Post-Disaster Trauma Friday's shooting at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School that ended in 27 deaths "broke the nation's heart", to repeat the words of President Barack Obama. Unfortunately, school shootings in America are nothing new, and this recent tragedy brings a reminder of the 1989 Stockton Cleveland School shooting that left five children dead and 29 people wounded. Mory Framer is a clinical psychologist who has helped people deal with psychological trauma in the wake of numerous disasters, including the Stockton Schoolyard Shooting and the Columbine Shooting in 1999. Stockton Record Columnist Michael Fitzgerald was a new reporter covering the story at the time.

 

Egypt Referendum   Back in February 2011, we spoke with UC Davis Professor of Modern Islam Keith Watenpaugh and Sacramento SALAM religious leader Imam Abdul-Azeez.  That was two weeks into the revolution in Egypt. Nearly two years later, Egypt's political battle is still raging and has even amplified with Saturday's divisive referendum vote. Professor Watenpaugh and Dr. Azeez re-join us to talk about the changes since their last visit  Political Science Professor Tamir Sukkary is also in our studio to relay his relatives' experiences in Egypt.

 

Holiday Tips The last thing you want to get in the mail in January is another bill. That's why we're speaking with a California Energy commissioner Andrew McAllister about simple ways to cut back on your energy use over the holidays. Plus, we'll speak with Sacramento police officer Michelle Gigante about ways to safeguard your home while you're out celebrating.  For non-emergencies, contact the Sacramento Police Dept. at (916) 264-5471.

 

"Relativity" Local jazz musician Joe Gilman has released an album titled "Relativity" in which each piece is inspired by a different drawing by M.C. Escher. Gilman's compositions interpret Escher's work musical, following up his last album entitled "Americanvas," which was an interpretation of American artists of the 20th century. 

 

Listen to the Capital Public Radio feature story on "Americanvas."

 

1. Snow: Based on the 1936 lithograph, the composition begins with a portrayal of serenity and remembrance, reflections of a solitary cabin in a distant winter timberland. The doors open, a refrain unfolds and begins to thaw the frosty niche. Outside, the winter flurries coil and curl, low branches creak in a sunken bass clarinet. Slowly, the flare of daylight cracks the heavens and gleams upon the cabin, warming our recollection of easeful days captive in the cold and sunshine. The refrain returns, but with a deep and tender gate, revealing feelings found, learned, and lost. The snow returns, whisking and wafting, and wandering into infinity.

2. Smaller and Smaller: The 1956 wood engraving is an infinite world in an enclosed plane in which tessellated reptiles appear in a repeated and ever shrinking 4-leaf clover shape. The point of infinity in this image is the center. Musically, the twelve reptiles are represented by a 12 tone row-first played over 32 measures for the tenor, then gradually diminishing to 24 measures for the trumpet, 14 measures for bass, 8 measures for piano, followed by 6 measures, three 3 measure phrases, 1 measure, and finally sinking low into the bass ostinato, with the horns frantically stirring the row above in a vicious dodecacyclone and on into infinity.

3. Waterfall: The 1961 lithograph reveals an image in which water from the base of a cascade appears to run downhill before reaching the top. Escher uses these conflicting proportions to create a visual paradox. The challenge of a similar aural dichotomy in the composition "Waterfall" presents a melody (and later an imitative countermelody) that continually descends, while its harmonic movement pushes infinitely upward, finally meeting on a solitary "F#".