This episode was recorded on September 17, 2025 and is being released late, because of an oversight. Jim starts with an inane idea for a rewrite of the song Closer by Trent Reznor, and we move on to talk about album and book titles, Money Ball, and the Red Sox.Jim mentions his time lurking on TikTok, noting the new atheist and deconstruction movements in the "live" forums on that platform. Lionel and Jim discuss the merits or lack there of in the deconstruction movement. Jim mentions Batcolyte aka Thrayle who has a forum in which people question their beliefs. Others Jim mention are Anna Stone and Radio Spencer.Jim and Lionel explore possible titles for Jim's solo album and review his past album names.The discussion continues with talk of fall foliage, apple picking, alcohol use, and retro computer keyboard fetishism.

Jim starts by explaining his micro-yoga routine, if it can be called a routine. Once we dispose of this ridiculousness, we return to Donald S. Lopez's book Buddhism: A Journey Through History, having read a little further. We decide that it lacks a lot of what we want in a history of anything, which is an perspective on how the practice effected the lives of people under it's sway. We felt a little let down by the strict recounting of conflicts between the various schools without a view into what the differences in those schools represented. This draws to a close our discussion of Lopez's book, but our exploration into Buddhism may return later from a different perspective.

Phil returns to talk about the latest public release from his A Day In Music Project which is available on bandcamp under the project name. Lionel and I once again sit in awe of the scope and breadth of Phil’s creativity, ability, and vision. We cannot overstate the depth of this material. We encourage you all to buy the albums and dig in to the early morning of this 24 hour project in process.All clips included with permission by the artist.

Lionel and I read part of the book Buddhism: A Journey Through History by Donald S. Lopez Jr. This ended up being the first of two discussions we would have about this challenging and exhaustive, though not entirely complete accounting of one of the world's major religions.The following summary was generated by AI automatically on Riverside. I did not ask for it, but included it here anyway. I edited it a bit and took out parts that were inaccurate. - JimThis conversation delves into the complexities of Buddhism, exploring its historical roots, various schools such as Mahayana and Theravada, and the evolution of its practices across cultures. We discuss the teachings of the Buddha, the role of monastic life, and the significance of almsgiving. We also touch on the critiques of Buddhism, the challenges of translation, and the personal experiences that shape their understanding of the tradition.

In this, the 4th episode of our 6th season, Lionel, Jim, and Tom discuss various themes in music, focusing on Tom Burris’ songwriting process. We talk about the upbeat sounds of Jabbering Trout in contrast to its sometimes dark themes. Tom shares insights into his creative process, revealing how he crafts danceable tunes with deep meanings, while also reflecting on the importance of storytelling in music.

Lionel talks about his visit to the New York State Fair and bringing his Big Brother companion. Jim admits that he misunderstood the direction to read the book Dominion, a book about the history of Christianity, which Lionel has started and discusses. Jim talks about the TV show and video game Fallout and recommends the TV show to Lionel. Jim then launches on a monologue about his experience listening to arguments about theology on social media. We talk about the usefulness or lack thereof of having these sorts of debates.

In this episode of Funny Not Funny, hosts Jim and Lionel welcome mastering engineer Jonathan Wyner to discuss the evolving landscape of music in the age of generative AI. They explore the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in music production, the importance of authenticity, and the impact of technology on music education. Wyner shares insights from his extensive career and teaching at Berklee, while the hosts reflect on the future of music consumption and the role of live performances. The conversation delves into the ethical implications of AI in music and the necessity for artists to maintain genuine connections with their audiences. (this text generated by AI)

We have begun Season 6 of ‘Funny,’ Not Funny with Jim & Lionel.Jim talks about his recent major life upheaval, watching the new Star Trek shows on Paramount, including The Lower Decks, Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds. Lionel discusses the podcast "The History of the Twentieth Century" the one with the XX in the icon. Jim relays his experience going down the rabbit hole of the Flat Earth YouTube videos.

This week, photographer and creative visionary Liz Linder joins the podcast. Liz’s work has appeared in dozens of leading publications, including Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and Fast Company. She’s been heard on NPR’s On Point; and seen on ABC World News Tonight. Her photographs have appeared on set in film and TV — including the award-winning series, House of Cards, and Gotham, and her work is exhibited and collected through the U.S. and Europe.Liz brought two huge books with her to Slabmedia's offices. We immediately run into the challenge of describing purely visual material on an audio-only podcast. We will post the video to our youtube channel and embed it on our website. In the meantime, we do our level best to describe her work for you. If you want to see more, visit Liz's Instagram accounts: https://www.instagram.com/lizlinderphotography/ & https://www.instagram.com/lizlinderstudio/ and her website: https://lizlinder.com[:imgblocks-3x:]

This week we talk with IT security expert and avid cycler Leigh Weber. We talk about his epic ride across the country, mostly. Next time he joins us, perhaps we will talk about data security. Leigh Weber, an industrial cybersecurity specialist and management consultant, helps identify and understand the measurable impact of operational (OT) cybersecurity risks to an organization. Leigh brings a rare ability to communicate effectively with all levels within an organization – making OT cybersecurity risks real and relevant to each person.