February 13 is World Radio Day

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has proclaimed February 13 World Radio Day. On that day in 1946, United Nations Radio signed on the air. World Radio Day is a day to celebrate radio as a medium; to improve international cooperation between broadcasters; and to encourage major networks and community radio alike to promote access to information and freedom of expression over the airwaves.

As radio continues to evolve in the digital age, it remains the medium that reaches the widest audience worldwide. This multi-purpose medium can help people, including youth, to engage in discussions on topics that affect them. It can save lives during natural or human-made disasters; and it provides journalists with a platform to report facts and tell their stories.

UNESCO encourages all countries to celebrate World Radio Day by planning activities in partnership with regional, national and international broadcasters, non-governmental organizations, the media and the public.

The national broadcasting network in Patria, Ramrajyavani - Patria's equivalent of the BBC, All India Radio, or the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Société Radio-Canada - airs programs in English, Sanskrit and Patrienish on AM, FM, and of course shortwave. In 2001, Patria Post issued a stamp to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Voice of Patria (Ramrajyavani means literally "Voice of Patria" in Sanskrit).

Along with the Ramrajyavani networks, there are many privately-owned AM and FM stations in Patria. Unlike in the US, most of these stations provide locally-produced programs dedicated to the communities that they serve. No voice-tracking. No turnkey, satellite-feed junk. Every major city has a full-service news and information station, such as PMC-846 in Castoropolis. The only exception is in Patria's capital city, where a number of US-based right-wing talk and sports shows can be heard on stations such as PMBC-1152 and POKX-648. But with the exception of the Jim Rome show on PMBC, their ratings are minuscule compared to PMC, a grand old legacy station much like KMOX in St. Louis.

Inauguration USA: four more years for BHO

The macro-national world's "real" Inauguration Day saw Barack Obama take the oath of office (twice!) to begin his second term of office. The quadrennial ceremony in Washington DC on January 20 (but in 2013 on the 21st) is, of course, the model for the one that takes place in Castoropolis every fourth year on June 30. As January 20 - the day the terms of the president and vice-president end at noon Eastern (UTC-5) time, as mandated by the 20th Amendment of the United States Constitution - fell on a Sunday in 2013, Obama took the oath of office in a private ceremony at the White House, while the public inauguration ceremony, inaugural parade and inaugural balls were held the following day, which coincidentially was Martin Luther King Day. This "never on Sunday" tradition would not happen in Patria, as Patria has no Christian legacy to speak of. There is, however, one exception: June 30, 2002 fell on a Sunday and the inauguration of the 47th Congress was postponed until the following Monday, July 1. But not out of respect for the Christian Sabbath. The final of the 2002 World Cup was played on June 30, and Patria wouldn't dare to go head-to-head with the world's most popular sport.

Immediately after repeating the presidential oath, Mr. Obama delivered the traditional inaugural address, in which he referenced Stonewall - in the same phrase as Seneca Falls and Selma. In fact, the President specifically referenced his commitment to gay rights: "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law—for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well".

Patria salutes the US President and wishes Mr. Obama well in his second term.

Transcription of Obama's second Inaugural Address.

Mohrriors and Clones go head-to-head

 Jay Mohr, the one-time protégé of Jim Rome and occasional guest host of Rome's Jungle show, is now hosting Jay Mohr Sports head-to-head on the radio with Jim Rome in the Monday-Friday 12 noon - 3 PM time slot. In Castoropolis and Caesarea, Mohr can be heard on PHN-1251 a sports talk station whose signal does not have nearly the punch as Patria's Jim Rome flagship PMBC-1152.

Jay Mohr's listeners have been dubbed "Mohrriors". While Rome tries to be funny, Mohr's background is actually as a comedian rather than a sports talker. It remains to be seen whether Mohr can motivate his Patrienish fan base into a political force in Patria's 2014 election. With Campaign 2014 still about a year away from ramping up (election day is April 19, 2014), don't bet against the Mohrriors winning a few seats in the 50th Congress, perhaps at the expense of the Jungle Party.

Other AM radio bits in Patria's capital city: PMC-846 counters Rome and Mohr with local sports talk. They're still the top-rated station in Castoropolis, thanks to full-service local news, public affairs programming and in-depth sports talk about the Castoropolis Centurions, Senators, Capitals, and the All-Patria Football Federation. POKX-648, once the "Nifty 650" Top 40 blowtorch, spew out right wing talk, including Rush Limbaugh (also in the weekday afternoon slot in case Rome and Mohr aren't your thing).

Jungle Party's Jim Rome moves to new US network

As of Jan. 2, 2013, Jungle Party house leader Jim Rome will move his "Jungle" weekday radio show from Premiere Radio Networks, where the program had been syndicated since the 1990s, to CBS Sports Radio. Your US affiliate may change. But in Patria, the Jungle will continue on PMBC, 1152 kHz in Castoropolis, Patria's leading sports talk station.

New stamps from Patria Post for 2013

Patria Post has issued two new stamps to commemorate two birth anniversaries in January 2013: Swami Vivekananda (born in Calcutta, West Bengal on Jan. 12, 1863) and Swami Kripalvananda (born in Dabhoi, Gujarat on Jan. 11, 1913), who is affectionately known as Bapuji ("dear grandfather"). Both are revered in Patria as "spiritual grandfathers" and sources of inspiration long after their passing in 1902 and 1981 respectively.

The Vivekananda Sesquicentennial stamp depicts Swami Vivekananda as he appeared in 1893 when he spoke at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, and for all practical purposes effectively introduced Hinduism to America. Note the silhouette of 21st century Chicago skyline.

On the Kripalvananda Centennial stamp, Bapuji is shown writing on his slate. For many years he had taken a vow of silence and communicated only in this manner.

Note that on both stamps, "1" is not the denomination of one Patrienish Rupee, but denotes the current basic first class letter rate, which is about to be hiked to RsPat 25. Like Canada Post and USPS, Patria Post now issues non-denominated "forever" stamps.

Bapuji has previously appeared on a Patrienish stamp, issued in 2000. This stamp will be re-issued in 2013 as part of Patria's celebrations of Bapuji's 100th birth anniversary.

Patria is established on the principles and heritage of Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism. Nonetheless, Christmas is an official government holiday in Patria. Above is Patria Post's 2012 Christmas issue, also a non-denominated "forever" stamp.

108 Names of Parvati Devi

Parvati Devi performed this Sanskrit chant for Amma during Amma's recent hug-fest in Michigan - in November 2012, not in Dearborn, not Ypsilanti, not Ann Arbor, but in the heart of the D, downtown Detroit! Note that the honorary citizen of Patria Parvati is not singing this to or about herself. The Parvati referenced in this chant is the Goddess Parvati, i.e. the consort of Lord Shiva.

Parvati on CBC Radio One

Parvati Devi (an honorary citizen of Patria since 2010) was a guest on the CBC Radio program "Outfront". On Canada's national radio broadcaster, Parvati talks candidly about the creation of YIN: Yoga In The Nightclub, the meaning of yoga to her and the creative process behind writing, producing, and creating multi media shows.

Parvati is currently touring the United States, bringing her YIN show to Red State heartlands such as Oklahoma and Texas where evangelical Christianity and college football co-exist as the state religion. Please visit Parvati's recently revamped website, and her e-magazine (new issues online monthly).