Podcast 364

Why Do I Do What I Do? A question from a drunk friend proves surprisingly difficult to answer. Why do I do podcasts? The pat answer isn’t good enough. Part of the reason is to prove podcasting is a viable medium for listeners and advertisers. In fact, far superior to radio in many ways. Another reason I podcast is because I do not want to contribute to the scream and outrage orgy that has become talk radio in this country, and what now passes for broadcast and cable ‘news’. Still, it’s a hard question to answer when there are so many ways to answer it. I am sure I’ll be talking about this in future podcasts. In fact, as I write this, and in retrospect I think I should have talked longer about this question, “Why do you do what you do?”. Have you ever thought about that? Why do you do what you do? Whatever it is. When you actually consider a question like that, its kind of a hard question to answer. Yes, there are updates for the beginning of the week (in podcast time). 3 more candidates will join the three hundred and fifty nine other people in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination. GOP strategists claim all of these candidates show the Republicans have more diversity. On the other hand, if the Republicans have twenty candidates on stage in early debates, again, the chances the party is going to look ridiculous are good, or maybe it will make Jeb Bush look presidential. This week Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee and Doctor Ben Carson. Will it be a repeat of 2008 and 2012? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley may – may – throw his hat into the ring on the Democrat side, saying we haven’t had a plan for our cities since, uh Jimmy Carter. It was revealed this week the Clinton Global Initiative took money from the US Taxpayer, and other governments. Talk about crony capitalism! Finally, driverless car tech is here, and here ahead of the law (shock!), and all sorts of scientific news, reversing aging, editing DNA, Robots for small business and more. Happy Monday from the Deck, in the velvet full moon lit night. It’s officially Tiki Torch Weather. Sponsored by X Government Cars! 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:11 — ) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Podcast 359

Spring Dusk. Live from the deck of the Broadcast Bunker on a spring evening. Finally warm enough to eat outside, and podcast from the deck with great coffee and an origami fire in the grill, post steak. A review of a live speaking engagement at SD48’s Freedom Banquet starts and is interrupted because of technology problems. Is technology purchased just four years ago becoming obsolete? After a discussion about methods of public speaking, details about the Freedom Banquet discussion. How the media covers a ‘presidential’ race is too personality driven. What are the announced and unannounced candidates doing right now? What’s their goal. It isn’t the ‘electorate’ per se, but the actives and the major donors. Meanwhile, the public remains starved for coverage about details on issues. The most divisive force in American Politics today isn’t congress — though we are told constantly ‘gridlock’ is a divisive force — it’s media. Specifically, media tailored to a point of view, or ‘tribe’. With people using media tailored to their specific social tribe, we’re not getting the full story, and most of the time we’re getting ‘news’ focused on someone’s personality, what this one said or didn’t say, or the latest scandal. And, with candidates focused on the politically active, this is the time to start the process of organizing at the precinct level. Instead, people are talking about hot button, media driven ‘issues’ like the riot in Baltimore, or Ted Cruz’s statement about liberal fascism and Christians. Part of the mission of the podcasts is to break some of that emotion down with updates on issues. There is a need for people to connect as citizens, and learn to talk to each other without their party and social labels superimposed on their foreheads. Can we do it? Not while Fox News or MSNBC is blaring away in the background. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:57 — ) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Podcast 341

Road Trip Part 1. The first leg of the do or die trip to California, USA. Don’t you hate it when you get twenty miles from home and you can’t remember whether you closed the garage door? The Mobile Podcast Command Unit rolls, from Minnesota, through Iowa, on its way to Kansas City. Observations on systems, donations from listeners, gratitude, and the ever present news media. (In a recent blog I suggested that in the wake of the missing airliner hysteria, now every time a plane crashes we will be on tenterhooks until we find out ‘what happened’. This time, ‘something’ indeed did happen!) In any case it’s nice to actually wait until the so called ‘black box’ is discovered before you speculate on ‘what happened’. We live in a time filled with a lot of promise, and then people do stuff like this. But back to the road, where the fun is. But really? continuous coverage of Bowe Bergdahl’s indictment for desertion. Apparently no one is surprised. And one more thing; This labeling people on the political right as ‘populist’ when you don’t like them has to stop. It seems like these days, all the media does is name, categorize and rank things. This trip, straight down the middle of the United States should be interesting. From Dallas, we turn left on I-40, and head for Phoenix, in search of sun and warm air. Meanwhile, it’s hard to believe this old ambulance can tool down the road at 75 miles an hour. Find out if the first crisis – mileage – is really a crisis. (Thank God for the strong dollar and the oil bust!) Plus truck stops in Iowa, and rest stops in Missouri. Oh, yeah, and Des Moines. Sponsored by Autonomous Cad.  

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:47 — ) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS