‘funny,’ not funny

Musician Chris Trapper joins longtime friend Jim Infantino, with Lionel for a conversation about a life in songwriting and the evolution of making records. Trapper reflects on early Push Stars reviews, recording his newest album across multiple studios, creative freedom, and why he limits co-writing to close friends. We talk about the personal stories behind the songs, the vulnerability of songwriting, and the choices artists make under industry pressure. He also recounts touring with Pat Benatar, the long afterlife of a rejected song, and formative musical moments with John Prine and Colin Hay.

In this episode, Jim Infantino and Lionel explore classic 1970s films like All the President's Men, Three Days of the Condor, and The Conversation, delving into their themes of espionage, surveillance, and political intrigue. They also discuss the influence of these movies on modern thrillers and the evolution of spy and conspiracy genres.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/0KkoMNIVEaQ

Comic Con Insights and Thoughts on Disclosure DayExploring the vibe of Comic Con and a Spielberg film reviewJim and Lionel dive into their recent experiences at Comic Con and a thought-provoking film, Disclosure Day.Comic Con AdventuresJim shares his excitement about attending Comic Con in New York, where he mingled with artists and fans alike. He recounts,“It’s like a spaceship that landed in New York City.”He was particularly thrilled to see the legendary Frank Miller speak, a pivotal figure in the world of comics who helped redefine the genre in the late '70s and '80s. Jim reminisces about his family connections in the comic world, mentioning his brother's award acceptance at the event.Despite the exhilarating atmosphere, Jim notes,“...it was just incredibly exhausting.”He reflects on the overwhelming energy of the convention, filled with anime enthusiasts and a vibrant community that makes the experience unique.Reflections on Disclosure DaySwitching gears, Jim and Lionel turn their attention to Disclosure Day, a Spielberg film that sparked varying impressions. Jim expresses his surprise:“I kept wondering, it’s like, put it on the internet, right?”He highlights the film’s pacing and plot, which felt both dated and familiar, with a heavy reliance on traditional media for communication. Lionel adds his observations about the orchestral music, mentioning it had a classical quality reminiscent of Beethoven, but admits he struggled to recall specific details.Their conversation reveals a mix of nostalgia and critique, as they ponder what modern storytelling could learn from films like this. The discussion around Disclosure Day serves as a reminder of how far narrative techniques have evolved in the age of the internet.Finally, the topic turns to the horrifying neologism TESCREAL.TESCREAL isTranshumanism, Extropianism, Singularitarianism, Cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and LongtermismWe discuss this supposed apolcalyptic tech movement in some depth. Lionel compares it to utilitarianism. Listen to the episode to learn more.

Jim prepares to honor his late Uncle Carmine with a Harvey Award at Comic-Con. They then move on to discuss 2 Coen brothers films, Hail, Ceasar and Barton Fink."The Coen brothers know how to mic the squeaking of leather in chairs to indicate how uncomfortable it is."They draw connections between the ideas in these films and the prevalence of big violent men in American films, including Jim's recent watching of the Reacher TV show and Jack Reacher films. Jim & Lionel marvel at the artistry of Barton Fink and reflect on it's place in American filmmaking.

In this episode, Jim Infantino and Lionel explore a wide range of topics including the intricacies of touring, the themes of the films Dark City and American Dharma, and the complex ideas behind political and historical narratives. They delve into film analysis, historical insights, and the nature of ideology and power.

In this episode, Jim Infantino and Lionel explore the fascinating life of Benjamin Franklin and the British side of the American Revolution, delving into his historical significance and the lessons he offers today.Key Topics

- Benjamin Franklin's early life and education
- Franklin's scientific experiments with electricity
- His role in the American Revolution and diplomacy in France
- The influence of Franklin's writings and personality
- The British side of the American Revolution and its leaders
- The impact of France's support on the revolution
- The cultural and political differences between colonies and Britain
- Insights from the books 'The First American' and 'The Men Who Lost America'

Jim and Lionel delve into the recent hack of Hugging Face and the broader implications for AI technology. We examine recent presentations by Cal Newport, Ajeya Cotra, and Yuval Noah Harari. Some reactions have been sensationalist, anthropomorphizing the nature of the "agents" involved, some have been explicatory along the lines of what these "agents" actually may be, and why the harness matters, and some have looked at the broader implications for our culture and society.Rory Sutherland short talk on Electric Cars mentioned by Lionel: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S4bldikgNh8Full Video episode (edited by Riverside AI): https://youtu.be/Pxn2O6WD1Xk

In this season 7 opener, we discuss Turi Munthe's book Why We Think What We Think and Daniel Kahneman's Thinking Fast and Slow. Jim Starts with a non-sequitor about Mac problems, AI search, ice cream, and meatball subs. We then dive into these two books, the first of which was recommended publicly by Rory Sutherland, and the second, and more respected work, is on some of the same issues regarding how we think and how we have evolved to make different sorts of decisions.There is a lot of talk about differing theories of cognition here, and both Jim and Lionel suggest in their own inexpert way, variations that could be considered. Our previous Guest Thrayle of The Batcolyte comes up, as we engage with the idea that beliefs can be challenged in groups and perhaps change when examined. We end with some talk about Amazon's The Rings of Power, Tolkein, and planning the next episode. You can support this independent podcast on patreon dot com slash jiminfantino.

In this episode, Julian Fisher, photo journalist and neurologist, shares his insights from his upbringing and travels and explores the fascinating revival of upstate New York amidst climate change, technological advances, and economic shifts. Does climate change have and upside? Well, regionally, perhaps it does, for now. Following the writings of Edmund Wilson, Julian has toured the vastness that is Upstate New York to create a photo journalism project that documents the changes happening north of “The City.”Follow along at vzul.com

This week we discuss How We Live Is How We Die by Pema Chödrön. This is a Buddhist handbook for entering the Bardo of death calmly and mindfully. We talk about the view as presented by Buddhism about reincarnation, but focus on all the benefits of preparing for these moments of profound transition; not just death, but all Bardos we live through.To start, however, we discuss batteries. Jim talks about his vision of the Sodium Ion battery, now gaining traction in the world. Lionel explains how batteries work, and we talk about the inevitable fall of oil as the fuel that runs almost everything.At the end of the podcast, we talk about Douglas Hofstadter's books Gödel, Escher, Bach, and I Am A Strange Loop, with the intention of reading the latter for a future episode.I find it amusing that this description contains three diaereses.