Author Archives: Claudia Shambaugh

“Almond, Quartz, and Finch” by Lisa Bunker

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For the full hour is Lisa Bunker; writer, transgender activist, former New Hampshire state legislator, and fellow community radio aficionado. Based now in Sacramento, they are currently on the book tour circuit with their latest book, “Almond, Quartz, and Finch,” published by New Wind. Available at: https://www.lisabunker.net/ or your favorite independent book dealer. Someday, it would make a wonderful a film in a theater near us. Meanwhile, this conversation is one more serving at this week’s feast.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Sandunes, “Follow Me,” The Ground Beneath Her Feet – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Bunker11-21-23.mp3

Irvine City Council Changes on March 2024 Ballot AND “Rotterdam”

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In his capacity as a member of the Irvine City Council, Larry Agran returns to talk about the special measure before Irvine voters on the March 2024 primary ballot. This special municipal election measure would amend the city’s charter to expand the number of council members to serve on the City Council and create of districts in which they would run. https://www.cityofirvine.org/government/city-clerk/election-information. Top of mind is how the City plans to engage voters down ballot, amidst the much anticipated drama of open legislative races at the top of the ballot.

In the second segment (approx. minute 36:40), Craig Tyrl returns this time with The Wayward Artist’s current production of “Rotterdam” which he’s directing, running through 11/19, at the Santa Ana artist’s Village, in the Grand Central Art Center 125 N Broadway. Details about how they’ll wrap their sixth season: The Wayward Artist presents Pirates vs. Leprechauns, a theatre for young audiences musical comedy by Craig Holland. Performances begin Friday, December 8th and run through Sunday, December 17th, Pirates vs. Leprechauns.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” Scored Suite performed by Nate Heller; and Anis, “Pensées amères,” La Chance – album.

The Sound of Art Inside a Prison

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Gabe Rosales, UCI Criminology, Law and Society Ph.D. candidate, professional musician, and advocate – has a whole lot to tell us about bringing music to the carceral setting, particularly at Richard J Donovan State Prison. We hear about the remarkable yields, when a system chooses rehabilitation over punitive measures, a fertile continuation of the reforms discussed with UCI professor Keramet Reiter on AAL 10/3/23. Meet Gabe in his own words “I have toured on a private plane over Europe. I have done drugs in a room by myself for days. I have cleaned toilets and been pepper sprayed in jail during the worse race riots in OC jail history. I have meditated in silence 16 hours a day for weeks in the mountains of California. I have been cornered on the streets of Los Angeles by thousands of riot police with the Occupy LA movement. I have marched with the American Indian Movement to the Jumping Bull house for the first official Leonard Peltier day in South Dakota. I have been lucky enough to see my writing published. I have had the honor of working with the BEST musicians on the planet. The meaning of life is to give life meaning, so use your time wisely. I am just getting started.” Useful places to visit include: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9ixLTcjVOc and https://www.gaberosales.com/.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Kioea, “Lion’s Mane,” Stand Tall – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Rosales11-7-23.mp3

Deep-breathing Our Way Around the Cybersphere

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For the full hour we get more tricks than treats from Bryan Cunningham – UCI Law professor, Executive Director of UCI’s Cybersecurity Policy and Research Institute, practicing attorney, and vigorous Twitter Space contributor. Admittedly only an introduction to the pernicious workings of disinformation, misinformation, and even mal-information, the host hopes to resume this discussion, covering the concerning trends post 10/7. Bryan offers listeners a few topics to investigate, including the Mitrokhin archives and Operation Infektion.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Thomas Koppel, “Overture: Train Ride into the Belly of the Beast,” Messe For Et Tilfælde – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Cunningham10-31-23.mp3

Witnessing The Armenian Genocide, Now

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Returning to the show, this time together, are: Dr. Ara Apkarian, UCI Distinguished Professor of Chemistry; and Dr. Kev Abazajian, Professor of Physics & Astronomy and the Director of the Center for Cosmology at UCI. Ara and Kev have a lot on their minds with the geopolitics taking place, from the campus to the Caucasus. They speak truth to power – a tale of two University of California chancellors weighing in on international catastrophes. Then on to the remarkable gesture of the recent visit of former member of the Turkish Parliament, Garo Paylan, whose laps around Southern California this month, included one right here in Irvine. Mr. Paylan, among one the few Armenians elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, has been speaking about levers within the grasp of Armenians around the world. This program considers his points as well as his broader audience, amidst the staggering incidences of genocide, globally. Listeners are directed to additional sources for information and action: https://anca.org/ and https://www.armenian-assembly.org/ (nationally); and https://www.instagram.com/uciasa/?hl=en (locally).

Note: the host erred in not including the title emblazoned on the encased partially burned tapers taken from various churches being overtaken in Artsakh in the fall of 2020. The title is “Piece of My Heart.”

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Vahagn Hayrapetyan Trio, “Yes Kez Siretsi,” – live at the Tsitsernakabert.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/ApkarianAbazajian10-24-23.mp3

“Death In a Nutshell” in the Armchair Anthropology Series

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Returning to the show is Roxanne Varzi, UCI anthropology professor, and award winning author, filmmaker, and playwright. She is rolling out a whole new creative enterprise: the Armchair Anthropology Whodunit Series, “Death in a Nutshell,” a murder mystery, is the first book in a series. This genre offers another way for her to examine and interpret anthropologists’ assumptions and roles in the study of humans. Of course there’s more under her microscope.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Demanda E Despejo (Bartosz Weber Remix, feat. Rogério Martins).

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Varzi10-17-23.mp3

On The Presidents’ Watch AND “Quixote Nuevo”

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UCI political science professor Matthew Beckmann returns to talk about the impossible job of the American presidency amidst legislative currents, some of which flow right up to a bluff. Watch next summer for his latest book: “The President’s Day; Every Day Work in an Impossible Job.” In the second segment (approx. minute 37:00) is playwright and director Octavio Solis, with his play now being performed at the South Coast Repertory, “Quixote Nuevo.” The show runs now til Oct 28th at Segerstrom Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Costa Mesa. The Rep is in a celebratory mood; this richly re-told story of a classic is a fitting performance to herald their 60th season.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Las Cafeteras, “If I Was President;” David R Molina-composer and performer, “Rusting Soul I and II.”

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/BeckmannSolis10-10-23.mp3

Crashing Carceral Walls in California

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Returning to the show is UCI Professor Keramet Reiter, Professor with appointments at UCI’s Dept. of Criminology, Law, and Society and UCI’s Law School; and founding director of “Lifted,” a prison education program in the UC system. Her acclaimed writings include her book: 23/7; Pelican Bay Prison and the Rise of Long-Term Solitary Confinement. She brings insight into solitary confinement reform in CA, and the intersection of that with her other projects in the carceral system: the BA degree program in the UC system, & other education programs. Details about this program are available at: https://lifted.uci.edu/. On future programming AAL will resume discussion of the bail reform and how the system affects individuals and communities, as time did not allow this coverage.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; and Jaimie Branch, “theme 001,” FLY or DIE LIVE – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Reiter10-3-23.mp3

Your PhD Coach Is Here AND The Kidz Are Not Alright

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In advance of her 10/20 workshop at UCI for PhD students, is Kimberly Duong, UCI School of Engineering graduate, now employed as a water agency civil engineer. She will return to the show to talk about her new calling as a PhD coach, assisting PhD students in: productivity, project management, procrastination, and anything else related. She can be followed in various ways at: https://itscoachkimberly.com/wp/. Her 10-20-23, noon- 1 p.m. PT, on line webinar registration: https://gps-stem.grad.uci.edu/project/2023-10-20/.

In the second segment (approx. minute 23:42), Briana Walker (@InMinivanHell) returns in her capacity as a local muckraker, to talk about local school board culture war policies cropping up all over Orange County. Her work is proof of the importance of down ballot voting, such as the next primary election on March 5, 2024. Resources available at: Rainbow Youth Project and Our Schools hotline 866-975-8870, and Ladera Ranch Social Justice Conversations on the Zuck pages. The extended interview portion follows this posting.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/DuongWalker9-26-23.mp3

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; #2 T S Monk, “Crepuscule with Nellie,” Monk on Monk – album; and #11 Sportive Tricks, “Rigs of Time,” Old Dogs New Tricks – album.

The extended portion of this interview, thank you everyone for listening: http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/BrianaExtTrack9-26-23.mp3

Irvine City Council Expansion and District Maps

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Irvine, the largest city in California to have at-large city council members, is undertaking the process of amending the city charter to create distinct city council elections districts from which the candidates would run. The charter amendment would also add 2 seats to the City Council. Returning to the show for the larger share of the hour is demographer Justin Levitt, retained by Irvine’s City Council, to update us on that process, wherein the City of Irvine is drawing these 6 council districts for the voters’ approval on the Spring 2024 Primary election ballot. The November 2024 general election vote would include voters in 3 of those districts. Residents of Irvine are welcome to participate in this process by spending time at: https://drawirvine.org/.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; and Hideto Sasaki – Toshiyuki Sekine Quartet, “Turquoise Twice” Stop Over – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Levitt9-19-23.mp3