Peace Is Here with Avis Kalfsbeek

Ep 254 “The Law-Enforcement Inspired Yogurt Retrieval System” – National Gun Violence Awareness Month (Bullet Poof Bulletins)

Celebrating the launch of eco-fiction anti-gun novella Bullet Poof and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Avis Kalfsbeek brings back beloved Kitty O’Compost with the Bullet Poof Bulletins.

Tonight on the Spoke-Easy stage, Kitty O’Compost tears apart a leaked corporate branding deck that tries to turn a standard trip to the grocery store into a paramilitary operation. This bulletin satirizes the "duty-grade readiness" marketing trend, exposing the absurdity of designing high-capacity grocery bags and tactical cereal deployment systems to commodify domestic anxiety. Inspired by the transformative themes of Bullet Poof, this episode laughs at the hyper-vigilant lifestyle brand and reminds us of the true safety found in open, trusting neighborhoods.

Resources:

Bullet Poof is a hopeful eco-fiction novella about what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept the gun status quo.

Get the book: https://www.aviskalfsbeek.com/bullet-poof

National Gun Violence Awareness Month: www.wearorange.org

Theme Music: "Turn the Steel" and punk intros produced by Avis Kalfsbeek (via ElevenLabs).

Music Credits & Support: Buy LPs and music downloads directly from the bands' websites, or from platforms like Bandcamp where artists retain the majority of your purchase.

This project is inspired by decades of punk ethos, raw energy, and the brilliant musicians who shaped the movement. The sonic landscape of this series was informed and inspired by:

The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rites of Spring, The Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, The Clash, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rise Against, The Damned, The Stooges, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Husker Du, Pennywise, The Adicts, The Exploited, Descendents, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass, The Germs, Dropkick Murphys, Operation Ivy, Against Me!, Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, The Network, The Jam, The Gaslight Anthem, No Use For A Name, and The Interrupters.

Ep 253 “The Hotlines for Insecurity” – National Gun Violence Awareness Month (Bullet Poof Bulletins)

Celebrating the launch of eco-fiction anti-gun novella Bullet Poof and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Avis Kalfsbeek brings back beloved Kitty O’Compost with the Bullet Poof Bulletins.

Tonight on the Spoke-Easy stage, Kitty O’Compost breaks down a leaked corporate white paper that exposes the predatory monetization of human loneliness. This bulletin satirizes an industry hotline designed to exploit consumer isolation, showing how marketing departments weaponize emotional vulnerability to drive automated firearm sales. Inspired by the connective themes of Bullet Poof, this episode dismantles the commercialization of insecurity and points us back to the real, healing power of genuine, face-to-face community connection.

Resources:

Bullet Poof is a hopeful eco-fiction novella about what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept the gun status quo.

Get the book: https://www.aviskalfsbeek.com/bullet-poof

National Gun Violence Awareness Month: www.wearorange.org

Theme Music: "Turn the Steel" and punk intros produced by Avis Kalfsbeek (via ElevenLabs).

Music Credits & Support: Buy LPs and music downloads directly from the bands' websites, or from platforms like Bandcamp where artists retain the majority of your purchase.

This project is inspired by decades of punk ethos, raw energy, and the brilliant musicians who shaped the movement. The sonic landscape of this series was informed and inspired by:

The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rites of Spring, The Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, The Clash, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rise Against, The Damned, The Stooges, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Husker Du, Pennywise, The Adicts, The Exploited, Descendents, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass, The Germs, Dropkick Murphys, Operation Ivy, Against Me!, Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, The Network, The Jam, The Gaslight Anthem, No Use For A Name, and The Interrupters.

Ep 252 “The Platinum Tier Potluck” – National Gun Violence Awareness Month (Bullet Poof Bulletins)

Celebrating the launch of eco-fiction anti-gun novella Bullet Poof and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Avis Kalfsbeek brings back beloved Kitty O’Compost with the Bullet Poof Bulletins.

Tonight on the Spoke-Easy stage, Kitty O’Compost takes aim at the absurd hyper-security culture invading everyday suburban life. This bulletin satirizes a neighborhood association that mandates premium tactical gear subscriptions for a simple community potluck, exposing how commercialized fear tries to commodify basic neighborly trust. Inspired by the transformative themes of Bullet Poof, this episode tears down the synthetic walls of manufactured paranoia and points us back to the real, grounding strength found in collaborative community spaces.

Resources:

Bullet Poof is a hopeful eco-fiction novella about what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept the gun status quo.

Get the book: https://www.aviskalfsbeek.com/bullet-poof

National Gun Violence Awareness Month: www.wearorange.org

Theme Music: "Turn the Steel" and punk intros produced by Avis Kalfsbeek (via ElevenLabs).

Music Credits & Support: Buy LPs and music downloads directly from the bands' websites, or from platforms like Bandcamp where artists retain the majority of your purchase.

This project is inspired by decades of punk ethos, raw energy, and the brilliant musicians who shaped the movement. The sonic landscape of this series was informed and inspired by:

The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rites of Spring, The Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, The Clash, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rise Against, The Damned, The Stooges, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Husker Du, Pennywise, The Adicts, The Exploited, Descendents, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass, The Germs, Dropkick Murphys, Operation Ivy, Against Me!, Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, The Network, The Jam, The Gaslight Anthem, No Use For A Name, and The Interrupters.

Ep 251 “The Threat of the Bicycle” – National Gun Violence Awareness Month (Bullet Poof Bulletins)

Celebrating the launch of eco-fiction anti-gun novella Bullet Poof and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Avis Kalfsbeek brings back beloved Kitty O’Compost with the Bullet Poof Bulletins.

Tonight on the Spoke-Easy stage, Kitty O’Compost breaks down a leaked corporate data science report that exposes the ultimate industry secret. This bulletin satirizes the corporate panic over everyday self-reliance, showing how the defense industry handles the revelation that simple acts of creation—like fixing a bike or building a birdhouse—provide the exact same psychological fulfillment as high-cost tactical weaponry. Inspired by the transformative themes of Bullet Poof, this episode celebrates the radical, joyful act of choosing constructive community tools over commercialized fear.

Resources:

Bullet Poof is a hopeful eco-fiction novella about what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept the gun status quo.

Get the book: https://www.aviskalfsbeek.com/bullet-poof

National Gun Violence Awareness Month: www.wearorange.org

Theme Music: "Turn the Steel" and punk intros produced by Avis Kalfsbeek (via ElevenLabs).

Music Credits & Support: Buy LPs and music downloads directly from the bands' websites, or from platforms like Bandcamp where artists retain the majority of your purchase.

This project is inspired by decades of punk ethos, raw energy, and the brilliant musicians who shaped the movement. The sonic landscape of this series was informed and inspired by:

The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rites of Spring, The Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, The Clash, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rise Against, The Damned, The Stooges, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Husker Du, Pennywise, The Adicts, The Exploited, Descendents, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass, The Germs, Dropkick Murphys, Operation Ivy, Against Me!, Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, The Network, The Jam, The Gaslight Anthem, No Use For A Name, and The Interrupters.

Ep 250 “A Cease and Desist in the In-Box” – National Gun Violence Awareness Month (Bullet Poof Bulletins)

Celebrating the launch of eco-fiction anti-gun novella Bullet Poof and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Avis Kalfsbeek brings back beloved Kitty O’Compost with the Bullet Poof Bulletins.

Tonight on the Spoke-Easy stage, Kitty O’Compost deconstructs a leaked compliance warning from the executive offices of "Mr. President Emperor USA." This bulletin satirizes corporate legal departments, exposing a passive-aggressive email from a minion named Marion who claims that neighborhood bicycle workshops are creating an "unprofitable vibe" for the arms industry. Inspired by the grounding, collaborative themes of Bullet Poof, this episode laughs at the boardroom's frantic attempts to suppress local solidarity and points us back to the true safety found in open, uncommodified community spaces.

Resources:

Bullet Poof is a hopeful eco-fiction novella about what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept the gun status quo.

Get the book: https://www.aviskalfsbeek.com/bullet-poof

National Gun Violence Awareness Month: www.wearorange.org

Theme Music: "Turn the Steel" and punk intros produced by Avis Kalfsbeek (via ElevenLabs).

Music Credits & Support: Buy LPs and music downloads directly from the bands' websites, or from platforms like Bandcamp where artists retain the majority of your purchase.

This project is inspired by decades of punk ethos, raw energy, and the brilliant musicians who shaped the movement. The sonic landscape of this series was informed and inspired by:

The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rites of Spring, The Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, The Clash, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rise Against, The Damned, The Stooges, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Husker Du, Pennywise, The Adicts, The Exploited, Descendents, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass, The Germs, Dropkick Murphys, Operation Ivy, Against Me!, Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, The Network, The Jam, The Gaslight Anthem, No Use For A Name, and The Interrupters.

Ep 249 “The Great Man Card Inflation Crisis” – National Gun Violence Awareness Month (Bullet Poof Bulletins)

Celebrating the launch of eco-fiction anti-gun novella Bullet Poof and National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Avis Kalfsbeek brings back beloved Kitty O’Compost with the Bullet Poof Bulletins.

Tonight on the Spoke-Easy stage, Kitty O’Compost takes aim at the toxic marketing engine of Bush-Mastery Masculinity. This bulletin satirizes the corporate emergency of "Man Card" devaluation, exposing how the defense industry commodifies identity and targets consumer insecurities to sell high-capacity weapons. Inspired by the Melt Zone themes of Bullet Poof, this episode tears down the synthetic identity offered by corporate branding and points us back to the real strength found in collaborative, grassroots community spaces.

Resources: Bullet Poof is a hopeful eco-fiction novella about what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept the gun status quo.

Get the book: https://www.aviskalfsbeek.com/bullet-poof

National Gun Violence Awareness Month: www.wearorange.org

Theme Music: "Turn the Steel" and punk intros produced by Avis Kalfsbeek (via ElevenLabs).

Music Credits & Support: Buy LPs and music downloads directly from the bands' websites, or from platforms like Bandcamp where artists retain the majority of your purchase.

This project is inspired by decades of punk ethos, raw energy, and the brilliant musicians who shaped the movement. The sonic landscape of this series was informed and inspired by:

The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Rites of Spring, The Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, The Clash, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Rise Against, The Damned, The Stooges, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Husker Du, Pennywise, The Adicts, The Exploited, Descendents, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass, The Germs, Dropkick Murphys, Operation Ivy, Against Me!, Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, The Network, The Jam, The Gaslight Anthem, No Use For A Name, and The Interrupters.

Ep 248 Peacewarts Summer Break & Bullet Poof Launch

In this personal riffing episode, Avis shares an update on the Peacewarts curriculum, reflects on the first three departments of the series, and introduces the upcoming Resonant Charms classes beginning later this summer. He also discusses the launch of his new novella, Bullet Poof, releasing during National Gun Violence Awareness Month.

The episode moves between curriculum reflections, satire, personal storytelling, and broader questions about fear, normalization, and the systems that sustain gun culture and war culture. Avis shares experiences from workplace active shooter trainings, real estate safety seminars, and family tragedies involving firearms, while explaining why satire can still serve as a human response to systems of fear and absurdity.

Beginning June 1, the podcast will feature daily Bullet Poof Bulletins with the return of Kitty O’Compost broadcasting from the fictional Spoke Easy Community Forge and Makerspace.

Topics covered include Universal Understars, Living Roots, Chronicled Courage, the overview effect, peace as biological reality, Indigenous peace traditions, Vasily Arkhipov, Bayard Rustin, systems of militarization, war budgets, satire and social critique, active shooter culture, National Gun Violence Awareness Month, and the upcoming Resonant Charms department.

Resources & Links

National Gun Violence Awareness Month: Wear Orange WearOrange.org

The book Bullet Poof is book is fiction. The work is real. If you want to help reduce gun violence, support survivors, volunteer, learn more, or safely surrender firearms, these organizations are a place to begin.

These are places to begin, not a full inventory of everyone doing good work. 

Support a gun turn-in or repurposing effort, donate to one, or attend a local event.

transforming illegal firearms into peace metal for watches, pens, and art, reinvesting all proceeds into survivor support programs.

Take action, volunteer, donate, organize locally, or support survivors and prevention programs through these groups. Many have targeted initiatives.

Read the research. Share accurate information. Support independent reporting and legal analysis.

Call, write, or meet with your elected representatives. Many advocacy organizations also provide simple online forms that help you contact your representatives in a few minutes such as Everytown.org’s Action page: https://www.everytown.org/actions/

Or, write your own letter in your own words. If you use AI to help draft, here’s a sample prompt:

Help me write a short, respectful message to my elected representative explaining why reducing gun violence matters to me personally. Keep it under 200 words and grounded in my own experiences and values.

U.S. Senators directory (senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm)

If you or someone you love is in crisis, reach out now. Free, confidential support is available any hour of the day.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - The Future as History, The Year 2126 (Class 14) Episode Summary: In our final session for the Department of Chronicled Courage, we reframe our current actions as the historical record for the next century. We explore the "Normalization Trap," the shift toward ancestral responsibility, and the importance of creating legible systems of peace that outlast their creators.

Learning Topics: Ethical Time Travel: Reframing 2026 actions as the ancient history of 2126; The Normalization Trap: Analyzing how future generations judge the systemic choices of the present; Systems Inheritance: Understanding the difference between emotional legacy and infrastructural legacy; The Witness Question: The role of public records and truth in the architecture of long-term stability; The Quiet Wins: Why durable peacebuilding often produces "boring" but vital historical records.

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - Truth and Reconciliation (Class 13) Episode Summary: We explore the history and mechanics of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. We examine how restorative justice breaks the cycle of revenge and why public truth-telling is a technical requirement for a durable peace.

Homework

Learning Topics: Restorative versus punitive justice: The structural shift in international law’ The Maori Model: Accountability, reparation, and the logistics of reintegration; Amnesty for truth: Analyzing the tradeoff of the South African TRC; The shock absorber: How public testimony interrupts the physics of revenge; The great graft: The process of binding a wounded society together through transparency.

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - Realism vs. Moral Imagination (Class 12) Episode Summary: We deconstruct the cultural addiction to dystopia and reclaim the word Realism. We explore the psychological pros and cons of dystopian media and introduce Kevin Kelly's concept of Protopia as a tactical alternative to hopelessness.

Learning Topics: The Double-Edged Sword: Benefits and dangers of dystopian fiction according to academic research; Desensitization vs. Preparation: How media consumption shapes our readiness for peace or war; Protopian Thinking: Why Kevin Kelly’s model of incremental improvement is more "realistic" than utopia or collapse; The Outlier Bias: Challenging the dystopian news cycle with the 99% reality; Tactical Optimism: Why optimism is a discipline of the courageous, not the naive.