Our two hosts use the celebrity fanfare of the 1980s as an intro to delve into the weird and wacky role that celebrities have played in our lives. They trace down history to analyse what made the earliest humans celebrated, to modern day celebrities who are famous on social media. What makes them celebrities? Could you be a celebrity?

1:53 - Introduction: Why do we idolise and admire celebrities?

3:30 - The earliest celebrities

9:00 - Celebrities in entertainment (actors and playwrights)

11:26 - The story of Mozart

15:00 - Modern day celebrities and access to their personal lives

24:52 - Celebrities and mental health

27:34 - Stan culture

29:04 - Livestream celebrities

30:36 - Philosopher celebrities

32:25 - Gaming celebrities

The 100: A ranking of the most influential persons in history - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100:_A_Ranking_of_the_Most_Influential_Persons_in_History

Amadeus (film) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus_(film)

Amadeus, classic scene - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th_ro9CiASc

Mozart or Salieri, Test Yourself - http://reverent.org/mozart_or_salieri.html

David Beckham Meiji Endorsement Cardboard Poster - https://www.carousell.sg/p/vintage-david-beckham-meiji-endorsement-cardboard-poster-with-printed-signature-28941130/

Lebron James COVID-19 Opinion - https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lebron-james-says-he-plans-to-keep-decision-on-whether-or-not-hell-get-the-covid-19-vaccine-private/

Kyrie Irving Flat Earth Opinion - https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2741935-kyrie-irving-explains-flat-earth-stance-says-there-is-no-real-picture-of-earth

Stan culture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Twitter

John Lennon predicting his death - https://www.newsweek.com/legacy-john-lennons-death-68809

China's webcam livestreaming industry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDD3Nzd4Rng

Recorded 10 October 2021

Co-hosts JT Yeung and John Raj

Intro and Outro Music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio www.trainsoundstudio.com

Episode Description

Our hosts take a look at these 2020 Olympics Games from a holistic perspective. What goes on in a city when it has to prepare for the games? What are the political, economical, and environmental issues to consider during the 10 year preparation that leads up to this event?

Additional Links

Is There Home-Field Advantage At The Olympics? - https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/is-there-home-field-advantage-at-the-olympics/

The Incredible Logistics of the Tokyo Olympics - https://youtu.be/B3FKtBNEBRc

How Newington and Sydney’s Olympic Village became a world-renowned neighbourhood - https://www.domain.com.au/news/how-newington-and-sydneys-olympic-village-became-a-world-renowned-neighbourhood-990122/

Cold War rivalries split the Olympics in Moscow in 1980 - https://apnews.com/article/sports-virus-outbreak-afghanistan-boycotts-cold-war-8b447c53e96621f1ca2b06e8621b351f#:~:text=TheCold War made for,rivalry split the Olympics altogether.&text=Four years later%2C the Soviet,on through the 1980 Olympics.

Look inside China’s secretive Olympic training camps, The Economist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-OGKGmxSbw

Global City Ranking Scale - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city

2020 Global Cities Index - https://www.kearney.com/global-cities/2020

Weightlifting-Diaz wins first ever Olympic gold for Philippines - https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/weightlifting-diaz-wins-first-ever-olympic-gold-philippines-2021-07-26/

Yes, race walking is an Olympic sport. Here’s how it works. - https://youtu.be/W1sxFgTUbWo

The Most Unexpected Gold Medal In History - Steven Bradbury | Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAADWfJO2qM

What Makes Water Polo The Hardest Olympic Sport - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiWfSxmWvwE

Simone Biles Rejects a Long Tradition of Stoicism in Sports - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/sports/olympics/simone-biles-mental-health.html

LeBron and the Calm App - https://app.www.calm.com/program/Kl8gZDaKoW/train-your-mind

Michael Phelps and his mental health - https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2838142-michael-phelps-details-struggles-with-anxiety-and-depression-on-twitter

Credits

Recorded 8 August 2021

Co-hosts JT Yeung and John Raj

Our hosts reflect on their episodes of binge-ing, be it drinking, Netflix, or eating. What are the implications? What have they learnt? How has society changed? Unconsciously, they get dragged back into similar discussions about sustainability and the donut economy; previously talked about in Episode 4!

Episode Description

Our hosts reflect on their episodes of binge-ing, be it drinking, Netflix, or eating. What are the implications? What have they learnt? How has society changed? Unconsciously, they get dragged back into similar discussions about sustainability and the donut economy (previously talked about in Episode 4...

Time Stamps

4:42  - Quick Fires about Netflix

12:53 - The Culture and Nature of Bingeing

34:13 - Is Netflix truly disruptive?

Additional Links

The longest time spent watching television, https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/tv-binge-watching-world-record-set-94-hours-1201751436/

Nelson & Meyvis (2008). Interrupted consumption: Adaptation and the disruption of hedonic experience. Journal of Marketing Research, 45(6), 654-664, http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~lnelson0/Nelson and Meyvis.pdf

The Decade of Netflix; https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/12/how-netflix-changed-tv

Netflix dominated the 2010s but can it continue its stratospheric rise in the new decade?, https://www.digitaltveurope.com/comment/netflix-dominated-the-2010s-but-can-it-continue-its-stratospheric-rise-in-the-new-decade/

“The algorithm’s argument is gonna win”: Cary Fukunaga explains how data call the shots at Netflix, https://qz.com/quartzy/1372129/maniac-director-cary-fukunaga-explains-how-data-call-the-shots-at-netflix/

How Netflix’s Recommendations System Works, https://help.netflix.com/en/node/100639

How Netflix’s Recommendation Engine Works?, https://medium.com/@springboard_ind/how-netflixs-recommendation-engine-works-bd1ee381bf81

Credits

Recorded 20 June 2021

Co-hosts JT Yeung and John Raj

Intro and Outro Music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio www.trainsoundstudio.com

05 / The State of Gaming

Episode Description

In this episode, our hosts look back on the video games of their childhood and reflect on the amount of time that they spent on gaming. Were they addicted? Were they wasting their time? Or was there any merit to the time they spent 'sitting around the TV'?

Time Stamps

3:15  - Quick Fires about Video Games

27:15 - Are Video Games a Waste of Time or Alternative Education?

12:30 - When does Escapism become a Problem?

Additional Links

The History of Pac-Man, https://www.salon.com/2002/06/17/pac_man/

The Inspiration for Pokémon, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoshi_Tajiri#:~:text=Tajiri claims that the joining,his childhood hobby%2C insect collecting.

Gunpei Yokoi, From Janitor to Superstar https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/10/from-janitor-to-superstar

Gunpei Yokoi, Chief Designer Of Game Boy, https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/09/business/gunpei-yokoi-chief-designer-of-game-boy-is-dead-at-56.html

Looking for Lisa Holst (Re: 10 Misconceptions Rundown), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVmnLaTXylc

Top 50 Highest-Grossing Video Game Franchises, https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/lifestyle/the-top-50-highest-grossing-video-game-franchises/

Inspiration for the Sims, https://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/10/17/will-wright-inspired-to-make-the-sims-after-iosing-a-home

List of Best-Selling Video Games, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games

Ready Player One (film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ready_Player_One_(film)

Shutdown Law, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutdown_law

South Korea Special- Internet Gaming Shutdown Law aka “Cinderella Curfew”, https://cgiclinic.com/south-korea-special-shutdown-law-aka-cinderella-curfew/

Video game addiction: China imposes gaming curfew for minors, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50315960

GTA San Andreas, PS2 Cheat Codes, https://www.sportskeeda.com/esports/gta-san-andreas-ps2-cheats

Minecraft, A Different Way to Learn, https://education.minecraft.net/blog/new-study-understanding-the-impact-of-minecraft-in-the-math-classroom

Ten Things Children Learn From Block Play, https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2015/ten-things-children-learn-block-play

Episode 4 - Doughnuts and Phytoplankton will Save the Environment

John & JT engage in a multi-disciplinary approach to history’s toughest questions. In this episode, our co-hosts reflect on the topic of the environment, after the best environmental year in recent times. Key topics discussed in this episode include the reasons we are so divided on climate change and whether capitalism is inherently linked to a worsening planet Earth.

Time Stamps

2:54 - Personal anecdotes with the environment

9:53 - 10 Quick Fires

23:46 - Why are we so divided over climate change?

34:20 - Can climate change and capitalism get along?

Additional Links

Air Quality Index (AQI) - https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/

Pollution in China - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollution_in_China

AUSMAP: Australian Microplastic Assessment Project - https://www.ausmap.org/

Top 10 most polluting companies in the world in 2018 - https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/coca-cola-pepsico-nestle-are-named-worlds-top-plastic-polluters-for-third-year-in-a-row-9101891.html

Who is responsible for climate change? - https://youtu.be/ipVxxxqwBQw

Phytoplankton and oxygen production - https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/save-the-plankton-breathe-freely/

Climate change quiz - https://www.earthday.org/the-climate-change-quiz/

Scientific consensus on climate change - https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/

Doomscrolling - https://www.healthline.com/health-news/doomscrolling-during-covid-19-how-you-can-avoid-it

Pfizer Halts Research Into Alzheimer's And Parkinson's Treatments - https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/08/576443442/pfizer-halts-research-efforts-into-alzheimers-and-parkinsons-treatments

Doughnut Economics, by Kate Raworth - https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/

Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genuine_progress_indicator

Episode 3 - 2000s

John and JT engage in a multi-disciplinary approach to history’s toughest questions. In this episode, our co-hosts reminisce on simpler times in the 2000s as their formative decade in the midst of the great 2020 lockdown. Key topics discussed in this episode include the Internet, the 2008 Financial Crisis, and the impact of money in Sports.

3:39 Quick Fire 2000s

Zoey 101 - What did Zoey Say?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0YBNsRTtQI

Usain Bolt - 2008 Olympic Sprint

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F14EaVEDyUs

18:15 Part 1 Event of the 2000s - What event were we more ill prepared for: 2008 Financial Crisis, MERS/SARS Epidemics?

37:58 Part 2 Theme of the 2000s - The Internet: Has the Internet proven to be more harmful or more helpful for everyone in the world?

1:03:43 Part 3 Special of the 2000s - Sport: What are the implications of having money in sports?

Why this Russian gas company sponsors soccer teams, Vox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utUOJ64X7u0

1:26:05 More Quick Fires 2000s

Liverpool FC vs AC Milan, 2005 UEFA Champions League Final

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OQToElxke4

Ronaldinho Free Kick v England - 2002 World Cup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oq974EmpBo

Credits

Recorded May 3 2020

Co-hosts JT Yeung and John Raj

Intro and Outro Music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio www.trainsoundstudio.com

Episode 2 - A 2010s in Review

JT and John look back at the 2010s, in the context of technology and turning points of the decade. They look at the key events and people that shaped this decade.

Show Notes

Other links

Alpha Go

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlphaGo

CRISPR

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR

Steve Jobs and the iPad (2011)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad

Elon Musk and Tesla (2016)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla,_Inc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperloop

Leicester City Championship Season (2015-2016)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Leicester_City_F.C._season

Cavs and the 2016 NBA Finals

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_NBA_Finals

Instagram hiding likes

https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/14/instagram-private-like-counts/

Michael Phelps

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Phelps

Usain Bolt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usain_Bolt

Credits

Co-hosts JT Yeung and John Raj

Music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio www.trainsoundstudio.com

Episode 1 - A 2010s Recap and 2020s Predictions

Show Notes

Predictions for the 2020s

Other Links

Harlem Shake

If social networks were countries, which would they be?

Why Australia’s fires are linked to floods in Africa, Vox

Credits