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The 98th edition of Pagan Weekly News aired at 9am Central on 18 June 2013. Among many topics discussed, RevKess and Zaracon spent some time with Summer Solstice, some recent and upcoming book releases and an update on PRISM and Edward Snowden.

Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice is being celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere this time of year. It is also known as Litha by some and Midsummer by others. The names for this festival vary depending on your tradition, heritage, culture and region. Suffice it to say, it is a celebration of Summer and of Life.

Our friends in the Southern Hemisphere are celebrating the Winter Solstice or Yule. We give a salute to them with a song at the end of the show.

LINKS

• Wikipedia‘s Summer Solstice, non-Pagan entry.
  • Midsummer
  • Kupala‘s Feast, the celebration of a little known Eastern European Goddess?
• Pagan Spirit Gathering is one of the most popular summer festivals in the United States. Hosted by Circle Sanctuary, PSG is now held at Stonehouse Farm outside Earlville, IL. PSG is well underway at the time of our broadcast, but we still wanted to share news and information with our listeners who could not attend this year’s festivities.
  • Wikipedia’s article on PSG.
  • Recent change of venue, an article on PNC-Minnesota
  • Official information page from Circle Sanctuary. Also the page to watch for PSG2014.
  • This year’s Musicians.
  • This year’s Presenters.
  • This year’s Approved Worshops.
  • Leadership Institute
  • PSG 2013 Ritual lineup.
• The Wild Hunt gives us a list of books to look out for this Summer. That led Z and RevKess to talk about some books they have recently read or are currently reading.
  • Pagans and the Law by Dana D. Eilers
  • Evolutionary Witchcraft by T Thorn Coyle
  • Make Magic of Your Life: Passion, Purpose and the Power of  Desire by T Thorn Coyle
  • A Vampire’s Kiss by Laura Stamps
  • Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart
  • Companion for the Apprentice Wizard by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart
  • Dragonlore by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart
  • Steampunk Magic: Working Magic About the Airship by Gypsey Elaine Teague
  • Financial Sorcery: Magical Strategies to Create Real and Lasting Wealth by Jason Miller
• The Temple of the Nine Wells announces that their documentary “With Love From Salem” is nearing completion.
• Dr. Sabrina Magliocco, Professor of Archaeology at CalState and author of “Witching Culture: Folklore andNeo-Paganism in America” is conducting research for a new project. Part of this research includes an online survey that all Pagans in America are welcome to participate in. Read more about it on Chas Clifton’s blog.
• The Pagan History Project launched on Facebook with a new website soon to follow. “We are using “Pagan” in its broadest sense, encompassing: Witchcraft , Traditional and other, Wicca, Heathenry, Druidry, various Reconstructionisms, Magical Lodges, etc. All the groups and traditions and paths that make up the American Occult/Magical/Pagan movement from the early days ( the 1930s, 40′s 50′s…) to present. We are focusing on everything and everyone pre-1995 at this time, due to our aging population.”
• Teo Bishop announced on his blog that he is leaving the ADF and SDF, we encourage you to read his reasoning for yourself as we cannot speak for him. He says it best in his own words.

Music

1. SJ Tucker – The Truth About Ninjas – Mischief
2. Isaac Bonewits – We Won’t Shave Any Longer – Avalon is Rising!  (RevKess misspoke during the show, this is We Won’t Any Longer. Still a good song! RevKess may be making a video for We Won’t Shave Any Longer later this year.)
3. Damh the Bard – Cloak of Feathers – Herne’s Apprentice 
4. Spiral Dance – Solstice Evergreen – The Quickening

Update & Further Info on Snowden & PRISM

On Tuesday the 11th of June, 2013, RevKess reported on the PRISM scandal and the whistle blower Edward Snowden who at that time was hiding from US officials somewhere in Hong Kong. Since then, there have been some concerns on the veracity of his claims and his history.

• The Daily Bantor suggests that Edward Snowden and supporter Glenn Greenwald are beginning to fall apart at the seams.
• Mother Jones has some questions for Edward Snowden.
• The Nation thinks that Glenn Greenwald really botched things with his support of Edward Snowden.
• Andrew  Sullivan has some questions of his own for Greenwald.
• Some truths about PRISM.
• The Wall Street Journal chimes in on the discussion.
• The Daily Banter says that further scrutiny shows that some of Snowden’s claims fall apart.
• Rants.org calls the NSA FISA/PRSIM leaks a botch job.
• The Guardian’s article on Microsoft and NSA requests.
• SCMP.org pushes the envelop by hinting Snowden may be a traitor, not a whistleblower, by leaking that the US is hacking China for spy purposes.
• Yahoo News reports that Edward Snowden led a secret online life as a voice against the government spying on citizens.

Many media sites are defending Edward Snowden, the Guardian being one of them. Snowden approached the Guardian to get his story out instead of US news sources. Read why: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-profile

Yet others say he has gone from whistle blower to traitor. See the story SCMP.com “Edward Snowden: US Government has been hacking Hong Kong and China. You can also read, on the Guardian no less, how Snowden has potentially weakened his own defense if brought to trial in the US on charges of espionage: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/edward-snowden-defence

Other related articles from the Guardian:

• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/13/nsa-surveillance-guardian-poll-oversight
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/13/nsa-keith-alexander-surveillance-details
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/13/fbi-mueller-spy-tactics-9-11-boston
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/13/senators-challenge-nsa-surveillance-terrorism
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/13/hong-kong-demands-us-answer-hacking-allegations
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/13/nsa-revelations-chinese-media
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/12/edward-snowden-us-extradition-fight
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/12/edward-snowden-hong-kong-live
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/12/james-clapper-intelligence-chief-criticism
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/europe-us-privacy
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/edward-snowden-not-safe-hong-kong
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/edward-snowden-russia-asylum-request
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/edward-snowden-what-we-know-nsa
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jun/11/google-doj-permission-publish-fisa-requests
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jun/10/apple-google-giants-nsa-revelations
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2013/jun/09/data-snooping-law-abiding-citizens-nothing-fear-hague-video
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/jun/08/obama-internet-surveillance-video
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/obama-administration-pressure-nsa-surveillance

In other news….

• In a mixed decision from SCOTUS, naturally occurring DNA cannot be patented, but synthetic DNA can.
• Obama selects James Comey as the next director of the FBI.
• War in Syria: NYTimes, the Independent, the Economist and Times of Israel all report on the growing unrest and protests leading towards a possible civil war.
  • Death toll numbers from the United Nations.
  • Obama says the US will aid Syrian rebels after confirmations of chemical weapons use.
  • According to the Economist, the Syrian president’s regime may have gained a new lease on the throne with a recent victory over rebels.
  • Israeli news hub on the topic of Syrian civil war.