Upward Spiral #5 – The Pope and Religious Tolerance
In episode 5 we discuss the Italian film We Have a Pope and the concept of religious tolerance. As with all our episodes, we are reaching for the outer edges of these concepts, so some might find our treatment of religion offensive. King’s corner is not featured this week, but we have a special call-in [...]
Upward Spiral #3 – Homeland and The Holy War
In our third episode we explore the oft neglected fact of the ongoing Holy War, and how our Western habit of neglecting the power of culture is an aspect of this Holy War that only becomes apparent after we’ve been engaged in it. We use the show Homeland (Season 1) as a starting point for [...]
Culture Is Your Reality.
Culture is a field of perception, a mind-state that pre-registers incoming information as belonging to conditioned categories. It is an inevitable totalitarian aspect of growing up as a social animal. It is innate to the experience of culture that many aspects of one’s own are not only imperceptible but that they are perceived by other [...]
Upward Spiral – #1 – Slavery and Freedom
In our first episode we explore the themes Slavery and Freedom in response to our recent viewing of Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Co-hosts Ken Vallario and Eric Duffy, with special guest star Byron King. Also featuring a surprise visit from Downward Spiral co-host Geoff Feder. Enjoy!
Marriage and Politics
My wife and I recently celebrated our 7 year anniversary. I am very proud of this, mostly because my wife and I worked very hard to develop what has become a strong and happy marriage. Anybody who knows us well knows two things. One, that we are both very strong-willed individuals and that we struggled [...]
Political Consultation – 2012 End of the World Campaign
One of the things that will make it hard for Obama in the coming election is that some of the criticisms the Republicans are making are true…they are a ridiculous source, that promises only a further entrenchment in the very things I dislike about Obama, but that does not make it any safer to avoid [...]
Silver Lining
After hearing news reports in the background of my distracted morning driving of European countries downsizing their governments under economic pressure I realized that there is a global deconstruction of representative government. That is what is really happening. Anybody who knows anything about economics (like me) knows that there is plenty of ‘capital’ out there, [...]
New Tactics for OWS #2 – ONE WORLD CURRENCY
HEY OCCUPY WALL STREET! PUT OUT A CALL AROUND THE WORLD FOR A SINGLE GLOBAL CURRENCY. From the beginning of my participation with Occupy Wall Street I have advocated for an absurdist approach to demands. Why? Not because I want chaos, but because the problems we face are too large for singular or systemic legislative [...]
Rap News has gone transcendent
The latest episode of rap news is so wonderful. It’s deep reading of our present crises and integration with historical cycles is beautiful and inspiring…these are some of the true cultural gems of our time…thank you Rap News…
Inception – 21st Century Miracle
I was talking with my friend E.D. last night about my theory of ‘The Miracle Dream.’ I have long believed that the only thing that could create the kind of lasting progress that many in the world hunger for is a genuine miracle, something unexplainable that appears real to everybody. There can be no political [...]
Prophecies #1 – Symbols of Power
In this series, I will make predictions about the cultural changes that will make this century distinct from the last. The skyscraper represents the 20th Century the way the pyramids represented the ancient Egyptian empires. The skyscraper will be replaced in the 21st Century by community systems. As communities begin to experiment with lifestyles that [...]
2012 Campaign Slogans #3 – War on Women
I am giving these new campaign slogans away free of charge to any of the politico-gangsters who want them…. “All Wars Are On Women”
Nature vs. Nurture
Our feelings about animals and industry are not solely about the animals. No, the rising distaste surrounding our treatment of animals in the meat industry reflects our own experiences within a world of concrete and steel. Humans are shuttled to and fro within a mechanized world that extracts their life essence to unknown ends, in [...]
Emotional Rescue
Until we can trust the fidelity of the channels through which we receive information we ought to guard ourselves from forming very strong opinions about events that require the highest level of contextual sophistication. In fact, when a muddled mess is presented to us as a debate we ought to assume that there are forces [...]
The Physics of a Movement
As I continue to watch this Occupy Wall Street movement unfold, I cannot help but feel it is time to create a movement within a movement. It is time for us to move from solidarity that arises from dissatisfaction toward the unity that comes from shared vision. This is difficult, but it is made [...]
Confusion as Politik
Of course, this Kony 2012 ‘thing’ has been tossed around like fresh gossip at the ladies Sunday tea party. And many are confused about what the hell is going on with it, and where one is supposed to put one’s emotional weight. For my part, I see it as a manifestation of largely unconscious forces, [...]
Occupying Reality
Here is a recent piece I wrote for my Facebook friends, many of whom I’ve met through the Occupy Movement. It details the story of my local movement and the reasons for my limited engagement. The Controversy at My Local Occupation Many of you have probably wondered why I have been somewhat silent lately about [...]
Real Konversation
First of all I support any campaign to cease violence, especially of the sort practiced by this person Kony, who is unquestionably horrible in the extreme. So, for that reason I am sharing this video, but I want to state very cautiously that I do so as part of a larger project to end worldwide [...]
Banksy on Advertising
Here is an image circulating on the web of Banksy’s letter on advertising, and I am often tentative in my feelings about this artist, but I must say I approve and endorse this message.
Addicted to Praise – Jumping the Gun
You damn right she’s ‘jumping the gun’ to use the parlance of your crimes… That smile is evidence of a lack of perspective…that smile, when it comes in response to the energy of the crowd reveals what he is..an entertainer, addicted to the thrill of the crowd, it makes him so happy that he is [...]
Open Letter to David Graeber and Chris Hedges…
After watching the video interview of Chris Hedges, and reading the follow up letter by David Graeber (both below) concerning the Black Bloc occupy tactics, I wrote my own open letter. Please share. Open Letter to David Graeber and Chris Hedges Dear Distinguished Dudes, As a member of this ‘struggle’ I cannot help but see [...]
The Forbidden Fruit of Progress – Apple Boycott
After you listen to the following podcast, I think you will understand the subsequent campaign I am launching. Please listen and then join me in trying to liberate those who are working for our pleasure. What would you do if you lived in a society where slavery was being practiced? When, as Americans, we learned [...]
The Terminator
1. I’ve argued before that the current Occupy Movement is a struggle against an economic system driven by computational devices…machines. Now, we see the development of a computational/mechanized army. In other words, the machine war is becoming more real by the day…it is no longer a metaphor. 2. People who are versed in history are [...]
Job Creationism
when people are talking about ‘job creation’ what they really want, whether they know it or not, is to live in a society with a vision, with a mission, with something to cooperate for…our crisis comes from a lack of this, and from an awareness of our planet and the cosmos, and the utter paralysis [...]