The Leftscape

 Anji Marth has been a professional tattoo artist and painter since 1999. Her published books include Tar and Gravel, Knuckle Sandwich, the Resonant Eye series, The Horrors Coloring Book for Adults, and the Paintings From Quarantine series, painted during the pandemic. She also works in taxidermy as assemblage art as well as illustration. A longtime activist, Anji grew up in coal country, Pennsylvania and has lived in the Pacific Inland Northwest for almost 30 years. In this featured conversation, she discusses her recent experiences in activism in Spokane, WA and what inspired her to create and distribute a new zine aimed at getting people DOING THINGS. Photo by Kyle Schickner Earlier in the show, co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan share Timeline Cleanse news about the Rock ‘n' Roll Hall of Fame and the Nature Conservancy, Wendy gives info to get people ready for nationwide May 1st protests in Pièce de Résistance, and Robin shares about hearing the inspiring Darryl McDaniels (DMC) speak at the FenceSitter Film Festival last weekend in Bernardsville, NJ. Things to do: Learn more, get zines, get art, and/or get tattooed by Anji Marth at ResonantEye.net. Join a May Day protest: FiftyFifty.one/events Check out Leftscape.com for previous shows by Anji Marth and Kyle Schickner.   Listen to some Run-D.M.C.! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3CQIn7N5CuRDP8wEI7FiDA?si=JzuTqONfSlWR7vQftnWZzA

   Brittany Smith is a key volunteer with the 21st Century Packhorse Librarians, a group that delivers free books throughout the Appalachian Mountains, especially to those affected by Hurricane Helene. The organization is a revival and revisioning of the librarians who made book delivieries in the same region during the Great Depression. Smith resides in Jonesborough, Tennessee, works in Projects Control for an engineering firm, and lives on nine acres with her family plus a large number of chickens and ducks. In this featured interview, she shares about the grassroots efforts to bring hope to those who have lost everything and asks us all not to forget those in her area who are still dealing with Helene's devastation. In Timeline Cleanse, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée take inspiration from the announcement that Kermit the Frog will speak at the University of Maryland's upcoming graduation and Cory Booker's recent record-breaking 25 hour, 5 minute protest speech in Congress. Robin reads an original poem, an unconventional reflection at Pesach, called "Change Party." Wendy reads more from On Tyranny by Timothy D. Snyder and leads a discussion on Chapter 2. Things to do: Learn more about, donate, and/or volunteer for the 21st Century Packhorse Librarians. Follow the 21st Century Packhorse Librarians on Facebook and Instagram. Read "Thirty lonely but beautiful actions..." and do the ones that move you. Read On Tyrrany: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century by Timothy D. Snyder. Call the Supreme Court at 202-479-3000 or email pio@supremecourt.gov to ask them what they plan to do about Donald Trump ignoring court orders. Listen to Radio PVS Sundays at 9pm EDT for the Saved By Zero show. Check the schedule for repeat times.

Featured guest Ray Katz started and currently leads The Saners, a group dedicated to preventing climate collapse and building a better civilization worldwide. He holds a BA in Economics from Stonybrook University as well as an MBA from Fordham University and he co-founded one of the first web development agencies in Philadelphia in 1994. Katz first appeared on The Leftscape in Episode 160, "Saving the Planet With Joy." He returns to spread the word on the bold ideals and expanded objectives adopted by The Saners, their partnership with General Strike U.S., and to put forth actions and atitudes we can all take on to survive and thrive in these particularly challenging times. Co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée introduce several new show segments. In Timeline Cleanse, Robin reflects on a friend's statement about self-care and Wendy speaks of the power of getting one's hands dirty. Wendy shares a few simple and immediate political and financial actions we can all take in Pièce de Résistance, Robin reads a personal essay, "Concentric Circles," and Wendy reads the first lesson from Timothy D. Snyder's On Tyrrany.  Things to do: Join the General Strike. Learn more about The Saners on their website. Follow on Facebook, BlueSky, YouTube, and Medium. Attend a Hands Off! protest near you on Saturday, April 5th. Find your representatives in Congress and let them know your concerns. Try the 5 Calls app to make your voice heard. Read Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. Read On Tyrrany: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century by Timothy D. Snyder. Watch "A Shockingly Better World - Saners YouTube Video." https://youtu.be/m3zz_7rYaS8?si=ALp64g1aswluIfI5    

The Leftscape is back after an extended holiday hiatus. Co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan have a casual chat and reveal a new direction for the show. Moving forward, expect less news that imitates doom-scrolling and more reporting on ways we as progressives can come together to make an impact and to nurture communities. Expect thoughtful conversations and a couple of new segments to go with old favorites. Wendy introduces and reads the chapter titles of On Tyrrany by Timothy Snyder, which will be explored more deeply in upcoming episodes. As this minisode is posting on the eve of the 2nd inaugauration of Donald Trump, the co-hosts suggest listening, thumbing through On Tyrrany, celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and/or watching nature program re-runs rather than giving attention to the events in Washington, D.C. on January 20th. Featured image: Pen and ink drawing by Wendy Sheridan, January 17, 2025. Things to do: Read the new short bio: We all need progress and community. These are what The Leftscape podcast is all about. Presented by co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée, The Leftscape features commentary, culture, politics, personal dialogue, geekery, and humor. Most importantly, it centers on the conversations progressive people navigate in pursuit of social justice and finding common ground – with just enough news you can use to take action. The show welcomes guests making positive moves in the worlds of activism, feminism, music, media, racial equity, STEM, LGBTQIA+, spirituality, and more. Follow The Leftscape on Bluesky. Keep in touch on other social media @leftscape.  

Painting by Wendy Sheridan Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan speak for the first time after the U.S. presidential election. Together they process the loss by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to Donald Trump and JD Vance. Between surmising why a majority of Americans voted for the Republican ticket and worrying what changes the next four years may bring, they begin to work through the deep sadness and disappointment, anger, frustration, and fear of encroacing fascism. With many more questions than answers, Wendy and Robin take the first small steps toward sorting out how to cope, how to prepare, and what to do to develop and maintain friend groups and communities that are now more important than ever. The Leftscape will be on hiatus through the end of the year. In the meantime expect repeat episodes best suited to help us all be ready for the political shift. Take care of yourselves, be well, and we hope you will make the best of the coming holiday season. Things to do: Let us know how you're doing. How can the show best serve you and your communities as we move ahead? Keep in touch with us on social media @leftscape. We are now sincerely on Bluesky! Follow us: voxwoman.bsky.social, robinrenee.bsky.social, leftscape.bsky.social

Lemalé Torres has a calling in educating union members on how they can be empower themselves to take charge. She is passionate about understanding the political landscape as an advocate of social justice. Another role in her life deeply affects how much she cares about the issues -- motherhood. She met co-host Wendy Sheridan at an event sponsored by Indivisible. They sat down to talk about Torres' knowledge of Project 2025 and its plans for labor laws from a union perspective as well as what it has to say about education, families, and more. Lemalé Torres says, "The work starts with community, and that is where my allegiance will always lie." In This Fortnight I Learned, co-host Robin Renée gets some info on rabid wildlife and Wendy discovers an interesting factoid about why we may need sleep. News includes the terrible Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, ballot boxes for early voting have been attacked in Washington State and Oregon, voter rolls purged in Virginia, war in the Middle East, and New York state hits environmental goals ahead of schedule. In the Blanket Fort, Robin and Wendy cope with election anxiety. The Lefty of the Week is not a single person this time - It is every single one of us who has voted or will vote in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. It takes all of us. LFG! Things to do: Follow Lemalé Torres on Facebook and Instagram. Read Kamala Harris' policy positions vs. Project 2025. Volunteer to help get out the vote. VOTE! Visit Wendy Sheridan at the Rahway Craft and Art Fair, Saturday, November 2nd. 10% off if you voted! Take a break and have a laugh! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbuOVqpuifM  

Ivo Becica is an attorney who represents businesses and Human Resources professionals in employment disputes, including providing advice and training on staying in compliance with the law, as well as defending against employee claims when necessary. He writes about labor and employment law at his firm's blog, HR Legalist. Becica joined co-host Robin Renée for an even-tempered conversation on what Project 2025 has to say about labor and employment issues in comparison to what the Harris/Walz platform proposes. In This Fortnight I Learned, co-host Wendy Sheridan shares a fact about the slowing of the earth's rotation while Robin shouts out the Halloween-appropriate, most recently recognized cat breed according to Cat Fancy UK. In the News: Survivors of the atomic bombings of Japan win the Nobel Peace Prize for their campaign to rid the world of nuclear weapons and three economists win for their study on post-colonial wealth, rough weather in the U.S. and Morocco, yet another worrying climate observation, Jack Smith's unsealed court filing regarding obstruction of the 2020 electoral process, the presidential election's Jill Stein complication, a promising use for CBD oil, and more. Robin nominates Allison Gill for Lefty of the Week.  Things to do: Register to vote or confirm your voter registration today. Read the HR Legalist blog. Read Project 2025. Donate and volunteer for hurricane relief. Test your media literacy.  Check out The Daily Beans podcast. Listen to "Why is Jill Stein Trying to Get Trump Elected" on How We Got Here, a weekly series by the What a Day podcast. Watch the Democrats' anti-Jill Stein ad. https://youtube.com/shorts/tdrVgxCvHtM?si=Bjx_9aTsMoOpvS6n See wtf Robin is talking about: Skibidi Toilet, Chicken Nugget Singing

Lisa Vandever is an organizer and activist with over 30 years of experience in media, communications, arts and events. A lifelong Democrat, she is a co-leader of the progressive group, Indivisible Rahway, and an active member of Fair Ballot Alliance NJ and OneNJ7. An enthusiastic Garden Stater by way of Oregon, Chicago and Brooklyn, she has been happily settled in Rahway, NJ for two decades with husband, Alan, and two ginger tabbies, Clive and Radley. Everyone who is interested in the 2024 U.S. election, getting involved in local politics, and activism will learn a lot from this discussion that begins focused on Rahway and its greater region. What did co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan learn this past fortnight? Wendy took in a couple of lofty facts about the weight and density of clouds while Robin attempted Gen Alpha slang. With too much going on to be neatly broken into headlines and deep dives, news items include Hurricane Helene and numerous weather disasters around the world, a lawsuit by members of the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio against Donald Trump and JD Vance, Chappell Roan's non-endorsement of Kamala Harris, the Rahway Library roundup, Rudy Giuliani's disbarment, the new haka world record, and much more. In Why Is This Awesome?, Wendy and Robin reflect on the health benefits of arts practices (and get side-tracked by The Church of the SubGenius). Wendy nominates Reverend Kat Irwin for Lefty of the Week. Things to do: Register to vote or confirm your voter registration today. Get active with Indivisible and learn more about Indivisible Rahway. Help democratic victories with Swing Left. Help get out the vote with Mobilize. Learn more about the Fair Ballot Alliance. Listen to Episode 144 featuring Lisa Vandever, "20 Years of Cinekink." Watch "New Zealand reclaims world record for largest mass haka." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnOhDX9QAFk

Tom Limoncelli is an LGBTQ organizer, trainer, and speaker from New Jersey. His speaking and training repertoire includes time management for activists and support group facilitation skills. He is the recipient of several activism awards including the Brenda Howard Award for bisexual activism. Tom spoke about Time Management for Busy Activists on Leftscape Episode 86 almost exactly four years ago in 2020. In this episode he shares about the easy-to-do activism he's been taking part in to get out the vote as we approach yet another incredibly important presidential election. In a new/modified segment, Why Is This Not Awesome?, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée look over a report on Project 2025 and its Consequences for Libraries. In This Fortnight I Learned, Robin and Wendy both bring animal facts (cats and giraffes, respectively). News includes Kamala Harris' kickass debate performance, flooding in Eastern Europe, an accusation of a CIA plot to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, another potential Trump assassination attempt, a Trump court case roundup, the Ig Noble Awards, and Wendy's Rahway Library Action Update. Robin names Conspirituality co-host Derek Beres Lefty of the Week. Things to do: Register to vote or confirm your voter registration today. Get addresses to GOTV for Democratic candidates. Get postcards to send to Democratic voters. Find volunteer activities (remote and in-person) all over the US: Mobilize! Read Tom Limoncelli's blog post about postcarding, "Postcards for Democracy." Read Project 2025 and its Consequences for Libraries. Check out The Daily Beans podcast. Check out the Conspirituality podcast.

Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée are back after summer break for the 2024 Season 2 of The Leftscape! Featured guest Jonah Minkoff-Zern (he/him) is the co-director of Public Citizen's Democracy Campaign. He has organized nationwide mobilizations to challenge ongoing threats to democracy from former President Donald Trump and his allies, coordinated grassroots activities to pass federal voting rights and democracy reforms, and mobilized national action for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. He has led and supported state-based efforts to win voting rights, public financing to protect election officials and prevent artificial intelligence deepfakes in elections, and coordinated national support for the Second Chances Florida ballot initiative, which restored the eligibility to vote to Floridians with felony convictions. Hear him speak with Wendy about the many aspects of the Democracy Campaign's important work. In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy recounts the controvery over which of two simiarly-named people originated Labor Day in 1882 and Robin discusses the first term entered into their personal Pittsburghese dictionary. In News, there is so much to tackle that a great deal more of it is covered in What the Bleep Happened This Summer? on Patreon. X offline in Brazil, the summer COVID surge, the upcoming Harris vs. Trump presidential debate, members of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland elected in Germany, an action against budget cuts at the Rahway Public Library, and the Oasis reunion are some of the stories that made the show. In The Blanket Fort, Robin and Wendy check in on what they're doing to stay informed without getting overwhelmed. Wendy nominates Frances Perkins as Lefty of the Week. Things to do: Learn more about Public Citizen. Follow Public Citizen on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Watch the presidential debate on Tuesday, September 10th at 9pm EDT. Subscribe to 1440. Check out to What a Day and On the Media. Read "Inmates Training Hard-to-Adopt Dogs in New Mexico Creates Joy On Both Ends of a Leash."

Hal Robins is known for his radio broadcasts and public performances, as well as for his participation in the Church of the SubGenius (as Dr. Howland Owll, Master of Church Secrets). He has worked in film and television and is a poet and playwright. Robins is also a fine artist and cartoonist. In this featured conversation with Rev. Andrew Genus, he shares his wit and insight into the world of the SubGenius, the current political state we find ourselves in, and his upcoming appearance at PubeFest in Bethlehem, PA featuring the Ask Dr. Hal Show and other SubGenius shenanigans. In this final show of the season before summer break, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée start off in This Fortnight I Learned with some lighthearted factoids about dolphins and tennis balls. All the News We Can Handle was more was enough with the presidential debate and SCOTUS decisions, a few of which deal with presidential immunity, ordinances prohibiting camping within city limits by people who are homeless, and overturning the 1984 decision in Chevron v Natural Resources Defense Council. In The Artscape, Wendy interviews Robin about recent creative projects and process, challenges and small victories. Robin names Kai Wright Lefty of the Week. Happy a Happy 4th of July and have a great summer! Reach out anytime and keep in touch on social media @leftscape. Things to do: Check out the Ask Dr. Hal Show! Learn the truth about J. R. "Bob" Dobbs and The Church of the SubGenius! Attend the Second Annual PubeFest! July 5-7, 2024 View the featured image, Dobbs Ourobouros, by Hal Robins. Read more about Supreme Court decisions on SCOTUSblog. Listen to the Saved By Zero show with host DJ Andrew Genus. Watch "Nick Lowe - Alison (Elvis Costello cover)" https://youtu.be/oPJ5dNFh-Rc?si=xQZ3TP1DU5hfmHh7  

Co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan discuss the enormous and detailed Project 2025, a collection of policy proposals created by The Heritage Foundation to reshape the United States government in the image of current-day far right conservativism. It seeks to mandate conservative Christian values, dismantle many social programs and government departments, and to provide ready-made policy positions and personnel for the next Republican president. This description barely begins to do justice to the sweeping, detrimental changes this tome proposes. Wendy and Robin begin to look at its elements broadly and anticipate future conversations about Project 2025 along with discovering and taking part in things we can do to keep it from being enacted. In concert with the featured conversation, Robin sparks a discussion on a video by Innuendo Studios, "Always a Bigger Fish" in the Geekscape for a better understanding of conservative vs. liberal worldviews. The show begins on a lighter note with a few rewinds to Episode 160 and This Fortnight I Learned facts about Google searches and ants in New York City. News includes the upcoming presidential debate slated for June 27th, the Supreme Court's end-of-June decisions, a "tactical pause" of the fighting in a portion of Gaza, the continuing adverntures of Trump and Rudy in the Georgia election fraud case, and wild Przewalski's horses returned to Kazakhstan's Golden Steppe. For Lefty of the Week, Wendy names local activist Quanae "Pie Lady" Palmer. Things to do: Watch “ What is Project 2025?” https://youtu.be/A7OlQG9C4zM?si=rTG2uZgrWDHSUwpq Watch "The Alt-Right Playbook: Always a Bigger Fish" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agzNANfNlTs Watch "Trump's Second Term: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwqpx6lp_s Meet the ManhattAnts!  

Ray Katz is a web developer—one of Philadelphia's first. He has many hobbies including collecting artifacts related to the history of space flight and animation. His passion and most pressing endeavor, however, is to find effective ways of dealing with climate change. To that end, he has created a new and unique movement, The Saners. He is also the host of the 5 Minutes to Save the Earth podcast. Don't miss his inspired thoughts on how a grassroots environmental movement can learn from past and present brilliance, use a decent dose of humor, and stand up to the status quo with a joyful resistance. Leftscape co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée begin the show with a bit of a check-in and a shout out to Pride Month before getting into This Fortnight I Learned. Wendy has learned about a once-ubiquitous melody that was composed by Brian Eno and Robin has learned yet another thing about squirrels. In News, Donald Trump is convicted of 34 felony counts, SCOTUS clears the way for Louisiana to use a new congressional map containing two majority-Black districts, Mexico's first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is elected, Vermont becomes the first state to require oil companies to pay for the impacts of climate change, all four members of ABBA are knighted, and other stories. Earlier in The Earthscape, Robin and Wendy share their favorite workouts. At the end of the show, Robin names climate activist Lauren MacDonald Lefty of the Week.  Things to do: Learn about The Saners and sign up to get involved. Get inspired by the 5 Minutes to Save the Earth podcast. Follow Ray Katz and The Saners on X and Medium. Try working out on a GiBoard. When was America great? Check out this article for answers. Check out this creative pride flag creation by Wendy's daughter, Ariel Sheridan!   Listen to "Uptown Squirrel [update]" on 99% Invisible. https://youtu.be/H_W6ErOgLwI?si=1Uq3xrTRic8kmAAv  

  When Abby Driscoll, a senior at Fort Defiance High School in Verona, VA had a piece placed in a school art show, she likely didn't expect the drama that ensued. Listener Tony Rogers of Fairfax, VA sent the story to The Leftscape via X/Twitter to spark conversation between co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan. This featured discussion ranges from thoughts on the artwork, "But Not Enough to Save You," to serious concerns about censorship, art and book banning, and right-wing influence on school boards, the importance of down-ballot electoral races, and the power of art as activism. The episode gets started with Wendy and Robin revealing their latest new knowledge in This Fortnight I Learned -- this time on the topics of the design of chef's hats and well-known actors whose 60s band collaboration is surprising. All the News We Can Handle includes Rudy Giuliani served with notice of his indictment for efforts to overturn 2020 presidential election results, Kristi Noem banned from Native American reservations, and a call from the international criminal court for arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders. Also in the news: the Human Rights Campaign's massive public education and mobilization campaign ahead of the 2024 elections, Nevada activists secure signatures for a vote on abortion access, Art Smart singing lessons, and much more. Before the featured discussion, Robin and Wendy enter The Blanket Fort for an extended personal check-in. Things to do: Watch the video: "A high school artist called out Christian bigotry. Her school board is furious. (Livestream)" https://youtu.be/SZLiDPhpdvE?si=bBg7_kVDysaqAOcv Read the article on FriendlyAtheist.com. Check out wendycardz on Etsy. Listen to Saved by Zero on Radio PVS and Mixcloud. Listen to "My Old School" by Steely Dan. https://youtu.be/rFnwczuvb74?si=vb87jRmtKqm5r5H7   Do you have a topic you'd like to hear discussed on The Leftscape? Let Wendy and Robin know.    

David Michael Jamison is the Assistant Professor of History at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida and the former Visiting Assistant Professor of Black World Studies at Miami University–Middletown in Middletown, Ohio. He previously worked as a special-education teacher, first with the New York Board of Education and then with the Los Angeles Unified School District. He is the Education and Programs Chair of the Jacksonville Historical Society; the director of the oral-history project, the co-chair of the Steering Committee for the Jacksonville Community Remembrance Project, and the Local Historian for the James Weldon Johnson Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. He was a guest on The Leftscape Episode 60 back in 2019 and returns to talk about The Race Cards, a tool for fostering positive, authentic conversations about race. Co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée kick off the show with facts about "TikTok voice" and the world's largest baguette in This Fortnight I Learned. In the News, the 4th Circuit Court in Richmond Virginia ruled that state health-care plans must pay for gender-affirming surgeries, Washington state GOP delegates come out against democracy, Methodists end anti-gay bans in the church, and blue whales return near the Seychelles. Before the featured interview in the Geekscape segment, Wendy leads the geek-out about repairing stuff. At the end of the show, Robin nominates Allison Gill for Lefty of the Week.   Things to do: Learn more about 904WARD, The Race Cards conversation tool, and the Jacksonville Community Remembrance Project. Learn about the Right to Repair. Listen to Allison Gill's podcasts and other great shows on MSW Media. Listen to Saved By Zero and the other great shows on Radio PVS. Check out Saved By Zero on Mixcloud. Get artwork on wendycardz. Watch "The first ever footage of Blue Whales in the Seychelles." https://youtu.be/oKU-2Q7esNA?si=mwBXfHH2YFfocfG0  

Meet Protest Singer Michael Naphys Michael Naphys is a singer/songwriter from South Jersey. Music has always been a big part of his life, and he has some musical releases including his first original album, Coming Out of my Shell, that we'll learn about in this conversation. Michael performs live acoustic sets in Southern New Jersey including at Whims Brewing in Atco where co-host Robin Renée was lucky enough to catch his set not long ago. He finds using music to express his views on political issues to be very rewarding and empowering, and joins us on The Leftscape to talk about his experiences with writing and performing protest music and the journey of growing into his political focus. In The Artscape, Robin talks with co-host Wendy Sheridan about her recent work and upcoming art shows. In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy discovers the songs by Shel Silverstein and Robin discovers the joy of Asking for What You Want. News covered includes trouble for the Great Barrier Reef, a new union for Volkswagen workers, a search engine for conservatives, a new nondiscrimination law in Oakland, CA for polyamorous and other alternative family structures, states where abortion will be on the ballot, President Biden announces environmental grants and jobs on the 55th Earth Day, recreational cannabis use linked with lower risk of dementia-related diseases, and remembering David Newman aka Durga Das. Wendy nominates Earth Day creator Gaylord Nelson as the Lefty of the Week. Things to do: Keep up with Michael Naphys on Instagram, Facebook, and X/Twitter. Listen to Michael Naphys on Soundcloud or Spotify. Say hi to Wendy Sheridan and buy her art at the Spring Craft & Vendor Show, Saturday, April 27th, 10am - 4pm, Allaire State Park 4263 Atlantic Avenue Farmingdale, NJ 07727. Booth #40. Raindate Sunday, April 28th. See Wendy's work in the Union County Senior Art Exhibit, Union College of Union County, 1776 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains, NJ, Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm. Tuesdays until 8 pm, Closes May 30th at noon. Check out wendycardz on Etsy and Wendycards on Facebook for more art by Wendy Sheridan. Listen to healing sounds by David Newman.

Kyle Schickner has been a bisexual activist for the past 30 years. His company, FenceSitter Films makes films that tell the stories of women, people of color, and the LGBTQ communities. Kyle was our guest back in November 2021 on Leftscape Episode 113 when we talked about his film, A White Man Walks Into a Barbershop, a documentary of his cross country road trip focused on having down-to-earth conversations about race and racism. Now he is the director of the upcoming FenceSitter Film Festival which is coming right up, April 18th through the 21st at Bernardsville Cinema in Bernardsville, NJ. In the Why Is This Awesome? segment, co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan share their excitement about the amazing solar eclipse that crossed North America on April 8, 2024. In a related note, Robin complains about "travel hazing" in This Fortnight I Learned, while Wendy points our the value of writing things down. In the News, there are the SCOTUS and Trump trial roundups, 4/8 conspiracy theories, the next total solar eclipe, the future of Mifepristone, a push for a 32-hour work week, a newly-discovered blue and yellow gecko, and more. Robin nominates Keith Olbermann for Lefty of the Week. Things to do: Get your tickets for the 2024 FenceSitter Film Festival, April 18 - 21 in Bernardsville, NJ. Follow Kyle Schickner on Facebook and the FenceSitter Film Festival on Instagram. Explore more on the FenceSitter Films website. Get ready for upcoming eclipses! Listen to Countdown With Keith Olbermann. Watch a FenceSitter Film Festival trailer. https://youtu.be/sGaC5yc105A?si=o60aN3tViZdEN406

David "Daxe" Axelrod is a holistic economist, currently teaching at Montclair State University. He developed and teaches the course "Economics of Time, Mind, and Spirit." He has also produced over a dozen albums of original music. Creativity, resources, aspirations, limitations, the problems with capitalism and what a society without it might look like all weave into his conversation with co-host Wendy Sheridan. The answers to all the world's inequality problems may not have been uncovered in this interview, but listen in for some surprising starting points and intriguing questions well worth contemplating. Before the featured interview, Wendy and Robin head to The Blanket Fort for a personal chat about commitments and ceremonies. In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy had a family revelation and Robin found out about the Ides of March Coin. In the News: Tammy Murphy leaves the Senate primary, a couple of Trump trial headlines, a right-wing family's challenges in Russia, Jasmin Paris finishes the Barkley Ultramarathon, SCOTUS oral arguments regarding healthcare for the Arizona Apache tribe and access to mifepristone, and a man changes his name to "Literally Anybody Else" to run for president. At the end of the show, Wendy nominates Heather Cox Richardson as this episode's Lefty of the Week. (Please pardon our sound quality... There were some mysterious tech issues this time around.) Things to do: Listen to Daxe on Economics, Time, Mind, and Spirit on YouTube. Subscribe to Heather Cox Richardson's Letters From An American newsletter. Listen to Music For the Goddess.

Lieve Monnens was born in Belgium in the 1960s. She had a musical awakening when she was eleven years old through listening to her dad's records by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys. She became interested in going to live shows, then later took internships with radio and record companies which led to several jobs in the music industry. In 1990, Lieve moved to England and began working at Factory Records in Manchester, only 2 and a half years before the label dissolved. Over thirty years later, she has been featured in the book, I Thought I Heard You Speak: Women at Factory Records by Audrey Golden, which has just been released in the U.S. She offers her thoughts on the experience of being a woman at Factory at the time, what it's like looking back, and the importance of recording our lesser-known histories. After introducing the show, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée share their This Fortnight I Learned facts; Wendy learned something cool where Babylon 5 meets International Women's Day, while Robin copped out and read the day's Google Doodle fact about fancy coffee drinks. Just the Tip news includes the State of the Union address and the Katie Britt response, Greta Thunberg climate protest, the passing of Akira Toriyama, and The Oscars. A call by Rosemarie Mallet, Bishop of Croydon for the Church of England to pay hefty reparations for chattel slavery, decreasing power of anti-trans talking points, SCOTUS taking up the presidential immunity question, and more are discussed In Deep. In The Earthscape segment, Wendy leads a discussion on early spring gardening. Robin nominates Clementine Morrigan as Lefty of the Week. Things to do: Get the book! I Thought I Heard You Speak: Women At Factory Records by Audrey Golden. Listen to Saved By Zero - Factory Records Favorites w/ Lieve Monnens. Check out the book event for I Thought I Heard You Speak on March 30th at Record Grouch, 986 Manhattan Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222. Reading by author Audrey Golden. Former Factory colleagues Lieve Monnens and Seema Saini will be in attendance. Time TBD - Keep an eye on the Record Grouch events page. Learn about Lefty of the Week, Clementine Morrigan. Read American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard. Donate to Vote Save America to help the most important campaigns in the upcoming U.S. elections. Keep track of the Trump trials.

The Leftscape 2024 Season 1 begins with special guest, Robert Brooks Cohen! Cohen is a writer, content creator, and life coach living in Los Angeles. He spent seven seasons writing and producing for Law & Order: SVU, and in 2019, he created Two Bi Guys, a podcast about sexual fluidity, masculinity, and the gender spectrum. His first book, Bisexual Married Men: Stories of Relationships, Acceptance, and Authenticity, was published by Routledge in 2023. In this featured conversation, he shares about his personal journey, the making of the book, questions of identity in the current political climate, and future creative possibilities. Co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée catch up at the beginning of the show after the long winter break. News highlights include Sweden's successful bid to join NATO, the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling that embryos are children, SCOTUS hearing arguments on whether social media companies have the right to censor, the tragic death of nonbinary student Nex Benedict, scientists isolated in Antarctica develop their own, unique accent, the various Trump trials, and more. Wendy introduces a new mini-segment of the show with her nomination of John Oliver for a Lefty Award. In Why Is This Awesome?, Robin is excited about having checked out a recent concert by Young Gun Silver Fox. Things to do: Keep up with Robert Brooks Cohen and get your copy of Bisexual Married Men: Stories of Relationships, Acceptance, and Authenticity. Listen to the Two Bi Guys podcast. Attend B+ WELL: A Wellness Conference for the Bisexual, Pansexual & Fluid Community, Saturday, March 2nd, 9am - 2:30pm, Los Angeles City College, 855 North Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90029 Check out community-based support and discussion group, BiRequest. Watch I May Destroy You. Remember the lives and the tireless bi advocacy of Sheela Lambert and ABilly Jones Hennin. Listen to Leftscape Episode 33 featuring John Cecil Price. Rest in Peace, Johnnycakes. Follow the GoFundMe in memory of Nex Benedict and give if you are so moved. Listen to the Saved By Zero show by DJ Andrew Genus (aka Robin Renée). Jam out to Young Gun Silver Fox. Watch "Supreme Court Ethics: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE-VJrdHMug  

When Jan Steckel was a guest on The Leftscape back in April of 2019, she read from her book of poetry, Like Flesh Covers Bone (Zeitgeist Press, 2018), which went on to win two Rainbow Awards. Her earlier poetry book, The Horizontal Poet (Zeitgeist Press, 2011), won a 2012 Lambda Literary Award. Jan Steckel's creative prose and poetry have appeared in Scholastic Magazine, Yale Medicine, Bellevue Literary Review, Canary, Assaracus, and elsewhere. This time in our featured interview, the Oakland, California based writer is back to share from her new debut fiction collection, Ghosts and Oceans (Zeitgeist Press, 2023). In The Artscape, Wendy Sheridan asks Robin Renée about current gigs, DJing post-punk, stage fright, and other happenings on the creative front. In This Fortnight I Learned, they cover Kit Kat flavors, an ending and beginning for KISS, and Wendy's music streaming in Japan. All the News We Can Handle includes contention over the Zulu kingship, a Texas abortion case, activists working to stop severe anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Uganda, George Santos on Cameo, the Pantone color of the coming year, and a fosssil called Turtwig. This is the last show of the season! Stay tuned for reposts of some of our favorites, check us out on Patreon, and catch us on social media @leftscape. Have a beautiful holiday season and a great start to 2024. We'll see you soon! Leftscape Love, Robin and Wendy   Things to do: Read Ghosts and Oceans by Jan Steckel. https://www.zeitgeist-press.com/index.php/product/ghosts-and-oceans/ Ghosts and Oceans on Amazon See Robin Renée's live performance on Friday, December 15th, 7-9pm with Sharief & Friends at Mr. Pi's, 247 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ. Stream music by Wendy Sheridan's band, Music for the Goddess: Listen to DJ Andrew Genus / Robin Renée on Mixcloud. See Turtwig!

John Oliver Mason is a freelance writer and has written for newspapers in the Philadelphia area for thirty years, covering such community-based events as town watches, school boards, community associations, Labor issues, and demonstrations. He has written for magazines and blogs as well and he is an advocate who specializes in writing about people in the community who are empowering themselves to make their communities better. He is a poet who has broken into fiction with his novel, Soldier of the Cross. He is a media consultant and a longtime community and labor activist. In this interview, he reveals his current projects and elucidates his dedication to political relevance and authenticity. Co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan make a rare in-person recording for this show. In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy has info on the blue whale's heartbeat and Robin has happy pet news from the homefront. In the News: a cease fire and hostage release in the Israel-Hamas War, shrinking GOP donations, George Santos' rant-a-thon, Hall v. Oates, the latest on the Trump gag order in the New York civil case, and the winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photo Contest. Robin is psyched about the season's concerts in Why Is This Awesome!?. Things to do: Visit John Oliver Mason's website. Follow him on Facebook and X/Twitter. Read Soldier of the Cross by John Oliver Mason. Follow Robin Renée/DJ Andrew Genus on Mixcloud. Listen to "What's New What's Live" and "A Nick Lowe Show." Watch THE CHATS - SMOKO (OFFICIAL VIDEO). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j58V2vC9EPc  

Over the last five decades Scott Pearson has been a recording artist, a music producer, a TV soundtrack composer, an educator, an entrepreneur, a fine artist and painter, a social media and marketing consultant, and a tour guide for his adopted hometown of Utrecht near Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Leftscape co-host Robin Renée had the opportunity to work with Scott on some musical projects back in the mid 2000s, and was happy to have a chat with him about what the United States looks like from somewhere else. Listen in for thoughts on politics to healthcare to housing, the journey to becoming a "Trump refugee," and what it could mean as individuals and as societies to let love lead. Before the interview, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée share info about "Metal" Mike Saunders and competitive art in This Fortnight I Learned. In All the News We Can Handle: multiple legal actions filed to keep Donald Trump off of 2024 ballots, Ohio votes for abortion rights, Democrats retake full control of the Virginia General Assembly, new animal cruelty laws in Victoria, Australia, and a sighting of Attenborough's long-beaked echidna, which was thought to be long extinct. In The Blanket Fort, Wendy and Robin chat about surviving - and hopefully finding some joy - during the upcoming holidays.  Things to do: Visit Scott Pearson's website and read his Curious Tales Untold. Follow Scott Pearson on Facebook and Instagram. Attend Philcon – the world's first and longest-running conference on science fiction, fantasy, and horror! November 17-19, Doubletree by Hilton, Cherry Hill, NJ. See the Attenborough long-beaked echidna.    

Michael A. Ventrella is an author and editor who has written novels, short stories, and nonfiction books including Big Stick, Terin Ostler and the Axes of Evil, and The Beatles on the Charts. Ventrella is also an attorney and has taught Constitutional Law at a number of institutions of higher learning. Just in time for elections and the upcoming holiday season, he speaks with Wendy about his helpful and humorous book, How to Argue the Constitution With a Conservative. Before the interview in The Earthscape segment, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée reflect on the meaning of and plans for the holiday of Samhain and how it interweaves with secular Halloween fun. Donald Trump's gag orders, the argument for keeping Trump off of the 2024 presidential ballot, new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, a simulation of the Chicxulub impact, and debt activists to the rescue are all part of All the News We Can Handle. In This Fortnight I Learned, Robin and Wendy each discover something mildly interesting about breakfast cereal. Things to do: VOTE! Learn more about Michael A. Ventrella on his website. Keep up with Michael A. Ventrella on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram. Get the book! How to Argue the Constitution With a Conservative                     Attend Philcon - the world's first and longest-running conference on science fiction, fantasy, and horror! November 17-19, Doubletree by Hilton, Cherry Hill, NJ. Watch Micheal A. Ventrella read the first chapter from How to Argue the Constitution With a Conservative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owMyfhce_vQ

Missy Singer DuMars has had careers in Theatrical & Entertainment Lighting, Therapeutic Massage, and Business Coaching. She is now a farmer and the owner of Crown Hill Farm in Eden, NY. She is also the hostess of the Women in Food Podcast. With this eclectic life and experience, she has lots to talk about! Hear what she had to say about her journey into farming, empowering women in the food industry, and the habits and conventions we can all use help breaking through to realize better choices around the food we enjoy and are nourished by every day. Before the featured interview, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée talk about autumn gardening plans in The Earthscape. The News is a LOT. Stories include the profound losses and complications of the Israel-Hamas War, India's Supreme Court statement on same-sex marriage, the continuing U.S. Speaker of the House debacle, Greta Thunberg's recent arrest, the defeat of The Voice for Australia's First Peoples, and the first off-road, solar powered car. Robin and Wendy kick off the show with This Fortnight I Learned. This fortnight, Wendy learned a fascinating fact about Australia. Robin embraced being in love. Things to do: Check out Missy Singer DuMars' Crown Hill Farm, SpiritBizPeople coaching, and Women in Food Podcast. Like Crown Hill Farm on Facebook and follow on Instagram. Connect with Missy Singer DuMars on LinkedIn and X/Twitter. Take a Haunted Hayride at Crown Hill Farm! Saturday, Oct 28th, 11am - Sunday, Oct 29th, 2pm.

Teanna Byerts wants you to know that adventure is out there -- You just need some imagination! Byerts is an artist, writer, photographer, kayaker, horseman, and mermaid. She nerds out about science, science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, animation, and weird, early lifeforms. She has paddled in the wake of dolphins, trained actual wild mustangs, and lived with a small pride of mini panthers. She believes that storytellers and artists should inspire and educate and very much lives up to that objective. In this friendly, artist-to-artist conversation with co-host Wendy Sheridan, Teanna Byerts shares about some of her great experiences with painting and working in environmental education art, wildlife rehabilitation, publishing, and the joy and skill of mermaiding. Just before the featured interview, co-host Robin Renée interviews Wendy in The Artscape about her explorations in finding a signature style, her art and design work for the new Flick Liver album cover, her upcoming shows, and more. In All the News We Can Handle: Laphonza Butler will fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by Dianne Feinstein, increased availability of abortion pills for New York City residents, Trump's legal calendar, NJ Senator Bob Menedez' issues, Taylor Swift's voter registration impact, and  rhino rebound. In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy learned about hemorrhoids and Robin learned about blimps. Things to do: Go to Teanna Byerts' website. Check out her books and other offerings. Follow Teanna Byerts on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Check out Wendy's art shows! Find her at: BarronFest 2023: Woodbridge's 16th Annual Fine Arts & Crafts Festival 400 Rahway Avenue, Woodbridge, NJ October 14, 2023, 12pm - 4:30pm Rahway Craft & Art Fair Rahway Recreation Center, 275 E. Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ November 4, 2023, 11am - 4pm Philcon Doubletree by Hilton, Cherry Hill, NJ November 17 - 19, 2023 Get music by Flick Liver! See the Goodyear blimp! Get yourself a public radio name here, here, or here. View art by Wendy Sheridan (click for full size images)                 Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast        

Janet Coburn writes about mental health on her award-winning blog, Bipolar Me. She draws her insights from direct experience, as she has lived with bipolar disorder for decades. Her book of valuable mental health information and personal stories, Bipolar Me, was published in 2018. Her collection of short essays, Bipolar Us, which appeared in 2020, includes chapters on work, family life, self-care and caregivers, society and stigma, treatments and medications, and treating bipolar disorder sucessfully with help and caring. In this discussion, hear her speak candidly about experiencing bipolar II disorder, psychiatric treatment options, mental health care in the United States, and more. Coburn lives in Ohio with her husband and cats. Before the featured interview, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée enter The Blanket Fort for much needed heart-to-heart time and virtual hugs. In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy reveals the world's most faked artist and Robin reveals the meaning behind a popular song by Squeeze. In the News, there is an Australian government proposal to add Indigenous representation in Congress via a vote to change their constitution, there are multiple impeachment attempts around the US, a stolen Van Gogh is returned, an absurd "Jersey Man" story, the 2023 Ig Nobel Prizes, and a Herculean kitten rescue on Long Island. Things to do: If you are struggling, help is available. Text or call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Read Janet Coburn's blog, Bipolar Me. Buy the books: Bipolar Me and Bipolar Us.                Follow Janet Coburn on Facebook. Watch This Week in Science: Turning Dead Spiders Into Robots https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wiQZdbeeI8

Alice Leibowitz is a longtime activist and facilitator who provides support for progressives and changemakers to find hope and keep their sanity in the face of rising fascism and other global crises. Her coaching and facilitation firm, Conversations Against Fascism, provides love, power, creativity, and focus in response to the question, “How are we going to do what it takes to meet this moment in history?” Hear about her activism journey, the role personal growth can play in social/political movements, and thoughts on finding your own niche in it all. In the new This Fortnight I Learned segment, Wendy Sheridan learned that our human ancestors nearly went extinct and Robin Renée was awakened to the level of respect that is possible for Black American English (AAVE). In the news: the continuing strike in Hollywood and approval rates of unions, the Burning Man deluge, the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in Texas, the "one weird trick" buglars in Wales are using, a successful lawsuit in Montana for the right to a clean and healthful environment, and the passing of Jimmy Buffett. We are very sad to announce the passing of Arretta Cuff, lifelong friend of Robin and family and the featured interviewee in History and Hope (Episode 68): An Oral History of Race From the 1940s - Today. The Geekscape meets Why Is This Awesome? is a combined segment before the main interview as Wendy and Robin discuss their impressions of the movie of the summer. Things to do: Join Conversations Against Fascism on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to Alice Leibowitz' YouTube channel. Follow #BiVisibilityMonth on social media. Go see and share your thoughts!   Read "'Barbie' is the New Innana" in The Wild Hunt. Listen to the Fucking Cancelled podcast. Check out Robin Renée aka DJ Andrew Genus on Mixcloud. Just... watch this madness. :-D Yacht Rock Episode 11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEw3_6xWkDs

Lisa Vandever is the co-founder and director of CineKink Film Festival, which is just entering its 20th anniversary season. A writer, producer and consultant in film and communications, Lisa was formerly the director of programming for a regional network of public television stations, worked as a development executive for two New York-based independent production companies, and she currently freelances with a wide range of organizations and companies. Active in local political organizing, she lives in Rahway, New Jersey with her husband and their two ginger tabbies, Clive and Radley. Leftscape co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée chat with Lisa about kink, the upcoming festival on August 2nd - 6th, and celebrating adult sexuality, connection, and self-expression. Robin is in the hot seat for the Artscape segment, as Wendy asks about their latest writing, gigs, and other musical projects. Earlier in the show, the Random Facts of the day involve the creature with the world's largest eyes and catching up with Christian Cooper, who was made famous for "birding while Black" in Central Park. In the News, there is the recent challenge to authority in Russia, a flurry of decisions from the US Supreme Court, hospitality workers on strike in Los Angeles, Australia becomes the first country to allow prescriptions for psilocybin and MDMA, and strides in renewable energy in Spain and Portugal. This is the last show of the season! Until next time, enjoy the redux episodes and stay connected on social media @Leftscape. Thanks for listening! Things to do: Attend CineKink! Save the dates: August 2 - 6, 2023 at Wild Project, in New York City. Follow CineKink on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and FetLife. Read Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper. Support QuEAR Candy! Listen to Saved By Zero on Yacht Rock Discord Sundays at 9pm ET, Radio PVS Thursdays at 9am ET, and anytime on Mixcloud. Watch a 1987 Hawaiian Punch commercial composed by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo:   https://youtu.be/SIfh0XMrg6w   Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast  

Vince Osborn resides in Chicago, is an avid cyclist, and is a devoted music enthusiast. He is a Founder of the Museum of Post-Punk and Industrial Music in Chicago, which was established by drummer Martin Atkins in 2021. He met co-host Robin Renée in the Devo fandom around the same time he first connected with Cynthia Dorothy Albritton, better known as Cynthia Plaster Caster. In this interview he recalls his longtime friendship with Cynthia, her art, and her stories of a rock 'n' roll life as "just a fan." In The Earthscape segment, Robin and co-host Wendy Sheridan discuss their results of the 7 Identities Test for gender. In News: the historic indictment of Donald Trump, recent major US Supreme Court decisions, the confirmation of Nusrat Choudhury, the US' first female Muslim federal judge, the grand jury indictment of Marine veteran Daniel Penny on charges connected to the fatal choking of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway, the remarkable house painting of Tash Frootko in Gloucester UK, and Illinois becomes the first US state to ban book banning in libraries, which leads to the question: How many book bans would a book ban ban ban if a book ban ban could ban book bans? At the top of the show, Wendy and Robin reveal Random Facts about ant life and a tiny unit of time. The show is rounded out by the You Got Questions? We Got Answers? inquiry of the day, "Have you been told you look like someone famous? If so, who was it?"  Happy Summer (and Happy Winter to our friends in the Southern Hemisphere)! Things to do: Follow Vince Osborn on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Learn about the Cynthia Plaster Caster Collection at the Kinsey Institute. Visit the Museum of Post-Punk and Industrial Music. Listen to the entire 37-count federal indictment against Donald Trump read by MSNBC host Ali Velshi. Listen to "More Perfect presents: Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl." Take the 7 Identities Test. Listen to "Plaster Caster" by KISS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4x2Vlcar5o Watch "Open Your Heart" by Madonna. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snsTmi9N9Gs Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Founded in 2014, Jenn Iannaconi's company, Valkyrie Apparel, is a passion project born of spite and rage -- rage towards an exclusionary fashion industry that neither understands nor wants to understand the needs of plus-sized customers. Jenn was born in New Jersey but now lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband, their dog, and several creepy old dolls that certainly DO NOT watch you as you move around the room. In this conversation with co-host Wendy Sheridan, she shares thoughts on attitudes toward body size, the process of creating and maintaining her business, and another fun and educational project with a focus on LARPing with children. In Why Is This Awesome?, Robin Renée is excited about discovering Black punk rockers. All the News We Can Handle includes the ongoing anti-trans Bud Light boycott, gay and bisexual men now permitted to donate blood in the US, the Barbie film causes a pink paint shortage, when and why Georgia drivers are being asked to keep their clothes on, promising research centering on the shingles vaccine to prevent Alzheimer's, and the positive effect of news stories featuring acts of kindness. The Random Facts at the beginning of the show involve vending machines in Japan and another great talent of scientist Alan Turing. In You Got Questions? We Got Answers? Robin and Wendy respond to a question sent in by bi+ activist, Robyn Ochs. Things to do: Check out Jennifer Iannaconi's Valkyrie Apparel website, Instagram, Facebook page, and TikTok. Learn more about the LARP Adventure Program. Support Bi Women Quarterly during Pride Month through giveoutday.org. Listen to Robin's Afropunk History playlist from Episode 19 of the Saved By Zero show. Join the Yacht Rock Discord server to catch Saved By Zero Sunday nights 9pm ET (Contact Robin for an updated link if needed) or listen on Melbourne Australia internet station, Radio PVS, Thursday mornings 9am ET (11pm AET).

  Our interview with Kurt Esslinger in the last show was too good to leave any on the cutting room floor. As a refresher, Kurt Esslinger works on behalf of the Presbyterian Church USA with an ecumenical council of churches in Korea to help bring peace to the Korean Peninsula. A Texas native, he has been living and working in Korea for ten years. This conversation is a look at then President Donald Trump's part in the beginning of peace talks between North and South Korea, the vastly different perceptions of him and his role in those talks between progressives in Korea and the US, outcomes then, and what is possible in the future. This is part two of this in-depth conversation. If you haven't yet, please listen to Korean War and Peace, Part 1 (Episode 140) for the first portion of the discussion.  This time in the Geekscape, Robin Renée schools Wendy Sheridan in essence of music genres including new wave, yacht rock, sophistipop, "Cookie Monster" death metal, classic country, and more. Earlier in the show, the Random Facts cover a possible cure for hangovers and Robin begins the Geekscape vibe early with a definition of witch house. In News, Turkish President Erdoğan and challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu appear headed to a runoff, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetoes a bill banning most abortions after 12 weeks (the veto was overridden after recording time), a roundup of Trump legal tanglings including the liable verdict in the sexual abuse case brought by E. Jean Carroll, and Swedish singer Loreen wins her second Eurovision title for the song, "Tattoo." In You Got Questions? We Got Answers!, Wendy and Robin respond to "What is a widely accepted belief that needs to be dead and buried?" Things to do: Sign the Korea Peace Appeal. Check out a history of electronic music mapped out to the circuit board of a theremin. Watch Loreen - "Tattoo" - Eurovision 2023 Winner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3vJfR81xO0   Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Kurt Esslinger is assigned by the Presbyterian Church USA to work with an ecumenical council of churches in Korea to help with their campaign for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Having grown up in Texas, he has been living in Korea for the last 10 years. Since middle school he has been wrestling with what it means to identify as a Christian while also identifying as left-wing ("jwa-pa" in Korean). In this interview, he explains the basics of the conflicts between North and South Korea, what led to them, and his understanding of the current situation. Be ready for some perspectives you may have never heard before. This is part one of this in-depth conversation. Listen in now and look out for the next episode, too. Earlier in the show, co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan wish those who celebrate a happy Beltane. They share the requisite Random Facts, this time about the former president of Turkmenistan and that seafaring cereal monger, Cap'n Crunch. "All the News We Can Handle" includes the same-day pink slips for Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon, increasing fighting and evacuations in Sudan, Paris protests on International Workers Day, Jack Dorsey's Twitter alternative, Bluesky, new advancements in plastic recycling, and Uber's intriguing lost and found index. Just before the featured interview, Wendy and Robin spend some time in The Blanket Fort contemplating experiences of coming out. In You Got Questions? We Got Answers!, the question of the day is "Would you rather hear the good news or the bad news first?" Things to do: Sign the Korea Peace Appeal. Read The Path to Peace. Watch "The Danger of a Single Story" TED Talk: https://youtu.be/D9Ihs241zeg Listen to "Invited In (Episode 137)." See how much has changed by the 31st century. https://youtu.be/UNNoI0b9flo Featured image: A demonstration outside the US Capitol after a drive from Los Angeles to Washington, DC for the NCCK Korea Peace Treaty Campaign, 7/28/2016 Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Susan Nickelson is the CEO and Director if Operations of Holistic Solutions, a cannabis dispensary in Waterford Township, New Jersey. It is the 33rd medical cannabis dispensary to open in New Jersey and the first black and woman-owned dispensary in the state, which was very recently approved for adult recreational sales. She also runs Ital Daughters, LLC, a cannabis and hemp consulting company that specializes in assisting minorities, women, veterans, municipalities, and stakeholders in understanding the regulatory aspects of the cannabis industry. Nickelson comes from a long line of herbalist women who have curated cannabis on the island of Jamaica for hundreds of years. In this enlightening conversation, she discusses her path to business ownership, the importance of working toward racial and economic equity in the industry and the law, and she shares lovingly about cannabis as a natural part of her family tradition. Before the featured interview, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée serve up the Random Facts of the day about the Scotch Pine and the most boring day in the world. The attempt at the SpaceX Starship test launch, the Supreme Court's temporary preservation of the FDA approval of the mifepristone abortion pill (RU-486), a landmark bill working through the California legislature that would make Hindu castes a protected class, Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News, the largest natural explosion in over a century and remembering the great Al Jaffee of Mad Magazine fame are all in the News. In The Artscape, Robin interviews Wendy about her recent paintings and upcoming art exhibits. At the end of the show for You Got Questions? We Got Answers! they ponder, "What was your biggest ever waste of money?" Things to do: Visit Holistic Solutions, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Instagram, Learn more here: Minorities for Medical Marijuana New Jersey Cannabis Business Association Minority Cannabis Business Association See the artwork of Wendy Sheridan at the 2023 Union County Senior Citizens ART EXHIBIT, April 20 - June 1, HELIOsphere on April 28, and at Balticon 57, May 26 - 29. Check out Mad Magazine. Support The Leftscape on Patreon and be privvy to humorous TMI!   Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Edie Weinstein is a colorfully creative journalist, licensed social worker, psychotherapist, and the author of The Bliss Mistress Guide To Transforming The Ordinary Into The Extraordinary. She is also a public speaker and the founder of Hugmobsters Armed With Love, which offers free hugs worldwide. She recently experienced a longtime dream come true by offering her first TEDx talk -- Overcoming the Taboo of Touch. Edie was first featured on the show way back on Episode 36 in 2019. In this new conversation with co-host Robin Renée, she tells her story about her journey to the TedX stage, the importance of touch, and the many healthy ways we can pursue meeting this vital need. In the Earthscape segment, co-host Wendy Sheridan heads up a discussion on spring gardening in the Garden State. The two Random Facts of the day pertain to a song honored at the 1972 Academy Awards and the intestinal tract of the pigeon. This time in the News: Donald Trump's indictment and arraignment, Mozilla:ai, a startup building a trustworthy, independent, and open-source AI ecosystem, water treatments in development designed to eliminate "forever chemicals," Representative Michaela Cavanaugh continues to filibuster in the Nebraska senate to defeat anti-trans legislation, endangered baby tortoises with cute names in Houston, and, well... mammoth meat. In You Got Questions? We Got Answers!, a random fact topic flies back around to bookend the show. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/us/houston-zoo-tortoise-babies.html#:~:text=Pickles%20welcomed%20three%20tortoise%20hatchlings,endangered%20species%20rarely%20produces%20offspring. Things to do: Find Edie Weinstein online and follow her on Facebook. Watch "Overcoming the Taboo of Touch | Rev. Edie Weinstein | TEDxFaurotPark" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZQGcp7zf64 Read "The Famous Celibate Physicist Inventor Who Fell Madly In Love With a Pigeon." Listen to Radio PVS! The North West Coast show currently airs on Fridays, 8pm EDT. Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast      

Dr. Lulu, aka the Momatrician, is a Nigerian-born pediatrician, parent coach, author, and the CEO of Dr. Lulu's Life Coaching Lounge. She is the mother of a transgender young adult and works with parents struggling with accepting and supporting their LGBTQ+ children. A former Lt Col and Commander in the US Air Force, Dr. Lulu is also an award winning LGBTQ+ and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) advocate. She has been featured on local, national, and international media, including Oprah Winfrey's The Life You Want masterclass. In this powerful conversation, she covers topics including the intersectional experiences of queer immigrants of color, common mistakes parents make with their queer children, and how we will all do better to reframe "coming out." At the beginning of the show, co-hosts  Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan welcome spring and offer the Random Facts of the day on the origin story of a rock classic and how to extend the life of rubber bands. All the News We Can Handle is a lot: rumors of Donald Trump's impending arrest, destruction in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Malawi by Tropical Cyclone Freddy, a new anti-drag law in Tennessee, and a roundup of the illiberal trend in Florida. The mood is brightened by a study showing positive impacts of legalization of cannabis and the 10th Annual Bi+ Health Awareness Month. In Why Is This Awesome?, Wendy is excited about Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. It won Best Animated Feature at the 2023 Oscars after this segment was recorded. Spoilers abound. Things to do: Learn more about Dr. Lulu and her work. Follow Dr. Lulu on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Pre-order her book, Invited In: How to Become the Parent Your LGBTQ+ Child Needs. Watch "Rethinking the Closet: Coming Out LGBTQ* vs Inviting In" https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=60B-NChtNiA&ab_channel=TEDxTalks&fbclid=IwAR1FPPIUNe0eUZRe036c0evQ6g7oQBHfTosleTk6wQz7H7S9blJM828Xta0 Listen to "Drag queen (and ordained minister) Bella DuBalle won't be silenced by new Tenn. law" on Fresh Air. Take part in Bi+ Health Awareness Month! Learn more, get resources, and show support for the bi+ community's health and wellbeing: BiHealthMonth,org Read books by Dr. Lulu: Watch Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio on Netflix. Listen to Radio PVS. The North West Coast show airs on Fridays, 9pm EDT. Listen to this classic rock earworm! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfirxs_NUcE Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Writer and game developer Arinn Dembo has been involved with game development for over 25 years. She has helped build a number of popular franchises in science fiction gaming including Homeworld and Sword of the Stars. She has also worked on two different Artificial Intelligence projects and has been interviewed for the AI Ethics course taught by Athabasca University. Dembo recently spoke with Wendy Sheridan about the expert systems that are in use for making artwork today -- how they work, their capabilities, limitations, biases, and the need for our laws and ethics to catch up with the current use of artificial intelligence that shows no signs of slowing down. Earlier, Robin Renée picks Wendy's brain about sound recording technology in The Geekscape. The Random Facts of the day involve an escaped cow and the fear of belly buttons. The News ranges from serious to silly: The Supreme Court case regarding user content on social platforms, Gonzales v Google, a Donald Trump lawsuit roundup, another Ohio train derailment, a snow plow naming contest, and a Tennessee whiskey fungus all make the cut. At the end of the show in the You Got Questions? We Got Answers! segment, Wendy and Robin respond to a question sent in by friend of the podcast, Tom Limoncelli. Things to do: Follow Arinn Dembo on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Dembo Jam - The digital notebook of Arinn Dembo Read Monsoon and Other Stories by Arinn Dembo.               Watch Fantastic Fungi: Fantastic Fungi on Netflix Support The Leftscape.   Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

A graduate of Cornell University, JD Stillwater is a science ambassador and an author who writes and speaks about profound insights from natural reality that drive paradigm shifts and cultural awakening. He spoke with us back in April 2020 for Episode 79, The End of Certainty, about his presentation, Seven Candles. In this conversation, he shares his current thoughts on science as a point of common understanding, the origins of humans' propensity for world harm, and the potential course-correcting power of Religious Naturalism. Co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée are happy to be back after a winter hiatus and catch up at the beginning of the show before offering the day's Random Facts, this time about Al Capone's New Jersey hideout and world record-breaking conga canines. Before the featured interview, Robin and Wendy enter The Blanket Fort to hide from/grapple with grief. In the News: a predicted sudden stratospheric warming event, ways to help those in Turkey and Syria affected by the recent earthquakes, increasing far right tendencies in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, a bill aiming to stop the teaching of scientific theory in Montana schools, the return of the monarch butterfly, and former President Jimmy Carter's choice to receive hospice care at home at the age of 98. The show comes full circle with a You Got Questions? We Got Answers! question from JD! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Ha6s3KRac Things to do: To help those in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of earthquake, donate to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC.org) or PublicGood.com. Visit JD Stillwater's website and follow him on social media including Twitter, Instagram, and Mastodon, and TikTok. Watch JD Stillwater and Darryl Purpose in The Great Turning Roadshow - Kickoff event livestream Thursday, March 2nd, 2023. Learn more about Religious Naturalism. Visit the Unitarian Congregation of West Chester, PA on March 19, 2023 at 10am when JD Stillwater will lead the service. Read The Sacred Depth of Nature by Ursula Goodenough. Read My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem. Check out the record-breaking conga line of dogs! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXhdCglQNnQ Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Please enjoy our last redux episode before our new season begins. This conversation is another of our favorites: John Tod shares about creating a space for honest, vulnerable conversation among men. What started with one other friend in Fort Wayne, Indiana grew into a weekly safe container where men can talk about all the things they were taught not to express. John was originally featured way back in Episode 41, "Of Memes and Men." Take a listen to this inspiring story of how the members of a men's group can grow together, help each other deal with and embrace emotions, and bust the myth of the rugged individual. A brand new podcast will be out in two weeks! Love, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée Facebook: Leftscape Twitter: @leftscape Instagram: @leftscape Email: insight at Leftscape.com Show Your Support! The Leftscape on Patreon

We're back with another favorite interview from our last season on DEMOCRACY. Featured guest Susan Szanyi, a lifelong resident of Ohio and an international traveler, shared her insights on Ohio politics post-midterm elections as well as perspectives on the US political landscape from around the world. She discussed how most of our decisions are made by quick reflexes, which is part of the challenge of creating openness to dialogue across the proverbial aisle. Check out the show notes from "Swing State Reflections (Episode 133)" for a great list of resources to help us deepen our conversations and understanding. We've been doing some great interviews that we can't wait to share with you in our upcoming season! Got a question for our You Got Questions? We Got Answers! segment? Reach out on social media or send us an email. We always love to hear from you. Love, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée Facebook: Leftscape Twitter: @leftscape Instagram: @leftscape Email: insight at Leftscape.com Show Your Support! The Leftscape on Patreon

Happy New Year! Please enjoy this redux episode while we're on winter break. In "Traversing Democracies (Episode 131)," Wendy interviewed Kat Ardern. Kat is an artist, a part-time student (Fine Art BA), and a full-time carer for her wife who has Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). She shared her insight and knowledge about the various versions of democracy she has experienced while living and working in New Zealand, Australia, and currently, the UK. They spoke in the unique time frame just after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and during the very short tenure of Prime Minister Liz Truss. Thanks for listening. We're working on a brand new season and will be back soon with new episodes for you! Love, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée Facebook: Leftscape Twitter: @leftscape Instagram: @leftscape Email: insight at Leftscape.com

While we're on winter break, we chose a few of our favorite interviews to reshare. This one is with Susan Billmaier, whose professional background is in Religion, Ethics, and Philosophy and whose personal exploration encompasses healing arts, religious ritual, and study of the “big questions” like “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?” In this interview from our season of exploring FREEDOM, Susan speaks about living and working with deep intention around spirituality and the betterment of community, discerning true seeking from spiritual bypass and cultural appropriation, the practices she has come to rely on to uncover “natural divinity,” and the essence of moksha, or freedom from ego. The conversation was first released in "Better and Better Together (Episode 123)." Susan Billmaier's website is WithPearls.com.  We'll be back in 2023 with a brand new season. If you missed our greeting of the sunrise on Winter Solstice, you can still view the glory that is Househenge. We always love to hear from you on social media @Leftscape and please join us on Patreon to support the show and to catch up on all our bonus content and events. Love, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée Facebook: Leftscape Twitter: @leftscape Instagram: @leftscape Email: insight at Leftscape.com

Happy Holidays to one and all! While we're taking our winter break, we hope you enjoy the show rewinds we've scheduled for you. We first featured a conversation with Halina Brooke back in Episode 97, “Therapy, Activism, and Reclaiming Freedom.” She is a therapist at  Recourse Counseling, a mental health counselor, and a longtime advocate in Phoenix, Arizona. This is an encore presentation of our second interview with Brooke, which was featured in Episode 118, "Navigating Pay-to-Play Politics." This conversation, first posted during our season focusing on FREEDOM, approaches the complex question, "How free are we to work within our governmental systems to get bills passed in our legislatures?" We'll be back in the new year with a brand new season. On the morning of December 21st, you can ring in the Winter Solstice with us: Join us for Househenge! Reach out to us anytime on social media @Leftscape and join us on Patreon to catch up on all our bonus conversations and events. Love, Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée Facebook: Leftscape Twitter: @leftscape Instagram: @leftscape Email: insight at Leftscape.com      

  David M. Higgins is a Senior Editor for the Los Angeles Review of Books, and they are the Chair of the English Department at Inver Hills College in Minnesota, where they teach classes on science fiction, graphic novels, and American literature. They are the author of Reverse Colonization: Science Fiction, Imperial Fantasy, and Alt-Victimhood, which won the 2021 Science Fiction Research Association Book Award. Leftscape co-hosts  Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée have a lively discussion with Higgins on the meaning of reactionary victimhood, how it is enabled by reverse colonization fantasy by many on the political right, takes on current science fiction writing and television series, and more. Before the featured interview, Wendy geeks out about Star Trek: Lower Decks in The Geekscape segment. After a post-Thanksgiving check-in at the top of the show, Robin and Wendy's requisite 3 Random Facts tip the hat to "the father of theatrical jazz dance," competitive art in the Olympics, and the movements of sperm cells. In this edition of All the News We Can Handle: Merriam-Webster's 2022 word of the year, the high count of US mass shootings, the Senate vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, the recent state election in Victoria, Australia, the first potential payment of reparations in Barbados, and one of the planet's most massive creatures, Patagotitan mayorum.  This is the last show of the season of DEMOCRACY! At the end of the episode, Robin and Wendy share some reflections, think of a few holiday plans for listeners to keep an eye out for, and wish everyone HAPPY HOLIDAYS and a great start to 2023. Things to do: Read Reverse Colonization: Science Fiction, Imperial Fantasy, and Alt-Victimhood by David M. Higgins. Follow David M. Higgins on Facebook and read their articles for the Los Angeles Review of Books. Watch Star Trek: Lower Decks. Explore the work of N. K. Jemisin and Joy Sanchez-Taylor. Play Coyote & Crow. Listen to We Should Be Recording This on The Leftscape's Patreon.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3RkBKedKWw   Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Susan Szanyi is a lifelong resident of Ohio. Thanks to her job as a Program Manager for an international company, she is fortunate to travel throughout the US and Europe and she has gotten perspectives on the US political landscape from around the world. Advocating for animals was her first foray into politics. She got engaged with electoral politics starting with the 2016 presidential election. She was a volunteer for the Elizabeth Warren campaign in 2020. Susan shares her thoughts on the recent midterm election, the dynamics of politics in the swing state of Ohio, and the need for reflection and deep dialogue between those of differing political viewpoints.  Before the interview, co-hosts Robin Renée and  Wendy Sheridan register this episode's 3 Random Facts. This time they're all about whale gas, music for cheese, and the start of the War on Christmas. The News takes us to the disturbing implementation of Sharia Law in Afghanistan, US midterm election results including better-than-expected showings for Democrats and some abortion rights victories, Donald Trump's likely bid for re-election, and Elon Musk's Twitter weirdness. On the personal news front, Wendy will be at the Philadelphia Science Fiction Convention (Philcon) this weekend with art by her and by her cat, Friday through Sunday at Doubletree by Hilton in Cherry Hill, NJ. In the new Earthscape segment, Robin and Wendy discuss and debate the value of manifestation and money magic.  Happy start to the holiday season to all who will be celebrating in the coming weeks! Things to do: Check out resources curated by Susan Szunyi: "In Ohio, one man's quest to get more voters to agree to disagree" in the Christian Science Monitor Listen to a conversation with Ted Wetzel, Executive Director of Fighting to Understand on "The Sound of Ideas" Fighting to Understand Read Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman                   See and buy Wendy Sheridan's art at: Philcon 2022 – Philadelphia Science Fiction Convention Friday – Sunday, November 18th – 20th Doubletree by Hilton, Cherry Hill, NJ Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast *Featured image of downtown Cleveland, OH by Steve DiMatteo

Co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée take a look at a growing issue since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade this past June -- a movement to make access to birth control the next to go. Sparked by a recent article from the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center, they look at the lack of information, purposeful disinformation, religious fervor, and social media efforts merging to form this latest threat to choices and autonomy. Wendy gives an apparently much-needed 101 on the menstrual cycle and reminds everyone about the importance of reproductive health. Robin reminds listeners to help guide those you know who may be going down a path of lies and incorrect info. VOTE to keep future bans at bay! Before the main topic discussion, Robin interviews Wendy in The Artscape about her current visual art and the upcoming shows where you can view and buy her work. She has been busy painting in watercolor and acrylics, drawing cats for greeting cards, and developing a signature style. Catch her upcoming art shows if you can (info below). In the News, Bolsonaro loses to Lula da Silva in Brazil, the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in cases against the University of North Carolina and Harvard University regarding race-conscious admissions, "poll watchers" appear at ballot drop boxes, Liz Truss is replaced by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the UK after having spent only 4.1 Scaramuccis in office, Paul Pelosi is recovering after a politically-motivated attack, and Dead Kennedys drummer, D.H. Peligro passes away suddenly at his home in Los Angeles. In You Got Questions? We Got Answers!, Robin and Wendy respond to a quote sent in by a listener on Americans' potential receptivity to dictatorship. The 3 Random Facts that kick off the show involve the 340th most popular name in the U.S., the very first Pokémon, and an animal that has 2,500 teeth. Things to do: VOTE on or before Tuesday, November 8th! Know Your Rights! - Voter Intimidation See and buy Wendy Sheridan's art at: The Rahway Craft & Art Fair Saturday, November 5th, 11am - 5pm, Free Admission 275 East Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ Philcon 2022 - Philadelphia Science Fiction Convention Friday - Sunday, November 18th - 20th Doubletree by Hilton, Cherry Hill, NJ         Join The Leftscape on Patreon beginning at $1/month! Check out the latest conversation on red, yellow, and green flags in relationships and friendships. Try The Sloganator! Watch The Janes trailer: https://youtu.be/pRbquE2BAkQ Listen to Stick Men: Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Kat Ardern is an artist, a part-time student (Fine Art BA), and a full-time carer for her wife who has Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). She is a New Zealander who left in 1990 at age 21, in the middle of a recession, to travel to Australia for a six months which turned into four years. She has now lived in the UK for over 20 years. In this conversation with Wendy Sheridan, she shares her knowledge and experiences of living and working within these three democratic systems as well as under a monarchy (which turned super weird with the death of Queen Elizabeth II). Of her current home she says, "We are lucky to now live in a creative community that although has been pushed by gentrification and Airbnb, hasn't lost it's DIY spirit and challenges normalcy at every opportunity. It's definitely not perfect, but it is home." In the Why Is This Awesome? segment, Robin Renée is psyched about reembracing deep listening. Earlier in the show, the 3 Random Facts involve birthday statistics and bodily capabilities of fish and fireflies. In the News, the US Supreme Court takes up the EPA's ability to uphold clean water regulations and voting rights, ongoing protests in Iran after the death of 22-year-old Masha Amini, hurricanes Fiona and Ian, Daylight Saving Time possibly coming to Queensland, and the passing of Sacheen Littlefeather. Things to do: Follow Kat Ardern on Twitter and Instagram. Check your voter registration, volunteer, and donate at Vote Save America. Check out Robin's new wave/post-punk show, Saved By Zero, on Yacht Rock Discord! Get in touch for an invite link. Watch "An Evening With Sacheen Littlefeather -- September 17, 2022." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNHtImiC90o&t=7s Try some deep listening:

In keeping with this season's theme of DEMOCRACY, The Leftscape revisits special guest Matt Bird from "Down the Rabbit Hole (Episode 98)." Matt talks about his creative background, current projects as a musician and DJ in Melbourne, and gives an overview of politics in Australia and his thoughts on what it takes to be a good world citizen. Originally posted on March 21, 2021, this interview is also a time capsule view of how someone on the other side of the planet experienced "the former guy" as US president. Before the featured interview rewind, Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan head to The Blanket Fort to talk about how they continue to care for themselves and others around them as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to enter an endemic phase. Bob Dylan's high school yearbook, the University of Akron, and how "red states" and "blue states" came to be are the focus of the 3 Random Facts of the day. "Forever chemicals," the changing status of the COVID health crisis, the latest from the war in Ukraine, Ron DeSantis's harmful stunt with migrants, and hopeful signs for the climate from the private sector are in the News. In You Got Questions? We Got Answers!, Wendy and Robin guess at what young people think of how older generations have stewarded the world. Things to do: Follow Matt Bird on Mixcloud. Listen to his online station, Radio P.V.S. Learn more about Australian democracy. Celebrate bisexual+ visibility all month long and look for fun events on and around Bi Visibility Day at bivisibilityday.com.   Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Dr. Elisabeth VanderWeil on Democracy, Fear, the Future, and How History Can Help Elisebeth VanderWeil, PhD, is the author of Apocalyptic Best Practices: A unique approach to fear and change. She also works as Organization Development Specialist for Pioneer Human Services and Principal Consultant at Hand in the Dark Consulting, as well as volunteer librarian for The Whidbey Institute. When she isn't doing one of these things, she is expanding her amigurumi crochet repertoire, playing with her dog, or discussing the finer points of Star Trek. Dr. VanderWeil was the guest on Episode 67, "To Be Free, With Fear." In today's episode's engaging conversation, she speaks about how history helps her cope with the political landscape, the shaky future of democracy as we know it, and how listening to fear while acting with compassion may be the key to living better now. Co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée begin the show with their check-in and 3 Random Facts about the Atlantic hurricane season, the events in the heptathlon, and how crickets make pretty good thermometers. In the News this time is Joe Biden's speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the predictable link between doomscrolling and poor health, changes at CNN and other mergers, a faculty strike at American University, a special election in Alaska, and the Bucks County Kind project. In The Artscape segment, Robin shares a deeply personal reading on music, race, and cultural demands called "Love Night." Things to do: Read Apocalyptic Best Practices: A unique approach to fear and change by Dr. Elisabeth VanderWeil. Navigate change with Hand in the Dark Consulting. Check out This Day in Esoteric Political History. Read The Unwritten Book by Samantha Hunt. Consult the Media Bias Chart. Watch President Biden's speech at Independence Hall on "extremist threat to democracy." Read DAME Magazine. Join Bucks County Kind and do nice things. Know Your Meme -- Dark Brandon!                           Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

Featured guest Stacy Staggs is a wife and mother to twin girls who are the lights of her life. The girls also live with complex medical needs and disabilities. Since the twins' birth, Stacy has been advocating for their access to healthcare, public education, and community inclusion. She volunteers across a number of organizations mainly as the Director of Community Engagement for Little Lobbyists and as a Consultant with Long COVID Families. Listen to her compelling stories about family, healthcare activism, her perspective as the democratic process threatened the Affordable Care Act, and the importance for all people, regardless of ability, to live fully engaged lives. Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée get the show started with 3 Random Facts about our bacterial inhabitants, anarcho-primitivism, and places called Bristol. In the News: Authorities in Kyiv ban large public events for Ukraine's 31st anniversary of independence, Michelle O'Bonsawin, an Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation, is selected for Canada's Supreme Court, Omicron-specific COVID boosters are on the way, the world's smallest sea turtle hatchlings are discovered off the coast of New Orleans, and former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison apparently gave himself a few extra cabinet positions. Spoiler Alert: In the Geekscape segment, Wendy geeks out on The Sandman. Things to do: You Got Questions? We Got Answers! Serious or silly, send 'em to Wendy and Robin here. Learn more about Little Lobbyists and Long COVID Families. Read "What to Know About Long COVID in Kids" in TIME Magazine. The article includes information about a pacing guide created in partnership between Long COVID Families and ME Action. Watch The Sandman. Do The Bristol Stomp! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h74lmWlxmn8 Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast

  Tolley Casparis has been a progressive activist since the age of 15. Now at 57, she continues to work tirelessly to uphold democracy and civil rights. She lives in Los Angeles and works as a casting director and a death doula. In this inspiring interview, Casparis talks about the deeply important activities and indirect effects of grassroots activism, the issues she champions including the environment, bodily autonomy, and gun control, and why the connections we form and cultivate matter so vitally.  All the news co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée can handle this time includes the U.S. Senate's passing of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the vote in Kansas to keep abortion rights in the state constitution, the loss of icons Nichelle Nichols and Olivia Newton-John, the discovery of an unexploded WWII bomb on an Italian river bank, the F.B.I. search at Mar-a-Lago, the latest on monkeypox, and new polio concerns.  At the beginning of the show, Wendy and Robin share 3 Random Facts on space junk, Alden Park Manor, and a musical instrument called the sipsi, then introduce the end of the Ikigai segment era and the beginning of The Earthscape. In You Got Questions? We Got Answers? they respond to a listener question on how the podcast comes together.   Things to do: Join Tolley Casparis' online group, My Liberal Agenda. Follow Tolley Casparis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and learn more about her work as a Casting Director. Follow the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Follow Tolley Casparis' journey as a Death Doula. Read "A Large Object Landed on His Sheep Farm. It Came From Space." Watch "Turkish Sipsi From Bamboo." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaQaRV9eHqk Rock out to "Space Junk" by Devo! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFCU_Ld9snU   Sound engineering by Wendy Sheridan Show notes by Robin Renée Fake sponsor messages by Ariel Sheridan Web hosting by InMotion Remote recording by SquadCast