Podcast 236

At Peace With The News Cycle. When frustration with the news cycle sets in, the Doctor recommends a News Cleanse, and then sparing reintegration of the daily rush of the Video Game we know as the News Cycle. Or Cartoon. Whatever you wish. Once you have gone through this cycle rinse and repeat as necessary. Suddenly we’re either in a news rich environment, or the news has become more interesting, in reality. In any case, in the rush to create fantasy story lines about two big stories these days; Ebola and Election 2014, there are other things going on people are missing. First, we have all been subjected to the proselytizing Vegetarian, or worse; the evangelistic Vegan. A new study reveals that the pale, thin wrested Vegan down at the coop, may have less sperm and sperm that swim slower than meat eaters. So take heart those of you who enjoy tearing the seared flesh from the bones of dead animals, you will have more kids than the Vegans. Still worried about Ebola? Columbia University Scientists have discovered the rats in the public transit tunnels of New York City are teeming with viruses and other infections science didn’t even know existed, and worse, that these may have already been passed on to humans. For those following the 2014 election, a new Politico Poll shows 65 percent of Americans believe the country is ‘out of control’. That’s the good news. If you want to hear the bad news, read the open ended responses as to why Americans say these things. We have met the enemy … and he is us. U2 recently was so excited about their new album they decided to give it away, by forcing it onto millions of iTunes subscribers’ libraries. Frontman Bono says they ‘got a little carried away’ … this may qualify as one of the great understatements of the year. (Editor’s Note: I do not want ten crappy U2 songs showing up with my music, which has been carefully curated over the years, and contains no U2!) HBO has announced it will create its own streaming service ‘like Netflix’ later this year. Hopefully this means we can actually get Showtime and HBO shows as they come out rather than having to wait for them, or spend half on the night with support in order to watch Showtime Anytime. Everyone should read the New Yorker’s interview with Marc Andreessen, the creator of Netscape … years ago. Andreeson’s take on technology and politics is important for people who are trying to get a handle on what’s going on these days. We’re at the very beginning of a revolution that, despite what the naysayers believe, will have equal significance in human history to the industrial revolution. And, it won’t follow a schedule or Republican or Democrat political ‘rules’. In fact this revolution, like all revolutions comes in fits and starts and is from time to time chaotic. Whether it is additive manufacturing, empowering individuals to start their own businesses and transform their lives, or comes in the form of portable hydrogen power generators, or portable fusion reactors, driverless cars, on demand entertainment and information, or dissemination of high quality education and training, autonomous machines and software, robotics or just basic IT, batten down the hatches, but read this interview with Andreessen. And, finally, a recipe. Yes. It involves meat. Sponsored by Baklund R&D

Podcast 228

Predicting the Future. Are TV shows and movies predicting the future? How do humans predict the future? On Wall Street they use computers and physics to create algorithms to tell traders what is happening across a wide spectrum of the market, and help make trading decisions. Other traders and analysis use models and theories like the Elliot Wave Theory, The Dow Theory and other technical analysis disciplines. Some people prefer Astrology, Tarot and other forms of Divination. Some suggest humans don’t predict the future well at all. Aside from the idea we are writing history as it happens, not living it as it is fated, it’s fun to ask whether movies and TV shows have some ability to predict the future, whether the writers and producers of those movies know it or not. Why do we resonate – internationally – on certain movies. ‘Titanic’ was a hugely popular movie, right before 9/11. A whole slew of movies at the end of the 90’s – from American Beauty and Magnolia to Fight Club and The Matrix – seem to predict a much more chaotic and unpredictable world than what we were experiencing during the Clinton Era. Would anyone argue we seem to be living in a world that is increasingly chaotic and unpredictable? Did the movies ‘predict’ it, or ‘depict’ it subconsciously? Or are these movies a subtle form of propaganda, pushing us subconsciously toward this kind of world? Finally, there’s TV. The shows we love. The shows we binge watch. House of Cards, Homeland, Breaking Bad, MadMen, and The Walking Dead. Shows that seem to be depicting a world where people in authority have short term, selfish and cynical views on how to manage, are just managing a government seconds from catastrophe, are losing their grip on reality, or are literally running from crowds of zombies. With the Ebola and Enterovirus outbreaks, border security in question, presidential security in question, thousands of thugs loose in the desert beheading people and keeping western governments at bay, economies slowing down, and confusion about what comes next, it makes you wonder. Will a new era break through, creating chaos and washing away the old, or will be it brought through by people who are free to innovate and solve problems? It’s up to us. Sponsored by Baklund R & D

Podcast 217

What’s on Your TV? Sometimes, when you look at the day’s news, it’s hard to tell whether the news is real, or whether it is season 7 of some show on Netflix. So why not talk about what you’re watching on Netflix, HBO GO, Apple TV or some other distributor of content. And why not wonder whether the development of time-shifting whole seasons of TV shows might eventually replace the constant thrum-thrum-thrum of nonsense from the Cable News Channels, TV Networks and Network News Shows? Sitting out on the deck, with a fire and a cup of coffee, enjoying an early fall night to talk about how the lines between what is real and what is make believe are becoming more blurry. Like the lines between real acting and drama, and porn. How do we know what we ‘know’. How do we tell the difference between what is real and what is make believe, when politicos, pundits, politicians and reporters are appearing in movies and movie-like TV shows, which sometimes include situations that are oddly predictive, or reflective of what ‘really’ happens. Compare your viewing habits to the host of the Bob Davis Podcasts viewing habits. Homeland, Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men, The Last Ship, Tyrant, Revenge, Reality Shows, Californication, House of Cards, The Walking Dead, Mob City, The Stand, Weeds, Russian and Swedish Crime Movies, Hong Kong and Taiwanese Chinese Mafia Movies, documentaries, 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s network series, You Tube, Torrents and more. There’s so much to watch, and so little time. Who needs reality? Besides, there’s only so many more evenings we can sit in our lounge chairs with the warm breeze blowing through the windows until 5 AM, watching and watching…and watching more. Season 5 of ‘whatever’ is on! Sweet! Sponsored by X Government Cars