew Fastow, Enron’s former CFO, and Jeffrey Skilling, the once-President of the empire. What these men say, or don’t say, is yet to be heard. But information suggests that they are quite in the know. And at some point, someone has to give. In the enigmatic Enron game, who should be held accountable for the company’s crash, burn and bankruptcy.

Guests:

Joshua Micah Marshall, Freelance writer, Senior Correspondent for The American Prospect, and editor of “Talking Points Memo”

Philip Inglima, Partner at Baach, Robinson & Lewis in Washington DC

former Senior Independent Counsel in the investigation of Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt

Israeli army officers, in small but significant numbers, are signing a petition and taking a stand. They say the occupation of Palestinian land corrupts Israeli society. They say it has nothing to do with security, that it simply perpetuates humiliation and harassment of the Palestinian people. They say they will not cross the line and serve in the occupied territories. Just under 200 reservists are signed on so far, but it’s attracting the attention of Israel’s military and political leaders who say refusal to serve is sedition. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says a disobedient soldier threatens Israel’s democracy, but his tough response is generating debate in a nation where soldiers are required to refuse orders they feel are criminal.

Guests:

Peretz Kidron, with Yesh Gvul, a group that supports soldiers who refuse to serve

Yaron Ezrahi, writer, and political scientist at Hebrew University, and author of “Rubber Bullets: Power and Conscience in Modern Israel”

Efraim Inbar, political scientist at Bar-Ilan University and director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies

and Jacob Dellal, a spokesman for the IDF.

A few months back, when Garth Fagan received the Scripps American Dance Festival award for lifetime achievement in modern dance, he was praised as “a true original, a man who has created a singular dance language.” Perhaps one of the best expressions of the man’s talent is that when dancers join the Garth Fagan Dance company, they stay there, some for decades. Dance is a brutal profession. Competitive, physically demanding, highly judgmental and unforgiving. But well managed and carefully choreographed, a dance company gives us grace and beauty, one of the highest expressions of the human spirit. Jamaican-born Garth Fagan has been leading

Guests:

Garth Fagan, founder and artistic director, Garth Fagan Dance.