NaPodPoMo 2022

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here.

Come take a walk with me on this Saturday evening edition of Simple Joe. No script, no agenda, just a conversation as I wander around my Cincinnati neighborhood and share what's been going on in my life. I'm talking about the importance of good friendships, my regular Saturday morning conversations with Curt and Clay, and how artificial intelligence is changing the way we work and live. But the real fun comes from a late-night family game night at my niece's new home, where we played a couple of hilarious games called Medium and Boo and Yay. Somehow, I ended up on the floor howling like a dog, rubbing my belly, and patting my head. There's even a little life lesson in there about taking small steps and learning from feedback. Along the way, I'll share a few thoughts about surrounding yourself with good people, finding opportunities to help others, and not taking yourself too seriously. Because when it comes down to it, spending time with people you love, laughing together, and making great memories matters a whole lot more than buying more stuff. Memories are better than stuff.

Email me at [email protected] or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you.

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The @FiremanRich Blog: ⁠firemanrich.blogspot.com/

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Jesse Jackson hosts a full Set Lusting Football panel—Wendy, Holly Mack, Joe K, and Rich—for weekly NFL talk with music detours, including Jesse battling a cold and ongoing NFC East frustration. Joe focuses on the Commanders’ future with Jayden Daniels and lessons from RGIII, while Rich laments Philly’s six-game losing streak and defensive decline but hopes a Giants win keeps the division alive. Wendy recaps attending the Bills game in the new stadium, praising its design, tailgating, and the Bills’ post-bye performance while looking ahead to Monday Night Football vs. the Vikings and possible defensive trade help. The group critiques Jerry Jones’ ownership and coaching philosophy as Dallas loses again, discusses upcoming matchups, and closes with Jesse’s Nashville trip for an all-star John Hiatt tribute concert and a note about Rush Sphere shows.

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Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here.

Are some of the most beloved sitcoms in television history actually overrated? On today's Simple Joe, I'm counting down my Top 10 Most Overrated Sitcoms, and this one might get me in trouble! We're talking about shows that became cultural phenomena, won awards, attracted millions of viewers, and earned devoted fan bases. But were they really as good as everybody remembers? I'm looking at popularity, critical acclaim, consistency, and the difference between a show's reputation and its actual entertainment value. Along the way, we'll talk about nostalgia, shows that overstayed their welcome, and why being enormously successful doesn't necessarily mean being great. I'll also confess which beloved sitcom I deliberately left off the list because I just couldn't bring myself to include it! Plus, we're talking ancient crayons, birthdays, historic events, National Nachos Day, and my appreciation for a great saxophone. I'd love to hear which sitcoms you think are overrated, which ones deserve their legendary reputations, and where you think I got it completely wrong. Come hang out with me for a little television controversy, some laughs, and another reminder that memories are better than stuff.

Email me at [email protected] or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you.

You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store

Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading

If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes returning guest Joe Schwartz, a retired corporate technology executive who began experimenting with AI music to explore creativity and deliver message-driven songs. Joe describes his career (from programmer to VP of application development at Hyatt) and how agile, test-driven thinking shaped his evolving process: starting with an idea, drafting lyrics, generating many genre variations, then refining sound, structure, and wording through iterative “covers,” mixing, and meta-tag direction. He discusses using AI to challenge constraints, the tension between creativity and promotion/analytics, and learning that art is about finding an audience rather than being “good” or “bad.” Joe shares politically influenced songwriting, including “Ready for Doom,” built around the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and an updated “John Henry” reimagined as musician vs. tech. He reflects on goals, audience reach, and making music for intellectual and creative stimulation.

Joseph SchwartzHere is my website: https://joespi.carrd.co

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1i0YtjdzwndXd3oQqiiLoT

00:00 B-Side Welcome

00:37 Meet Joe Again

01:12 Corporate Tech Career

03:50 Discovering AI Music

08:01 Test Driven Songmaking

12:42 Joe’s Creative Workflow

15:43 Heart and Rants

17:02 Reimagining John Henry

19:43 Evolving Tools and Genres

22:58 Promotion and Analytics

29:01 Breakthrough Ready for Doom

32:35 Politics in the Lyrics

35:37 Goals After the Peak

40:49 Finding Your Audience

41:58 Wrap Up and Where to Listen

44:08 Closing Blessing I Wish You Well

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FiremanRich on Rumble: ⁠rumble.com/user/FiremanRich⁠

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The @FiremanRich Blog: ⁠firemanrich.blogspot.com/

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Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here.

Would you take a job walking robot dogs for $20 an hour? That's a real opportunity a San Francisco robotics company called Dimensional was advertising, and today on Simple Joe, we're digging into the story behind the headline. These aren't robotic pets. They're part of an effort to teach artificial intelligence how to navigate the real world, and apparently, that's a lot harder than it sounds. We'll talk about what these robot dog walkers actually do, why the robots sometimes have to be carried home, and how AI and robotics could eventually change the way we work. I'm not afraid of AI, but I do think we need to pay attention to what it means for our jobs and our future. And yes, I'd take that robot dog walking gig! We also get into my favorite way to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for traveling, the pressure of picking out donuts for everybody, birthdays, history, and a little more. It's another day of curiosity, conversation, and thinking about where technology might be taking us.

Email me at [email protected] or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you.

You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store

Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading

If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

The Democratic Party had a good night, but there is a lot of work to do!

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FiremanRich on Rumble: ⁠rumble.com/user/FiremanRich⁠

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The @FiremanRich Blog: ⁠firemanrich.blogspot.com/

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Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here.

It's Wildcard Wednesday, and today I'm throwing down a challenge: Android phones are better than iPhones. Prove me wrong! I've got a Samsung Galaxy S24 for my personal phone and an iPhone for work, so I've spent some time in both worlds. I'm making my case for Android with more choices, better prices, greater customization, Google integration, and the freedom to make my phone work the way I want. Of course, I've got a little fun to poke at the Apple faithful, their loyalty, their ecosystem, and what I lovingly call the Apple cult. But I'll give Apple credit where it's deserved, and I'll even admit that my own Android loyalty might be getting in the way! There's one problem that really hits Grampy Joe where it hurts: my grandkids have iPads, and communicating with them isn't always easy. I'm looking for a good Android-to-iPad messaging solution, and I'm offering a free Simple Joe T-shirt to someone who can help me find one! So whether you're Team Android or Team iPhone, I want to hear your argument. Text me at 513-399-6468 or email [email protected]. Let's have some fun with this!

Email me at [email protected] or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you.

You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store

Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading

If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!