'Economic Crisis v. Economic Empire:
End of the Beginning and Beginning of the End'
Keynote speech to Ecumenical Peace Institute, October 25, 2009 (43 min)

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Jack Rasmus talks about the potential impact of the continuing U.S. economic crisis on the future of the American Empire. The possible effects of the coming multi-trillion dollar U.S. Budget deficits on U.S. dominance of international economic institutions and the role of the dollar as a global currency. Will it continue? Or collapse? Jack explains why and why not, and the centrality of the U.S.-China economic relationships. DVD is $12 plus shipping. HOW TO ORDER VIDEO

Dr. Jack Rasmus
Economic Meltdown Update
Interview with TV host, Paul George, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Palo Alto, CA, June 7, 2009 (1 hr )

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Jack discusses with Paul George and his audience the state of the economic crisis at mid-year 2009 and where it's going, and explains why the Obama bank bailout and stimulus will eventually fail.

Dr. Jack Rasmus
Origins of the Economic Crisis
And Program for Long-Term Recovery
May 16, 2009, San Francisco, CA; (1 hr 27 min 28 sec)

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As a follow up to the May 9 Central Labor Council Teach-In on the Economic Crisis, Jack Rasmus provides an hour-and-a-half follow-up workshop on the economic crisis, how it originated, where it's going, and what can be done. Jack traces the crisis from the 1980s and the growing income inequality, speculative investment, and growing financial and economic instabilitiy of the past thirty years in a comprehensive and broad overview of the crisis. $12 plus shipping. HOW TO ORDER VIDEO

Historical Roots of the Economic Crisis
New York, New York; April 19, 2009 (52 min 30 sec)

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Jack Rasmus is interviewed by 'Z' Magazine following his presentation at the Left Forum in New York City on April 18, 2009. In the interview Jack provides a comprehensive view of the current economic crisis to date, explains why the latest version of the Obama-Geithner recovery plan will not work, and why, despite all the talk about 'green shoots' and 'glimmers of recovery, the real economy will continue to deteriorate beneath the surface. Jack predicts an even more serious stage of the crisis will erupt in 2010, why more than 20 million will lose their jobs this year, why business defaults will accelerate, housing prices will continue to fall, and why the central locus of the crisis is now shifting from the financial to the non-financial sector of the economy. Jack also places the crisis in historical perspective, explaining how the current Epic recession is similar and different from the 1930s, dispels some of the myths about the 'New Deal' of that period, and how the current crisis may transition to a bona fide global Depression. $10 plus shipping. HOW TO ORDER VIDEO

The Banking Panic of 2008 and Emerging Epic Recession
Berkeley, California; October 24, 2008

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Dr. Jack Rasmus is featured speaker at the Global Studies Forum, speaking on the Banking Panic of 2008 and Emerging Epic Recession. He presents a 12 Point Program for confronting the Economic Crisis. NOTE: Click on the TV icon to see the Quicktime version. Or click here to see the video in Windows Media format or in Real Player format. $10 plus shipping. HOW TO ORDER VIDEO

Causes of the Current Financial Crisis, Where It's Going
and What It Means to You
Palo Alto, California; October 14, 2008

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Jack Rasmus gives an in-depth presentation of the Causes of the Current Financial Crisis, Where It's Going and What It Means to You. Includes extended period of audience Q & A. Palo Alto, California., October 14, 2008 (Click on the TV to view video.) $10 plus shipping. HOW TO ORDER VIDEO

The Economy in Crisis
April 2008

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Dr. Jack Rasmus is interviewed by Paul George of PPJC TV's award winning TV show. Jack talks about the economy following the Bear Stearns Bank bailout. April 2008. (Click on the TV to view video.) $10 plus shipping. HOW TO ORDER VIDEO

Building a Sustainable Economy and the Danger of Carbon Credits Trading
St. Paul, Minnesota; January 2007

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Dr. Jack Rasmus is Keynote Speaker at midwest Environmentalist-Labor Alliance conference on Building a Sustainable Economy and the Danger of Carbon Credits Trading. St. Paul, MN. January 2007 (Click on the TV to view video.) $10 plus shipping. HOW TO ORDER VIDEO

ACT ONE, SCENE 8
Workers in 1934 Vote for General Strike
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ACT TWO, SCENE 5
Workers Take Control of the Docks
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'Fire on Pier 32' Video

Now available for purchase, the video currently featured by Kyklos Productions is the full length, 2.5 hour DVD of the stage play, "Fire on Pier 32," which was performed to sell out audiences in 2003 in San Francisco.

"Fire on Pier 32" is a three act play written by Jack Rasmus of the National Writers Union. The play is about the longshore workers and their union, the ILWU, from its origin during the maritime and general strikes of 1934 in San Francisco, up to the current period. Thematically, the play is about the meaning of solidarity and the nature of company anti-labor offensives, past and present.

The first act takes place during the 1934 maritime and general strikes in San Francisco. The second act traces the evolution of longshore workers and their union from 1935 to 1971. While the third act addresses the rise of the Bush-Employer anti-labor offensive since 2001. The play takes its title from the actual historic event which occurred in late 1933, depicted in the top left photo, when longshore rank and file militants gathered on Pier 32 in San Francisco to burn their company union "blue" contract books, the act that led to the formation of their own union that became the ILWU.

Merging Labor History and Brechtian Theater

The video of the play was recorded using the original 12 actor cast featured in the stage version of the play, but is not simply a film version of one of the performances of that stage play. Rather, the video was shot with the original cast in a studio following the close of the theater production, and employs close ups, multiple cameras and angles, and other video techniques not possible in a straight-on filming of a stage performance. The 50+ historical photographs from the ILWU Longshore Workers library archive featured in the stage play, several of which can be seen in the righthand column on this webpage, are included in the video as well, but are now presented in a new manner in the video. In the stage version of the play the photos were projected on a 10' x 12' screen at center stage behind the actors. The photos in the video, however, are now presented as a series of photo montage. The resulting appearance is much like that viewed in a PBS special with techniques pioneered by Ken Burns and others, with the photo images fading in and out and integrated with the actors' and their dialogue on stage.

The music and songs in the video are the same performed in the original stage version of the play, with the same arrangements and musical accompaniment and sung by the entire cast of actors on stage, and by the same soloists. See Songs & Music for more detailed information about the songs.

(For more information about the play, "Fire on Pier 32," go to Collected Plays).

Kyklos Productions also produces historical, educational and public relations videos for labor unions on a project contract basis. For references for such work from other unions, or for a request for proposal (RFP) from Kyklos Productions to produce a video, contact Jack Rasmus, principal and owner of Kyklos Productions, at rasmus@kyklosproductions.com.

Purchase 'Fire on Pier 32' Video Now DVD is $15.00. We charge $3.00 for U.S. shipping & handling of single DVD orders. We ship single DVD orders internationally for $10.00. Buy your copy today.

Purchasing our Videos

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Questions? email us at rasmus@kyklosproductions.com or call us at 925-828-0792.

Economic Crisis v. Economic Empire: End of the Beginning and Beginning of the End
Origins of Economic Crisis and Program for Long Term Recovery
Historical Roots of the Economic Crisis
The Banking Panic of 2008 and Emerging Epic Recession
The Causes of the Current Financial Crisis, Where It's Going, And What It Means To You
The Economy in Crisis
Building a Sustainable Economy and the Danger of Carbon Credits

Kyklos Productions, L.L.C.
211 Duxbury Court
San Ramon, CA 94583
rasmus@kyklosproductions.com
925-828-0792