RPR 102: Art for Sour Patch Adults
also, how to fail at faking your own death
SOMETHING TO READ
In news from our This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things desk, there is apparently an American man named Nicholas Alahverdian who sexually assaulted a woman in Utah in 2008, faked his own death to avoid prosecution, and then moved to the UK where he is now pretending to be a disabled Irish orphan named—are you ready for this—Arthur Knight.
Inexplicably, the 35-year-old predator said yes to an interview with Dateline recently to defend his new persona. Lucky/unlucky for us, clips have started to circulate and it’s, well, something.
In a bow tie, tiny round glasses, and an oxygen mask, Alahverdian insists to baffled correspondent Andrea Canning that this is simply a case of mistaken identity—despite that his fingerprints and tattoos have confirmed that he is, in fact, the guy who pretended to die after being required to register as a sex offender. At one remarkable point in the interview he does a dramatic little stand-and-stumble to show how feeble he is. To hear the accent he’s created is worth the click alone. Gina Martinez for CBS News has the story: Suspected American fugitive who allegedly faked death insists he is Irish orphan in bizarre interview.
SOMETHING TO LISTEN TO
While lawmakers fight about who should be able to own guns, what kind of guns people should be able to own, and whether or not the NRA is a terrorist organization; at least one father of four found a seemingly simple solution that allowed him to leave a life of crime and gun violence behind: housing.
In this 6-minute story from WBEZ, we meet Luis Gonzalez. As a gas station cashier on Chicago’s West Side, Gonzalez had to deal with a lot of issues with customers and loiterers—fighting, drug use, robbery. After one customer followed him home to the two-bedroom apartment he shared with his wife and kids and shot up his car, Gonzalez got a gun for protection.
After Gonzalez was arrested for illegally carrying that gun, an advocate from the Lawndale Christian Legal Center asked him what he would need to stop getting into trouble. Gonzalez’s answer? A safe place to live with his family away from his job.
Spoiler alert, this story’s ending is a hopeful one. But this feature isn’t just a nicely wrapped tale of redemption. It’s a testament to the power of second chances and prioritizing listening over punishment. From reporter Patrick Smith: This father finally has a safe home for his children. It all came from his arrest on gun charges.
SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO
Spring has sprung, which means three things for me: allergies, Marie Kondo-ding, and snacking. (Okay, it’s always time for snacking, but I’ve been especially hungry for gummy/crunchy/salty lately.)
If you too have been carting off all of your belongings to Goodwill and self medicating with handfuls of Claritin and Sour Patch Kids, this EMBROIDERED ORDINARINESS collection from artist Alicja (Alice) Kozlowska is for you. From Kozlowska:
“My inspiration to create this series is everyday consumerism and characteristic brands from around the world, which have permanently entered the canons of mass sales and the world of advertising.
Kozlowska’s embroidered sculptures of everyday things are as charming as they are unsettling. My personal faves: the cans of sardines, the pack of Lucky’s, and the bag of Lay’s paprika potato chips. Enjoy!
NEW NAME, SAME AIMS
That’s a wrap on issue 102, friends. Thanks for listening, reading, holding on.
If you’re new here, welcome! And to all of our misfit crew, a heads up: The Unwed Mother Agenda has a new name! My home for news and human stories from the front lines of our family court system is now called The Family Court Report. More on that front soon. In the meantime, you can always check out the archives here.
Happy almost-May, all!
See you next week.
K.
RPR is my go-to snack!