To The Best of Our Knowledge

from Wisconsin Public Radio

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The Pentagon has something new: a microwave mounted on a Humvee that shoots an energy beam cooking everything in its path. Is this a new weapon in our war on terrorism? No, it's the Marines' "non-lethal" device for crowd control. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the culture of control. A prison guard remembers Sing Sing. And surveillance at the ATM, at work, and even at the supermarket. Also, the view from behind bars.

U.S. Marine Corps Colonel George Fenton tells Anne Strainchamps about the military's newest "non-lethal" weapon - active denial technology. It's a microwave mounted on a Humvee that can be used to generate an impenetrable wall in riot control situations. Colonel Fenton recalls an incident from Somalia that shows how this weapon could be used in a "Black Hawk Down" situation. Also, William Staples, author of ""The Culture of Surveillance: Discipline and Social Control in the United States," tells Steve Paulson about the latest in psychographics and biometrics and why civil libertarians are worried.

Animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell, host of Wisconsin Public Radio's nationally distributed show "Calling All Pets," has a new book coming out - "The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do around Dogs." Tricia tells Jim Fleming that dog-owners should be pack leaders but in the leadership style of Ghandi. She says we should recognize status and accept it, but not reward dogs for being rude.

Journalist Ted Conover writes about his year as a prison guard in "New Jack: Guarding Sing Sing." He tells Steve Paulson that wise guards accept that they rule with the consent of the prisoners, and recalls a few of his most dramatic encounters with inmates. Also, Chris Rodriguez is a felon serving time at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, NY. Some of his writing is included in the anthology "Undoing Time: American Prisoners in their Own Words," edited by Jeff Evans. Rodriguez reads (via pay phone from inside the prison) from his essay, "Reunion," and talks with Steve Paulson about the culture of prison.

Books:

• William G. Staples, The Culture of Surveillance: discipline and social control in the United States (St. Martin's Press)
• Ted Conover, New Jack: guarding Sing Sing (Vintage)
• Jeff Evans, Undoing Time: American Prisoners in their own words (Northeastern University)
• Patricia McConnell, The Other End of the Leash: why we do what we do around dogs (Ballantine)

Music:

• ?Otra Vez? by Los Amigos Invisibles on The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera at Warner Bros. Records
• ?7" by Moby on Play at V2 Records
• ?Suffer? by Smashing Pumpkins on Gish at Caroline Records
• "All in Your Hands" and "Five" by Lamb on Fear of Fours at Mercury Records

Distribution dates:

• week of 03/17/2002 - hour 1