Ric spent some of his formative years in South Texas. He also spent a little time in Uvalde, Texas. The scene of a horrific school mass shooting. In this special episode, Ric tries to make sense of the situation. He also tries to understand what it was that happened. Join him for a bit of therapy if you need to find the things he's looking for, too. This is the episode that aired on Radio Memphis on 25 May, 2022.
NEXT WEEK: 6% of You Are Stupid
If you have ever spent any time with someone from a previous generation, they might tell you that "the whole world has gone to hell." For some younger people, that is rather off putting. Ric gets it. Here is a little secret. EVERY generation says the same thing to the younger generation. Surprise! Nothing has changed.
NEXT WEEK: Uvalde, Texas
Perhaps an interesting test of the power of an unfiltered internet comes in the everyday coverage of a war. That is precisely what is happening now. Among the cat videos, self-affirmation memes, and random political falsehoods one can find fascinating threads of the war in Ukraine being posted by those actually participating in the thing.
The important thing for anyone to remember is the fact that most large events portrayed among the feeds of any social media may either be too much information or merely a reflection of the facts at hand. Ric's advice to anyone cruising this form of coverage should beware, it's like trying to drink out of a fire hydrant.
NEXT WEEK: The World is Always Going to Hell.
In a sort of continued thought from last week, Ric talks about the notion that forward progress can be a good thing. However, for that to work, people should lose the things we no longer need. Nostalgia is fun to think about, but sometimes things last only for so long.
Drawing from the example Netflix is setting up, some decisions are easier to make than others. If there is one takeaway from all of this, don't let others tell you what you like.
NEXT WEEK: War, Social Media Style
Part of an advancement of society means some sort of progress, ideally. Never ending references to the way things used to be have become tiring to many people. Now, we must look to the way things are going to be. In that the world is approaching a post-pandemic situation, the old thing of "the new norm" is now.
Most of the world has changed. Some changes are not so great while others are pretty good. Here, Ric takes a look at how the inherent resistance to change tends to slow things down. We aren't going back, and that is not a bad thing.
NEXT WEEK: Not all things are worth keeping.
The "rise" of virtual reality seems more like a dud than the latest and greatest thing. Mark Zuckerberg thinks people will come flocking back to Facebook as a result. The issue it seems, is that virtual reality is having the same trajectory as 3D movies have had. Cute trick, but not a necessary thing.
Headaches aside, the whole notion of entering a virtual world cut off from real society is just not all that appealing. Then again, is "Zuck Bucks" going to be the right answer?
NEXT WEEK: Post Pandemic Norms
The sands are shifting in the social media world. One of the biggest indicators seems to be the attitudes of the public regarding its existence. The general public seems to have come to grips with the ins and outs of this monster. Whether it stays or goes is not really the issue.
The one fact remains in that the absence of reality is the only thing most people have taken to heart. Well, that and the absolute toxicity of the thing. Where does it go from here?
NEXT WEEK: Is network television still a thing?
There is one facet of journalism that on the surface seems absolutely pointless and devoid of any sort of attention spent on it and that is celebrity news. Unless a TV or movie star dies, most people don't seem to care, Or, do they? In this episode, Ric takes a look at phenomenon of this weird and kind of dirty side of the news.
What drives it and do people really care about these people who are so unlike the rest of us? These are valid questions with a simple answer and that may be more sinister than you would want to believe.
NEXT WEEK: Social Media Overhaul
A late winter snow thing wasn't enough to knock Ric off his schedule this time around as he talks about the way things are shaping up as we near a post-pandemic world. However, there are a lot of things going on to make our current situation rather complicated. Sure, we seem to be coming through to the end of the Covid 19 pandemic but not without changes in the way we are going to live.
Pandemic not withstanding, there is a war going on, runaway inflation, and God help us everyone is freaked out about the price of gasoline. Strangely enough, we are not in a recession. How did that happen?
NEXT WEEK: For some strange reason, people think famous people are interesting.
If you aren't aware by now, when you use a product online for free (social media) you are the product. You are the consumer and the commodity. The reasoning and all the things that can be done with your usage of that site or app is spelled out in the Terms of Service. In this episode, Ric takes a look at the Terms of Service for the new social media thing called Truth Social. When you go through that largely (bigly) boilerplate document, you'll see that you are now property of the company. Just like all the other social media sites out there. What's worse is that everything you have heard about this new site/app from them is kind of contradicted by their own Terms of Service.
Also, Walmart is about to be the largest healthcare provider in the country. There is something about that statement that seems a little alarming.
NEXT WEEK: The Cost of Living & The New Normal
Two major events broadcast for the world happens and at the very same time, a sporting event and a war become the best and worst shows broadcast. Not necessarily in that order. To be fair, NBC did the best they could with an already doomed shitshow in China with all the weird politics, manufactured snow, and the fact most people have started not caring much about the Olympics.
Then again, you have what has arguably become one of the most compelling things to happen on your device. That being the war in Ukraine. That is, if you watch it the way Ric does. In this episode, Ric talks about both of these things. It'll make you think that maybe the advertisers were putting commercials on the wrong broadcast.
NEXT WEEK: Terms of Service for Truth
After an unplanned two week hiatus, Ric is back with another episode and this all about the catching up. In this episode, Ric will tell you about the set of circumstances that occurred which prevented business as usual around Studio A.
He'll tell about worse it could have been and what ultimately happened when some understandable frustration set in. It is interesting what goes through one's mind while sitting in the dark.
NEXT WEEK: The Absolute Shitshow That Was The Olympics
There has been a lot of movement lately among certain buzzwords. "Censorship", "Cancel", and "Spotify". This all relates, of course to Joe Rogan. In this episode (available on Spotify and other places), Ric dives into the topic that seems to be on a lot of consumer's minds. Thanks to Neil Young, many musicians are pulling their stuff from the platform.
Noble, for sure. But, when looking at the real problem here, it is not the hack with the bad sense of humor or his rather unlistenable show (Ric's words), there is so much more here in play. Spotify makes its money through podcasts and subscriptions. So, what do they pay musicians versus what they pay podcasters? It get's kind of complicated.
Plus, the Wall Street people are about to suck all the fun right out of cryptocurrency.
NEXT WEEK: Consumer Spending. You Know, Pocket Money.
A lot of cord cutters are standing around scratching their heads wonder what the hell just happened? Netflix, within their corporate greed decided to raise their rates. It is kind of a hard pill to swallow. Even though it's just a couple of bucks, $3.6 Billion a month is clearly not enough for this company. The rate hike bit them in the ass, too. Just this week, their stock price dropped 41%. That's a bunch.
Are you a part of The Great Resignation? Have you had enough of "the man" putting the hobnailed boot of corporate oppression on your neck? Join the American movement to stick it to the system! In this episode, Ric takes a look at the trend that is making serious waves among the labor force. It appears that a sizable chunk of you have taken enough of the bullshit.
We are all in a situation where capitalism has turned into a hostage situation and we seem to have fallen into the Stockholm Syndrome. It has been a long time coming and it took a pandemic to realize Mondays don't suck, its your job that sucks. It ain't for everyone, but for most the death of the middle class is a stark reminder of just how boned we all are.
NEXT WEEK: The Stream is Deep
Ric is apparently getting a new neighbor. Normally, this would not be that big of a deal as he tends to welcome all new businesses in his neighborhood. This one though, seems to come with a built in annoyance. In this episode, Ric will tell you about yet another BBQ joint moving across the street. A Texas style BBQ thing with plans to build a large smoker that will fill the area (and Ric's living room) with the smell of smoked cow.
Upon further investigation, there seems to be so much more to the situation than meets the eye. There is an interesting point here to be made for sure. It would appear someone wasn't thinking this all the way through. Not to mention the very true nature of one's reputation preceding himself. As Ric will tell you, this is probably not going to end well.
NEXT WEEK: Putting the Nation into The Great Resignation
