Joe Nathan James Jr was executed by lethal injection on Thursday, against the wishes of his victim's family. He was the eighth person to be put to death in the United States so far this year, and the second from Alabama.

In the moments leading up to his gruesome murder by the state, a news reporter was forced to change her outfit by the Alabama Department of Corrections, because her skirt and her open-toe high-heeled shoes were considered too revealing.

Yes, while a man was being strapped down to meet his end in the world's largest prison system at the hands of a governmental institution designed to serve power rather than justice, Ivana Shatara's skirt and shoes were deemed by authorities to be the most offensive thing going on in that moment.

And it was arguably the most American thing that has ever happened.

Reading by Tim Foley.

In The US You Can't Witness An Execution If Your Skirt Is Too Revealing

Readings of all Caitlin Johnstone's articles, usually by her co-writer Tim Foley.

Composer, arranger, orchestrator and Emmy-nominated music director, Christopher J. Guardino has collaborated with Marco Beltrami, Doug Besterman, Erran Baron Cohen, Ry Cooder, Endless Noise, Martin Erskine, Siedah Garrett, Guns 'n' Roses, Patrick Leonard, Mark Mothersbaugh, Eve Nelson, Thomas Pasatieri, J.A.C. Redford, Jeremy Rubolino, Stephen Schwartz, Super Diamond (with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra), and Mare Winningham. He has contributed arrangements, orchestrations and conducting to the films of Wes Anderson, Raymond DeFelitta, Barry Levinson, the late Mike Nichols, Guillermo del Toro, and to The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (Grammy®winner - Best Children's Album).  With co-score composer Matthew Sklar, he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Music Direction for Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas, starring Jim Parsons, Edward Asner, Gilbert Gottfried, Mark Hamill, Jay Leno, and Kate Micucci, for NBC TV and Warner Brothers Animation. Currently, Christopher arranges, orchestrates and conducts for the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning television show, Crazy Ex Girlfriend (on the CW Network) and for Matt Groening's Disenchantment (on Netflix).

In the concert world, Christopher has composed for a variety of performing artists and ensembles. His "Nella Luce", composed for the National Children's Chorus, was given its world premiere at Royce Hall (Los Angeles) and its east coast premiere at Carnegie Hall (NYC) in 2015.

A few of Christopher's chamber works are published by/can be purchased here: https://sheetmusicbyfatrock.com/?s=Guardino

As an educator and teacher of music, Christopher has been a chamber music coach and conductor for the Suzuki Music Program of Los Angeles, a Resident Teaching Artist at the Brandeis-Bardin Summer Arts Institute, and a Visiting Professor in the music department at California State University, Los Angeles.  Privately, he teaches students in composition, counterpoint (species, canon, fugue), improvisation, music analysis (Schenkerian), piano, and solfège (fixed Do). 

Christopher was born not far from Los Angeles into an artistic family and studied piano from an early age.  On scholarships, he attended the Mannes College of Music in New York City and the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau, France.  Among his mentors and teachers were Leonard Bernstein, Narcìs Bonet, Felix Galimir, Gérard Grisey, Dr. Charles Kaufman, David Loeb, George Monseur, Dr. Hugo Norden, Thomas Pasatieri, Marie Powers, Carl Schachter, and Louise Talma.

http://www.facebook.com/christopher.guardino

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0345337

  Reviews

  “Guardino’s (music) was a revelation, displaying sublimely subtle keyboard shadings and passionate ‘cello lines that eloquently described the complexities and joys of spirituality…”

  “Guardino’s music for guitar was sensitive and imaginatively poetic…”

  - Los Angeles Weekly


  “Guardino’s provocative works were so smoothly and convincingly performed… that one might overlook the depth beneath the slickness”

  “…reflective and lush…”

  - The Los Angeles Times


  “…(Vlahos’ vocals) supported cushily by Guardino’s funky, insinuating arrangements…”

  - Backstage