WELCOME.

The Avocado Jungle is a source for current events, politics, arts and culture on the web. Editor In Chief David P. Kronmiller, along with a talented staff and guests, bring you news, commentary, analysis, interviews, humor, music, art and more. Our deeper mission is to seek truth in understanding, offering current events, arts and culture as paths to that understanding. We value and promote creative thought, intelligent dialogue, elevated debate, and informed action. If you see something that interests you on the site, please take the time to leave a thoughtful comment. Thanks for visiting.

Jungle Writers

David P. Kronmiller, Editor-In-Chief
Notes from the Jungle
Matthew Tullman, Current Events Editor
On current events.
Joyce Chen Blogging from New York.
Tharuna Devchand Blogging from South Africa.
J Lampinen
Our resident comic strip, Congo & Steve
Joanna Lord
Blogging on life, art and spirituality.
Jeremy Olsen
Director of Development emeritus and occasional commentator.
Dan Rickabus
On things musical.
Nicky Schildkraut
On poetry.

Plus guest writers and past staff, including Zach Fehst, Amy Reynolds, Aaron Vaccaro, Jae Day, Sarah Jawaid, Scott Martin, and Bronson Picket.
July 23, 2010, at 12:07 pm — Arts and Culture | Audio | audio interview | Interviews | Music / / / / / / / / /

An interview with Dana Castaldo of Red Light Go

"Aldo Sings", photograph by Angela Richelle. From the Red Light Go recording session at PRS in Pasadena March 12, 2010.Dana “Aldo” Castaldo, the founder and the musical heart of Los Angeles rock band Red Light Go, talked to our music blogger Dan Rickabus about his music. And don’t miss his recent performance with his wife, Claudia, on Music In Our House!

July 20, 2010, at 5:24 pm — Arts and Culture | Audio | audio interview | audio podcast | Interviews | Music / / / /

An interview with singer-songwriter Adjoa Skinner

Adjoa Skinner, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, and Summer 2010 Avocado Jungle Artist In Residence.Some people just radiate energy and life. It seems those who have it might just have been born with it. Our music blogger, Dan Rickabus, had a great interview with one of those people: singer-songwriter (and Avocado Jungle Artist In Residence) Adjoa Skinner.

July 19, 2010, at 5:00 am — Audio | audio interview | Blogs | Interviews / / / / / / / / / / / /

An interview with Roni Segoly of Combatants For Peace

Roni Segoly, of the unique and inspiring Middle East peace group Combatants For Peace, shares his observations and feelings about the media, success, and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

July 14, 2010, at 12:28 pm — Audio | audio interview | Blogs | Interviews / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

An interview with Battlestar Galactica composer Bear McCreary

Bear McCreary, best known for his scores for television’s Battlestar Galactica, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Eureka, shares some thoughts on success—success at a young age, success in a highly competitive field, and success in life.

May 26, 2010, at 4:51 pm — Blogs / / / / / / /

THE CAVEMAN HYPOTHESIS: Why now is better than it seems.

I introduce The Caveman Hypothesis and put it to work looking at why we don’t need to be so darn glum.

May 19, 2010, at 12:53 pm — Blogs / / / / /

SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH: Rapid change and the good old days

Each of us is on some sort of search for the truth, however passive or however deeply submerged beneath the layers of things like activity, pretense, prejudice and denial. Despite our inherent preference for patterns and habits and stasis, we ultimately encounter greater truth in those unanticipated, vulnerable moments scattered throughout life and it throws a wrench in the works of our world view. This column is meant to examine the reasons we fail or succeed at finding the truth when we need it. And this first installment considers the often frightening pace at which the world seems to be changing.

April 21, 2010, at 6:00 am — Arts and Culture | Poetry | Writing /

Poetry: “arizona” by Jeremy Olsen

“once i sat and watched the summer
sun set on a cactus…”

April 17, 2010, at 6:00 am — Arts and Culture | Poetry | Writing /

Poetry: “unseen (unwanted?)” by Jeremy Olsen

“In time I’ll have to throttle up and go.
I’m just two steps too slow.
(My dancing days are gone, you know.)…”

April 15, 2010, at 6:42 pm — Arts and Culture | Audio | Music | music tracks / / / / / / / / / /

Derek Polischuk: Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1

The Avocado Jungle is excited to share with you an excellent performance of the Shostakovich Concerto in C minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra, Op. 35. Pianist Derek Polischuk is on the stage with Richard Illman on trumpet and the Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra.

Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 – I. Allegretto
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 – II. Lento
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 – III. Moderato
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 – IV. Allegro con brio

April 15, 2010, at 6:38 pm — Arts and Culture | Audio | audio interview | Interviews | Music / / / / / / / /

An interview with concert pianist Derek Polischuk: PART 2

I had the pleasure of an interview with concert pianist, educator, and great guy Derek Polischuk. This is the second part of two. Listen to part two of the interview. Or go to part one.