“This is dedicated to the mythological offspring of a Frost Phoenix and one of the greatest polymath artists, masterminds and Bravehearted warrior Goddesses in existence, Aurora Borealis… you are a Divine Legend incomparable…” ~Kikwaakew
This might literally be my favorite album of all time. Greydon’s lyrics (with perfect vocal delivery & Dre-caliber beats) capture the expansiveness & majesty of science, and the epic imagination of science fiction. This is the true new mythology of the future, where we try to fathom the heights of evolution achievable by civilizations millions of years beyond ours. And gosh it’s just such great music! And thru 30 songs he covers sooo much material, with a felicitous integration of scientific & poetic philosophy. It’s such a well-executed futuristic portrait of civilization, I think this album deserves all the awards, from a Pulitzer to a Grammy.. ♥ Neonn
“A few years ago, those who warned us about the risks of technological unemployment were labelled as luddites, crazy, or techno-pessimists. Now some of the greatest economists agree that automation poses a serious threat to the economy, with jobs disappearing & inequality on the rise. Today, those proposing radically new ideas to deal with this problem are being called crazy & idealistic. Old ideologies are outdated in the face of exponential change; we need to embrace a more holistic & adaptive system. I believe experiments with unconditional basic income, coupled with the utilization of crypto currencies & blockchain-based technologies, will help us find the answers.”
“As one of the pioneers of Hip-Hop, Grandmaster Caz has seen a massive shift in the culture since its inception, and he took a moment to focus on the gangsta rap movement during the ’90s. The New York emcee explained that he saw a detrimental impact on the culture when gangsta rap was on the rise, because it killed out all of the conscious rappers at the time. Grandmaster Caz then gave props to N.W.A., and shared that Eazy-E used to come to a Zulu Nation club in L.A., but the East Coast legend stuck by his thoughts on the negative impact he feels their group and others had on the Hip-Hop culture.”
“Many of our current economic policies originated during times of scarcity. But now, says investor Albert Wenger, we live in an era of “digital abundance,” when creating new products costs virtually nothing. To adapt to the resulting economic upheavals, we won’t need just more tech, says Wenger, but some strong policies. Here he explores two: basic income guarantee and the right to be represented by a bot.”
“There’s perhaps already a distinct “Elon Musk Video Essay” genre here on YouTube. Hopefully, though, this takes a different approach to those which are already out there. Rather than focussing on I take a look at why Elon Musk has become such a revered figure in recent years and why so many people have embraced Elon Musk’s Loop, Tesla, Hyperloop, Spacex, Mars Mission, Neuralink and other projects. Drawing partly on the work of Mark Fisher and Franco “Bifo” Birardi, I consider how human perceptions of the future (at least in the advanced capitalist nations) have changed over time. In particular, I’m interested in how Elon Musk’s rise might be read as a response to what Birardi and Fisher refer to as the “Slow Cancellation of the Future” during the ascendency of neoliberalism (or neoliberal capitalism) in the 1970s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. I also argue that Elon Musk might have more than a little in common with figures in the political sphere such as Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (AOC) and “The Squad”, Jeremy Corbyn etc. who have also recently sought to break from the status quo and invited us to imagine bold new futures.”
“Retired Police Officer Jack Cole is the cofounder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). His organization is dedicated to ending the massive failure known as the War on Drugs. In this riveting interview, Jack shares his personal history in undercover narcotics and talks about the many evils on the War on Drugs.”
“Peter Christ retired as a police captain after a 20-year career enforcing drug laws. From the beginning, Peter believed “the drug war can never be won and it is doing more harm than good.” After retiring in 1989, Peter began speaking out publicly against that War. In 1993, he became one of the first members of “ReconsiDer”, one of the original forums on drug policy, involving speakers from many diverse backgrounds. Peter quickly developed into the group’s leading spokesperson, appearing at hundreds of venues. Peter then originated the idea of creating LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition – http://www.leap.cc/), a drug policy reform group of current and former members of law enforcement modeled on “Vietnam Veterans Against the War”. In 2002, after four years of Peter’s preparation, LEAP finally emerged as a viable international nonprofit educational organization. Christ is one of the most experienced of the LEAP speakers, having performed before hundreds of civic, professional, educational, and religious organizations, plus conducting television and radio interviews in dozens of markets. Peter speaks of the Drug War’s impact on: police/community relations; the safety of law enforcement officers and suspects; police corruption and misconduct; and the financial and human costs associated with current drug policies. These issues include the effect of drug prohibition on the judiciary, sentencing issues, prison populations and minority communities, as well as the usefulness of drug education programs in reducing drug abuse.”
“Carl Hart, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at Columbia University, offers a provocative, evidence-based view of addiction and discusses how it should impact drug policy.”
“What really causes addiction — to everything from cocaine to smart-phones? And how can we overcome it? Johann Hari has seen our current methods fail firsthand, as he has watched loved ones struggle to manage their addictions. He started to wonder why we treat addicts the way we do — and if there might be a better way. As he shares in this deeply personal talk, his questions took him around the world, and unearthed some surprising and hopeful ways of thinking about an age-old problem.”
this seems useful in helping people understand that we’re all one big human family <3
“It’s tough to know what happened on Earth thousands of years before anyone started writing anything down. But thanks to the amazing work of anthropologists and paleontologists like those working on National Geographic’s Genographic Project, we can begin to piece together the story of our ancestors. Here’s how early humans spread from East Africa all around the world.”
“Sadhu Militia is a superconscious spiritual artistic collective, a merging of minds from over 30 countries in more than 20 different languages…”
“How did the rich get so…rich? In this hilarious, passionate, and empowering look at income inequality, activist comedian Russell Brand and director Michael Winterbottom (The Trip) uncover the roots of the world financial crisis. With a mix of rabble-rousing outrage and audacious comedy, Brand examines how bank bailouts have left the 99% high and dry—taking his message straight to the top as he fearlessly confronts the corporations and political leaders responsible. By turns thought-provoking and wildly entertaining, The Emperor’s New Clothes is a timely reminder that change begins with the people.”
❝ In the era of colorblindness, it is no longer socially permissible to use race, explicitly, as a justification for discrimination, exclusion, and social contempt. Yet, as legal star Michelle Alexander reveals, today it is perfectly legal to discriminate against convicted criminals in nearly all the ways that it was once legal to discriminate against African Americans. Once you’re labeled a felon, the old forms of discrimination―employment discrimination, housing discrimination, denial of the right to vote, denial of educational opportunity, denial of food stamps and other public benefits, and exclusion from jury service―are suddenly legal. ❞
“In this presentation Peter discusses how the Market Economy has not only evolved/simplified into its most core function of blind gain and hence the arbitrary trading of the widget, using the Stock Market / Financialization as a point of focus, he also explains how any social progress that has occurred has happened by proxy – or incidental to the market game.
He describes what all Free-Market proponents ignore: the true, measurable system consequences which are suffocating humanity – with Capitalism now the leading cause of death on Earth today. He also explains how an ethically respected, pure free market (even if it was possible – which it is not, as argued) would generate constant deprivation/ethical imbalance – due to the pressure-building externalities that the Market cannot solve due to its foundational mechanisms. Also, the idea of Crony-Capitalism vs. Free Market Capitalism is proven to be a Continuum Fallacy and a delusion via moral relativism. He finishes with two proposals for future TZM projects to help transition.”
Absolutely brilliant show! It’s like The Wire but for alcohol Prohibition ^^ starring Steve Buscemi
❝ Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp), the world’s foremost authority on artificial intelligence, is conducting highly controversial experiments to create a sentient machine. When extremists try to kill the doctor, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed. Will’s wife, Evelyn (Rebecca Hall), and best friend, Max (Paul Bettany), can only watch as his thirst for knowledge evolves to an omnipresent quest for power, and his loved ones soon realize that it may be impossible to stop him. [Google]
” Transcendence is a 2014 American science fiction thriller film directed by cinematographer Wally Pfister in his directorial debut, and written by Jack Paglen. The film stars Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Cillian Murphy, Cole Hauser, and Morgan Freeman. Pfister’s usual collaborator, Christopher Nolan, served as executive producer on the project.
Paglen’s screenplay was listed on the 2012 edition of The Black List, a list of popular unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. Transcendence was a disappointment at the box office, grossing only slightly more than its $100 million budget. The film received mainly negative reviews; it was criticized for its plot structure, characters and dialogue. ❞ [Wikipedia]
written by Jack Paglen
directed by Wally Pfister
“Hip Hop Legend KRS-One came to Cal State LA for a Black History Month keynote and dropped some knowledge and enlightenment on our Golden Eagles. Here’s the full speech.”
“South Los Angeles is home to two of America’s most infamous African-American gangs – the Crips and the Bloods. On these streets over the past 30 years, more than 15,000 people have been murdered in an ongoing cycle of gang violence that continues unabated. In Made In America, renowned documentarian Stacy Peralta blends gripping archival footage and photos with in-depth interviews of current and former gang members, historians, and experts, documenting the emergence of the Bloods and the Crips, but also offering insight as to how this ongoing tragedy might be resolved.”
“This is the FULL MOVIE! – The Internet’s Own Boy depicts the life of American computer programmer, writer, political organizer and Internet activist Aaron Swartz. It features interviews with his family and friends as well as the internet luminaries who worked with him. The film tells his story up to his eventual suicide after a legal battle, and explores the questions of access to information and civil liberties that drove his work.”