Dick Sonntag – brother of State Auditor Brian Sonntag – is a former Tacoma City Councilman and School Board member. I sat down with him on August 22 at Port Orchard’s Puerto Vallarta restaurant to discuss his family’s pet issues like open government and the future of democracy in public education and beyond.

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.

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This week I talk about Dennis Kucinich introducing of articles of impeachment against George W. Bush, the new name of Pluto and more.

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I’d also like to thank all the Melonites for putting together a great week of posts. Fantastic job!

Electric Elliot

Found this after I recorded: Kucinich is making this happen!

Super Electric is on FIRE! In this episode I cover a recent study that challenges privacy laws and the possible discrimination at the Seattle Mariners game.

PS: If you have some free time this afternoon, head over to Frost Park in Tacoma at noon and check out the Chalk Competition.

Electric Elliot

In this episode, I discuss a number of topics ranging from same-sex marriage to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels telling Seattleites to “be good” and issues with nudity and sexuality.

I probably shouldn’t record these after I’ve been at work late, because sometimes I’m not too intelligible. But I imagine these shows will get better some day (go optimism and pathos rhetoric).

Electric Elliot

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:

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

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

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