Welcome to a buffet of this year’s interviews in three separate excerpts. Heina Daddbhoy, Sarah Jones, and Chani Getter spoke about leaving the orthodoxies of their respective religions on 9/30/14. Then, NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson took us aboard the International Space Station on 2/18/14. Finally, on 6/24/14, Marrie Stone guest-hosted UCI’s New Swan Theater Shakespearean festival directors and scholar respectively: Calvin MacLean, Eli Simon, and Julia Lupton.

This show’s cultural fare has something for everyone . . . Stuart Ashman of MOLAA, presents several exhibits now and into 2015, and envisions some opportunities concerning the recent US rapprochement with Cuba. www.molaa.org offers all the details. Next, Malcolm Warner returns to the show to weigh in with Laguna Art Museum’s many installations and programs. Details about the February 7 art auction and more are available at: www.lagunaartmuseum.org. Logan Crow, executive director of The Frida Cinema, presents a different film each evening, through New Years Eve and beyond. His fundraiser continues at: https://tinyurl.com/help-frida. Happy 2014 Winter Holidays!

Jeremy Tucker, Nissan spokesman, talks about today as “Red Thumb Day,” a new initiative addressing the very real hazards of texting while driving. More information is available at: redthumb.org. Next, UCI Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky presents both problems and prescriptions dealing with the shortcomings of the US Supreme Court, in talking about his latest book, “The Case Against the Supreme Court,” published by Viking Press. We wrap the show with Stanford Climate Scientists Chris Field and Katharine Mach. Both having participated in the recent UN Lima Climate Change Conference, bring insight and perspective on the process of establishing international commitment toward lowering carbon emission pollution.

Dr. Laura Mosqueda, geriatrician extraordinaire, (previously at UCI, now with USC’s Keck School of Medicine), considers end of life issues raised in Dr. Atul Gawande’s recently published book, “Being Mortal.” In lieu of PhD Social Ecology Student Sally Geislar actually appearing on the show to present her research, we announce the upcoming forum at UCI’s Crystal Cove on 12/11/14 at 7 pm concerning the Irvine Farmer’s Market; the market’s relocation to the Mariners parking lot; and its 20 year commemoration. Finally, Stephanie Eng, 3rd year student at UCI gives Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper their due in the computing discipline. She, along with her computer science colleagues, welcomes middle school and other girls to a coding workshop at UCI 12/13 from 1-3 pm, at the ICS 3rd Floor Computer Lab. RSVP at: tinyurl.com/wicshourofcode14.