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The Enlightened Worldview Project Slideshow

Click Here For The Full Slideshow Presentation.

The Enlightened Worldview Project's mission is to promote societal understanding and inner awareness. The group will be working with a community of writers and thought leaders on a book about how our worldviews are constructed. Through the book, blog posts, public discussions and a podcast series, the organization hopes to improve communication, relationships and our public discourse.

Brandon Norgaard, founder of the project, brought me on board to work on content, narrative, infographics and other educational materials. I'm thankful for the opportunity to have worked on something that could really make a difference.

For more information about EWP, visit their website at http://enlightenedworldview.com/.

If you would like help with your writing project, please contact me at theglidercell@gmail.com. I can help you with all forms of web and social media content, research, reports and slideshow presentations.

Join Us For a Hike and Discussion About Improving Communication and Understanding

Join us for a hike on November 17th where Brandon Norgaard (founder of the Sacramento Politics and Philosophy Meetup and The Enlightened Worldview Project) will be discussing his new project. Among other things, we'll be discussing ways to improve communication between people of different worldviews.

You can sign up here: 

More information at http://enlightenedworldview.com/

Let's Take a Time Out And Applaud What it is to be Human

I find it interesting that, instead of focusing on the amazing potential and capacities of humans - that we can think abstractly, that we have meta cognition (ability to be aware of our thinking), that we can evolve our positions, that we can dive deep into topics and unravel layer after layer of information, that we have actually explored outer space - leaving the limits of our own gravitational forces - that we had a human being who created an equation that explained space and time (E= Mc2), we spend countless hours in many of our discussions talking about our limitations and fallabilities. 

No, we're not computers. We're not perfect algorithms. We're not Fermat's Last Theorem. It's not perfectly elegant all of the time. But, is there no curiosity about what might be better or what new construct or thought experiment might take us to a better level of existence? Is there no celebration of what it means to be human? We are, in fact, amazing!

Source: https://altexploit.wordpress.com/2017/08/17/grothendiecks-universes-and-wiles-proof-fermats-last-theorem-thought-of-the-day-77-0/

Need Help with Educational Content?

If you need help with any type of educational content please feel free to contact me at theglidercell@gmail.com. I also do content strategy, podcast editing, podcast content, graphics and social media work. Many of those samples are available at GliderCell. 

Proposal to Design Implementation Guides by lchazen

It's Time For a 21st Century Job Site

True story. I saw a job posting for a product manager at a major job site. The role would be challenging and the pay (something I had not seen before) indicated just how challenging it would be. So, I decided to take a crack at it. As I took a closer look at the position I decided it might just be time to offer a full redesign of what job sites do, i.e. completely disrupt the industry so that we get better matches between what people can actually do and the types of jobs they get. This slideshow is just scratching the surface, as you could easily write a 100 page report on what needs to happen. But I had been thinking about these things for a long time and it was just time to put it out there -- whether I got the position or not. This is the slideshow I submitted with my application. I think we’re in for big changes and I hope some of these things happen soon. For more information, write to theglidercell@gmail.com

Copy of An Integrated Approach to Job Sites: Seven Ways to Make Job Sites Better by Lee Chazen

How to Make Job Sites Better from Lee L. Chazen, M.A.

Podcasting In Between Lyft Passengers About Everything, Including an Idea for a New Bi-Partisan Tech App for the IRS

"A rare, inside look at the 'second' '88 Hart campaign from someone who was there."

Get Your Copy
Just $2.99 on Amazon 

I’ve pitched this to #Democrats & #Republicans / #Libertarians & all seem to like it. Seems like something #AndrewYang might go for? Oh, & I recorded this bit of audio in between picking up #Lyft passengers, because that's how we roll in the #GigEconomy #GliderCell #Yang2020

— Lee Chazen (@Lee_Chazen) July 22, 2019

The Existential Tour of Pleasant Hill, California

I decided it was time to start releasing all new audio content for the GliderCell Podcast. It had been a while and there were all these audio files -- interviews with some really fascinating people -- just sitting there -- never to be heard. If all goes as planned, I'll start releasing a new one each week. But, I can't do this without a word of caution. These are unedited. No intro or outro music, if you will. Time and budget constraints prevented me from being able to get all that done. But, what you'll get here is raw, unfiltered ideas -- real people sharing some really interesting things -- with no commercials! None!

In this episode I ask the question: 

In the Internet of Things, if everything is “talking” to everything else, can humans be left out of the conversation? 

This episode is brought to you by When the Dust Settles: A Collection of Stories From Gary Hart's 1988 Presidential Campaign Kindle Edition, available on Amazon.

It is also made possible by GliderCell, a consultancy specializing in content development and strategy.

Lessons from Gary Hart’s 1988 Presidential Campaign — and Why Good People Often Opt Out of Politics:

My response to: Was Gary Hart Set Up? by James Fallows

My older brother (a journalist), sent me this article and then posted it on Facebook. I had worked on Gary Hart’s campaign for President in 1988, so felt I needed to respond in part to defend history’s judgement of him.

It’s really sad what happened here. This scandal absolutely pales in comparison to anything that has happened in American politics since that time (or even before, if we dive into the alleged scandals of JFK, LBJ and others). I got to see Hart up close as a student at Colorado State, where he announced his Presidential campaign in ’84 to a packed lecture hall. I would see him again on his National Field staff for his1988 run. I worked mostly in Iowa for the caucuses there with a staff that was organized by a then relatively unknown Martin O’Malley (who would later run for President in 2016).

Hart was a very decent, respectable, intelligent and thoughtful man and would have made a great President. I should note that Paul Albritton (a friend and strategist for Hart) once told me that Hart had told him (over dinner I think) that he (Hart) did not think he would have been too popular with the public. Hart was known for rolling up his sleeves at campaign stops and using the chalk board to give lectures on civics, government and the role of the citizen in a democracy. Hart believed the public would have grown tired of this, and judging by where we are in our public discourse in this country now — I think he was right.

After barely losing to Mondale in the ‘84 Democratic Primaries and then seeing Mondale get demolished by Reagan in the Presidential Election, Hart was the natural front runner in ’88. I learned, during the course of the ’88 campaign, that there was even a meeting between Hart and Soviet leader Gorbachev sometime after the ’84 Presidential Election - since even Gorbachev likely believed Hart to be the next U.S. President. Possibly resulting from this meeting, Hart authored a policy he called “constructive engagement” — which was included in a 94 page book we gave out to voters that year, called Reform, Hope and the Human Factor: Ideas for National Restructuring.

There was so much excitement about Hart becoming President that it was only natural for an “attack dog” like Atwater to find a way to bring him down. This would lead, of course, to the more desirable candidate for the Republicans, Mike Dukakis (and we all know what happened there).

It just makes me sad that he got caught up in this — and that these tactics are still used today — driving out otherwise good and qualified people!

Thanks to James Fallows of the Atlantic for writing this piece. I think it was important to set the record straight, but also important for us to see the historical roots of how we got to this place in American politics. The question now is whether we’ll learn from our mistakes and make an attempt to strive for something better.

I’ve now written the entire story in a book called:

When The Dust Settles: A Collection of Stories From Gary Hart's 1988 Presidential Campaign

A Collection of Stories From Gary Hart's 1988 Presidential Campaign

A Collection of Stories From Gary Hart's 1988 Presidential Campaign

11 Activity and Lesson Ideas for Teachers, Summer Camps and Team Building Programs

Here are 11 activity and lesson ideas you can use in the classroom, at summer camps or for team building.

Also available in larger form here.

hashtag#STEAM hashtag#SummerCamp hashtag#edu hashtag#EdTech hashtag#teachers hashtag#ArtsEducation hashtag#TeamBuilding hashtag#ProfessionalDevelopment hashtag#GBL hashtag#PBL

New Meetup Group in Sacramento For Experiencing and Discussing The Arts

If you are in the Sacramento area and are interested in music, film, theater, dance, poetry, literature,
painting and sculpture - then this is for you.

Brandon Norgaard, Founder of the Sacramento Politics and Philosophy Meetup is starting a group called
Sacramento Dilettantes and you are formally invited. The purpose of the group is to have great
discussions around cultural and artistic events in and around Sacramento.

You are invited! All you have to do is go to the Meetup site and click on join. That’s it.

If you have an idea of your own -- something involving music, art, dance, theater, etc., let us know.
And, if you are personally involved, e.g. musician or artist, tell us about your upcoming event here.

Please forward to a friend.

Thanks!

Note:  Sacramento Dilettantes is affiliated with The Sacramento Politics and Philosophy Meetup,
GliderCell and HikeStorming (unofficially known as the Sacramento Intelligentsia).

Episode 4 of GliderCell -- UNDERemployment

Are you working in a job that has little to do with your actual talents, interests and abilities? Have you ever wondered what percentage of the population is like this, i.e. not being able to match their interests with being able to make a living and wondered why that is? Did you ever stop to think about the high level of human talent, intelligence and creativity that lays dormant in the world? Does there appear to be an invisible barrier that we don’t quite understand that prevents so many from rising up to positions where their efforts can make a difference?

That’s one way to look at “underemployment” and what it really means. It was also the topic of Episode 4 of GliderCell.

The setting for our discussion was a kitchen table with four well informed, creative thinkers and people of vision. These folks have found a way to combine their need to be creative and use their mental abilities with making a living and they had a lot to say, not only about underemployment, but about all of the other contributing factors.

Guests

Going clockwise from where I was seated at the table. 

Roderick Bedingfield is a modern day Renaissance man, finding connections between his love of Tango, creative thought and construction. He has studied graphic and fine arts, biology, business, building science and carpentry. His current work involves designing and building compact housing and “grid free infrastructure and buildings.” Contact Info. LinkedIn Profile

Afzal Rashid is the current Vice Chair of the Afghan Development Association an NGO working on integrated rural development projects in Afghanistan. Formerly, he was the Country Director for the International Development Law Organization of Afghanistan. He also worked as a Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Finance in Afghanistan and, after moving to California, became Chief of Quality Assurance for the Mental Health Section with the State. He was also a main contributor to Speaking Afghan Pashto : the eastern Afghan dialect.

Brandon Norgaard is the founder of the Sacramento Politics and Philosophy Group and the author of the forthcoming book Seeking a More Enlightened Worldview. You can read more about his project at EnlightenedWorldview.com. Brandon has a day job where he develops network management software, but he spends his nights and weekends working on his true passions: community organizing, reading, writing, and philosophizing.

Robert Freeman is the Founder, President and CEO OF VoteMatrix.com An experienced Solutions Architect, Software Developer, and Systems Integrator, Mr. Freeman has worked with many consulting firms providing technical expertise to State of California government agencies and other companies utilizing the latest, largest, and most complex computer systems available. He is a futurist, technology leader, developer mentor, community contributor, and self-proclaimed Altruistic Nerd. He is also proficient in project management, process improvement, proposals, manufacturing, 3D modeling, graphics design, mechanical engineering, business analysis, philosophy, marketing, electrical engineering, and event coordination.

More interested in discussing than moderating, your host for the GliderCell Podcast, Lee Chazen.

Special thanks to our channel partner, Qualia (Use the code GLIDERCELL to get 10% off single month orders and 15% off of a subscription).

Also, thanks to show consultant Ed Mulder and producer, Ivan Juric.

Forward March By Pat Metheny: Funny, Yet Strangely Artistic

In 1984 The Pat Metheny Group figured out a way to turn what a 6th grade band sounds like into an art form. Funny & strangely artistic (no offense to 6th grade band students. I've been there before and I know your struggles).

Forward March by Pat Metheny Group https://buff.ly/2EIaksR

Underemployment, Universal Basic Income & Game B

On the next GliderCell podcast, we'll be talking about Underemployment, Universal Basic Income and a concept known as Game B.

Some of the questions to be explored include: 

1. What do we mean by underemployment?
2. Why are the best ideas and solutions not rising to the top?
3. How can people with good ideas, e.g. introverts and non-aggressive types be heard or convince others?
4. Can you be too intelligent or creative for the type of economic system we have in place?
5. Does a person have to quit all the interesting, fun and enjoyable things they once loved in order to be fully employed in our present economy? 
6. Why is this so difficult? 
7. Why do artists and other creative or visionary types seemingly have to suffer in order to pursue their passion?

https://soundcloud.com/glider…/…/hikestorming-interviews-and

The Nature of the Beast

Can corporate entities like Facebook, Google and cable news networks be trusted to inform the public with news and information? Are there some better solutions? 

The thought occurred to me earlier in the week that we are not correctly understanding the nature of our system, i.e. the coexistence of capitalism and democracy. This thought became apparent as I was posting a response on Facebook to an Ann Coulter thread — something I will get to later. But, it goes way beyond the topic of Ann Coulter or Liberal vs. Conservative and gets to the heart of the system itself. This is about capitalism and the role of a corporation. Specifically, we are hearing a lot lately about the social responsibility of companies like Facebook and Google. Many are calling on the Silicon Valley giants to do the right thing and to screen for fake news, hate speech and such. We also expect a lot from news sources like CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, as we should.

But, here’s what I think people are missing. They are corporations and the sole purpose of a corporation is one thing: to make a profit. It’s the nature of the system. Do I believe that cable news is largely responsible for distorting our perception of the political system? Yes. Do I believe that Google and Facebook and other media outlets are dangerous to democracy because of their special abilities of making bad information or highly charged statements go viral? Absolutely. Do I think some of the algorithms in place at these companies are designed to reward the popular over the factual or meaningful? Yes again.

But, they are corporations. Crazy news gets viewers and the more viewers and the more “hits” something gets, the more ad revenue it generates. By all definitions of a corporation they are succeeding. Tying this into a discussion group I was a part of yesterday on the topic of psychopathy and sociopathy, these entities (Facebook, Google, Cable News, etc.) are not human. They lack empathy. If classified by the DSM, they might just meet the definition of a sociopath. That’s just the nature of capitalism.

So, my question to you is who is at fault here and how do we correct this? Is it Facebook, Google and cable news for not acting more like humans and showing more concern? Is it the government for not breaking up monopolies, or our citizenry, acting like a bunch of addicted automatons, blindly getting our news from the wrong places? 

Bringing this back to Ann Coulter, my advice in this thread was NOT to take the bait, because if you do, it’s no different than going back for another smoke. Emotions like anger, outrage and fear are only playing into the hands of a very destructive algorithm which will only serve to promote the very things we find disgusting.

Episode Zero - GliderCell Podcast https://t.co/hAG3jVtVPT #QuantumThinking #creativity #blockchain @FutureThinkers_ @theneurohacker @krayneum @cdkeil @ProfJennyK @DavidAKeil @WompWizard @RobertLanza @avantgame @frenchhorn4lyfe #edu https://t.co/TipoWaNWV7 … … … … … … … …

Episode Zero - GliderCell Podcast https://t.co/hAG3jVtVPT #QuantumThinking #creativity #blockchain @FutureThinkers_ @theneurohacker @krayneum @cdkeil @ProfJennyK @DavidAKeil @WompWizard @RobertLanza @avantgame @frenchhorn4lyfe #edu http://pic.twitter.com/TipoWaNWV7 … … … … … … … …

— Lee Chazen (@Lee_Chazen) December 30, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Lee_Chazen