Life Elsewhere

Barack Obama and his family have been the objects of rumors, legends, and conspiracy theories unprecedented in US politics. Outbreaks of anti-Obama lore have occurred in every national election cycle since 2004 and continue to the present day—two elections after his presidency ended. In Trash Talk, folklorist Patricia A. Turner examines how these thought patterns have grown ever more vitriolic and persistent and what this means for American political culture. Through the lens of attacks on Obama, Trash Talk explores how racist tropes circulate and gain currency. As internet communications expand in reach, rumors and conspiracy theories have become powerful political tools, and new types of lore like the hoax and fake news have taken root. The mainstream press and political establishment dismissed anti-Obama mythology for years, registering concern only when it became difficult to deny how much power those who circulated it could command. Trash Talk demonstrates that the ascendancy of Barack Obama was never a signal of a post-racial America.

Patricia A. Turner is Professor of African American Studies and of World Arts and Cultures/Dance at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her previous books include I Heard It Through the Grapevine and Whispers on the Color Line.

“I never ridiculed Obama, how could I?” Remembers Steve Brodner, highly-regarded caricaturist and political cartoonist. Steve shares his take on the cruel disparagement of Barack Obama and his family. And, he uses this opportunity to give a New Yorker’s appraisal of the 45th president. Plus, Brodner reveals he has a new book due for publication soon, Living & Dying In America: A Daily Chronicle 2020 - 2022. Every day, late at night or early in the morning, from March 26, 2020, to January 1, 2022, Steve Brodner would get to work. In those midnight hours, he would review the day's reportage, sit down at his drawing board, and memorialize a singular person or event that played a role, willingly or unwillingly, in shaping that day. A long-form conversation with Steve is scheduled to discuss his new book on Life Elsewhere.

How often do creative people write a concise bio about themselves that clearly explains who they are? Hardly ever. Then along come, Maram & Con. These are their words: "From friends to lovers, to teammates in marriage, to partners in music. Maram & Con is a duo from Port Townsend, WA consisting of Conor Sisk and Maram Arifi. The duo was created during the isolating years of COVID after joining a club for musicians that enabled them to create songs every week as a pastime (Friday Night Song Club). marCo is their first album which was recorded at their home studio (in their living room). The album consists of an eclectic variety of songs that are a reflection of many genres. They have a four-year-old named Rohan, and are expecting another baby in September. There is so much more music to come out of this dynamic duo!” When you listen to our conversation you’ll understand why we couldn’t improve on Maram & Con’s self-penned bio. Unabashedly, we want you to know, they are talented, delightful, and charming, and they have created a very special album with marCo. Enjoy their enthusiasm for each other and their music.

We begin the show with The Orbiting Object by Young Moon from the album, Paraverbal Orchids. This is the work of Trevor Montgomery who says, “I live on the south island of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Paraverbal: being nonverbal communicationOrchid: a plant with complex flowers that are often showy or bizarrely shaped, having a large specialized lip (labellum) and frequently a spur.” Excellent work, Mr. Montgomery. | 12 Missed Calls are out of Montreal. Is It My Eye? Is It Your Light? Is from their LP, Sunset Today. Steve Clarkson is on instruments, samples, and programming and Michèle Katrina Thorsen is on vocals, lyrics, and poems. Interesting work. | Rebecca May, Kristina Bergman, and Kendra Robayo use the moniker, Lady Lips. They are out of Connecticut, their LP, Cat Eat Dog has a variety of songs, including French Monkey which reminds us of Lizzy Mercier Descloux. We recommend you also check out, Fourth of July.

Environmental journalist, Robert Hunziker, a frequent contributor to Life Elsewhere shares his opinion on why temperatures across Europe are reaching record highs; why people in Seattle where home air-conditioning is unusual are suffering from extreme heat; how can Florida, already swelteringly hot half of the year, have a heat index that is the highest it has ever been? Robert in his characteristically unflappable mode explains and asks that you read and sign the Petition for Climate Protection and Restoration Initiative.On May 31, 2014, in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha, Wisconsin, two twelve-year-old girls attempted to stab their classmate to death. Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier’s violence was extreme, but what seemed even more frightening was that they committed their crime under the influence of a figure born by the internet: the so-called “Slenderman.” Yet the even more urgent aspect of the story, that the children involved suffered from undiagnosed mental illnesses, often went overlooked in coverage of the case.

Kathleen Hale’s Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls tells that full story for the first time in deeply researched detail, using court transcripts, police reports, individual reporting, and exclusive interviews. Morgan and Anissa were bound together by their shared love of geeky television shows and animals, and their discovery of the user-uploaded scary stories on the Creepypasta website could have been nothing more than a brief phase. But Morgan was suffering from early-onset childhood schizophrenia. She believed that she had been seeing Slenderman for many years, and the only way to stop him from killing her family was to bring him a sacrifice: Morgan’s best friend Payton “Bella” Leutner, whom Morgan and Anissa planned to stab to death on the night of Morgan’s twelfth birthday. Bella survived the attack but was deeply traumatized, while Morgan and Anissa were immediately remanded into jail, and the severity of their crime meant that they would be prosecuted as adults. There, as Morgan continued to suffer from worsening mental illness after being denied antipsychotics, her life became more and more surreal.

In keeping with the Dadaesque spirit of The Shend and his work with Anzahlung, along with The Cravats, The Babymen, DCL Locomotive, The Very Things, and certainly a few more, we could not resist using an absurd redundant headline. As you will hear in the lyrics for What You Think Is All You've Got, the title cut for Anzahlung’s second album, “Diddly Squat” as spat out - er - sung by The Shend makes perfect sense. In fact, we maintain this new platter from Mr. Shend and his coconspirator, Joe 91 is not only a fine effort it’s also by far their most relatable collection of songs. “Succubus swing & Doom disco” offers The Shend during our conversation. And yes, there are some serious toe-tapping beats going on here. The creation of the latest Anzahlung LP is explained in modest restraint as are the sightings of The Spend’s theoretical neighbor, Sting. There are a lot of tongue-in-cheek references, yet there’s also an obvious tenderness behind that almost gruff Brummie demeanor as you’ll hear when The Shend speaks fondly of Mark Astronaut’s passing. All the same, everything is open to ridicule in the eyes of The Shend and Joe 91, their essential sardonic English humor cannot be abated. The Shend selected the music throughout the interview, including cuts from Anzahlung’s new LP and Not Doing It by The Astronauts in tribute to the sad passing of Mark Astronaut. Seriously, it’s heart-warming chatting to The Shend, he’s a lovely fellow. Enjoy our zero diddly squat conversation. 

To close the show an exceptional remix of

It’s 2977 and Daniel Tracy has just walked past the boutique which, a few months earlier, Malcolm McLaren, manager of Sex Pistols, renamed for the umpteenth time. Daniel had just turned 18 in May. He’s wearing a pair of cheap jeans and a checked blue on blueshift. His only touch of originality, as far as clothing is concerned, is a leather cap, pierced with small metal studs, covering his hair which is fairly short for the time, but it falls in untidy locks over his neck. 

At school, Daniel was shy and introverted, on the rare occasions when he attended, that is. According to the files of the London Oratory School, he reached the summits of truancy during his last school year, setting a record.

Jowe Head , the brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks and a few others form a group with variable contours called Swell Maps, the first records of which, released at the same time as those of TVP, had attracted Daniel’s attention. Daniel invited Jowe Head to come and see him. So he turned up at the family flat for a cup of tea. Jowe and Daniel found they had much in common. They both liked fragile voices, childlike characters, and a mix of musical dilettantism. 

Alan McGee would willingly recognize the role played by Daniel Treacy in hatching his own ambitions. It would be farcical to pretend that Daniel Treacy had taught him everything, but it’s probable that his audacity was the driving force that gave wings to McGee’s career.

Addiction was another point in common. Treacy was falling headfirst into his heroin habit, whilst Cobain would, for several months, walk a destructive path of alternating efforts to kick the habit and being tempted to drug himself into oblivion. When they first met backstage at the Astoria, Treacy, and Cobain hardly spoke to each other. Cobain asked the singer if he had everything he needed, which Daniel confirmed, though it’s not clear what he meant by “everything”.

I was amazed by his appearance. I had been expecting the worse, but the man who greeted us showed no sign of physical impairment. His right leg was paralyzed and his foot strangely towards the inside, but his face was smooth, relaxed and, above all, looked as if he were twenty or thirty years younger. Daniel’s eyes were clear, even though he could hardly see anything. 

Camilla Pang An Outsider’s Guide To Humans - What Science Taught Me About What We Do And Who We Are 

“Blessed with the solid combination of ASD, ADHD, and Ph.D. - I use the powers of neurodiversity to navigate the under-passed connections of how human psychology can meander beyond the norm. The study of humans and analogous evolving systems are my lifelong passion which is fed by books, observation, and intricate sensing which I process through the lenses of science and art in my writing.” These words are on the website of Dr. Camilla Pang, who shares her story with uncompromising grace, honesty, and subtle wit in her writing and in person. Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of eight, Camilla Pang struggled to understand the world around her. Desperate for a solution, she asked her mother if there was an instruction manual for humans that she could consult. With no blueprint to life, Pang began to create her own, using the language she understands best: science. That lifelong project eventually resulted in An Outsider’s Guide to Humans, original and incisive exploration of human nature and the strangeness of social norms, written from the outside looking in–which is helpful to even the most neurotypical thinker. Camilla Pang uses a set of scientific principles to examine life’s everyday interactions. “I use the microscope of science to shed light on the bigger pictures of social norms, and advocates for neurodiversity being a hidden treasure of human evolution.” Camilla writes, adding, “My mother is an artist, and my father is a scientist, and being honest I am somewhere caught in between.” Camilla Pang holds a Ph.D. in bioinformatics from University College London and is a postdoctoral scientist. Her career and studies have been heavily influenced by her diagnoses of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD and she is driven by her passion for understanding humans and how we work. Pang is also a volunteer cancer researcher at the Francis Crick Institute and volunteers on socio-psychological projects for mining communities in Africa. She is an active contributor to art and science initiatives and often partakes in mental health and decision-making research projects. 

Richard Gabriel Acquittal: An Insider Reveals The Stories and Strategies Behind Today’s Most Infamous Verdicts 

It was October 3, 1995. The shocking outcome of the O.J. Simpson trial leaves a nation divided. Then, July 5, 2011. Casey Anthony walks free despite being convicted by millions on cable news and social media. There are times when something as supposedly simple as a just verdict rises to the level of cultural touchstone. Often these moments hinge on logic that seems flawed and inexplicable—until now. Lead trial consultant, Richard Gabriel explains in his book Acquittal how some of the most controversial verdicts in recent times came to be. Drawing on more than twenty-eight years of experience, Gabriel provides firsthand accounts of his work on high-profile cases, from the tabloid trials of Casey Anthony, O.J. Simpson, and Phil Spector to the political firestorms involving Enron and Whitewater. An expert on court psychology and communications, Gabriel offers unique insights on defendants, prosecutors, judges, witnesses, journalists, and the most important people in the room: the jury. Don't miss Richard's answer to the question, “What verdict surprised you the most?”

James Hamblin, a  preventive medicine physician and staff writer for The Atlantic was curious about the new science of skin microbes and probiotics. He discovered that keeping skin healthy is a booming industry, and yet it seems like almost no one agrees on what actually works. In his new book, Clean - The New Science Of Skin, Hamblin explores how we care for our skin today. He even experimented with giving up showers entirely. His conclusion on the meaning of “clean” may be surprising and at times, humorous.  

In the early 1960s, JFK declared that science would take us to the moon. He also declared that science would make the “remote reaches of the mind accessible” and cure psychiatric illness with breakthrough medications. When Daniel Bergner’s younger brother was diagnosed as bipolar and put in a locked ward in the 1980s, psychiatry seemed to have achieved what JFK promised: a revolution of chemical solutions to treat mental illness. Yet as Bergner’s brother was deemed a dire risk for suicide and he and his family were told his disorder would be lifelong, he found himself taking heavy doses of medications with devastating side effects. In recounting his brother’s journey alongside the gripping, illuminating stories of Caroline, who is beset by the hallucinations of psychosis, and David, who is overtaken by depression, Bergner examines the evolution of how we treat our psyches. He reveals how the pharmaceutical industry has perpetuated our biological view of the mind and our drug-based assumptions about treatment—despite the shocking price paid by many patients and the problematic evidence of drug efficacy. in recounting his brother’s journey alongside the gripping, illuminating stories of Caroline, who is beset by the hallucinations of psychosis, and David, who is overtaken by depression, Bergner examines the evolution of how we treat our psyches. He reveals how the pharmaceutical industry has perpetuated our biological view of the mind and our drug-based assumptions about treatment—despite the shocking price paid by many patients and the problematic evidence of drug efficacy. 

At the age of twelve, Jen Dajung Kim moved from the Korean city of Incheon to China and attended an international school where she met her friends from different parts of the world. It was there that she acquired her bizarre monicker – Jay Knife – from her English teacher. In an effort to deal with childhood trauma and teenage angst, she started writing songs like she was filling a journal. In that journal, she recorded herself ruminating on self-identity, culture, religion, doubt, anger, and love. From 2017 to 2018, Dajung uploaded her songs to various music streaming platforms under the name Jay Knife. On her 2021 album Jay Knife, Dajung rips out the pages from her old journal and staples them together. She holds them in her hands and mourns the fading of her younger self. To her, Jay Knife is a recollection, but it also signals a new epoch of her musical world. in Untitled 2, Dajung struggles with understanding her dreams and desires as she candidly sings, “I feel like

In this edition two exceptional books and new ambient music. First, we begin with non-fiction, Raising Antiracist Children - A Parenting Guide by Britt Hawthorne (with Natasha Yglesias), followed by a delve into the world of fiction with Sri Lanka-based author, Amanda Jayatissa, and to close the show, new music from Whatever The Weather, AKA, Loraine James.

In Raising Antiracist Children, Britt Hawthorne, a nationally recognized teacher and advocate and offers an interactive guide for strategically incorporating the tools of inclusivity into everyday life and parenting. Raising Antiracist Children is broken down into four comprehensive sections to help adults and kids find common ground in becoming anti-biased and antiracist human beings.

Healthy bodies—Establishing a safe and body-positive home environment to combat stereotypes and create boundaries.

Radical minds—Encouraging children to be agents of change, accompanied by scripts for teaching advocacy, giving and taking productive feedback, and becoming a coconspirator for change.

Conscious shopping—Raising awareness of how local shopping can empower or hinder a community’s ability to thrive, and teaching readers of all ages how to create shopping habits that support their values.

Thriving communities—Acknowledging the personal power we have to shape our schools, towns, and worlds, accompanied by exercises for instigating change.

Britt talks openly about her own experiences as a bi-racial child, she has a gift for making complex, sensitive topics accessible, and her tone is both inspiring and comforting. Full of questionnaires, stories, activities, tips, and tools, Raising Antiracist Children is a practical guide essential for parents and caregivers everywhere.

Amanda Jayatissa’s delightful and charming demeanor underplays her deliciously dark and compelling, psychological whodunit, My Sweet Girl. The new novel by the Sri Lanka-based author is centered on the meaning of identity and all the layers it can have. This is the story of Paloma who thought her perfect life would begin once she was adopted from a Sri Lankan orphanage and made it to America. But, she finds out no matter how far you run, your past catches up with you. At thirty years old and recently cut off from her parents’ funds, she decides to sublet the second bedroom of her overpriced San Francisco apartment to Arun, who recently moved from India. Paloma has to admit, it feels good helping someone find their way in America – that is until Arun discovers Paloma’s darkest secret, one that could jeopardize her own fragile place in this country. Before Paloma can pay Arun off, she finds him face down in a pool of blood. She flees the apartment but by the time the police arrive, there’s no body – and no evidence that Arun ever even existed in the first place. Paloma is terrified this is all somehow tangled up in the desperate actions she took to escape Sri Lanka so many years ago. Did Paloma’s secret die with Arun or is she now in greater danger than ever before?

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Gifted writer, Patrick O’Neil makes a well-deserved return to Life Elsewhere to talk about the latest volume of his memoir, Anarchy At The Circle K. An in your face gut-wrenching, and at times humorous tale of Patrick’s stint as a roadie, road manager, and drug addict during punk’s heyday of the 1980s. Crisscrossing the highways of America, on tour with such influential punk bands as Dead Kennedys, TSOL, Flipper, and Subhumans. O’Neil writes a brutally honest and no holds barred memoir depicting the sleepless nights behind the wheel, never-ending string of decrepit nightclubs, a plethora of ruthless promoters, depressing dressing rooms, copious amounts of cheap beer, clandestine drug buys, riotous crowds, intense violence, inadvertent OD’s, and seedy motel one night stands. This book is an insider’s look at life on the road from back in the day and you’re along for the ride.

Also in the show, a remarkable new music discovery, Finding Home by Maya Youssef, a multi-award-winning musician, and composer from Syria. She is hailed as ‘queen of the qanun,’ the 78-stringed Middle Eastern plucked zither. Her music is rooted in the Arabic classical tradition but forges pathways into Western classical and contemporary styles. Finding Home is a journey through memories and the essence of home both within and without. Maya wrote this album during a time of spiritual awakening. Over time she has come to accept the loss of her homeland and is in the process of grieving. Maya recalls “The world which existed before the war started, despite it naturally having problems, was a beautiful world with a booming economy, artistic scene, film festivals and visiting international artists, Damascus was the third safest city in the world. The loss of that world was heart-wrenching and, in a way, steered me towards a universal concept of home. I feel that the world is my home and humanity is my home. I want to take people through a transformative journey, where they land in that place of home for themselves”.

The gun statistics are courtesy of Giffords Law Center