Blog Posts

Think Again: Keith Whelpley

11/20/2023

We're joined today by intermittent co-host and always delightful guest, Keith Whelpley. Our conversation spans considerations of Artificial Intelligence, censorship, free speech, hate speech, unpopular but protected speech, and cancel culture. We touch on journalism, media. social media, human intelligence, biological non-human intelligence, and of course machine or artificial intelligence. This exploratory conversation points to the chilling adverse effects of cancel culture censorship upon our thinking, our language, or democracy, our very sense of humanity and community. We give some attention to the intersectionality of artificial intelligence and free speech, how it affects our critical and nuanced thinking, our tribal and cult thinking, and how we interpret, think, feel and speak about events past and present.

Video - "The AI Dilemma"
Book - "Impromptu" on AI -Reid Hoffman and GPT4
Video - "Commonwealth Club - "The Canceling of the American Mind"
Book - "The Canceling of the American Mind" - Lukianoff and Schlott
Book - "Nadine Strossen - Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech Not Censorship

DELVING IN: Kevin Mitchell on the Biological Evolution of Free Will

11/19/2023

Stuart Kelter interviews Kevin Mitchell, a professor of genetics and neuroscience at Trinity College, Dublin. His research focuses on the genetic program for the wiring of the brain, as it affects psychiatric and neurological diseases, as well as perceptual conditions, such as synaesthesia. He is editor of The Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, published in 2015, is the author of Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are, published in 2018 and of Wiring the Brain, a science blog for general audiences. The subject of today’s interview focuses on his most recent book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will, published in October of 2023. Mitchell discusses his robust and humanizing theory of the biological evolution of agency and identity, as well as the capacity for meaning and values. The upshot is a scientific explanation for what many scientists believe is only an illusion: free will.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Voters bring Council back toward center

11/16/2023

As a resident of District 2, I was disappointed that my representative on the City Council, Tessa Abeyta, did not win re-election last week. She came into the job four years ago with no political or government experience, and worked hard to learn about the many needs of the district.

But, the competing yard signs told me it would be a close race, and I wasn’t surprised when Abeyta lost to Bill Mattiace, a former mayor.

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Daniel Williams - ACLU

11/14/2023

Peter and Walt talk to Daniel Williams about the rash of questionable police killings in Las Cruces and both state law and local procedures dealing with justifiable homicide by law-enforcement officers.

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Adriana L. Romero-Olivares, Ph.D. - Biology

11/14/2023

Peter and Walt talk with Dr. Romero-Olivares about her climate-change talk scheduled for 28 November at the Rio Grande Theater, titled: “Fungi Under Global Climate Change and Impacts to our Ecosystems".

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Tax Increment Development Districts (TIDDs)

11/14/2023

Peter and Walt talk to Beth Bardwell about how Las Cruces responds, and should respond, to TIDD proposals, likely including something of the recent NMSU-proposed TIDD put on hold by NMSU.

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Walt and Peter Talk the News (11/15/2023)

11/14/2023

Co-hosts, Walt Rubel and Peter Goodman discuss items in the news, both local and national.

Think Again: War

11/14/2023

In today's conversation, Vietnam war veteran and Zen Buddhist priest, Harvey Hilbert, shares his experience, thoughts and feelings about war. The conversation explores history, curated narratives, how we think about war, and why after thousands of years, we still do it. We touch on how the emotions of fear, hate and anger are intentionally stimulated in order to drive people to war - and why the practices of compassion, humility, and love are most often disregarded. The conversation touches on media, misuse and distortion of language. Harvey offers as a possible measure for improving the future of humanity, learning how to talk to each other and how to teach ourselves and our children to value open and respectful conversations; how to get to know and accept those who are different.

DELVING IN: Audrey Kurth Cronin on How Terrorism Ends

11/12/2023

Stuart Kelter interviews Audrey Kurth Cronin, one of the world’s leading experts on security and how conflicts end. A Professor of Security and Technology, she was the founding director of the Center for Security, Innovation, and New Technology at American University, the director of War and Statecraft at the US National War College, and a Specialist in Terrorism at the Congressional Research Service, advising Members of Congress in the aftermath of 9/11. She was the director of Studies for Oxford University’s Changing Character of War program, was Chair of the Global Agenda Council on Terrorism of the World Economic Forum, and has held a number of positions in the federal government’s executive branch, including in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. Currently, she is the founding director of the Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute for Strategy and Technology. She is the author of four books on terrorism, including How Terrorism Ends, published in 2009 and Power to the People, published in 2019. Today’s interview will focus on the ideas contained in How Terrorism Ends, particularly as applied to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Vasquez bills treat ills of immigration crisis

11/9/2023

A package of immigration bills introduced in Congress recently by Rep. Gabe Vasquez of Las Cruces will not address the growing crisis on our border, which is now impacting nearly all of our major cities.

That’s far beyond the grasp of this Congress, which has its hands full just trying to keep a speaker in place. To be fair, even in past years with stronger leaders in charge, immigration reform has always been out of reach. Both sides would rather have the problem to campaign on than a solution that seems so simple to me. More on that later.

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Think Again: Keith Whelpley

DELVING IN: Kevin Mitchell on the Biological Evolution of Free Will

Walt Rubel Commentary: Voters bring Council back toward center

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Daniel Williams - ACLU

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Adriana L. Romero-Olivares, Ph.D. - Biology

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Tax Increment Development Districts (TIDDs)

Speak Up, Las Cruces!: Walt and Peter Talk the News (11/15/2023)

Think Again: War

DELVING IN: Audrey Kurth Cronin on How Terrorism Ends

Walt Rubel Commentary: Vasquez bills treat ills of immigration crisis

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