Father and six year-old read DC Comics Origin Stories. 1. Batman2. Poison Ivy (10:20)3. Superman (20:21)music credits:"Batman Theme" for original Batman TV seriescomposed by Neal Heftihttps://www.allmusic.com/album/batman-original-tv-soundtrack--mw0000205464"Poison Ivy theme"From the Batman and Robin film.Poison Ivy's theme songcomposed by Eliot Goldenthal"One More Diamond/The Ball""Superman Theme"composed by John Williamsperformed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestrafor the film, Superman 2007https://www.allmusic.com/album/movie-legends-the-music-of-john-williams-mw0002711518

This episode starts with thoughts before Game 6 of the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, then includes thoughts before Game 7 and concludes with post-game thoughts and reflections on how to think about the season as a whole.Fandom is often suffering, but I'll choose it over apathy anytime. music:"Bonita Applebaum" by A Tribe Called Quest, 1990.

After dropping the first three games in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics have stormed back to force Game 6 against the Miami Heat (Saturday night).Here are my thoughts on Boston's resurgence, staying present and not getting ahead of ourselves in life. In the middle of this episode, I read an excerpt from David Hollander's riveting book "How Basketball Can Save the World: Thirteen Guiding Principles for Reimagining What's Possible" by David Hollander. I read from the chapter "Basketball as Human Alchemy"Openingmusic: Digable Planets "Rebirth of Slick," 1993clip: Monty Python and the Holy Grail "I'm Not Dead Yet"(09:35-15:30)excerpt from Professor David Hollander's book, "How Basketball Can Save the World: Thirteen Guiding Principles for Reimagining What's Possible" by David Hollander. On Basketball as Human Alchemy."Basketball's human alchemy is an advanced concept like the brain's neuroplasticity. When, like basketball, we are thrown together with the right people and meet the right circumstances and conditions, everyone becomes their new and better selves." Boston, Miami and Denver - NBA Playoffs - teams displaying that alchemy, connectedness and trust. (15:30-19:00)To buy Hollander's book, click here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-basketball-can-save-the-world-13-guiding-principles-for-reimagining-what-s-possible-david-hollander/18133439Check out TrueHoop's podcast, where Henry Abbott interviewed David Hollander--which is how I came across this book.https://omny.fm/shows/bring-it-in/how-basketball-can-save-the-world-author-david-hol?in_playlist=podcast

A short episode. Thoughts on Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. Collecting thoughts on what make the Miami Heat so good, and after a demoralizing effort for the Celtics in Game 3. music clip, "All Blues" by Ron Carter

A short episode devoted to the NBA Playoffs. Thoughts on Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. Included: clip from Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, speaking during his post-game press conference. 

Music. It soothes me. I've been playing guitar and singing and adding reverb and echo and tremolo here and there. It's fun to sing songs I've known for most of my life. Here are 11 covers and 2 originals at the end.  Acoustic guitar and vocals recorded within the last six months. Tracks:1. Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) by Neil Young length: 3:46timestamp: 3:462. Heart of Gold by Neil Younglength: 4:46 timestamp: 8:333. Horse With No Name by Americalength: 6:54timestamp: 15:284. Don't You Forget About Me by Simple Minds (Breakfast Club soundtrack)length: 8:44timestamp: 24:135. Everybody Have Fun Tonight by Wang Chunglength: 6:06timestamp: 30:206. Wordless Chorus by My Morning Jacketlength: 5:46timestamp: 36:077. I Will Sing You Songs by My Morning Jacketlength: 3:31timestamp: 39:398. Death is the Easy Way by My Morning Jacketlength: 6:24timestamp: 46:049. Time Has Told Me by Nick Drakelength: 5:11timestamp: 51:1510. Once in a Lifetime by The Talking Headslength: 9:18timestamp: 60:3411. Cerrito Shuffle by melength: 3:48timestamp: 64:2312. Tablatale (instrumental with tabla sample from samplefocus.com) by melength: 4:43

Welcome Back to Jonah Asks,Here's part two of my conversation with Moshe. We discuss: attention, social media, happiness and mental suffering, the human species and biology, artificial intelligence, universal basic income and the future. music: This instrumental piece is an original of mine, based around a piano recording, added effects and then a sampled cello and atmospheric pad loop from samplefocus.com. You can find it on my other podcast, Poems, Guitar and Meditations.https://player.fm/series/poems-guitar-and-meditations/piano-cello-atmospheric-loop-for-sleepParentingBalancing the desire to give attention and support with the need to step back and observe young children. 6 minAttention and FocusMaintaining attention amidst the wave of information and social media's impact.10 minMoshe Chooses HappinessMental suffering - Mental suffering was rampant in Moshe's family. Moshe's aunt was a Holocaust survivor. On her deathbed, her son asked her "Was everything so bad?" She responded, "There were some good things, but we don't talk about that." Happiness seemed unavailable to many who lived through and survived the Holocaust. Moshe has atrial fibrillation. He has to be careful with his heart. Too much stress with atrial fibrillation can lead to stroke. 20 minProgress of the Human SpeciesMoshe is a firm believer in the progress and survival of the human species. "I'm not arguing with the universe. I will argue with reality. My optimism is based on the possibility that the evils of capitalism the way we know it and the development of artificial intelligence and other technologies will force mankind to develop a new paradigm and new understanding of how society should work. 28 minConsidering the Future: 2050 and BeyondWe veer into the future, the impact of artificial intelligence, the possibility of Universal Basic Income, etc. We disagree about how humans will evolve. 37 minTechnology and Techno-UtopianismMoshe sees human progress as an inevitability. Jonah sees human connection as a practice that has been eroding in modern life. 42 minBiology Isn't Bothered By Our Obsession with Technology...or Is It?Moshe believes in biology. Jonah believes in our biological need to make connections. Resources:New Yorker "Two Supreme Court Cases That Could Break the Internet"https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/two-supreme-court-cases-that-could-break-the-internetTristan Harris - Center for Humane Techhttps://www.humanetech.com/who-we-are

Welcome Back to Jonah Asks,Moshe is my neighbor. He is a modern philosopher, with an optimistic outlook, having trained himself in positive psychology. He was born in Israel in 1951 and came to New York City in the early 1970s, before returning to Israel and then eventually landing in the Bay Area. music: Neil Cowley "Eureka Pulse"3 minPositive PsychologyMoshe discusses his study of positive psychology and choosing his own personal happiness and well-being. "Wanting to be happy is a license that I acquired in my years. There is a methodology for it and I think I got. At this point it works for me and I am good with that. I was a sad Jew."9 minSpirituality and Identity Going beyond the self. Fighting to define yourself rather than be defined by a given identity.12 minMoshe's Family History Parents leaving Poland and arriving in Israel during the 1930s. Cold and superstitious places. Pogroms and then the Holocaust. Moshe's father came to Palestine in the mid 1930s, with many Jewish immigrants. Moshe's mother escaped Poland in 1938 via train through Germany, before taking a ship from Trieste to Palestine. 17 minMiddle Eastern history and Moshe's parents. Palestine and the creation of Israel in 1949.23 minMemoryJonah discusses memory and writing. Moshe has been studying philosophy and psychology. He discusses the biological need to recall negative experiences for survival.26 minBeing Jewish Israeli experience compared with suburban American experiencesMoshe explains how the history of Jewish oppression informs the Israeli pride in Judaism.Jonah's mother's childhood: Secular Jews in suburban DC (late '40s into early '60s)32 minPain versus SufferingMoshe discusses Yuval Noah Harari's ideas about pain versus suffering. Pain is contemporary and neurological event. Suffering is spread over time and is often a speculative psychological event.37 minMoshe wrote to Professor Sapolsky, who studies stress. 39 minMoshe in New York City, 1973Moshe was released from Israeli military service in 1973 and found his way to New York City. 43 minMoshe Meets His First Wife, TinaCouch-surfing, squatting, and getting by. Figuring out how to live in the United States, with a tourist visa.A wild pack of cats and a smelly small apartment in New York City.47 minMoshe and Tina move to Somerville, MA then back to Israel then ChildrenFrom New York to "Slummerville." Tina had to hide the relationship from her strict Jewish mother. Eventually, they moved back to Israel and had children. Later, they moved to the Bay Area, in part to get medical treatment for their son, who had a kidney situation.  53 minDivorce and a New Marriage After 19 years of marriage and two children, Moshe discovers Carla at his child's preschool. "I saw this beautiful woman working with a jackhammer, breaking the asphalt."61 minMoshe Is Afraid of Helplessness (Like Many of Us) Through much of his life, Moshe has prized self-sufficiency. He understands this as a reaction to his mother's helplessness.  In his later years, he has accepted the deep love of his second wife and attachment. Many thanks to Moshe for the wonderful conversation. Stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon.Links:Yuval Harari's TED talkshttps://www.ted.com/speakers/yuval_noah_harariPositive Psychology TED talkshttps://positivepsychology.com/positive-psychology-ted-talks/

Welcome back to Jonah Asks,In this episode, Jonah Reads.Jack London's "To Build a Fire" (1908). A classic story of a man and a husky traversing the Yukon in winter.It helps to keep in mind the story was written in 1908.

Instead of an interview, this episode is dedicated to dogs, as heard from their point of view, not us silly humans. Two short fictions -- both full of action, love of the natural world and humor. Both were pleasures to read. The first story, written by Dave Eggers, is "After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned" (2004, from the story collection How We Are Hungry). The second story is by the renowned short story master O' Henry. "Memoirs of a Yellow Dog" was written in 1903. The dialogue is full of colloquial wordplay...from 1903. If you'd like to read these stories (while listening), here are the links:After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drownedhttps://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~cinichol/CreativeWriting/323Online/Eggers%20after-i-was-thrown.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3fFuJLdFqmT_9sXpXhH4ZMpARyP4AVFToU_qko9b1CUDXdiVzHJpEw0J4Memoirs of a Yellow Doghttps://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-story/memoirs-of-a-yellow-dog