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Ep 299 Peacewarts Resonant Charms 101 - The Exit Strategy (Class 14) In the final class of the series, we examine the structural exit. Using the Good Friday Agreement and Nelson Mandela's 1992 negotiations as models, we discuss how to end difficult conversations without destroying the possibility of future connection. We cover the three-part exit protocol, the without prejudice formula, and the Final Five-Percent micro-practice. Homework: Look up the Good Friday Agreement and the use of the without prejudice formula. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about a three-part exit for a personal conflict. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions areSet Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab, a cultural phenomenon that offers clear strategies for establishing crisp, definitive operational boundaries without escalating conflict or burning down relationships, and The Evolution of Cooperation by Robert Axelrod, a classic text on game theory that mathematically proves how the way you exit a transaction dictates whether future cooperation is possible. Learning Topics: The Resonant Exit; The Good Friday Agreement (Without Prejudice); Nelson Mandela's 1992 Exit; The Three-Part Exit Protocol; The Two-Door Technique; The Final Five-Percent Rule. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 298 Peacewarts Lab 8-1-26: Human Being vs. Human Longing (The Longevity Obsession) In today's Peacewarts Lab, Avis shares reflections on end-of-life planning, a peace meditation practice, and a narrated performance piece exploring the difference between chasing biological immortality and living deeply in the present. In This Episode: End-of-Life Planning: Avis shares personal thoughts and insights from working through her own end-of-life plan this past week, emphasizing the peace that comes with clarity and preparation. Meditation Practices: Attaching Peace to Divine Principles: Pairing peace with universal concepts like Love, Harmony, Freedom, Grace, Infinite, Beauty, Peace, Power, Eternal, Abundance, Joy, Creativity, Order, Wholeness, and Eternal. Attaching Peace to the Natural World: Grounding presence in daily life by seeing peace leaves, peace birds, peace daughter, and peace son. Podcast Reflections: Thoughts on the Moonshot podcast, Alex Wissner-Gross's perspective on animal rights, and Peter Diamandis's focus on extreme longevity. Featured Performance Piece: Human Being versus Human Longing - An essay examining the longevity obsession, the wisdom of accepting our natural limits, and why the ultimate path to true human longevity is building a world of global peace. Links & Resources Mentioned: Full Circle of Living and Dying Resources page:https://www.fullcirclelivingdyingcollective.com/advance-directives-dementia-five-wishes.html Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: ElevenLabs by Avis Kalfsbeek

Ep 297 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - Apology as Engineering (Class 13) Episode Summary: In class 13, we treat apology as a structural repair. We examine the South African TRC's focus on specificity, the importance of the restitution calendar as seen in the fixed timeline for the Civil Liberties Act implementation, and the German post-war model of material debt. We provide a five-point blueprint for verbatim apologies that avoid the "non-apology" trap of the Ford Pinto case. Homework: Look up the 1988 Civil Liberties Act or the Luxembourg Agreement for material repair examples. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal a three-sentence engineered apology for a personal fracture. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are On Apology by Aaron Lazare, which provides an exhaustive structural analysis of what makes an apology succeed or fail by breaking down the exact psychological engineering required for social repair, and Why Won't You Apologize?: Healing Big Hurts and Everyday Betrayals by Harriet Lerner, a clear, insightful look at the anatomy of non-defensive, verbatim apologies that actually mend fractured relationships. Learning Topics: The South African TRC (Specificity); Coca-Cola Classic Reversal (The Calendar); West Germany 1952 (Material Repair); Ford Pinto Case (The Non-Apology); The Witness Clause; The But-Removal Practice. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 296 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The False Consensus Detector (Class 12) In class 12, we provide a toolkit to identify "Astroturfing" and protect dissenting voices. We compare the "Minority Opinion" in Alcoholics Anonymous—a structural safeguard against mob rule—with the manufactured consensus of the Global Climate Coalition. We cover the "Three Signatures" of artificiality and introduce tactical room defenses like "Round-Robin Speaking" and the "Right of Appeal." Homework: Look up AA's "Right of Appeal" or the history of "Operation Earnest Voice." Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about the experience of being a minority voice in a group. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions areThink Like a Commoner: A Short Introduction to the Life of the Commons by David Bollier, which outlines how true community consensus operates and provides an excellent lens for spotting artificial, corporate, or manufactured enclosures of agreement, and Toxic Sludge Is Good for You: Lies, Damn Lies and the Public Relations Industry by John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton, a foundational, sharp look at how public relations firms systematically manufacture fake grassroots movements. Learning Topics: Astroturfing; AA's Minority Opinion; The Right of Appeal; The Global Climate Coalition; The Three Signatures of Manufacture; The Micro-Majority Illusion; Operation Earnest Voice. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 295 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Weight of Metaphor (Class 11) Episode Summary: In class 11, we explore the dual nature of war metaphors. While "The War on Cancer" helped rally vital resources, we examine how martial language can unintentionally increase patient guilt and normalize aggression in social policy. We introduce "Ecology Metaphors" and "Stewardship" as alternatives that maintain commitment without the violent side effects. Homework: Look up research on "Militarized Metaphors in Healthcare" for alternative framings. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about reframing a personal "battle" as a "navigation." Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, a foundational linguistic masterpiece that reveals how our everyday conceptual frameworks unconsciously dictate human thought and behavior, and Illness as Metaphor by Susan Sontag, a brilliant and searing critique that exposes how militarized, punitive language inflicts deep psychological harm on patients navigating complex health conditions. Learning Topics: The "War on Cancer" Case Study; Metaphors as Policy Engines; The "Hero" Trap in Nursing; The Portuguese Health Shift; The Metaphor Replacement Lab; Combat vs. Cultivation. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 294 Peace Lab 7/25/26 A Peace Council of Women & the Questions Worth Asking Peacewarts Labs are our casual review sessions where we dig into the homework from the Peacewarts classes. In this lab, Avis Kalfsbeek covers #1 from each of the homework assignments in Episodes 290, 291, and 292: Ep 291 — The Power of the Pause (Class 8) Ep 292 — Rumor Immunology (Class 9) Ep 293 — The Ask Behind the Mask (Class 10) The Middle East: Avis takes a brief look at the current conflicts in the region. A Peace Council of Women: On her daughter's birthday, Avis honors the day by making a call for a global peace council of women dedicated to worldwide disarmament — inspired by the world authority in the 1958 Clark–Sohn disarmament plan, but reimagined with women, not men, at the table. The Questions Worth Asking: Avis reads from a list she got when she asked a question of her own: if humanity could only ask the wisest AI 30 questions before it was permanently retired — and our goals were to value all life and minimize suffering — what should those questions be? Today she reads Question #1 and its answer: What patterns across history most reliably predict the transition from violence to sustainable peace, and what conditions made those transitions possible? Five patterns come up again and again: Mutual hurting stalemate — peace usually comes when both sides realize they can't win and that fighting costs more than stopping. Inclusion over victory — deals that give former enemies a stake hold, while ones that humiliate them reignite. Economic entanglement by design — tie enemies' economies together so tightly that war would wreck them both. Acknowledgment — naming what happened heals more durably than imposing silence. Leadership bravery — someone has to walk through the door first, though the structures they build end up mattering even more than the heroes. Closing: Avis ends with Rumi's poem "Cup," as translated by Coleman Barks. Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez, "Dalai Lama Riding a Bike" — https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 293 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Ask Behind the Mask (Class 10) In class 10, we study "The Ask Behind the Mask," focusing on the five primary needs hidden by aggression: safety, dignity, belonging, control, and grief. We explore real-world cases from Detroit union lines to Oslo transit disputes to show how "mis-filed requests" can be translated into shared values. We provide micro-practices like the "Protective Question" and the "Dignity Prefix." Homework: Look up the CNVC Needs List and identify which of the "five asks" resonates with you today. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about translating an aggressive comment using the "Protective Question." Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg, which serves as the definitive manual on looking past aggressive masks to identify unmet universal human needs through actionable communication practices, and High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley, an insightful examination of how people get stuck in toxic conflict loops that highlights the specific tool of looping as a powerful validation micro-practice to break out. Learning Topics: The Five Asks (Safety, Dignity, Belonging, Control, Grief); Validation vs. Agreement; The Detroit Union Case; The Oslo Bus Driver Case; The Protective Question; The Dignity Prefix. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 292 Peacewarts Resonant Charms 101 - Rumor Immunology (Class 9) In class 9, we explore Rumor Immunology and the lumos charm. Using the 2017 Mosque Fire and the 2014 Ebola response as case studies, we discuss how to separate image heat from factual context. We cover the dangers of accidental amplification and provide tactical tools like the One-Step Rule, reverse image searching, and identifying language tripwires. Homework: Look up the 2017 Mosque Fire case or Finland's Media Literacy curriculum and find one "social speed bump" they suggest. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about the difference between private verification and public debunking. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, which explores the exact anatomy of urban legends and rumors while providing the sticky psychology needed to build cultural immunity against misinformation, and The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth by Jonathan Rauch, an academic powerhouse on how modern societies build robust, shared informational networks to verify facts and defend our collective understanding against panic. Learning Topics: Rumor Immunology; The Lumos Charm; The 2017 Mosque Fire Precedent; Verification vs. Amplification; The One-Step Rule; Reverse Image Searching; Language Tripwires. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 291 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Power of the Pause (Class 8) In class 8, we analyze silence as a physical and diplomatic requirement for peace. We traverse history from Mandela's Robben Island council to the 1986 Reykjavik Summit and the Good Friday Agreement. We introduce a tactical syllabus of silence, including the 90-second window, the two-interpreter rule used by UN Blue Helmets, and the Japanese concept of Ma. Homework: Look up the Gottman Institute's 90-Second Rule or the Japanese concept of Ma and find how they use silence to show respect. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about using the email delay or 90-second window in your own life. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions areThe Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hanh, which beautifully details the spiritual and practical power of absolute silence and deep listening as essential tools for clarity in family and community life, and Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge, a brief, impactful text exploring how strategic pauses and quietude allow us to process truth and override reactionary reflexes. Learning Topics: The Silencio Charm; Mandela's Robben Island Rule; The 1986 Reykjavik Reset; The 90-Second Window; The Three-Breath Rule; The Two-Interpreter Rule; Japanese Ma; The Good Friday Agreement Adjournments. Join the Community / Get the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 290 Peacewarts Lab  7/18/26 - Always Disallow Foolishness: A Rule for Peace Peacewarts Labs are casual review sessions where we dig into the homework from the Peacewarts classes. In this lab, Avis Kalfsbeek walks through some of the assignments from Episodes 287, 288, and 289. Here's what we look up: The "Oakland Unified Restorative Justice" model — and the three classic circle questions used to work through a conflict. The 2003 Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace — and one specific tactic they used to keep Christian and Muslim women united around a shared goal. Nelson Mandela's first meeting with President P.W. Botha — and one small detail (about the tea, or the greeting) that Mandela used to protect Botha's dignity. Shakespeare Sherpa Club: Just to keep her nerd credentials intact, Avis gives a shout-out to her Shakespeare Sherpa Club. Grab the free downloadable character bookmarks at www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/shakespearesherpa. Always Disallow Foolishness: Avis talks about the track 10 Laws by East Forest, which features the spoken voice of Court Johnson reading the ten explicit laws he lives by. She zeroes in on one of them — Always Disallow Foolishness — and how it connects to global peace. Media Bias Detectors: Avis rounds up some tools for figuring out the bias in the news we take in. Ground News (groundnews.org) — A data-driven platform that lays out the ownership, factual reliability, and political lean (left, center, right) of news stories from around the world. Runs about $60/year. Want to get similar insights without paying? Here are the best free alternatives: AllSides (allsides.com) — Probably the go-to free option for bias tracking. Its "Headline Roundups" put left, center, and right coverage of the same story side by side, so you can see how each side frames it. Free, no ads. Ad Fontes Media (adfontesmedia.com) — The folks behind the interactive Media Bias Chart. Great for seeing where an outlet lands on a two-axis grid measuring both political bias and journalistic reliability. Media Bias/Fact Check (mediabiasfactcheck.com) — An independent directory where you can search a specific outlet and check its track record on factual reporting and political lean. NewsGuard (newsguardtech.com) — Focuses on credibility over ideology, scoring sites 0–100 for trustworthiness based on standard journalistic criteria. RSS Readers (feedly.com or inoreader.com) — Free tools that let you build your own diverse news feed from independent sources, breaking out of the algorithm's echo chamber by putting you back in control. Topics this episode: Homework Review, Shakespeare Sherpa, East Forest's 10 Laws & Disallowing Foolishness, Media Bias Metrics Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Shakespeare Sherpa Bookmarks: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/shakespearesherpa Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez, "Dalai Lama Riding a Bike" — https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 289 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Vocabulary of Dignity (Class 7) In class 7, we explore the "Vocabulary of Dignity" and the three core needs: to be seen, heard, and safe. We analyze Nelson Mandela's micro-practices of respect, including his "Future Self" language and his refusal to use sarcasm or public shaming. We discuss how honorifics and formal address can lower threat chemistry and keep negotiations focused on solutions rather than egos. Homework: Look up Nelson Mandela's first meeting with President P.W. Botha and find one detail about the etiquette Mandela used to preserve Botha's dignity. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about speaking to a difficult person's "Future Self." What is one sentence that protects their dignity while maintaining your truth? Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict by Donna Hicks, which explores the ten core elements of human dignity and focuses heavily on how preserving or violating face determines the ultimate success of high-stakes diplomacy, and Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their coauthors, a widely recognized staple on creating the necessary psychological safety so people can speak honestly and directly without stripping away each other's dignity. Learning Topics: The Three Dignity Needs; Mandela's Grammar of Respect; Saving Face vs. Saving Power; The Language of Future Selves; The Non-Sarcasm Rule; Red lines spoken softly. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 288 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - Common Ground Literacy (Class 6) In class 6, we define Common Ground Literacy as the skill of identifying shared values hidden beneath conflicting slogans. We introduce the "Two-Question Drill" to translate tribal language into human needs. Using the 2003 Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace, we discuss how shared values can override deep divides. We also cover the "False Common Ground Trap" and how to identify real shared interests. Homework: Look up the 2003 Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace and find one specific tactic they used to keep both Christian and Muslim women focused on their shared goal. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about a current debate. Apply the two-question drill to both sides and find the shared value in the middle. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt, which explores the moral matrices that drive opposing ideological slogans and offers a literacy framework to find the core human values underneath, and Colossus: How the Corporation Changed America by Jack Beatty, which offers historical context on major institutional shifts, providing an essential grounding for looking beneath surface-level economic and social battle lines. Learning Topics: Common Ground Literacy; The Two-Question Drill; The Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace; Translating slogans into needs; The False Common Ground Trap; Shared values vs. tribal language. Join the Community / Get the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 287 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Mirror Question (Class 5) In class 5, we explore the "Mirror Question" as a tool for de-compression and restorative justice. We discuss the Three Mirrors of content, feeling, and need, and the importance of the "impact before intent" sequence. We examine the Navajo Peacemaking Courts and the Oakland Unified restorative school model to see how reflection can replace retribution. Homework: Look up the "Oakland Unified Restorative Justice" model and find the three classic circle questions used to resolve a conflict. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about a relationship or a specific conversation where using the "Did I get that right?" frame might change the outcome. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Changing Lenses: Restorative Justice for Our Timesby Howard Zehr, a foundational text written by the grandfather of modern restorative justice that details how to focus on community impact and repair rather than retribution, and A Way of Being by Carl Rogers, which deeply explores client-centered validation and the immense psychological de-compression that occurs when someone feels accurately mirrored. Learning Topics: The Three Mirrors (Content, Feeling, Need); Restorative Justice and the Oakland Unified model; Hózhó and the Navajo tradition; Impact before Intent sequencing; De-weaponizing paraphrase techniques. Join the Community / Get the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 286 Peacewarts: Lab 7-11-26: Learning about Creative Commons licensing and CC BY-SA 4.0 In this episode, we look at the structural future of this project and why traditional copyright might not serve the ultimate goal of peace education. Avis shares that fictional Kitty tells Higgins that she is taking herself to lunch, and today she is taking herself out on a lunch date too! What is covered in this episode: The Peace Experiments:An introduction to the new book series, starting with the first installment, 1950s Duck and Cover. Homework Review:Going through the practical applications and responses from Classes 2, 3, and 4. A Historic Grounding:A reading of the final paragraph of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, exploring its timeless relevance to reconciliation. Useful Idiot: A look at recent live broadcast topics by Aaron Mate and Katie Halpern and the definition of “useful idios.” https://rumble.com/c/usefulidiots The Main Focus - Open Licensing:A deep dive into why this entire series is being released under an open license and why building a shared cultural commons is essential for spreading these concepts. Understanding Creative Commons: From Loosest to Tightest To help navigate the differences in open licensing, here is the quick spectrum of how these licenses operate: CC BY— Credit only; do anything. CC BY-SA— Credit + keep derivatives under the same open license. (This is the license chosen for The Peace Experiments). CC BY-NC— Credit + no commercial use (derivatives allowed). CC BY-ND— Credit + no changes (commercial use allowed). CC BY-NC-ND— Credit + no commercial use + no changes (the most restrictive; basically "share the exact file, non-commercially"). You can read the full license terms for the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license (CC BY-SA 4.0) at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “Dalai Lama Rides a Bike”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 285 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms 101 - The Architecture of a Sentence (Class 4) In class 4, we analyze the "Pronoun Blueprint" and the internal structure of speech to understand how sentences can either bridge divides or ignite factions. We compare the distributive responsibility found in Lincoln's Second Inaugural and Nelson Mandela's 1994 inaugural address. We also introduce the Metaphor Temperature Test as a tool for identifying and cooling high-conflict rhetoric. Homework: Look up the final paragraph of Lincoln's Second Inaugural (1865) and a short passage from Mandela's Inaugural (1994). Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Review your last three emails or texts during a disagreement. Apply the Metaphor Temperature Test and rewrite one sentence to change its temperature. If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America by Garry Wills, a brilliant masterclass on sentence architecture and structural balance that demonstrates how deliberate rhetoric can reshape a fractured national identity, and Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, which provides the essential global perspective on using balanced, inclusive language to distribute social responsibility and systematically mend a divided nation. Learning Topics: The Pronoun Blueprint (we/our vs. you/they); Distributed responsibility in leadership; Lincoln and Mandela as case studies; The Metaphor Temperature Test; Parallel structure as a de-escalation tool. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts returns tomorrow with a brand-new department, but first, a brief pause. In this informal update, Avis Kalfsbeek shares what she's been working on over the past month—from launching Bullet Poof and caring for her mother to working on the latest Pedro novella and developing a new long-term project called The Peace Experiments. She also offers heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined her for the 30 days of Kitty O'Compost during National Gun Violence Awareness Month. The episode introduces a new idea that will weave through the remainder of the Peacewarts curriculum: the commons. Throughout the upcoming classes, listeners will explore peace not simply as the absence of violence, but as something built together through the care of shared resources, relationships, and community spaces. Whether you're returning to Peacewarts or discovering it for the first time, this episode serves as a welcoming bridge to the next department, Resonant Charms 101, beginning in the next episode. Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music:Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 279 Why is Rick Rubin Selling Athletic Nicotine? Kitty wants to know. Why is nicotine suddenly being marketed as a wellness product? In this episode, Kitty O'Compost turns her satirical eye toward the rise of “athletic nicotine,” a new generation of premium nicotine pouches aimed at runners, creatives, executives, and health-conscious high performers. Using Rick Rubin's podcast sponsorship as a starting point, Kitty explores how a highly addictive substance is being wrapped in the language of mindfulness, optimization, and intentional living. With humor, skepticism, and a trip through the False Consensus Detector, Kitty examines the growing effort to separate nicotine from its tobacco past and position it alongside coffee, supplements, and other performance tools. Along the way, she asks whether beautiful branding can obscure biological reality and whether a wellness halo can transform public perception without changing the underlying molecule. Avis closes the episode with a personal reflection on his admiration for Rick Rubin's work and his repeated requests that Rubin reconsider promoting athletic nicotine to his audience. Listen for the peace. Referenced Materials & Studies: Corporate Strategy: Magazine, "How This Founder Changed Minds Instead of Pushing Sales" by Christopher Cason (April 2026). Link to Inc. Article Cardiovascular Risks:The American Heart Association (AHA) Policy Statement, "Impact of Smokeless Oral Nicotine Products on Cardiovascular Disease: Implications for Policy, Prevention, and Treatment" (Published in Circulation). This study tracks the adverse effects of oral pouches on cardiovascular biomarkers and the specific dangers of synthetic nicotine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39624904/ Excerpt: “Abstract. Smokeless oral nicotine products are addictive, and their use has potential adverse effects on some but not all biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. The use of some types of these products, for instance, is associated with an increased mortality risk in those with ischemic heart or cerebrovascular disease. Similarly, smokeless tobacco has the potential to increase the risk of oral cancer, but the risks depend on the chemical composition of the product. The market of smokeless oral nicotine products has transformed since the last American Heart Association smokeless tobacco policy statement. Several varieties of tobacco-free oral nicotine products-including oral nicotine pouches; nontherapeutic nicotine gums, lozenges, and tablets; and nicotine gummies-have rapidly proliferated. The sales of oral nicotine pouches, in particular, have increased substantially; however, no data are available on their cardiovascular or health risks. In addition, synthetic (compared with tobacco-derived) nicotine has been used in some brands of oral nicotine products, but its cardiovascular and health effects have been inadequately studied. Robust public policy levers are identified to support ending addiction to all commercial tobacco products. Critical components and policy initiatives include clinicians emphasizing the prevention of tobacco product initiation and supporting cessation with established pharmacological and behavioral tobacco dependence treatment therapies as primary goals for achieving an end to commercial tobacco and nicotine addiction.” Public Health Data:The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Fact Sheet on Oral Nicotine Pouches, highlighting rapid dependency loops, systemic toxicity, and the acceleration of youth addiction through modern marketing. Excerpts: “There are no safe tobacco products, including nicotine pouches. This is especially true for youth, young adults, and women who are pregnant.” “More research is needed to better understand the short- and long-term health effects of using nicotine pouches.” Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com  

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - The Future as History, The Year 2126 (Class 14) Episode Summary: In our final session for the Department of Chronicled Courage, we reframe our current actions as the historical record for the next century. We explore the "Normalization Trap," the shift toward ancestral responsibility, and the importance of creating legible systems of peace that outlast their creators. Homework Look up a current 100-year project, such as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault or the Great Green Wall of Africa, and identify one "material trace" it is leaving for 2126. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write "no question." Optional: Complete this sentence from the perspective of a historian in 2126: "In the year 2026, when it was inconvenient and difficult, they chose to protect _________." Learning Topics: Ethical Time Travel: Reframing 2026 actions as the ancient history of 2126; The Normalization Trap: Analyzing how future generations judge the systemic choices of the present; Systems Inheritance: Understanding the difference between emotional legacy and infrastructural legacy; The Witness Question: The role of public records and truth in the architecture of long-term stability; The Quiet Wins: Why durable peacebuilding often produces "boring" but vital historical records. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - Truth and Reconciliation (Class 13) Episode Summary: We explore the history and mechanics of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. We examine how restorative justice breaks the cycle of revenge and why public truth-telling is a technical requirement for a durable peace. Homework Look up the Family Group Conferencing model in New Zealand and find one detail about how the community participates in the "reintegration" phase. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write "no question." Optional: Journal. Is there a secret conflict in your life—something unsaid that is poisoning your relationships? What would happen if you performed a radical truth-telling? Learning Topics: Restorative versus punitive justice: The structural shift in international law' The Maori Model: Accountability, reparation, and the logistics of reintegration; Amnesty for truth: Analyzing the tradeoff of the South African TRC; The shock absorber: How public testimony interrupts the physics of revenge; The great graft: The process of binding a wounded society together through transparency. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - Realism vs. Moral Imagination (Class 12) Episode Summary: We deconstruct the cultural addiction to dystopia and reclaim the word Realism. We explore the psychological pros and cons of dystopian media and introduce Kevin Kelly's concept of Protopia as a tactical alternative to hopelessness. Homework Look up Kevin Kelly's definition of Protopia and find one example of an incremental improvement in your community that happened because people chose to cooperate. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Journal. Think about a piece of media you consumed recently. Did it act as a "warning" that inspired action, or did it foster a sense of "inevitable" hopelessness? Learning Topics: The Double-Edged Sword: Benefits and dangers of dystopian fiction according to academic research; Desensitization vs. Preparation: How media consumption shapes our readiness for peace or war; Protopian Thinking: Why Kevin Kelly's model of incremental improvement is more "realistic" than utopia or collapse; The Outlier Bias: Challenging the dystopian news cycle with the 99% reality; Tactical Optimism: Why optimism is a discipline of the courageous, not the naive. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - The Kellogg-Briand Pact (Class 11) Episode Summary: We re-examine the 1928 attempt to outlaw war. We deconstruct how this pact shifted the legal architecture of the world from "Might makes Right" to "War as a Crime," using the 2026 abduction of Nicolás Maduro and the proposed purchase of Greenland as modern case studies in legal friction. Homework Look up the Stimson Doctrine and find out how it used the logic of the Kellogg-Briand Pact to respond to the 1931 invasion of Manchuria. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Journal. Think about a "right" you feel you have in a conflict—the right to be angry or the right to have the last word. What would it look like for you to outlaw that behavior as an instrument of your personal policy? Learning Topics: The Sovereign Right to War: The pre-1928 legal landscape and the "Right of Conquest;" From Kant to Levinson: The long intellectual history of outlawry and the American Committee for the Outlawry of War; Operation Absolute Resolve (2026): The stress test of international law in the capture of Maduro; Non-Recognition as Enforcement: Why physical control does not equal legal sovereignty; Contract vs. Conquest: Analyzing the Greenland purchase strategy through the lens of international law. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - The Near-Misses (Class 10) Episode Summary: We explore moments where war was politically and militarily cued, only to be refused through deliberate human agency. We study the "ethics of stopping" in the U.S., South Africa, Costa Rica, and Northern Europe. Homework Research the “Cuartelazo” attempt of April 1949. Even after Figueres Ferrer took the sledgehammer to the walls of the military headquarters, a high-ranking official tried to use the remnants of the military to seize power. Find out who led this "near-miss" coup and how the lack of a traditional military response actually helped resolve the crisis. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Journal. Think of a conflict you are currently in. What would it look like for you to "lose face" in order to gain a durable peace? Learning Topics: The "Pen-Pal" Protocol: How Kennedy used a time-buffer during the Cuban Missile Crisis; The Boipatong Pivot: Why Nelson Mandela chose a "Sunset Clause" over a final battle; The Sledgehammer Choice: Costa Rica's 75-year success as a nation without a military; Nested Identity: How the Åland Islands used legal arbitration to solve a sovereign border dispute; Agency over Luck: Moving from a narrative of "lucky breaks" to "deliberate overrides." Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - Bayard Rustin: The Invisible Professor (Class 9) We recover the history of Bayard Rustin, the master strategist of the Civil Rights Movement. We explore non-violence not as a sentiment, but as a logistical and technical science that requires immense discipline and preparation.  Homework Look up the Nashville Sit-in workshops or Bayard Rustin's "Manual for Organizers" and find one specific instruction given to the participants about how to maintain their composure. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Think about a project or a goal you have. How much of your energy is going into the "speech" (the public-facing idea) versus the "logistics" (the actual preparation and discipline needed to make it work)? What would it look like to treat your personal peace as a technical problem to be solved with preparation? Learning Topics: The Logistics of Peace: Organizing the 1963 March on Washington; Sociodramas and simulations: Building muscle memory for non-violence; Strategic Sacrifice: Navigating identity and orientation for the movement; Bayard Rustin as the "Policy Translator" of Gandhian principles in America; The organizational manual as a blueprint for living architecture Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - The Christmas Truce of 1914 (Class 8)  We explore a case study in horizontal peace. By examining the 1914 Christmas Truce, we see how proximity, shared ritual, and the refusal of abstraction can temporarily dismantle the machinery of war.  Homework Look up the letters of soldiers from the 1914 Christmas Truce and find one description of a conversation between a British and German soldier. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Think about a situation in your life where you have been told to see someone as an opponent or an enemy. How much of that is based on a war map given to you by someone else? What would happen if you ignored the map and looked at the horizontal reality of that person's life? Learning Topics: Horizontal Peace: When lateral connections overrule vertical authority; Proximity and the dissolution of the enemy image; Ritual as a communication protocol: The role of music and shared food; The institutional reaction: Why high command feared the truce; The lesson for peace scholars: Faces vs. Abstractions Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Chronicled Courage - Indigenous Peace Traditions (Class 7) Episode Summary: We deconstruct the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace as a masterclass in constitutional design. We examine the 1142 CE founding, the role of Jigonhsasee, and how the Seven Generations principle created a system where peace was the operational norm. Homework: Look upthe Women's Nomination Belt (part of the wampum records) and find out how it protected the power of the Clan Mothers. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write "no question." Optional: Think about a decision you have to make this week. If you applied the Seven Generations principle to that decision—asking how it would affect your descendants 200 years from now—how would your choice change? Learning Topics: The 1142 Founding: Breaking the "Mourning War" cycle through legal reform; Jigonhsasee and the Clan Mothers: Structural gender-balancing and the power to depose aggressive leaders; The Great Law of Peace: A participatory democracy that influenced federalism; The Eagle on the Tree: Peace as an early warning and diplomatic buffer; The Seven Generations Principle: Moving from short-term reaction to long-term stewardship. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Chronicled Courage – The Architecture of the Headline (Class 6) We examine the role of modern media in the erasure of peace initiatives. By analyzing underreported crises in Sudan and Chad, and "invisible" protocols like the WHO's Health for Peace, we learn how to spot the biases that frame our "reality." Homework: Look upone of the following: The "Health for Peace" initiative by the WHO or the current status of the Sudan peace talks. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Find a major news website and count the headlines. How many are about a "collision" (conflict) and how many are about a "cohesion" (cooperation)? If you were the editor, what "boring" act of peace from your own community would you put on the front page? Learning Topics: The Conflict Bias: Why the media prioritizes "collisions" over "cohesion;” The Sudan/Chad Case Study: How geopolitical influence dictates media visibility; The WHO Health for Peace Initiative: Understanding health as a peacebuilding bridge; New Diplomacy: The roles of Qatar, Türkiye, and other mediators in non-binary conflicts; The Architecture of News: Understanding peace as an organic, slow-moving process. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Meghann Scully was in Carlow to chat to Willie, Patrick, and Danny Mullins, along with Paul Townend about their Gold Cup success at Cheltenham Horse Racing on Off The Ball with William Hill

Peacewarts: Dept. of Chronicled Courage - Women as Treaty Architects (Class 5) We study the 1915 International Congress of Women as a masterclass in parallel diplomacy. We reframe Jane Addams and her colleagues as intellectual engineers who drafted the blueprints for modern international governance while the world was at war. Homework: Look upthe 1915 International Congress of Women or the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and find one of their 20 points that you think is still relevant today. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Think about a project or a conflict in your own life. Are you currently acting as a "moral figurehead" (just saying what's right) or an "architect" (designing a way for it to actually work)? What would it look like to move from a "protest" mindset to a "proposal" mindset? Learning Topics: The 1915 Hague Congress as a diplomatic intervention, not a protest; The 20-Point Peace Program: Designing structural durability in international law; Jane Addams as a Systems Thinker: Translating civil ethics into hard policy; The political erasure of women from the Versailles negotiations; Intellectual Courage: The labor of planning peace in the midst of active conflict. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Chronicled Courage - The Man Who Said No (Class 4) We study Vasili Arkhipov and his refusal to launch a nuclear torpedo during the Cuban Missile Crisis. We explore how a shift in frame of mind—from combat to communication—can break the physics of escalation and serve as a manual override for broken systems. Homework: Look upthe K-19 submarine accident (1961) or the Cuban Missile Crisis depth charge signals to understand the high-stress environment Arkhipov was working in. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Think of a time you were in a "heated" situation—an argument or a group decision. Looking back, was there a different way to "frame" the problem that didn't involve a winner and a loser? How would that change of mind have altered the outcome? Learning Topics: The structural pressure of the B-59 submarine launch protocol; Reframing the Crisis: Moving from a war-mindset to a peace-focus; Arkhipov's background: Why the K-19 experience informed his courage; Asymmetry of Restraint: Why refusal is a disciplined, active military act; The pattern of restraint: Petrov and the Norwegian Rocket incident. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - The First Peace Treaty (Class 3) We enter the Hall of Records to examine the Treaty of Kadesh (1259 BC), the world's oldest surviving peace treaty. We deconstruct the myth of inevitable war by analyzing the "recorded logic" that ended a century of conflict between the Egyptian and Hittite Empires. By shifting our focus from the chariot battle to the scriptorium, we explore how peace functions as social infrastructure and a primary technology for solving problems that violence cannot touch. Homework: Look up the Treaty of Kadesh and find one of the specific clauses (like the rule about refugees or mutual aid) that sounds surprisingly modern to you. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write "no question." Optional: Journal. Think about a relationship in your life where you have reached a stalemate. If you were to write a non-aggression clause for that relationship today, what is the one specific "territory" or topic you would both agree never to invade again? Learning Topics: Peace as Social Infrastructure; The Treaty of Kadesh (1259 BC); The Battle of Kadesh Stalemate; Reciprocal Diplomacy; The Non-Aggression Clause; The Mutual Assistance Clause; The Erasure of Human Competence; Version 1.0 of Recorded Logic. ZERO, The Every Person's Field Guide to a World Without Weapons:AvisKalfsbeek.com/zero Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Chronicled Courage - The Myth of Inevitable War (Class 2) We deconstruct the lie that humans are biologically destined for combat. By examining archaeological records and the "Long Peace" of 1815-1914, we prove that peace is a deliberate, high-maintenance labor and the actual "default" of human history. Homework: Look up the Aaland Islands dispute of 1921 or the Concert of Europe and find one diplomatic tool they used to prevent a fight. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Think about your own "natural" reactions to conflict. When have you felt "hard-wired" to argue, but chose to pause instead? Was that pause "passive," or was it an act of labor? Learning Topics: The 100-Year Peace (1815–1914) and "Congress Diplomacy;” The Aaland Islands Dispute (1921) as a model for cancelled conflict; Archaeological evidence: Challenging the 2% violence myth; The political purpose of the "Inevitability Myth;” Human nature as a capacity for choice, not a destiny for violence. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Chronicled Courage 101 - Peace Erasure & Jeannette Rankin (Class 1) We transition into the archives to study history as a lineage of persistence. This class defines "Erasure" as a political tool and examines the Jeannette Rankin Brigade (1968) and JFK's "Strategy of Peace" as case studies in recovered memory and the "Great Refusal." Homework: Look upthe Jeannette Rankin Brigade or the 1963 American University Speech and find one detail that isn't typically taught in a standard history class. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write "no question." Optional: Think of a time you were told something was "inevitable." Looking back, was it actually inevitable, or was there a path of refusal you didn't see at the time? Learning Topics: The Mission of the Hall of Records; Erasure vs. Realism: How curated memory shapes our expectations of conflict; The Jeannette Rankin Brigade (1968): A 50-year bridge of anti-war activism; The Great Refusal: Rankin's votes in 1917 and 1941 as principled alternatives to the military-industrial complex; The Burial of Traditional Womanhood: The radical shift in 1968 activism. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - Subsistence as Dignity (Class 14) We conclude our journey in the Department of Living Roots by reframing subsistence not as a state of poverty, but as the highest form of dignity and freedom. We explore how dependency has been used as a weapon through the get big or get out era and the cultural construction of peasant shame. By examining the resilience of Cuba's organopónicos and the concept of time sovereignty, we establish that food autonomy is the ultimate form of disarmament, removing the primary levers of coercion and violence from society. Homework: Look back at your notes from the last 14 classes. Whichliving root felt the most important to your own sense of security? Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write "no question." The Final Project: Identify one skill you have learned this semester—whether it's mending, seed-saving, or just learning a neighbor's name—and teach it to someone else this week. Learning Topics: Subsistence as Dignity; The Harvest Table; Dependency as a Weapon; The Earl Butz Era; Cultural Stigmas of Traditional Farming; The Devaluation of the Hand; The Cuban Special Period (organopónicos); Time Sovereignty; Precarity Panic; The Law of Return. ZERO, The Every Person's Field Guide to a World Without Weapons:AvisKalfsbeek.com/zero Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Living Roots - The Lie of Independence (Class 13) We deconstruct the myth of self-sufficiency. Through the "Cowboy Myth," the global standards of the ICAO, the industrial success of Mondragon, and the history of the Siege of Sarajevo (1992-1996), we learn why structural interdependence is more durable than isolation. Homework: Look up the Mondragon Corporation's list of products or the Haudenosaunee clans to see how they distribute roles. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Journal for five minutes. If you were a "Marlboro Man" in your own life, what would be the first thing to break if you got sick? Who would you have to call?   Learning Topics: The "Cowboy Myth" and its ecological/social impact; Logistical Entanglement: The ICAO flight standards; Mondragon (1956): Cooperative industrial interdependence; Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace (c. 1142); Resilience vs. Isolation: Lessons from Sarajevo. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Living Roots - Barter & Sharing (Class 12) We explore how local economies built on barter, time banking, and gift systems provide security during financial instability. This class examines the Argentine economic collapse, the global TimeBank movement, and how local currencies like BerkShares insulate communities from global shocks. Homework: Look up the work of Edgar Cahn or research the Hureai Kippu system in Japan to see how different cultures value labor. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Journal for five minutes. If all the money in your bank account vanished tomorrow, what skills or items do you have that you could trade for a week's worth of food? Learning Topics: The 2001 Argentine Barter Clubs (nodos); Hureai Kippu and Time Banking in Japan and the UK; Edgar Cahn and the TimeBank Mahoning County case study; The Potlatch as wealth redistribution; Local currencies and the BerkShares model. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Living Roots - Planned Obsolescence & the Logic of War (Class 11) We examine how the "throwaway culture" of modern economics conditions us to accept human expendability. This class explores the link between the Rana Plaza disaster and precarious labor, the role of e-waste in Agbogbloshie, and how military "use-it-or-lose-it" logic mirrors consumer waste. Homework: Look up the term"Planned Obsolescence" and find one product in your house that you believe was intentionally designed to fail or be unrepairable. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional: Journal for five minutes about the word "Disposable." List three things you consider disposable. Now, try to trace where they go when you "dispose" of them. Does that change your view of them? Learning Topics: The transition from stewardship to consumption; The Rana Plaza Collapse: The human cost of fast fashion; E-waste in Agbogbloshie, Ghana, as a driver of regional instability; "Use-it-or-lose-it" military budget cycles; The cultural normalization of "collateral damage." Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 224 Peacewarts: Dept. of Living Roots - The Security of Knowing Your Neighbors (Class 10) We examine why social cohesion is a logistical requirement for peace. This class explores how loneliness drives radicalization, how the "Social Front" of the Danish Resistance saved thousands, and how the West African Ebola response proved that trust is more effective than force during a crisis. Learning Topics: Social Isolation as a Predictor of Radicalization; The 1943 Rescue of the Danish Jews: Neighborhood-level coordination; Community-Led health responses in West Africa; Trust-based security models in Scandinavia; Restorative Justice and Māori Influence Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - Local Food Networks as Anti-Propaganda (Class 9) We explore how centralized food systems act as an "invisible leash" that makes populations vulnerable to war-time propaganda. By examining the 1941 Great Famine of Greece and the Black Panther Free Breakfast Program, we discuss how local food autonomy serves as a decentralized defense system and a psychological break from state dependency. Learning Topics: Food Centralization as a tool of control; The 1941 Great Famine of Greece: Urban vs. Rural resilience; The Black Panther Free Breakfast Program and Hoover's response; The 1963 Russian Wheat Deal and the fragility of imports; Food literacy as a "vaccine against propaganda;” The shift from Rationing to Sharing in CSA models. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - Water Rights & Watersheds (Class 8) We explore the "Functional Peace" of the Indus Waters Treaty. Despite three wars, India and Pakistan have maintained this water agreement for over 60 years. This class examines how shared water management creates a "biological floor" that can survive even the most intense political hostilities, and asks: if we can cooperate to share water, why can't we cooperate to share the world? Homework: Look up the specific terms of the"Indus Waters Treaty (1960)" or research the watershed you currently live in. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional:Journal for five minutes. If you had to share your primary water source with someone you didn't trust, what rules would you want in place to make sure you both survived? Learning Topics: The Definition of the Indus Waters Treaty (1960); Functional Peace: Cooperation amidst conflict; Upstream Extraction vs. Downstream Debt; Aquifer Depletion and the "Scarcity Script;” Local Hydrological Autonomy as a defense against siege. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Dept. of Living Roots - The Time It Takes (Class 7) We explore Slowness as a foundational strategy for peace. By contrasting the 500-year cycle of topsoil creation with the frantic pace of modern markets, we discuss how "Ecological Time" prevents extractive panic. We highlight the Iroquois Seventh Generation Principle as a masterclass in deliberate deceleration and long-term security. Homework: Look up the"Great Law of the Haudenosaunee" and find one other example of how they prioritized the long-term health of the community over short-term gain. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional:Journal for five minutes about a time you made a "fast" decision that caused harm, and a "slow" decision that created peace. What was the difference in your physical feeling during those two moments? Learning Topics: Ecological Time vs. Market Time (The 500-year topsoil rule); The Seventh Generation Principle of the Haudenosaunee; "Extractive Panic" as a driver of conflict; The psychology of speed and the amygdala's role in escalation; Deceleration as a restoration of empathy. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - Repair as Resistance (Class 6) We examine the act of repair as a strategic tool of nonviolent resistance. From the 1953 legal battle against the Phoebus Cartel to the logistical sabotage of Gandhi's spinning wheel and Cuba's ingenious "Rikimbili" inventors, this class teaches how maintenance reduces the global pressure for extraction. Homework Look up"The Phoebus Cartel" and read about the 1953 court case that finally challenged their practices. Write down one questionabout any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional:Journal for five minutes about an object you own that has been repaired. Does it feel more valuable to you than something brand new? Why or why not? Learning Topics: The 1953 US District Court ruling against the Phoebus Cartel; Gandhi's Khadi movement: Reclaiming the textile supply chain; Cuba's ANIR: The National Association of Innovators and Rationalizers; The "Rikimbili" and adaptive repair during the Special Period; Maintenance vs. Extraction Pressure. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW  

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - The Victory Garden Myth (Class 5) We reframe the "Victory Garden" as a blueprint for community independence rather than a tool of war. We look at the staggering 40% production levels of 1943 and the Russian Dacha system—where 3% of the land produces over 80% of the vegetables. We discuss how nutritional sovereignty is a fundamental requirement for a peaceful society and a direct form of disarmament. Homework: Look up the"Russian Dacha movement" and find one statistic on how much food these small plots produce compared to industrial farms. Write down one question you have about home gardens or any topic in this episode. If you don't have a question, just write “no question.” Optional:Journal for five minutes about what "Victory" looks like in your own neighborhood. If your street was 40 percent independent from the grocery store, how would your sense of security change? Learning Topics: The 1943 Victory Garden Production Stats; The Russian Dacha System: Small-scale resilience; The 2020 Pandemic Seed Surge (Burpee and Johnny's Seeds); Supply Chain Disconnection as a Form of Disarmament; Nutritional Independence vs. Traditional National Security. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - Hunger as a Weapon (Class 4) We examine the brutal history of manufactured famine as a tactical instrument of war. From the Holodomor to the "soft power" of the 1960s Food for Peace program, this class teaches scholars how to recognize when hunger is being used as a logistical weapon of control and why local agricultural sovereignty is a vital peace strategy. Homework: Look up "The Holodomor" and read the "Causes" section to understand how government policy, not weather, created the famine. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional:Journal for five minutes about the concept of "Calorie Leverage." How does it feel to realize that your own food security might be tied to a global logistical "valve"? Learning Topics: The Holodomor (Logistical Famine); Scorched Earth Tactics vs. Soil Health; Food for Peace (PL 480) and Calorie Leverage; Modern Supply Chain Blockades; Agricultural Sovereignty as a Peace Strategy Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - The Scarcity Script (Class 3) Episode Summary: We explore how the concept of "shortage" is used as a psychological and political tool to justify war. This class examines the history of the Enclosure Acts, the chemical dependency of modern agriculture, and the "Food as a Weapon" strategy to reveal how scarcity is often a manufactured policy rather than a biological reality. Homework: Look up "The Enclosure Acts" and read a summary of how they changed the "Common Land" system in England. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write “no question.” Optional:Journal for five minutes about a "shortage" you see in the news today (gas, food, or water). Is it a biological shortage of the earth, or a logistical shortage of the "fence"? Learning Topics: The Scarcity Script vs. Biological Abundance; The Enclosure Acts and the End of the Commons; Haber-Bosch: The Fertilizer-Weapon Link; Strategic Food Reserves and Political Leverage; The Yield Gap and Distribution Waste Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts:  Living Roots 101 - Seed Sovereignty (Class 2) We move from the soil to the seed. This class explores why the right to save and exchange seeds is a foundational act of a peaceful society. We examine the transition from "Common" to "Commodity," the hidden costs of the 1960s Green Revolution, and the heroic sacrifice of the Vavilov Institute scientists who guarded the world's genetic heritage during the Siege of Leningrad. Homework: Look up "Vandana Shiva" and read one paragraph about her work with Navdanya and seed freedom. Write down one question you have after this episode or your research. If no question comes to mind, write "no question." Optional:Journal for five minutes about the difference between an "heirloom" seed and a "patented" seed. Learning Topics: Seed Sovereignty vs. Patent Extraction; Open-Pollinated vs. Hybrid Systems; The Green Revolution's Dependency Loop; The Vavilov Martyrs (Stchukin and Ivanov); Seed Saving as an Act of Disarmament Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Living Roots 101 - Orientation & Soil as a Peace Treaty (Class 1) We descend into the Greenhouse to introduce the Law of Return. This class focuses on the historical cause-and-effect chain between soil health and social stability, examining Mesopotamian salinization, the American Dust Bowl, colonial monocultures, and modern fertilizer dependency.  Homework: Interrupt your routine – wait, maybe this has non become your routine… Look up the "Dust Bowl" and  "Human Displacement." Write down one question you have about how food scarcity impacts local peace, or anything about this episode. If no question comes to mind, write: "no question." Optional: Journal for five minutes about where your calories come from. Do they come from a local "Law of Return" system, or an extractive "Monoculture" system? Learning Topics: The Law of Return (Anti-Extraction) Mesopotamian Salinization & Systemic Collapse The Dust Bowl as a Displacement Driver Colonial Monocultures vs. Soil Health Synthetic Fertilizer Dependency Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

In this episode, Avis pauses the Peacewarts series to explore a long tradition of walks for peace. Across history, people have chosen to walk slowly and publicly as a form of nonviolent witness, reclaiming roads and landscapes through presence rather than force. From Gandhi's Salt March and Vinoba Bhave's land gift walks to Peace Pilgrim, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, and monastic peace walkers, this episode traces how walking has been used to make injustice visible and invite participation without violence. The episode closes by situating today's walk for peace within this wider historical lineage, reminding us that walking remains one of humanity's most durable tools for peace — slow, visible, and human. Get the book Peace Stuff Enough: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/peace-stuff-enough Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “Dalai Lama Riding a Bike” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Universal Understars 101 - Peace as Infrastructure (Class 14) In this final lesson of the Understars series, we explore why peace is a stable infrastructure while war is a fragile system requiring constant upkeep. We summarize the "Understars Perspective" and dive deeper into JFK's 1963 "Strategy of Peace" speech as a blueprint for human-made solutions. We define our role as Peace Scholars as we prepare to bring the High View down to the ground. Homework: Interrupt your routine by looking at your passport or ID card. Imagine it doesn't just list a country, but says "Citizen of the Understars." How does that change your responsibility to the person standing next to you? Write down one final question for this department. If no question comes to mind, write "no question." Optional:Look up at the night sky tonight. Tell the stars, "Hey Understars, let's keep an eye on peace. How about it?" Learning Topics: Peace as infrastructure vs. war as a fragile system Summary of the Understars Perspective JFK's 1963 "Strategy of Peace" Speech (American University) Reclaiming global citizenship Transitioning from theory to daily practice Resources & Links: Follow the podcast as we launch into the first semester of this new peace school. Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Peacewarts: Universal Understars 101 - The Tools of Peace: A Survey (Class 13) We shift our focus from philosophy to the practical "infrastructure" of peace. We survey the various tools—from shared scientific endeavors to verification treaties—that allow humanity to maintain the High View. We look back at what we have named The Great Disarmament (1963) to see how tools like the Partial Test Ban Treaty protected our shared biology. We conclude with the understanding that peace is an inevitable destination that requires constant maintenance. Homework: Interrupt your routineto look up the "Global Peace Index." Find one "Tool" or metric they use to measure how peaceful a country is. Write down one questionyou have after this episode or doing homework #1. If no question comes to mind, write: "no question." Optional:Journal about your own "Personal Toolkit." When you feel a conflict rising, what is the first "tool" you reach for? (Is it a deep breath? A question? Taking a walk?) Until our final lesson in this department, keep your eyes on the Understars. Class dismissed. Learning topics: Peace Infrastructure, Verification Treaties, Shared Science, The Global Peace Index, 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty, The Great Disarmament. Resources & Links: Follow the podcast as we launch into the first semester of this new peace school. Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

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