Ep 17 - When the games are so unjust...

We have our first married couple on the show to talk video games, micro-transactions, and fear and loathing at PAX East. Local burgeoning writer, and newcomer to The Arts Fuse critics circle, Michael Costa joins the show to report on the Fuse's coverage of 2019's PAX East, a major video game convention that your host knows nothing about. He also happens to be Deanna's husband, but I won't say that's how he got the gig. We'll explore questions related to video games as art, the economics of gaming, and just what the heck those kids are up to. Then we welcome community organizer and children's books writer Jacob Kramer to talk about breaking the rules. His work infuses a poetics of revolutionary thought with childlike wonder, encouraging readers of all ages to consider the possible, and challenge the cynics. His book More Bats, about the practical realities of what might happen if the "maximize bats" - more parks, better health care, education programs - was an insert in Jacobin's "Childhood" issue. His latest book is about a pasta loving elephant named Noodlephant, who stands up to the injustice of an oppressive kangaroo regime, conveying the timeless message of civil rights to a new generation. You can read and order Jacob's work on his website, jacobakramer.com. 10% of proceeds from Noodlephant go to support the work of Black and Pink, a prison abolition organization. You can buy the book, donate directly, or both. Michael's pieces on The Arts Fuse can be found here and here.