Podcasting, music, writing, photography, filmmaking, thinking, good humor, great conversation. Also, (pre-genocide) Native American culture, nature and animals, road trips, NEW EXPERIENCES, researching propaganda/cult mentality and the synergetic relationship between human intelligence and human stupidity.
Music
Wow... way too much to mention. WAY too much....
Movies
Wow... way too many to mention. WAY too many....
"Amazing Earth" is the documentary film to see, though.
Television
I don't watch television. That is, unless I'm engaging in a heckle-fest, making fun of everything I see, Mystery Science Theater style.
Books
"Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn
"Life Without Principle" by Henry David Thoreau (Essay)
"Neither Wolf Nor Dog" by Kent Nerburn
"With Charity Toward None: A Fond Look at Misanthropy" by Florence King
"Rendezvous With Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke
Heroes
Socrates, Shakespeare, Johannes Kepler, Galileo, Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Isaac Asimov, Carl Sagan, Penny Patterson, Jane Goodall, and Bill Hicks, among others. People who know how to LIVE well. Also, anyone who has the moral courage to admit that our modern corporate society is a self-imposed prison, and is intelligent enough to recognize that the Nanny State is a tremendous step backward in human progress.
After living in Kansas for ten years, then Southern California for five years, I hit the road in search of something REAL. Ultimately, I ended up in Minnesota (aka "Little California") instead. Give me a do-over and I would have stayed in the Painted Desert of Arizona--the most beautiful place in the U.S., in my opinion.
Until then, I'm doing this humble podcast called Paul's Academy, and trying not to let the government and/or busybodies deprive me of everything that's worth living for in the first place.
Listen to one of the finest rock and roll songs ever recorded:
Episode 010, Part 3(The Ironclads) - How the ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (aka USS Merrimac) were constructed, and offers a play-by-play of the famous naval battle between them.
Episode 010, Part 2(The Ironclads) - The political and military intrigue that led directly to construction of the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (aka USS Merrimac).
Episode 010, Part 1(The Ironclads) - A look at the origins of the battle at Hampton Roads between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (aka the Merrimac). Part 1 concerns the reasons why ironclad warships suddenly became necessary, and explores the brilliant and troubled career of Monitor architect John Ericcson.
Episode 009- ON HOLD! - Oops, I'm still working on this one!
Review 002(12-String Guitars) - A look at the difference between 6-string and 12-string guitars. Plus, a brief review of the Epiphone DR-212 12-string guitar.
Episode 008(Presidential Debates) - An analysis of what Barack Obama and John McCain did NOT say during the 2nd U.S. presidential debate.
Episode 007(American Independence) - What really happened in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776? What really happened to the American Founding Fathers after the Revolutionary War? What does Independence Day reallymean to Americans today? Episode 007 explores what it means to be a good citizen who has proven worthy of the American Founding Fathers' efforts, and it takes a look at just how far the American government has descended toward the very tyranny that the Declaration of Independence sought to free Americans from in the first place. And in the spirit of Thomas Paine, Paul bluntly explains the difference between free citizens and freeloading citizens--which includes many of our elected officials.
Review 001(Tascam DR-1 24-bit Digital Recorder) - This is my in-depth review of the Tascam DR-1 digital recorder, complete with test audio. This is my first episode *** IN STEREO ***!
Special Edition 002(Digital Recorders/Internet Shopping) - This Special Edition is all about handheld digital field recorders: The 4 main things that are necessary to record quality audio; My own epic search for a handheld digital field recorder; Tips & tricks for doing product research on the internet, and safe shopping on the internet; Why I chose to purchase the Tascam DR-1 digital recorder over the competition. You'll even hear the EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) that I recently recorded at a local cemetery :)
Episode 006(What Happened to The Problem of Evil?) - This is a replacement episode for my epic, 3-part, 4-hour original Episode 006 on "The Problem of Evil, which explains why I did not feel this lengthy philosophical argument was appropriate as a Paul's Academy episode. This episode also discusses the major influences for this podcast, including Carl Sagan's COSMOS series, Plato's Academy (Socrates), and comedian Bill Hicks. I also introduce both Paul's Uncertainty Principle, and Corollary #1 to Paul's Uncertainty Principle. My apologies for the audio quality; I still haven't found a replacement tube for my pre-amp. Anyone have an extra 12AX7 tube laying around?
Special Edition 001(Noam Chomsky Interview Excerpt) - A six-minute excerpt from my exclusive interview with Noam Chomsky, on the high cost of education in the United States, plus some background on the interview. I just threw this together on a whim.
Episode 005.5(Bite-Sized Episode) - This isn't so much of a full episode as it is a placeholder, until I finish Episode 006, on The Problem of Evil. This bite-sized episode talks about Mark Twain's love for his wife, and I provide you with a sneak peak of the very first original song I've ever written, with some background on the song's inspiration and production.
Episode 005(Friendship, Love, Sex and Drugs) - A close look at friendship, love, and sex, the reason why Corporate America poses a direct threat to friendship and love, and why drugs like methamphetamines (meth) are a tragic alternative to both the euphoria and the mundane commitment that meaningful human relationships can provide us.
Episode 004(Guitar TONE) - Everything you need to know about guitar TONE! The difference between acoustic and electric guitars, how guitar tone is created, why guitar tone is so important, guitar effects, bar chords and power chords, and much more. And, learn who the winner of the Paul's Academy Guitar Hero Award is!.
Episode 003(Travel) - A look at the important distinction between tourists and travelers, with an emphasis on the seven most important things to look for when traveling.
Episode 002(Fishkeeping) - The wonderful world of freshwater fishkeeping, and the amazing similarities between communities of fish and human communities.
Episode 001(Podcasting) - A step-by-step tour through the process of creating and publishing a podcast, from conception to publication. Creating these episodes is more work than you might think!
Stay tuned for future episodes. We're just gettin' started!
Who I'd like to meet: Down-to-earth people with big hearts and beautiful souls. People who know how to LIVE. Interesting people who have real thoughts, original ideas and who like to communicate. Everyone has a story, and I find most peoples' stories fascinating.
But if I can't find that, I'd settle for meeting a mysterious stranger who hands me a million dollars, no strings attached, and then disappears.
Would have been PERfect if it hadn't closed with a SHITTY BAND.
Either way - that was fucking special..... Bill Hicks is still relevant and has more balls than any other comedian today. Great to see Bill Hicks on TELEVISION. If more shit like that was on - I'd probably watch it.
Thanx Dave. I'm sure Bill is smiling on a cloud of cigarette smoke in heaven.....
The Late Show with David Letterman has scheduled a telecast of the never-aired October 1, 1993 Bill Hicks appearance. The show was pre-taped Jan. 26th (with Bill's mom as a guest) and will air Friday, January 30th on your local CBS affiliate.
Wow, 8 degrees?? I might have a job offer in Baltimore, MD. If I get the offer, and assuming I accept it, I'll be really missing the nice balmy 70 degree weather we have out here today! That Epiphone 12 string head you got a picture of, is that yours? Pretty frikkin sweet!
Hey Paul...dropping by to say meow. Hope you're doing well, it's been ages since we jawed, well, hunt/pecked over here, and that nonsmoking vid just kills me. Take care. Cyn
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