[Preliminary Note: For some reason when we posted this blog, we stopped getting any visitors. Wonder why? Not only did we stop getting visitors to this page, but we also stopped getting views on our Youtube videos having anything to do with oligarchs. Is reasonandbalance.com being censored? As such, we changed the title to what you now see. Formerly it was “AI Destroys Democracy: Black Keys OMC etc”]
[Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest edition of Tick’s Notes and Tunes (TNnT). A page dedicated to the preservation of music made by humans, back when music actually rocked and touched one’s soul. While we occasionally do feature contemporary tunes they must be up to the higher standards of music past. Along the way it is our sincere hope and purpose to discuss, enlighten and educate the reader about relevant political, economic and business matters and to help maintain both a record and an appreciation for good old man-made music before AI makes man and real music a mere afterthought.
TNnT is a transcript of a fictional radio broadcast with direct links to the tunes being played. The transcript is normally in 3 parts: (1.)The first is a transcript of the radio broadcast featuring a DJ and his cohorts who provide interesting background and commentary about the tunes being played. Importantly the transcript (this blog post) has direct click on links that will take the reader directly to a video that plays the tune; (2.) Part 2 is the Editorial: (which normally deals with the subject in the title of this blog post). Tonight’s editorial is about artificial intelligence and the destruction of democracy; and (3) that’s followed by a the second half of the Dj’s radio broadcast again with links to offsite videos playing the tunes the DJ is playing.]
Hey folks
Stony Riva here
We kick it off tonight
with a funky group from Brooklyn.
This band had folks jumpin and jivin
from the late 60s to the mid 80s
This was there most successful track
Here’s
Brass Construction with Movin’
https://youtu.be/bugwL1k4I-0?si=zMzC2s50tROszAQ0
All I can say is….
If you’re still in you’re seat after that great tune
You must be shackled to it
…or dead.
But be that as it may
Next up we have a big big hit
From
Otara’s Millionaire’s Club
Who were a famous duo from
New Zealand in the 90s.
Originally they consisted of
Pauly and Phil Fuemana
Their name was a
very tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact
that they were from one of the poorer
sections of Auckland.
But eventually Pauly went on his own and
Ultimately referred to himself as simply
OMC
Although he did have other hits
primarily in New Zealand
Pauly is mostly known for our next tune
That said, here’s
OMC with a tune many have called
One of the greatest
Ever produced by a New Zealand artist….
You know it as How Bizarre
https://youtu.be/C2cMG33mWVY?si=U5I1Sj8ipKOGVNZD
Alright time to change it up a bit.
And we’re gonna do so in a big big way
This band started in the 70s
Rose to fame in the 80s
And had no less than 21
That’s right 21
#1 country hits
They really need no introduction
So here they are
From Fort Payne
The band called Alabama
Singin’ about that
Tennessee River
https://youtu.be/Dprf75bbL3A?si=zEMk5wjTIOXBQx3j
okay that brings us to the half
and all of Yinz know what that means
Yep!
It’s time for the grandmaster of
of deflating one’s buzz
but Yinz know him simply
as our humble
meager
station manager
Rufus Coldwater
Rufus, what do ya have for us?
—————————————————————————————————–
Thanks Stony, but I just want you to know that folks will have to earn their spot on my Christmas list, when the holiday roll around again this year. And, Stony, let’s just say that so far your point totals aren’t that impressive. But at least you have time to take corrective action. So, ya better get your act in order big daddy!
But, as you would say…just joking…just joking.
In any event, instead of having me go on and on about a subject that I’ve griped about for how long now? I don’t know for sure but it seems like decades.
No, instead of me talkin’ let’s hear a fresh new voice on the subject. Why? Well, this next lady’s got quite an intellect. She’s a theoretical physicist who is very into really serious subjects like the nature of existence, where we came from and where we’re going and that sort of thing. All in the scientific context mind you. And she’s never afraid to tell you what she thinks. She’s more than willing to criticize anyone including scientists and/or their prevailing opinions. And importantly, she doesn’t come off as some kind of quack. After all, she is German. That fact alone at least makes her sound smart. She received her doctorate from Goethe University Frankfurt. And, according to Wikipedia, [after holding several posts in academia including stints at the University of Arizona and at the University of California at Santa Barbara, in] 2009, she became an assistant professor at the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics in Sweden.[7] Between 2015 and 2023, she was employed at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies followed by a post at Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich’s Center for Mathematical Philosophy. In August 2022, Hossenfelder released a book titled Existential Physics: A Scientist’s Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions, published by Viking Press. She also published an English research paper titled “Black Hole Relics in Large Extra Dimensions”. I’ve been a Youtube follower of hers for quite a bit and she tackles nothing but the most complex and far-reaching scientific issues one can imagine.
In any event here’s Sabine Hossenfelder to tell us what’s what about the possible political ramifications of perhaps the most important issue currently facing mankind–artificial intelligence. Let’s give her a listen because she has some vitally important thoughts on the matter:
https://youtu.be/BNJEOTouhvs?si=zcjFusCBy7iVjXtH
Holy Baby Ruth! She even goes further than anything heretofore mentioned by yours truly and all of the other bogeyman theorists out there. The destruction of the nation state….not just ours…but everybody’s! Just further evidence that there will be no more thought ever of pissing brother Elon off ! It won’t be Make America Great Again, it will be Make Musk Even Greater than You Can Imagine. We are talking about, not just kings, but masters of the planet here.
Well, I don’t know about you but I’ve had enough of this subject for the evening. It’s just too mind boggling to consider. All I know is, that if mankind expects to enjoy democracy the clock is ticking and it’s now ticking incredibly fast. In fact, we might have only one nanosecond left—if that, to save democracy. One is either committed to democracy on the one hand or to the idea of supporting those with an inside track to developing and disseminating AI on the other. I’m talking about the super-rich and the oligarchs, especially the ones connected to information technology. And there’s no longer any time to screw around on the matter. What I fear, especially after this past election is that far too many Americans are either selling out or are so focused on culture war issues that they can’t see who the real and far more dangerous enemy is. We are talking about a very small group of people who will have (if they don’t already have it) the power to destroy our liberties and control our lives. And frankly, a big reason that the situation has gotten to where it has is that the most popular cable channel is primarily owned and/or run by another super-rich oligarch.
In any event, that’s it from here. Back to you Stony
——————————————————————————————————————-
[huge sigh]
Geez Rufus, don’t be messin’ with our good mood !
Folks, I want everyone to get up
Go outside
Take a deep breath
In fact
Take two or three very very deep breaths
And come back
I’ll wait for ya
…….
……
…….
Alright.
Everybody back?
Well, while Yinz was gone
Suzi
Our Assistance Executive Producer of Everything
Pulled out a vinyl disc from my brief case
and asked what it was. And
the answer is
it is what I intended to play tonight
She looked a little crestfallen when I told her that.
After all she had another 45 in her hand
But I blew her a kiss and told her
I’ll use her selection next week
Because as always
it was a good one
Anyway, I was gonna play the
published version of this next tune
which is only half the length of this next
so-called “demo”
But when I ran across
this next demo recording while
doing background research on the group
my affection for this tune
ratcheted up a couple more notches.
Maybe this is an example of when overthinking a tune
Or trying to commercialize it
Got in the way of maximizing its musical appeal.
Who knows?
While the production quality on this is not the best
In a way it only adds to my appreciation of it
Because it gives the impression of a group of garage musicians
Just sitting around jamming
sometime during the 1960s
and, in doing so, getting into a special zone
and finding a great grove.
Anyway….here’s….
Apollo’s Apache with Boss (Be Good to Me)
https://youtu.be/iLK0G86F7Ro?si=izmP05sBMVeISCHK
It may be that when they took that tune to the producers
that the producers insisted on something less than 3 minutes
That’s because back in those days there weren’t many tunes
that went beyond 3 minutes or 3:30.
But I really enjoyed that
Its vibe conveys
the true spirit of garage rock back in the day.
Moving on
I was talking to GURU just before we went on the air
And he was telling me a story
Apparently, a friend had requested that he sing
A slow dance tune last night
So he could get to know
Some babe across the bar a little better.
So, out of the blue
And feeling adventurous
GURU selected a tune that he’d never done before
with the house band that lets him sing with them occasionally
The band said they new it so….
What the heck
In any event, naturally the tune
Had a moment when GURU realized
That he had to go much higher than he expected.
You know….the “And you are the magnet…..” part
GURU said he fudged it a bit
Not that it was an embarrassing effort
But clearly not in the professional category either.
Well in any event he had to repeat that
chorus several more times in the tune
By about the 3d time
GURU said he had gotten it
But we’re talkin’ the chorus here
So he obviously had to do this more than a few times.
Long story short about two thirds of the way through the tune
He started…”And….
And then just as started to sing
the words “you are the magnet…” the power went out.
Pitch black.
GURU wasn’t sure whether the Almighty
was trying to tell him somethin’ or not
But it was kinda funny.
In any event
the power came back on about 10 seconds later
But it was a slow dance
And the mood sorta went kaput.
But this is a great slow dance tune
And none other than Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks
Gives Walter Egan an assist on this tune
In fact, the record label looks like
Lindsey Buckingham may have been involved as well.
Here’s….
Walter Egan and probably Stevie Nicks
Singin’ Magnet and Steel
https://youtu.be/lKDT58JRgWA?si=-cJ11j13cgNPfujQ
I first heard tonight’s cleanup hittin’ tune
when I went to the theatre
and watched a movie called “The Campaign”
starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis
It only got moderately good reviews
But I really liked the film a lot.
I’m not exactly sure what this tune is about.
I’ve heard interesting theories having to do with
hookups with babes on tour
but that may or may not make much sense.
But whatever
I love the Black Keys
Because in this era there aren’t near enough bands
Who still play great rock.
And the Keys definitely do just that.
In any event
Here, to wrap it up tonight are
The Black Keys with Gold on the Ceiling
https://youtu.be/6yCIDkFI7ew?si=XkqqMLF-HvSa7dia
Okay….
For Suzi
Buck
GURU
And Rufus
I’m Stony Riva
Thanks
Good night
And
Don’t ever ever
Let those nasty bed bugs bite !
—————————————————————————-
END NOTES
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