Category: culture

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White Lies – podcast to follow Serial?

Mark Cathcart

I have listened to the first two episodes of the new “White Lies” podcast, and have no qualms about claiming it is the next big podcast for me. The podcast covers the death of James Reeb, a white Unitarian minister living in Boston. Reeb heard of the call by Martin Luther King Jr. for clergy across the country to come to Selma, after the day, hundreds of African Americans had gathered in Selma to march to the state capital and demand the right to vote and been brutally pushed back from the  Edmund Pettus Bridge by Alabama state troopers . That … Continue reading White Lies – podcast to follow Serial?

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Transit Indicators – BNSF, School Buses

Mark Cathcart

When I look at the state of US transit, especially public transport, the two biggest indicators of the failure of US transit are BNSF and School buses. Why BNSF? The Burlington North Santa Fe Railway Corp. was the dominant rail company when I lived in Texas, and here in Colorado. Without a detail look into their tracks, trains, and business model, my summary is, they run massive trains, often over thousands of miles of single track lines. The tracks often run right through the middle of cities, the track commands significant space either side of the track. This isn’t their … Continue reading Transit Indicators – BNSF, School Buses

culture, Life, Politics, politics, technology2 Comments

‘Facebook can’t be trusted’

Mark Cathcart

New Zealand’s Privacy Commissioner John Edwards (@jce_pc), was interviewed this morning on NPR by Rachel Martin. Edwards criticized Facebook after last month’s attacks on two mosques in Christchurch were live-streamed on Facebook. It was a refreshing interview with a politician who doesn’t have all the answers, and knows it’s not his job to come up with them. He is also not beholden to big tech financing, as a New Zealand politician. Equally Edwards was clear where the blame and responsibility lay. The whole interview is well worth listening to, but Edwards rightly pointed out we have a platform that has … Continue reading ‘Facebook can’t be trusted’

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It’s Friday: The Soul Jazz Funk of Kudu

Mark Cathcart

Hey, it’s Friday, I’m going to post a mix every Friday now of music that I like. At least for now, I’ll be posting link to other peoples mixes, but my aim is start putting together my own. As I continue through my “Vinyl to Digital” project, I’ve be listening to some great jazz. So my mix for this week. Continue reading It’s Friday: The Soul Jazz Funk of Kudu

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Cyclists and Pedestrians generate more income for a town

Mark Cathcart

This Forbes article came up again recently. My hometown, Louisville CO, is still struggling with how to incentivise redevelopment downtown, following the “collapse” of their parking garage initiative run for the city by the Louisville Revitalization Commission (LRC). I even applied for a vacant seat on the LRC, which I didn’t get. Better that than being one of those people who just complain at every opportunity. I’ve encouraged the Mayor and Councillors to do more to make it easy for people that could get downtown without using private cars, to do so. Disappointingly, nothing has happened in the 3-years I’ve … Continue reading Cyclists and Pedestrians generate more income for a town

art, culture, films, Life, Politics1 Comment

The Opposite of Truth

Mark Cathcart

If there is a betrayal of that trust [in public organizations], there is a crime. The opposite of truth is not just a lie, the opposite of truth is chaos. The chaos that is in danger of bringing down the institutions we depend on, to deliver justice. The final words of fictional character, Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox), in the finale of Season 22 of the BBC Series Silent Witness. Writers Virginia Gilbert and Michael Crompton have come up with one of those most memorable of TV moments. This is right up there with ACN ‘News Night’ anchor Will McAvoys speech of … Continue reading The Opposite of Truth

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Elements – Earth, Wind and Fire on Soul!

Mark Cathcart

Since finishing the book, and this blog post about Maurice White, I’ve been digging through some of my other archives. I found an amazing live performance from the groundbreaking WNET show Soul! broadcast on January 10th, 1973. The accompanying video, the shows are available via pbs.org in some regions, and via WNET Thirteen, if you can access them. A low res version of which can be seen below via Youtube, is perhaps remarkable for a number of reasons. It documents a group in the midst of change. The original Earth, Wind and Fire had recorded two albums for Warner Brothers, … Continue reading Elements – Earth, Wind and Fire on Soul!

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Earth, Wind and Fire; life and guidance

Mark Cathcart

Over the year-end I read the Maurice White, Herb Powell penned autobiography, “My Life With Earth, Wind & Fire”. It was both an interesting read, and revelatory. While my early teens were heavily influenced by David Bowie, my late teens and in some respects the rest of my life was heavily influenced by the sound, and especially the mystical guidance that seemed to be coming from the group, led by it’s founder and bandleader, Maurice White. White’s spiritual approach gave endorsement to my own uncomfortableness with my Christian upbringing and doubt that a single “God” existed. I never met White, … Continue reading Earth, Wind and Fire; life and guidance

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What’s a #blockchain?

Mark Cathcart

@AARP magazine nails #blockchain #blockchaintechnology pic.twitter.com/vS1d755Czu — Mark Cathcart (@cathcam) October 28, 2018 I posted the above to twitter, but its not really a joke. #blockchain has become the emperor’s new clothes and to some degree, @AARP is right.  The original article may be a little more aimed at humour than technical depth, but it’s not wrong. A few of my friends have already been cold called and offering blockchain backed securities and similar. We know that’s mostly just marketing BS, but they don’t know. So this is, whatever you think, a good way to get them thinking about it. … Continue reading What’s a #blockchain?