Class Talkers

US Navy Commander Derek “Leopard” Lloyd, a former Navy SEAL, is now the Senior Medical Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, steaming in the Western Pacific, and he soon finds himself at the center of escalating events as nations maneuver for control of resources in the South China Sea. These events have Lloyd grappling with personal demons from long ago while at the same time a beautiful Naval Flight Officer from his past arrives to be the Admiral’s new Chief of Staff. US Air Force Staff Sergeant Ronald Anglin, a RED HORSE carpenter, is about to make the first of two parachute jumps from an MC-130J over the Florida panhandle. By the end of the day, Anglin will be on his way to Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea to help build an airbase for the Philippines as he learns that his marriage is falling apart. Chinese Navy Lieutenant Commander Liang Yao, a hotheaded J-15 Flying Shark fighter pilot, is at his uncle’s side and being groomed for a fast-track career. His desire to prove himself and his animosity towards the United States soon has that career go wildly off track with the near sinking of the Vinson, bringing the two world powers to the brink of war.

Private Eye Scott Brody battles a Mexican Drug cartel on behalf of clients who are hiding the terrible truth from him. Plenty of action, gunplay and suspense in a fast moving thriller.

Mexican drug cartels and an American private eye battle a political conspiracy at the highest level of government. Our hero Scott Brody uses his wit and physical courage to overcomer great odds.

Murder Mystery involving southern race relations and powerboat racing in the Chesapeake Bay. Great characters and dialog as a veteran reporter seeks to right wrongs in a bigoted town in the USA.

A taste of an exciting action mystery by Bryan Cassiday as narrated by Tim Welch

Dave Geasey has been managing the Video Production facilities at SUNY Oneonta for nearly 35 years and he has noted some remarkable changes during that time. At the same time his mission remains consistent allowing students to learn the art and science of visual storytelling. He spoke with Media Lecturer Tim Welch

Gary Wickham an instructor of Digital Media at the State University of New York at Oneonta speaks with Tim Welch about the evolution of audio content from the days of radio broadcasting to streaming music. Both men are long-term members of the faculty in the department of Communications & Media.

SUNY Oneonta professor Rob Compton has studied the African country of Zimbabwe for more than 20 years. During that time, for former British colony known as Rhodesia has gone from the "Breadbasket of Africa" in the 20th century to one of the world's poorest economies in the 21st century. It's an amazing story of white colonialism, failed land reform and now hyper inflation. Dr. Compton is a frequent visitor to this land once known for its gold mines.

Dr. Rahul Rastogi for several years has been studying the phenomenon of Indian farmers killing themselves in ever increasing numbers. He attributes this tragedy to a variety of factors, the greatest of which is the inability to communicate the hopelessness they feel. Dr. Rastogi had a wide-ranging conversation about many elements of the world's most populous democracy with host Tim Welch.

Dr. Karen Stewart, a professor in the Communications & Media dept. at SUNY Oneonta is the guest this week on Class Talkers with Tim Welch. Karen has designed some innovative courses designed to learn about and with the 21st century media phenomenon commonly known as video games.

Dr. Theron Verdon is a professor of Communication Studies at SUNY Oneonta and is also a consultant to the U.S. military in the field of Jihadi rhetoric. This episode of Class Talkers is a conversation with host Tim Welch regarding the challenges that America faces in dealing with propaganda from Islamic political groups and Russian disinformation campaigns.

Nat Bouman has a degree in screen writing from Columbia University and has also spent time in various capacities on several film productions. Nat had a wide-ranging discussion about the movies with host Tim Welch which included classic films of the past, his student's excitement about telling stories with video and the explosion of the marketplace for digital storytelling created by streaming media.

Dr. Kristen Blinne of SUNY Oneonta's Communications & Media department talks with Tim Welch about her new book Yoga...A Remix. Yoga is has become a popular lifestyle fad in the USA, but it has roots in eastern religion and meditation which takes on added significance in the era of phone screen distraction.

History Professor Bill Simons of SUNY Oneonta is also the past president of the local chapter of United University Professions. That's the union that represents about 38,000 college employees, mostly faculty, around New York state. Professor Simons was interviewed by Tim Welch on a variety of subjects including the fading power of American labor unions.

Dean Elizabeth Dunn leads the School of Liberal Arts at SUNY Oneonta. She tells Tim Welch that the saturation of media in the 21st century including video games, social media, smart phones and the general screen economy present a challenge and an opportunity for teachers and students.

Dr. Gayane Torosyan is the immediate past chair of the Dept. of Communication and Media at SUNY Oneonta and she has strong feelings about how students discover music in the 21st century and how audio (more than radio) has taken on a new vigor in the lives of the smart phone generation. She was interviewed by Tim Welch