Counterpoint with Scott Harris

Scott Harris
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Politics
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Each week, host Scott Harris conducts interviews on a wide range of political, economic and social topics with individuals and representatives of organizations not ordinarily accessible in the mainstream media. This show airs weekly on WPKN (wpkn.org) and streams here in podcast form.

  1. 4h ago

    Counterpoint 06-08-26 with Scott Harris discusses: The MAGA Murder of '60 Minutes;' 'Kick Out Corruption Tour' links Trump Grift to Affordability Crisis; DOGE Mass Firings Close Social Security Offices Nationwide; Campaign Warns of Coming Healthcare Cut

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint   1) Ellisons & Bari Weiss Murder '60 Minutes'  Sophia Tesfaye, a senior writer at Salon.com, talks about her recent commentary, "Bari Weiss brings Trumpism to “60 Minutes, ” re: the Ellison family CBS "murder" of America's highest rated and most watched news program, issues related to MAGA friendly billionaires' takeover of media outlets, and Donald Trump's weaponization of the FCC and other federal agencies to destroy the nation's free press.   2) 'Kick Out Corruption Tour' Links Trump Grift to Affordability Crisis  Stand Up America's Executive Director, Christina Harvey discusses her group's national "Kick Out Corruption Tour," being organized with End Citizens United, to expose how corruption in Washington is driving up costs for everyday Americans, while offering solutions to cleaning up the waste, fraud and abuse that results from unchecked government corruption.   3) Musk-DOGE Mass Firings Close Social Security Offices Nationwide Alex Lawson, executive director of the group Social Security Works, talks about the Increasing number of Social Security offices that are "temporarily closed" while others are chronically understaffed "ghost offices" that only have a skeleton crew left and can’t meaningfully serve the local community. All this while there are reports that the Trump administration is planning to use AI to spy on employees and use low staffing as an excuse to close more offices.   4) Campaign Warns of Coming Catastrophic Healthcare Budget Cuts Sean Strub, an AIDS activist, founder of POZ Magazine, author, and politician talks about the nationwide Seven Days in June campaign, June 1–7, organized to raise awareness about the $1.2 trillion in federal cuts to healthcare programs, the fight to restore funding impacting millions of Americans, and calling on local, state, and federal leaders to protect health as a governing priority.

    1h 22m

  2. Jun 2

    Counterpoint 06-01-26 with Scott Harris discusses Trump's Cuba oil blockade &invasion threat; World Press Freedom Index tracks decline of free press globally & in US; CT State Rep. Josh Elliott's primary challenge to Gov. Lamont; Democrats autopsy repor

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint   1) Peter Kornbluh, director of the Cuba Documentation Project at the National Security Archive in Washington, D.C., and co-author, with William M. LeoGrande, of Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana.  Kornbluh, also the author of The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability, talks about his recent Nation Magazine article, "The CIA Goes to Cuba," and what the Trump regime may be planning after its indictment of Raúl Castro in Florida, possibly kidnapping the aging Cuban leader as they did with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January -- or a U.S. military invasion.   2) Ben Grazda, Advocacy Manager with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Reporters Sans Frontières summarizes RSF's World Press Freedom Index tracking the decline in freedom of the press around the world, and the steep decline here in the U.S. He'll examine some of the long term challenges facing American journalists including: economic pressure leading to the disappearance of many local news outlets, concentration of ownership, political attacks on government critics, and the January 2026 FBI raid on Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson's home which sets a dangerous precedent for the future prosecution of journalists doing their jobs.   3) Rep. Josh Elliott of Connecticut's 88th District representing residents of Hamden's Spring Glen, Whitneyville, parts of Centerville and Shepherd Hill neighborhoods. Rep. Elliott, who serves as Deputy House Speaker and Majority Caucus Co-Chair, won 25% of the delegates at the state's Democratic Convention last month, clearing the 15% threshold to force an August primary election against incumbent Democratic Governor Ned Lamont. Lamont won the party's official endorsement with about 75% of the delegate vote. Rep. Elliott will talk about his candidacy, the policies he's advocating, and his strategy to win the August 11th primary.   4) Sam Rosenthal Political Director of Roots Action talks about his recent commentary, "Establishment Democrats Still Don’t Get Why They Lost in 2024," and the critical importance -- in this moment of Donald Trump's multifront violent attack on U.S. democracy -- of having a viable political party to stand as an alternative to Trump and the Republican Party's authoritarian project.

    1h 25m

  3. May 26

    Counterpoint 05-25-26 with Scott Harris discusses Trump Iran War Quagmire; The GOP's MAGA Antiwar Problem; Trump Beijing Summit Reveals China's Rise, US decline; Why Trump, GOP Believe They'll Never Face Accountability

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org  Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint   1) Trump Appears Unable to Escape his Own Iran War Quagmire  David Faris, Professor of Political Science at Roosevelt University and author of "The Kids Are All Left: How Young Voters Will Unite America," talks about the issues examined in his recent Nation Magazine article, "Why Ending the Iran War May Be a Never-Ending Story, As Trump’s “excursion” veers into quagmire territory," he may just try to walk away amid a host of new distractions."   2) Trump Created the MAGA Antiwar Opposition to his Own War Salon columnist Heather Digby Parton, who writes Digby’s Hullabaloo blog, discusses her recent commentary, "Trump’s anti-war claims blow up in his face after Iran fiasco: Opposition to the president's war with Iran among Gen Z MAGA members could help create positive political change," re: U.S. foreign policy, political history, and a possible new post-Trump anti-war re-alignment.   3) Trump's Beijing Summit Reveals China's Rise, US Decline Mel Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University.  Goodman, a former CIA analyst and author of "Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA," discusses the issues raised in his recent Counterpunch piece, "Sino-American Relations and the “Thucydides Trap.”   4) The Ominous Signals Explaining Why Trump, GOP Appear to Believe They'll Never Face Accountability Paul Street, an independent radical-democratic policy researcher, journalist, historian and author of, "This Happened Here: Amerikaners, Neoliberals, and the Trumping of America," talks about his recent Counterpunch.org commentary, "Why Trump Is So Indifferent to Public Opinion in an Election Year."

    1h 25m

  4. May 19

    Counterpoint 05-18-26 with Scott Harris discusses SCOTUS ruling ushers in new era of political apartheid; Trump GOP rallies for Christian theocracy; New York coalition pushes universal healthcare bill; Peace groups join Memorial Day parade in Norwalk, C

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint   1) Dan Vicuña, Senior Policy Director for Voting and Fair Representation at Common Cause, talks about the consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Louisiana v. Callais case that eviscerated the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the disenfranchisement of millions of people of color, and ways in which our nation can work toward achieving a multiracial democracy.   2) Annie Laurie Gaylor co-founder and co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and author of three books including, “Woe to Women: The Bible Tells Me So,” talks about the tax payer funded Trump regime religious rally in Washington, D.C., “Rededicate 250,” that featured white Christian nationalist rhetoric from speakers including  House Speaker Mike Johnson, Franklin Graham, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others, that the FFRF criticized as an “unprecedented and shocking mix of church and state.”   3) Melanie D'Arrigo, Executive Director with the Campaign for New York Health talks about the campaign dedicated to passing and implementing universal, single-payer health care in New York State. Supporters of the New York Health Act say that New Yorkers will pay less and get more by cutting out waste and using the negotiation power of 20 million New Yorkers. New Yorkers will save billions of dollars by not paying rising premiums, deductibles, co-pays, out-of-network charges, and long-term care costs.   4) John Miksad, a member of Veterans for Peace and World Beyond War, talks about a coalition of groups sponsoring 2 events in Norwalk, CT on Memorial Day, May 25th to promote peace, honor the fallen and support our current troops by keeping our soldiers out of harm’s way in endless disastrous wars, including Trump's disastrous war on Iran, his deployment of the U.S. military to attack civilian boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, and his oil blockade of Cuba.

    1h 21m

  5. May 12

    Counterpoint 05-11-26 with Scott Harris discusses Israeli attacks on Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza; Trump sabotage to Social Security; Psychiatrists call for Trump removal from office; New film: "ICE, No One is Safe at Work"

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint   1) As Trump War on Iran enters 11th Week, US Media Ignores Israel's Ongoing Attacks on Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza. James Zogby, co-founder and President of the Arab American Institute, and Director of Zogby Research Services, a firm that conducts public opinion surveys across the Middle East, discusses the dire situation in Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza under continuing military attack by Israel, critically important news that's been lost or ignored by most corporate media coverage during the Iran war.   2) Trump, Musk, DOGE Downsizing of Social Security Administration Demolishes Agency Customer Service Martin O'Malley, Commissioner of the Social Security Administration in the Biden administration, former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore, talks about the impact of the Trump administration's downsizing of the Social Security workforce on customer service, how to fairly address the projected shortfall in the Social Security Trust Fund by 2032, and the current Trump regime attack on democratic institutions and the rule of law.   3) 36 Mental Health Professionals Call for Donald Trump's Immediate, Lawful Removal from Office Dr. Henry Abraham, is Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine, co-recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize for his role as the coauthor of the Constitution of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, and author of, "After the Genocides- Immigration, Education, and the Prevention of Nuclear War," Here he talks about a group of 36 leading physicians and other doctors with expertise in mental health, who he's acting as a spokesperson for, “who issued a statement calling for President Donald J. Trump’s immediate, lawful removal from office for medical reasons. His mental instability, coupled with his sole, unchecked authority to launch nuclear weapons, makes him a clear and present danger to the safety of all Americans.”   4) New Documentary Film Captures ICE Violent Targeting of Workers, and Impact on their Families Robert Greenwald is the founder and president of Brave New Films, a nonprofit production company that creates and distributes investigative political and social justice documentaries. He'll talk about his important new documentary film, "ICE: No One Is Safe -At Work," which highlights how ICE immigration raids affect workers' and their family's lives --- and how listeners can view the film and support Brave New Film's important work.

    1h 21m

  6. May 5

    Counterpoint 05-04-26 with Scott Harris discusses SCOTUS repeal of Voting Rights Act; Is the US-Israel war on Iran about to reignite?; Assessing the power of US pro-democracy movement; CT groups push to prevent 250k residents loss of healthcare

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.orgSome segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint   1) Rightwing Supreme Court Majority Repeals Voting Rights Act, Sends Nation Back to 'Jim Crow' Era  Marjorie Cohn, is professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, dean of the People’s Academy of International Law and past president of the National Lawyers Guild.  Cohn, author of the books, "Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral and Geopolitical Issues." and "The United States and Torture: Interrogation, Incarceration, and Abuse," will take a critical look at the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Louisiana v. Callais case that's decimated what was left of the Voting Rights Act, as examined in her commentary, "The US Supreme Court, Race & the Right to Vote." 2) Is the US-Israel War on Iran about to Reignite? Phyllis Bennis, Director of the Institute for Policy Studies’ New Internationalism Project and author of "Understanding Palestine & Israel," examines the dire situation in the West Bank with a rising number of murders of Palestinians and land seizures by Israeli settlers -- and ongoing deadly Israeli attacks in Gaza that's been lost in most of the corporate media coverage, overshadowed by the Iran war. She'll also discuss the important issues raised in her recent article, "The U.S.-Iran War is Illegal. Here's Why That Matters."  3) Assessing the Power of the US Pro-Democracy Movement to Protect the 2026 Midterm Election  Journalist Micah Sifry, editor of the Connector newsletter which focuses on the "intersection of politics, movements, organizing and technology, with an emphasis on how we make our democracy healthier." He'll talk about his recent Substack piece, "MayDay: The Pro-Democracy Movement Structure Test."  He'll comment on the results of this year's nationwide May Day actions that called for “no work, no school, no shopping” -- and how this tactic, if effective, could impact future resistance plans to disrupt business-as-usual to counter Trump's expected interference in the November 2026 midterm election. 4) CT Health Justice Now Coalition Demands Legislation to Prevent 250,000 Residents From losing Affordable Healthcare Liz Dupont-Diehl, Associate Director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group CCAG, part of a statewide coalition that’s advocating for urgent legislative action to prevent an estimated 250,000 CT residents from losing access to affordable health insurance resulting from last year's deep Trump, GOP federal budget cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and other social safety net programs.  People who will lose health care coverage this year and in 2027 include those losing Access Health CT financial help, enrollees in the Covered TCT program, and whose coverage will be impacted by new work requirements and other bureaucratic obstacles designed to discourage enrollment in these programs.

    1h 20m

  7. Apr 28

    Counterpoint 04-27-26 with Scott Harris discusses: 2025 US taxes spent on war, tax cuts for the rich; Trump's wars a new stage of US imperialism; Young Democrats challenge the party's old guard; Trump's FEMA administrator leads voter suppression campaig

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.org Some segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint 1) Taxpayers Hit for $4,000 Spent on War, Amid Tax Cuts for the Rich, Historic Defunding of Social Safety Net Programs Lindsay Koshgarian, Program director with the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, talks about her group's recent report, "Tax Day 2026: Taxpayers Are Paying More than $4,000 for War." The report notes that while more than half of Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities, Donald Trump and the GOP passed the "Big Ugly Bill" that cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans, cut health insurance and food assistance for millions of Americans, and added billions in new spending for war and mass deportations. More recently amid the U.S. war on Iran, the president has asked Congress for a record $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon in 2027, representing a 40%-44% increase over previous spending.   2) Trump's Wars on Iran, Venezuela and Cuba: a New Stage of US Imperialism  Steve Ellner, a retired professor of Venezuela's Universidad de Oriente where he lived for over 40 years, author of more than a dozen books and currently Associate Managing Editor of Latin American Perspectives. talks about his recent commentary, "U.S. Imperialism Enters a New Stage," which examines Donald Trump’s rhetoric and actions against Iran, Venezuela and Cuba which have few parallels in modern history.   3) Young Democrats Challenge the Party's Old 'Out-of-Touch' Leaders Cameron Landin, Executive Vice President of College Democrats of America, and a student at the University of Chicago, discusses his views on some of the Democratic Party's positions on issues including the Trump, Netanyahu war on Iran, U.S. aid to Israel and proposed progressive legislation such as Medicare for All.  He'll also talk about some of the Democrat's internal issues including the role of AIPAC in campaigns, and RootsAction and other progressive activists' call for the release of the Democrat's 2024 Election Autopsy Report.   4) Trump's FEMA Administrator a GOP Voter Suppression Operative     Filmmaker and journalist Greg Palast, author of several New York Times bestsellers including "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy," talks about his recent article, "Mr. Colbert, I’m not laughing anymore."  Palast investigates far right activist Gregg Phillips, recently appointed as Associate Administrator of FEMA's Office of Response and Recovery,  who claims he was tele-transported to a Waffle House. Phillips is the discredited conspiracy theorist behind the group True the Vote, whose film, 2,000 Mules claims that Jewish billionaires paid Black men to stuff ballot boxes in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit causing Trump to lose the 2020 presidential election. True the Vote, challenged over 300,000 voters in the 2024 election, and is preparing to do the same in the 2026 midterm election this November.

    1h 22m

  8. Apr 21

    Counterpoint 04-20-26 w Scott Harris discusses: the Iran War, Congress and War Powers Act; US service members seeking advice on conscientious objector status; Next250 US anniversary mobilization; White privilege & working for a US multiracial democracy

    COUNTERPOINT RADIO, hosted by Scott Harris, is heard every Monday night on WPKN 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT between 8:00 – 9:30 pm ET. Webstreaming and audio archive at http://wpkn.orgSome segments featured on Counterpoint are edited for re-broadcast on the syndicated Between The Lines radio news magazine. Visit their web site at http://www.btlonline.org for free subscriptions to mp3 - podcast audio files, program summaries and interview transcripts. An archive of current and past Counterpoint interviews are accessible for free at our Counterpoint Radio web site: http://counterpointradio.org The full 1.5 hour unedited program can be accessed for a 2 week period after the show, at the WPKN Radio archives: http://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/search/counterpoint   1) As Americans Increasingly Oppose Trump's Iran War, Congress Inches Closer to Invoking War Powers Act Kevin Martin, President of Peace Action and the Peace Action Education Fund, the nation’s largest grassroots peace network with chapters and affiliates in states across the U.S., talks about what his and other anti-war groups are doing to oppose Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu's illegal war in Iran and Lebanon, action being taken to pressure Congress to invoke the War Powers Act, and how listeners can get involved.   2) Amid Iran War Large Number of US Service Members Now Seeking Advice on Applying for Conscientious Objector Status  Rebecca Roberts, a member and current Organizing Manager of the group About Face: Veterans Against the War, discusses the work she and others do at About Face providing guidance and advice to active-duty U.S. military servicemen and women navigating their rights of conscience, and seeking conscientious objector status during the current illegal U.S. war on Iran.   3) #Next250 Reshaping US 250th Anniversary Celebration Centered on a 'Declaration of Interdependence' to Guide us into the Next 250 YearsSaru Jayaraman is co-founder and President of One Fair Wage; Director of the Food Labor Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley, and author – her latest book is titled, “One Fair Wage: Ending Subminimum Pay in America.” She’ll talk about the Next 250 national mobilization coinciding with the U.S. 250th anniversary, where a massive gathering is planned in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 27th, grounded in a Declaration of Interdependence to elevate historically excluded voices and build a forward looking civic agenda rooted in shared responsibility and democratic participation.   4) New Book, “Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else?” Calls for Proactive Measures to Achieve a Truly Multiracial Democracy.  Steve Phillips is host of the Democracy in Color podcast and best-selling author of “Brown Is the New White” and “How We Win the Civil War.” He’ll talk about his new book, “Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else?” observing that just six years after the racial reckoning that followed the murder of George Floyd, America is witnessing a full-scale assault on equality unparalleled since the overthrow of Reconstruction, while offering a powerful offensive strategy to combat resurgent white supremacy.

    1h 13m
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About

Each week, host Scott Harris conducts interviews on a wide range of political, economic and social topics with individuals and representatives of organizations not ordinarily accessible in the mainstream media. This show airs weekly on WPKN (wpkn.org) and streams here in podcast form.

Information

  • Creator
    Scott Harris
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    94
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.
  • Show Website
    Counterpoint with Scott Harris

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