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WKMS Commentaries

WKMS welcomes community members to self-voice self-authored compositions that express opinion, introspection or humor on topics of interest and importance to our audience. If you have an opinion, interest or review you'd like to share with WKMS listeners, please see the guidelines below. The views expressed in commentaries are of the opinion of the commentator and don't necessarily reflect the views of WKMS.
Constance Alexander
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The Persistence of Memory
Many folks have made it their tradition to celebrate Independence Day with relatives close and distant. If you’re one of those distant relatives, that means traveling home for the holiday. Constance Alexander recently visited her childhood home of Metuchen, New Jersey and observed, as you may this weekend, that over many years, some things have changed and some things have stayed the same.
Legislative Session 2010 (a poem)
The Kentucky General Assembly wrapped up its 2010 legislative session recently, but failed to accomplish its primary goal of crafting a state budget. Writer and producer of "Poetry Minutes" Constance Alexander reflects on the state of Kentucky through a poem of her own.
I am connected to the world because of WKMS
It's Act II of the Spring Fundraiser and Constance Alexander pledges her support to WKMS. Moving from New Jersey to western Kentucky may have been a bit of a culture shock, but WKMS made her feel at home and kept her connected to the world.
Constance Alexander is Faculty Scholar/Arts & Humanities at Murray State University’s Teacher Quality Institute. Her books are available at the Murray State University Bookstore or through Amazon.com.
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Brian Clardy  |
Rumpole of the Bailey, Classic British TV for the Summer Months
For television fanatics, the summer months can be long, grueling and disorienting. While production companies ready their fall season line-ups, viewers are left with a seemingly endless stream of re-runs. As an antidote for this summer affliction, Doctor Brian Clardy recommends turning to television shows of the past, and digs out a classic British series about an eccentric barrister named Horace Rumpole.
Open Letter to President Obama on Global Nuclear Security
On Thursday, April 8th President Barack Obama and Russian Federation President Dimitri Medvedev signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, signaling a change in relations between the two countries. History Professor Doctor Brian Clardy writes this open letter to President Obama about the future of nuclear weaponry and global security.
Crisis and Opportunity: President Obama and Sino - U.S. Relations
During the 2008 presidential campaign, then candidate Barack Obama promised a change in U.S. approach to foreign policy. History Professor Dr. Brian Clardy believes the president has since been instrumental in creating positive transformative efforts, but says the overall status and tone of U.S. - Chinese relations will be the single most tenuous foreign policy dilemma the Obama Administration will face.
Dr. Brian Clardy is an Assistant Professor of History and teaches 20th Century United States diplomatic history at Murray State University. He is also the host of Café Jazz on Thursday nights.
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Michael Cohen  |
Uncommon Mystery: Talking about Detective Fiction
Last Tuesday, mystery fans celebrated the 90th birthday of award-winning novelist P.D. James. James is most famous for her iconic poet-policeman Adam Dalgliesh . Her most recent book, published in 2009, is a work of literary cricitism, titled Talking about Detective Fiction. Fellow mystery critic Michael Cohen peeks through the pages of this “entertaining” analysis of the genre.
Uncommon Mystery: Moth
Michael Cohen peeks through the pages of an uncommon mystery about an existential detective investigating the murder of an old love on New Orleans' mean streets.
Uncommon Mystery: The Third Encounter
Michael Cohen peeks through the pages of The Third Encounter by Sara Woods, who herself was a member of many mystery writer societies. This uncommon mystery features British barrister Antony Maitland on the case involving an old friend, who has been murdered.
Michael Cohen is Professor Emeritus at Murray State University. His book Murder Most Fair: The Appeal of Mystery Fiction was published by Fairleigh Dickinson University Press and is available on Amazon.com.
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Darlene Mazzone  |
"WKMS is a journalistic gem"
Darlene Mazzone of Paducah Life Magazine listens to WKMS all day, every day. She enjoys news in the morning, jazz in the evening and everything in between. She could be considered a die-hard listener. From one die-hard to another, she urges you to support WKMS during our autumn membership drive.
Darlene Mazzone of Mazzone Communications publishes Paducah Life.
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Richard Nelson  |
Judicial overreach versus the democractic process
The issue of marriage and equality is in the news again after a California judge overturned the controversial Proposition 8. In Kentucky, the 6th U-S Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the ban on Ten Commandment displays in county courthouses. Commentator Richard Nelson says both decisions were left to a single or small group of judges rather than being open to the democratic process. For contentious issues like these, he proposes judges show restraint, not overreach.
Speech rights harmed when Court bars Ten Commandments
In the 2005 US Supreme Court case, McCreary County vs ACLU of Kentucky, government-sponsored displays of the Ten Commandments in county courthouses were ruled unconstitutional. The Court held that the Ten Commandments indicate a religious object unless integrated with a secular message - for example: an analytical or historical connection as in displays like The Bill of Rights or The Magna Carta. In early June, the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ban, refueling advocates both for and against the issue. Richard Nelson opposes the decision, saying speech rights are harmed as a result.
Domestic partnership debate hits Murray State
Universities across the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky have either adopted or shown interest in a controversial measure allowing domestic partnership benefits to their employees. Richard Nelson says Kentucky’s academic institutions should stick to education, not “social engineering.”
Richard Nelson is a policy analyst for The Family Foundation, a nonprofit public policy organization. He currently resides in Trigg County with his family.
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Joe Tarentino
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Cleaning Up Paducah's Uranium Enrichment Plant (series)
It's been 60 years since the Atomic Energy Commission announced Paducah would become the site of the Nation's second uranium enrichment plant.
In the first of this five part series, Paducah Remediation Services Communication Manager Joe Tarantino addresses the history of the Gaseous Diffusion Plant and outlines of the Department of Energy's involvement in the clean-up process.
In the second of this week's five part series, Joe Tarentino elaborates on the discovery of contamination at the site, the ongoing environmental investigations, and the steps taken by the Department of Energy to protect the citizens of Western Kentucky.
In the third of this week's five part series, Joe Tarentino takes a brief look at the environmental laws that control the cleanup process and the agencies tasked with applying those laws.
In the fourth of this week’s five part series, Joe Tarentino explores opportunities made available to the Department of Energy’s stakeholders that provide for public involvement in the cleanup process.
Joe Tarentino is the Communication Manager for Paducah Remediation Services.
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Mary Thorsby  |
Mary Thorsby of iListPaducah loves Fresh Air on WKMS
Mary Thorsby of iListPaducah.com said she loves her job, but the only person she would trade with is Terry Gross, of Fresh Air. Fresh Air is one of the newer shows in the WKMS program schedule. Mary Thorsby listens to Fresh Air on WKMS, her public radio home since moving to Paducah. In this commentary, she talks about her favorite program on WKMS.
Mary Thorsby is a professional blogger on iListPaducah.com
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Robert Valentine
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The Star Studded Banner
If you went to the county fair, or almost any other event last Fourth of July, you probably heard at least one rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. Commentator Robert Valentine says he loves America’s anthem as much as anyone here in the Land of the Free, but he does take umbrage when singers needlessly dress it up on the stage.
Ladies and Gentlemen . . . Hazards of the Emcee
Whether it's a wedding reception or the Academy Awards, the Master of Ceremonies often plays a critical role, and they come in varying species and levels of quality. Robert Valentine hosts this commentary on the types, tasks, and hazards of the emcee.
Robert Valentine is a professional Speaker, Storyteller, and Senior Lecturer at Murray State University in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. Visit his website, here.
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Got an opinion, review or topic of interest you want to share on the radio?
Why not be a commentator on WKMS?
WKMS welcomes community members to self-voice self-authored compositions that express opinion, introspection or humor on topics of interest and importance to our audience. WKMS will help commentators craft compositions. Commentaries can be on any topic from politics to pets or from book reviews to music reviews - so long as they follow the guidelines below.
The station will review every script before it is recorded with respect to:
1. Libel or slander.
2. Content that is more promotional than provocative.
3. Accuracy.
4. Personal attacks.
5. Political or religious content that promotes rather than informs.
6. Appropriate usage, language and form for civil discourse.
The station will assist authors with:
1. Making appropriate edits.
2. Bringing the communication to proper time length, generally about 600 words or 3 to 4 minutes of spoken word.
3. Recording the communication in the WKMS studio (unless other arrangements that yield equally acceptable audio are agreed to).
4. Editing the communication and placing it in the WKMS schedule.
WKMS will require authors to provide the station a final script that will be filed in the news department and will be placed on the station's web site.
WKMS will need authors to provide a suggested introduction for each communication as well as a standard announcer outro script that includes author name, general place of residence, and whatever other personal information might lend authority or authenticity to the communication.
WKMS will schedule produced communications and inform the author of time(s). Generally these are aired three times each, but the rotation is solely at the discretion of the station.
WKMS will refuse to air communications that violate rules of the Federal Communications Commission for non-commercial, educational stations. Further, WKMS will refuse to air communications that would, for any reason, undermine its goodwill with the audience it serves.
If you find these terms agreeable, please email wkmsnews@murraystate.edu to schedule a time in a studio to record.
Visit our Contact Us page here for more communication information.
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