Media Edge

"The Story of Citizens United vs. FEC" (9 minutes)
An exploration of the inordinate power that corporations exercise in our democracy.

"The Story of Electronics" (8 minutes)
The high-tech revolution's collateral damage: 25 million tons of e-waste and counting, poisoned workers and a public left holding the bill. Host Annie Leonard takes viewers from the mines and factories where our gadgets begin to the horrific backyard recycling shops in China where many end up. The film concludes with a call for a green 'race to the top' where designers compete to make long-lasting, toxic-free products that are fully and easily recyclable.

"The Story of Broke" (8 minutes)
The United States isn’t broke; we’re the richest country on the planet and a country in which the richest among us are doing exceptionally well. But the truth is, our economy is broken, producing more pollution, greenhouse gasses and garbage than any other country. In these and so many other ways, it just isn’t working. But rather than invest in something better, we continue to keep this ‘dinosaur economy’ on life support with hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax money. The Story of Broke calls for a shift in government spending toward investments in clean, green solutions -- renewable energy, safer chemicals and materials, zero waste and more -- that can deliver jobs AND a healthier environment. It’s time to rebuild the American Dream; but this time, let’s build it better.

"Dakota 38" (78 minutes)
In the spring of 2005, Jim Miller, a Native spiritual leader and Vietnam veteran, found himself in a dream riding on horseback across the great plains of South Dakota. Just before he awoke, he arrived at a riverbank in Minnesota and saw 38 of his Dakota ancestors hanged. At the time, Jim knew nothing of the largest mass execution in United States history, ordered by Abraham Lincoln on December 26, 1862. "When you have dreams, you know when they come from the creator... As any recovered alcoholic, I made believe that I didn't get it. I tried to put it out of my mind, yet it's one of those dreams that bothers you night and day."  Four years later, embracing the message of the dream, Jim and a group of riders retrace the 330-mile route of his dream on horseback from Lower Brule, South Dakota to Mankato, Minnesota to arrive at the hanging site on the anniversary of the execution. "We can't blame the wasichus anymore. We're doing it to ourselves. We're selling drugs. We're killing our own people. That's what this ride is about, is healing." This is the story of their journey- the blizzards they endure, the Native and Non-Native communities that house and feed them along the way, and the dark history they are beginning to wipe away.

"Hiwar" (12 minutes)
Iraqi artists and writers wanted a cultural centre in Baghdad for years. After the war with Iran, the 1991 Gulf War and ongoing sanctions, they could not wait for peace. So the Hiwar Centre was opened in 1992.

Details
Episode Number: 
431
Duration: 
58 min 38 sec
PBCore FCC Ratings: 
PBCore Languages: 
Category: 
DCTV - Sponsored Programs
Disposition: 
DCTV Digital Library
Format: 
MPEG2 - MP4