JETLAG RADIO 082 | BENKYO/BENKYOU! RADIO 007-008-009 | 10-02-18

  • Astronomers Find First Evidence of Possible Moon Outside Our Solar System [NASA]

  • Global leaders must make bold commitments at first-ever UN tuberculosis summit [MSF]

  • 663 million people in the world live without clean water [charity:water]

  • The Water Crisis [water.org]

  • Cape Town’s water crisis shows the reality for cities on the front line of climate change [EIU Perspectives]

  • The World is ‘Nowhere Near On Track’ to Hit Global Warming Goal, UN Reports Warn [Fortune]

  • See the Climatorium, Denmark’s big bet on tackling climate change [Fast Company]

  • Among many climate scientists, gloom has set in. Things are worse than we think, but they can’t really talk about it. [Esquire]

  • UN recruits Mike Bloomberg to lead green finance push [Climate Home News]

  • Reinventing liberalism for the 21st Century [The Economist]

  • The Business Case for Curiosity [HBR]

  • President Obama Sits Down with 11 Emerging Leaders from Across Europe [Obama Foundation]

  • US takes first step toward a quantum computing workforce [MIT Tech Review]

  • Intel, White House talk Quantum Computing [Intel Newsroom]

  • Logic Pro X and MainStage 3 get updated with tons of new tweaks [Cult of Mac]

  • Microsoft announces Xbox One keyboard and mouse support with Razer partnership [The Verge]

  • Apple iPhone Xs Review: A (S)mall Step Up! [MKBHD]

  • iPhone XS Max and iPhone XS: Apple Event Highlights! [Sam Sheffer]

  • 50 Years of the Department of Dance [OSU Libraries]

  • Auto #23 [FIA]

  • Auto+ Medical #14 [FIA]

  • Auto+ Women in Motorsport #15 [FIA]

  • Google Pixel 3 XL event is October 9th

JL Radio 082 has been uploaded, JL Radio 083 is unfortunately not ready. I’m at over 300 tracks/songs, still waiting on a few albums and soundtracks to come out, then I have to put them in the order I want. With Benkyo Radio 007, 008, and 009, here are 3 more partial passages/comments from the Tao Te Ching book I own.

Verse 7 - Modesty: The wise are heard through their silence, always self-full through selflessness

Verse 8 - The Highest Good: The goodness that is expressed in this verse which implies that while both goodness and badness coexist, that it is goodness that flows effortlessly like water, because it is goodness that is more at the core of nature, including human nature.

Verse 9 - Overfulfillment: Celebrate the Great Integrity as the pathway to actualization in which our self and social components will be mutually supportive and no longer in conflict with each other!

Logic has a new album! It was really good! Dude convinced the entire Wu-Tang Clan to get together on a track!!! Eminem’s album is pretty awesome too, not too excited about its title though, a bit dangerous. It also appears that Lil Wayne’s album finally came out as well. There’s a new Dillon Francis LP, and David Guetta has a new album as well. OVOSOUND Radio has some new episodes, be sure to check them out, and now The Weeknd has a new Beats 1 radio show, it’s really good so far. I really want Eric Prydz to come back with Season 3 of his Radio Show, I hope we don’t have to wait another couple of months.

Spider-Man just came out on PS4, I hear it’s pretty good. Also there’s a new Forza for Xbox One. I’m trying to keep up with all the new updates on Gran Turismo, there is a new patch with even more cars. There’s a new Assassin’s Creed, and Call of Duty Black Ops 4 is upon us.

Can I just say a big thank you to Michelle Obama’s recent speech. I had “political fatigue” the other day, and wanted to throw a bunch of papers in the air. But, she explains how important things are, how we always end up in this ruckus. We don’t pay attention to the news, then close to the elections, we kind of do, but when it comes out to get off the couch and vote, rarely we do. A lot of amazing candidates won in the primaries, but they still need your vote coming this November. Once we take back the House, we can work on some important policies, both foreign and domestic, and complete the important investigation on Elections 2016, but if we don’t win the Midterms 2018, it will be out of the door, because we will simply won’t have the votes.

The UN gathered last week. Many made their case. It is time to listen. Do not overlook all of the atrocities all over the world. We need to do better. We can do better.

I finished reading FMA in manga format. It’s amazing, and I think everybody should read it.

I think they turned Bleach into a movie on Netflix, looking forward to it!

Have fun at Amsterdam Dance Event 2018, looks like I will probably miss it, unfortunately. Looking forward all the new music that come out though.

Please vote in the Midterms 2018. Don’t take your right to vote for granted. It’s time to wake up. If you have any concerns about the gravity of the situation, I suggest you watch some of the latest documentaries on Frontline PBS.

Speaking of PBS, thank you so much for “The Great American Read” TV series. I’ve only seen the first episode of this document series, but it’s really great so far. I voted for Catch-22, but I hope Harry Potter wins.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Climate Change is real. there is a big new IPCC report coming out in a few days. Read the damn report, no more messing around. It’s time to show we mean business. We must collectively work on this, or else, the entire planet is jeopardy. Please re-read what I just said, the planet is in jeopardy due to Climate Change. Do you have questions? Ask Ségolène Royal. Ask Al Gore. Ask Michael Bloomberg. These 3 folks know what’s up. For the love of all that is holy, please listen to them. Thank you.

Back to the Midterms 2018, remember, mobilizing is good, but if you want to follow through, you gotta vote.

Until Next Time!

JETLAG RADIO 079-080-081 | BENKYO/BENKYOU! RADIO 005-006 | 08-31-18

  • The Surprising Way Malcolm Gladwell Stays Calm Under Pressure [Thrive Global]
  • California advances an ambitious climate policy that should be a model for the world [MIT TR]
  • Volkswagen Donates 2019 Arteon to Charity During Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance [VW]
  • Rewriting the rules of the book club [The Economist]
  • NASA 60th: The Leading Edge of Flight [NASA]
  • BMW M8 Gran Coupe Concept [BMW USA]
  • Grassroots leaders provide the best hope to a troubled world [The Economist]
  • Even Israeli Officials are Warning that Trump's Moves Against Palestinians May Backfire [The Intercept]
  • Update from Palestine (8-27-18) [OneVoice]
  • Update from Israel (8-27-18) [OneVoice]
  • Tokyo's Long Lines Lead to Magic (and Life-Changing Ramen) [AFAR]
  • World is finally waking up to climate change, says 'hothouse Earth' author [The Guardian]
  • How to Motivate Frontline Employees [HBR]
  • The Democrats' Near-Total Silence on the National Prison Strike Speaks Volumes [Splinter]
  • Toyota Joins Uber on its Tortuous Journey to Self-Driving Cars [WIRED]
  • 4 Strategies for Overcoming Distraction [HBR]
  • Let's help refugees thrive, not just survive [TED]
  • Why We Procrastinate When We Have Long Deadlines [HBR]
  • Google Assistant can now understand two languages at once [The Verge]
  • Puerto Rico is asking for statehood. Congress should listen. [Vox]
  • Jaguar Partners With Pop Star Dua Lipa [Motor1]
  • Why is there a double-standard in Washington D.C. over Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? [Vox]
  • The conventional wisdom is that morning people are high achievers, go-getters, while late risers are lazy. But what if going to bed in the wee hours is actually an advantage? [NY Times
  • Apple's next iPhone event will be on September 12th [The Verge]
  • We've created a library of open educational resources so that anyone can start learning, building, and problem-solving with AI [Google AI]
  • Quantum Computing Innovator [Intel Newsroom]
  • Ariana Grande Sings Emotional 'Natural Woman' at Aretha Franklin's Funeral [Billboard]
  • 10 Hidden Techno Gems Released Between 1998-2008 [DJ Mag]
  • Paul Oakenfold will be the First DJ ever to Play at Stonehenge [Mixmag]
  • How to Succeed with a Startup [Y Combinator]
  • This Week at State: August 31, 2018 [@StateDept]
  • Climate Change and wildfires [Climate Reality]
  • Chapman Promoted, Celebrated at Memorial Ceremony [Air Force Mag]
  • The Great American Read [PBS]
  • Helicopter Delivers Air Show Tickets to Rancho Cordova Students [Fox40]
  • How to Start [@GaryVee]
  • Customers will be able to sign up for Beatport's new integrated subscription and locker service as soon as it's available [@Beatport]
  • Prince William's New Mental Health Campaign Will Spread Awareness In the Workplace In The Most Important Way [Bustle]
  • NBA 2K19 [2K Sports]
  • GT Sport | August Update 1.25 | PS4 [Playstation]
  • The Story of Viper's Return to the Green Hell [YouTube]
  • Every struggle is an opportunity - Entretien publié par Porter Magazine [Porter Mag]
  • Many Afghans are ready for an end to conflict. Is the region? [The Economist]

JETLAG RADIO 079, 080, and 081 have been uploaded. In addition, I have also included BENKYO RADIO 005 & 006. Here are some commentaries from Verse 5 & 6 from Tao Te Ching.

Yin and yang, like heaven and earth, is a metaphor for all that exists.
— The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Page 172
The spirit of life is infinite, mysterious, inexhaustible and both passive (yin) and active (yang).
— The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Page 173

Currently still reading that huge 1000-page book on Martin Luther King Jr. (Part I of III). I also finished a book on Quantum Gravity by Carlo Rovelli, I hope to see more books on the subject. Almost done reading Fullmetal Alchemist in manga format, only have 2 more volumes to go.

I really enjoyed Daredevil and looking forward to Season 3. I am still watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.S and right now I just started watching Season 1 of Jack Ryan.

Listening to the new Afrojack album (I love it) and Justice's new re-release deluxe album. I just realized that Disclosure released a bunch of new singles, and that a new album is on the way. We still a long way until Swedish House Mafia's new album, but I'm glad the band is back together and can't wait for them to release an LP, hopefully before 2019. Here are my Top 5 votes for DJ Mag Top 100: 1. Jean-Michel Jarre, 2. Daft Punk, 3. Paul van Dyk, 4. Afrojack, and 5. Alison Wonderland. They are all extremely talented and you should all check out their discography. In any case, there are a lot of DJs who are amazing, and are never getting enough recognition. Really looking forward to Beatport's streaming service next year to share with you even more artists. Don't forget to check out their radio shows, DJs like Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, and Tiesto are world-class. Listening to their radio shows always motivate me to work hard, during my good days, and my bad days. I really really want to meet everybody at ADE in Amsterdam one of these days. I hope to make the trip someday.

If you are unfamiliar with the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, I suggest you read Charlie Wilson's War or watch the movie. It is a country ravaged by war for a very long time. I really hope the different parties reach towards peace, but we must be in agreement that the future must include access to education for all (especially women and children), more jobs, and crack down on the rampant corruption which is at the root of the problems during the beginning of the 17-year war. Let us be clear, ISIS simply exploits religion. It has nothing to do with Islam. Everyone who has read scripture (whether it's Bible, Torah, Koran, etc, take your pick) understands that you cannot harm innocents. They are simply trying to further their agenda. Here is what you must realize, there are forces who believe in a future for Afghanistan, and it must take place. I implore folks who are scared of Muslims to watch a show like Little Mosque on the Prairie to realize we are not all so different after all. Stop fighting, and think of the children. And quite frankly, with Climate Change bringing the Earth to extremely dangerous scenarios by even before 2030s, we have a lot of freaking work to do, get together, and save our planet. I am not joking. The Earth is in grave danger, and we need to act fast. Al Gore has warned everyone for more than 40 years. Please listen to this guy. Nicholas Hulot was so upset that he quit his post. This is not good. We must tackle Big Oil. Let's get this done, for our sake, and for the next generation. I really don't want to wait until 2020 for a new administration to tackle this issue. We cannot wait. We must deal with carbon emissions.

I am still writing my rough draft article that I hope to release prior to the Midterms 2018 elections. We must all do our part to raise awareness. Let's take back the House. Please get involved in whatever way you can. Please refer to Senator Sanders' Our Revolution.

To every student going back to school this September, good luck! Study hard! You can do it.

Until Next Time!

JETLAG RADIO 076-077-078 | BENKYO/BENKYOU! RADIO 003-004 | 08-02-18

  • NASA's TESS Spacecraft Starts Science Operations [NASA]
  • Watch Drake Take the "In My Feelings" challenge to New Orleans In New Video [NPR]
  • 12 Safety Tips for Your Next Road Trip [Parents]
  • Walkenhorst-BMW secures memorable win at 70th edition Total 24 Hours of Spa [24Hrs of Spa]
  • Volkswagen I.D. R Sets Goodwood EV Record [autoblog]
  • How Apple Overcame Fits and Flops to Grow Into a Trillion-Dollar Company [Bloomberg]
  • Gran Turismo Sport July Update: New Cars, League Events, More [playstation]
  • Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change [New York Times Magazine]
  • The world is losing the war on Climate Change [The Economist]
  • Climate Change and the Giant Iceberg off Greenland's shore [New Yorker]
  • How LeBron James' new public school really is the first of its kind [SB Nation]
  • MSF opens a surgical field hospital in Mocha to treat war-wounded patients [MSF]
  • How Ahed Tamimi Became the Symbol of Palestinian Resistance to Israeli Oppression [The Intercept]
  • When Technology Gets Ahead of Society [HBR]
  • Texas Smashes 1925 Heat Record as Power Prices Surge on Demand [Bloomberg]
  • Apple Watch, FitBit could feel cost of U.S. tariffs [Reuters]
  • Machine Learning in Google BigQuery [Google AI]
  • When medication is essential to mental health [Outline]
  • Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter partner for ambitious new data project [Verge]
  • Researchers use Google Glass to help kids with autism [engadget]
  • Saudi Arabia planned to invade Qatar last summer. Rex Tillerson's efforts to stop it may have cost him his job. [The Intercept]
  • Road Safety Takes Center Stage at the FIA Region I Summer Cocktail [FIA]
  • Tesla briefly offered $1,500 surfboard [Verge]
  • A Century of Air Force Magazine [AirForceMag]
  • Joe and Jill Biden Are Committed to Supporting Veterans' Mental and Physical Health [NowThis]
  • Hillary Clinton teams up with Steven Spielberg to bring female voting rights story to television [CNBC]
  • Barack Obama just issued his first 2018 endorsements [Vox]
  • Our Revolution endorsed candidates [Our Revolution]
  • Matt Damon: A million people die 'completely needlessly' from a lack of clean water [CNBC]
  • The 2019 Nissan Leaf Nismo is Happening [Jalopnik]

If you support my work, don't forget to support me on Patreon. Even $1 helps.

JETLAG RADIO 076-077-078 have been uploaded. With BENKYO/BENKYOU 003-004 episode, here comes a commentary quote from Verse 3 and Verse 4 from The Tao Te Ching from my copy which I got at B&N.

When our physical, emotional and spiritual needs are unfufilled, we develop desperate cravings because we are starved
— The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Page 170
As the creator of all mythologies and realities, the Great Integrity (Tao) is the paradox that transcends all states of being.
— The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Page 171

I just finished "Genius" season 1 on Einstein. Wow, what a fascinating story. It makes me want to read Walter Isaacson's biography even more. I look forward to season 2 with Picasso.

FMP4! was great, but I hope we don't have to wait a few more years until the next season. I want to thank the creators, because fans have been waiting for the new series for many years now.

I really like what Marvel is doing with Netflix, I understand they're inundating us with "too many shows," but here is the good part: they are addressing very important topics on multiple fronts. There is a story for all of us. Each superhero has his or her own background that helps you on whatever topic is dear to your heart.

Given that it is Ibiza season, all of our favorite DJs are unleashing a bunch of new music. Look for it on your favorite streaming portals. I am especially waiting for ASOT IBIZA 2018.

France won the World Cup! It was amazing. It brought back memories of '98, when we first won in, I was just a teenager in High School, and so excited. It is crazy how much time flies. Nobody wants to say it, but it's definitely a nice revenge from 2006 WC in Germany. I can't believe I'm missing celebrating a WC win in France for the 2nd time in a row.

LeBron James moved to Los Angeles! Argh. I can't root for the Lakers, that's my brother's team. I mean LeBron is still my favorite player, but, how to best explain this...it would be if my favorite player went from Manchester United to Arsenal. I will still root for Cleveland because I spent a decade in Ohio, plus Kevin Love is still there. I guess it's Sacramento Kings all the way. Let's make great things happen before we hopefully get the All-Star NBA Game here in Sac. Speaking of Football/Soccer, let's do everything we can to turn Sacramento Republic FC into MLS in the future.

I just finished reading every Malcolm Gladwell books. I noticed that a few months ago that cutting down on a cup of coffee or a night of a few beers with my buddies, I saved $80 and signed up for a year of Masterclass. There is an abundance of classes that they are teaching. Whether you are interested in getting back into writing (like I am, because let's face it, if you haven't written term papers in a few years, your fancy skills are gone), music (there are classes from Armin van Buuren & deadmau5, and even one from Hans Zimmer, I mean, who wouldn't want to learn how to do a superb movie score). The only class that is going to upset me will be the Basketball one, it's taught by Stephen Curry. Consider the outrage over a Cincinnati Bengals fan seeing Pittsburgh Steelers on the cover of Madden 19.

Playing around with Logic Pro X but it will take a lot of practice to make a track.

I saw a few great French movies recently including:

  • Blind Date
  • The Climb
  • I am not an Easy Man

I believe I need to release one more BENKYO/BENKYOU before the next JETLAG RADIO. The next JL will be tough because there are so many summer bangers from Ibiza/Tomorrowland season.

To raise awareness for Midterms 2018 season, I am currently reading Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton. I've already read Senator Sanders and Senator Warren's books. If you're curious about what I'm going to read in September/October, I can tell you right now it's Keith Olbermann and Madeleine Albright. Do you know how Obama won in 2008? It's because Students went door to door, making phone calls, talking to people, raising awareness about voting. I was part of that bunch of crowd in College. The evening when they announced Obama won the presidency was one of my most memorable life experiences. Flashback to 4 years prior, I will never forget this, in 2004, a woman came knocking on my door of my off-campus college apartment, in the rain (I'm not making this up), and ask if we voted. I was not yet a citizen at the time, so unfortunately I told her I can't vote. If you remember, that is the election that John Kerry lost, because of a couple of hundreds of votes. Do you see how important voting is? Yes, the system is flawed, yes, the gerrymandering is ridiculous (FiveThirtyEight has so much coverage on this), but regardless, we have to vote. You need to vote overwhelmingly to beat the competition.

I started the Taylor Branch trilogy on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is because we have to read about history. Let's be frank, we didn't have 8 years of change just to let it be dismantled in 2 years. Hence, I don't know how else to say it but "get your reading on," and make sure you vote during the Midterms 2018. It's also summer reading time, so don't forget to get the youngsters to read books as well. Heck, I am even reading the Harry Potter series. I was a bookseller during the Midnight releases of the books back in College, and I remember how much joy people would have in their eyes whenever I would hand them a copy of a new Harry Potter book. The magic of reading!

For those who haven't read the Panama Papers yet, please read it alongside as I am. There is some really f-up content in there. These corrupted individuals have money hidden not just in places like Swiss bank accounts, but all over the world. Meanwhile the rest of world live like peasants while they run around with millions of dollars. The investigation (of the Panama Papers) is over, but Good Lord, read the book, the story is an important lesson in history which we have to learn from.

I just read that the Supreme Court decided the kids can sue Trump over Climate Change. Gotta keep that pressure until the United States is fully committed to the Paris Agreement. Have you seen these forest fires in California? Climate Change is real, damnit. Firefighters are getting no rest, they are upset, and need our help.

The new Mission Impossible movie was superb! Make sure you watch it.

Drake, I heard the new album, it was really great.

I went to see Manchester United at Levi Stadium, it was a dream come true!

Until Next Time!

 

 

 

JETLAG RADIO 074-075 | BENKYO/BENKYOU! RADIO 001-002 | 06-19-18

  • Oak Meditation 2.0 [@ProductHunt]
  • Sacramento Republic FC Adds Investor For Future MLS Bid [CBS Sacramento]
  • Casey Stoney set to manage Manchester United women's team [BBC Sport]
  • 24 Hours of Le Mans Results: Toyota, with Help from Fernando Alonso, Breaks the Jinx [AutoWeek]
  • Central Mediterranean: European governments must put people's lives before politics [MSF]
  • Ex-Nasa Scientist: 30 years on, world is failing 'miserably' to address climate change [The Guardian]
  • La fonte des glaces de l'Antarctique s'est accélérée [Le Monde]
  • America's new supercomputer beats China's fastest machine to take title of world's most powerful [MIT Tech Review]
  • SpaceX to receive $15m from Florida to build Falcon refurbishment facility [Teslarati]
  • What makes a country good at football? [The Economist]
  • How GPS tracking is changing football [1843 Economist Mag]
  • Why is Crying at Work Such a Big Deal? [HBR]
  • How We Watch Soccer Now [New Yorker]
  • Elon Musk Accuses Tesla Employee of Sabotage [NY Times]
  • Google launches a podcast app for Android with personalized recommendations [The Verge]
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook says family seperations at US border are 'inhumane' and 'need to stop' [The Verge]
  • Microsoft starts testing new diverse Xbox Live avatars [The Verge]
  • Sony introduces Playstation Hits line on PS4 with $20 games [Polygon]
  • Safety is why Intel bought Mobileye [Intel]
  • Google's next A.I. research center will be the first on the African continent [CNBC]
  • Swiss authorities propose major money-laundering law reforms [ICIJ]
  • Argentina Won't Play Israel In Soccer Because Slaughtering Palestinians Has Consequences [The Intercept]
  • AFSC Commander Urges Congress to Expand Hiring Authorities to Strengthen Civilian Workforce [Air Force Mag]
  • Can Nanotechnology help treat Alzheimer's [MedicalXPress]
  • Nissan GT Sport Cup [Gran Turismo / NISMO]
  • In Search of Sunrise 14: After a 3 Year Hiatus, Trance's Most Celebrated Compilation Returns with an Incredible Track List [EDM Sauce]

As mentioned in the previous blogpost, I wanted to go back to zero for BENKYO/BENKYOU! RADIO because I wanted to mention passages from my favorite book, The Tao Te Ching. The first two verses are "Transcending" & "Relativity". The explanation in the copy that I own for Verse 1 & 2 say the following:

We are not only reminded here that there is a dichotomy between the unnamed (our intuition) and the named (our reasoning), but also that these two seemingly opposite mind-worlds can be integral.
— The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Page 166
Lao Tzu’s theory of relativity suggests new paradigms of consciousness. He implies that when there will be no gluttony, there will be no starvation, when there will be no rich, there will be no poor. That is self-evident. However, what does it mean to say that when there will be no ugly, there will be no beauty, and that when there will be no evil, there will be no good?
— The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Page 168

JETLAG RADIO 074 & 075, BENKYO/BENKYOU! 001 & 002 are now uploaded. I'm currently working on JL 076 which will take some time.

As the political circus continues, I mean, what do you want me to say. I emphasized the importance of voting, and during the Primaries, while plenty of folks were marching in the streets, hardly enough people came to vote. Just remember for the Midterms 2018, if you want to take down those..."Homonculus," please vote. Thanks in advance.

There's an avalanche of new music, and as always, very hard to keep up. Currently listening to new Jay-Z / Beyonce, Kanye West, NAS, I am curious why Ferry Corsten's Flashover Recordings label seem to be a bit behind lately, I know he has a ton of new music. I am also listening to this great new compilation entitled "Mind State Vol. 1" which raises awareness on Mental Health and its stigma. Thanks to the guy from Pendulum for organizing such a cool project.

World Cup is going on! Allez Les Bleus!

I really want to thank French Rap group IAM for coming to San Francisco, which coincidentally came around my birthday. I had never been that excited for something in a long time. It was amazing. I didn't get a chance to get a photo or an autograph, but Holy Crap, I have been listening to them since I was an early teenager back in France. I mean, we're talking about 20 years. To see them perform live, I mean wow. It'd be like if you've been listening to Wu-Tang for that amount of years and finally got to see them in concert. That's really the best way for me to explain it to you. Speaking of which, I am reading RZA's book, it's pretty good so far.

The NBA Draft is coming up. Let's hope for some good news for the Cavs and the Kings. I know LeBron is mad as hell, but I hope he keeps his cool, because as you know, anger leads to fear, which leads to hate, which leads to the Dark Side, or something like that. So keep your cool, man. Use your energy for positivity. I also was very angry at 33. Just keep it cool man, you're still the best goddamn player in the whole league, look at your stats. Reflect from the experience, and you will bounce back.

Hurricane Season is on, so, if you're in the Administration, take it seriously. Al Gore has been banging on his drums for 40 plus years, get with the program. Thanks.

One more thing, E3 2018 took place, so check out all the keynotes and trailers, there's a lot of cool new stuff.

Until Next Time!

 

 

 

05-12-18

After listening to Nicky Romero's Protocol Radio 300, I found the motivation to resume JETLAG RADIO. I won't do it for the same reason(s) as before, I'm doing it for myself, not to impress anyone, and to please whoever likes listening to it, assuming there's anyone listening. I have a thousand followers on Twitter, but hardly anyone has tweeted me with feedback. I think I'll try to have DMs open and see. Also, if you do enjoy these music playlists, please support me on Patreon. Even just $1 help.

Please realize that my number one priority is my career, working in Technology, and my Health. It does not mean I do not love the blog any less, these are just my priorities. I love music, but I love being in Tech too. It's work/life balance. The blog and the playlists are what I do for fun, as a way to express myself emotionally, and can be considered as art therapy. If I can allocate enough free time to release 1 or 2 playlists per month, I am content.

I remember when all my favorite DJs started having their podcasts, I used to dream, man, wouldn't it be cool if I had one? I could do it, and try to tell a story. 5 episodes turned into 10. 15. 20. 25. Eventually I hit 50 episodes. I can't stop at 73, that's such a weird number. It is the number of years since the end of WW2. I am close to 75, I'm not going to deny, I want to hit a 100 milestone.

But I also want to kickstart BENKYO/BENKYOU? RADIO. This is because I want a playlist with more instrumentals and less loud banging music, perfect for heavy concentration study mode. To give an example, as much as I love complextro from Heatbeat, I can't really do a deep dive complicated analysis of something or do some project management exercises while listening to that. I need a more mellow sound, like something from Armada Chill or Spinnin Records Chill. Also, the name BENKYO/BENKYOU because it means study study study! You should always be in learning mode.

Also, as taken inspiration from someone, I want to start quoting passages from my favorite book, the Tao Te Ching. And for that, I need to go back to a number 001 for its first passage. The reason why it's my favorite reading is because of the quote "The journey to a thousand miles begins with a single step."

My birthday is in less than 10 days. I'm not going to party hard in Vegas (not that I wouldn't want to, but unfortunately not this year). I did that for my 30th, I got to see Afrojack (please visit Sacramento), and it was amazing. While I'd love something fancy like new Pioneer or AIAIAI headphones, or even Ableton. I just want a greeting card signed from everybody I care about, and maybe a book or some coffee? I am also raising awareness for charity: water, my favorite NGO other than MSF. I'd like to raise $350 to give clean water to 11 people in Africa. Here's a link.

My voter registration info came in the mail. Cannot wait for the primaries in June. Get ready for these midterms in November, y'all, because it is on like Donkey Kong.

Dada Life is coming to Sacramento later this month. I'm so hyped!

Sorry to Drake for the Raptors losing, don't forget you're still one of the best rappers out there, and we're all waiting for your new album. I need to catch up on OVOSOUND RADIO because there are some amazing songs on there I had never heard before. I really like "Guatemala" by Swae Lee. I've been listening to it on repeat. My iPhone cover is still OVOSOUND owl, you already know.

 

Lastly, I really want to thank Armin van Buuren for the song Therapy. As part of the millions of people worldwide who deal with Mental Health, it's great to have a song that resonate with us. Therapy is not a joke, it's not banter. It's going deep into extremely intimate and deep personal thoughts. It takes years to build rapport, to be able to discuss these emotions.

Therapy and medications are why I have been stable for 7 years now.

The fact that a DJ that I admire made a song about it, it means the world to me.

Thank you, Armin.

Until Next Time!

JETLAG RADIO 072 | 073 | 04-30-18 | BENKYO/BENKYOU RADIO?

JETLAG RADIO's story has run its course. There may be a few more episodes. We shall see. I may resume the series someday. Right now, it just brings back too many memories, and it's time to move on.

 

BENKYO/BENKYOU RADIO's story has recently started. When is the first episode? End of Spring / Early Summer.

Steven Angello's new album HUMAN is out. It's so so so so so so so so SO SO SO good. To think the Swedish House Mafia is getting back together, can't wait to see what they come up with.

Extremely saddened by Avicii's news. I just hate that there's never enough discussion until after these amazing people are gone, and then everybody wants to talk about it. That's why you gotta talk about Mental Health head-on, and grab it by its horns. Everybody empathize with people who have cancer or a broken leg, but if you have mental health, they look at you like you're from a different planet.

Ilan Bluestone's Scars album is out. Great music.

Above & Beyond has a new acoustic album and a documentary.

Armin's ASOT 2018 is out as well.

NBA Playoffs are on. The Raptors versus The Cavaliers. This is going to be crazy. Cavs must get to the NBA Finals. Warriors can't always get the glory.

Sac Republic FC still undefeated! Let's keep this up for as long as we can.

FA Cup Final: Chelsea versus Manchester United. Go UNITED!

Drake announced a new album, it's out this summer. Finally. Although with a name like Scorpion, I hope he doesn't drown the turtle.

Batman Ninja was awesome! (trailer).

Full Metal Panic 4 is out btw (trailer).

I presume everybody already saw The new Avengers movie? I have to play catch up first. Just need to watch a few more Marvel movies.

I want to thank all my favorite DJs for always coming up with new music, it has become near impossible to keep up with all your new releases and podcasts, but I try.

A big thank you to Sander van Doorn for coming to Sacramento recently. I really appreciated it, I remember many years ago emailing Radio 538's Dance Department's telling Dennis Ruyer how Sander was my favorite new DJ at the time. He played so much unreleased material, I wonder if he's working on a new album. It wasn't from Purple Haze's SPECTRVM.

I just read "The Economics of Inequality" by Thomas Piketty. Great read. Very excited that Senator Sanders is doing his best to fight against #IncomeInequality

To all my favorite musicians/DJs/vocalists, please write more songs on Climate Change. We need it. New Hurricane season is almost here, and I need to raise alarms. Thanks in advance.

Until Next Time!

JETLAG RADIO 069 | 070 | 071 | 03-18-18

Hi there. I've recently uploaded playlists 069, 070, and 071.

  • Fast, Furious, and Finally Here; The Road to the Reborn Supra [Bloomberg]

  • How to Manipulate Facebook and Twitter instead of letting them manipulate you [MIT Tech Review]

  • MSF: The Year in Pictures 2017 [MSF]

  • Stephen Hawking: Intel Remembers The Famed Physicist [Intel]

  • Syria war: Seven years, seven pictures [Al Jazeera]

  • Sebring Race Results 2018 [Sebring]

  • They Saw Earth From Space. Here's How It Changed Them. [Nat Geo]

  • 17-Year Old Colton Herta Joins BMW Team RLL as Test and Reserve Driver [BMW Blog]

  • Renforcer la securité intérieure et la lutte contre le terrorisme [FRA GOUV]

  • The Inclusive Internet Index: Measuring Success 2018 [The EIU]

  • 2018 Dodge Charger [Car & Driver]

  • Nissan launches third iteration GT-R Nismo GT3 (R35) [AutoSport]

  • 9 Google Home Tips for Music Lovers [CNET]

  • Last Men in Aleppo [Netflix]

  • Flint Town [Netflix]

  • Fullmetal Alchemist [Netflix]

  • New Ford Mustang GT California Special Joins the Carmaker's 2019 Lineup [Tech Times]

  • Global Threat Assessment 2018 Full Report [WeProtect]

  • Ian Callum Reveals The Story Of Jaguar's Electric Dream [Forbes]

  • The New 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT, An American-born Sport Sedan [VW]

  • T-X to replace T-38 at pilot training bases [U.S. Air Force]

First things first, after being inspired by Kevin Love's post, and Prince Harry's long work to fight Mental Health stigma, although this is extremely personal for me, I've decided to speak a little bit on the matter. I have recently read the book "Mental" by Jaime Lowe (link), and it was a very insightful moment for me reading the moral of its story, which was that she was very lucky. Others, are not as much. They are from broken homes, broken families, history of abuse, drug addiction, etc. Meanwhile, she had family support, and various doctors until she became stable. I have to remember, while things were tough for me, others have it much harder. I have dealt with Bipolar disorder for about a decade, and stable for now over 7 years. For those of you who are having a hard time, just remember, take it one day at a time, see your doctor(s) regularly, and if you've been prescribed medications, make sure you take them. Surround yourself with friends and family support. You will go through struggles, but just stay positive. 

I also just read an important book on Delta Force by Eric L. Haney, and it was a great read. These guys don't make 6 figures, they don't brag about material things, they just do it for the guy next to them. This will be different when I read about Blackwater, with the insurmountable amount of fiasco in the news. I am glad that Jeremy Scahill wrote on the topic. I'm also thankful for Jon Stewart highlighting the fact that some idiotic politicians are not taking care of 9/11 first-responders.

The best thing on Television right now is The Looming Tower. It's really the best piece of work since Syriana & The International. I am glad that Hulu took the risk to tell such an important story.

As I just started to watch March Madness, my beloved Buckeyes lost against Gonzaga, which sucks, but let's remember the amazing season they had.

I am 75% done with Wipeout Omega. Can't wait to beat the crap out of the Corruption level in Wipeout Fury. Still going through the motion in Wipeout Pure, and Wipeout 2048 is still hard as hell.

I know the news cycle is frustrating, but just remember, there are positive sides. CA Secretary of State Alex Padilla has helped pre-register over 9,000 (sorry, Dragon Ball Z reference), I mean over 90,000 teenagers. This storm is going throughout the nation. Take it easy, and just don't forget to vote in Midterms 2018, and the 2020 elections. Take no risk, show up at the polls.

I'm having fun going through both Deadmau5 & Armin van Buuren's Masterclasses. I still have a long time before I learn how to use Logic Pro X, but I can't wait to play around with it, it's gonna be a fun hobby. By the way, Ultra Music Festival is next week, so if you're going, have fun, but please be safe, stay hydrated, and don't take pills from strangers, it's simply not worth it. Think of your parents.

Right now I'm listening to the new Logic mixtape and the new The Neighbourhood album. Obviously with UMF coming up, there's going to be so much new music, so be sure to check it out.

One of the next books I am going to read was a recommendation from a local bookseller, and it ought to be interesting. While there are countless books on men in World War 1 & 2, this one focuses on women, entitled "The Radium Girls" by Kate Moore. Still reading the Fullmetal Alchemist manga which I'm starting to think will be over 25,000 pages when I am done.

I just ordered some publication from Le Monde Diplomatique, and can't wait to read it.

RIP Stephen Hawking. Looking forward to the day people solve Quantum Gravity & Multiverse theories.

Until Next Time!

 

JETLAG RADIO 066 | 067 | 068 | 01-14-18

Hello there, I have uploaded 066, 067, and 068 just now.

The first track I wanted to mention from 068 is "All the Stars" from the upcoming Black Panther soundtrack. I love Marvel, and it's nice to see some diversity for once. Kendrick Lamar is clearly in the top #3 in the hip-hop game. I mean this guy is coming for all of y'all.

The second track I wanted to mention was "Stellar" by Johan Vilborg. I have no idea who this guy is, but he was the first track on Above & Beyond's Group Therapy Episode 264. Good God, that is an amazing track. Definitely a top 10 track of the past 3 years.

  • 2018 Wishlist [@MSF_Access]
  • The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullit is Real and it Looks Perfect [jalopnik]
  • Toyota Supra to bow in Geneva in four trims under Gazoo Racing brand [Autoblog]
  • The Acura NSX on the Angeles Crest Highway: Fulfilling a Dream Put Off Too Long [The Drive]
  • Daytona rehearsal for the new BMW M8 GTE [BMW Blog]
  • Porsche Is Reportedly Working on an Electric-Only Supercar Platform [The Drive]
  • You Don't Have Like The Audi A8 To Enjoy These Stunning Images [Motor1]
  • Mercedes-Benz on the global training of AI for cars [engadget]
  • Subaru VIZIV Performance STI Concept revealed in full at Tokyo Auto Salon [evo]
  • New Jetta snags some sweet Audi DNA [CNET]
  • What is this Carbon-Brake-Equipped Camero Prototype? [Road and Track]
  • 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report [@StateDept]
  • On going - Review of the second draft of #SR15. Remember experts need to register here to take part [@IPCC_CH] #ClimateChange
  • Artificial Intelligence dominated the Consumer Electronics Show [The Economist]
  • President Drake predicts bright future for Wexner Medical Center already at top of its game [@OSU]
  • A Tax Plan that Hurts Education Will Hurt U.S. Competitiveness [HBR]
  • How - and why - to end the war in Yemen [The Economist]
  • The Best Phone You Can Buy Right Now (2017) [The Verge]
  • The Real Reason American health care is so expensive (hint: single-payer won't automatically save it) [Vox]
  • $1.5 Billion-Plus Hit on USAF from Yearlong CR, Contract Delays Baked In [@AirForceMag]

I hope everybody had a nice and safe Christmas and New Years. I have recently gone to two Sacramento Kings game, and it was a lot of fun. Lately, I am reading Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks. It's a fascinating topic for me, and it's quite the read. Given that it is MLK Weekend, it is a great opportunity for reflection and not forgetting history. Despite what you might hear in the news, with certain folks using certain adjectives...I, along with millions of Americans came as Immigrants. We are a nation of Immigrants. Don't let anyone fool you, you are just as American as the person next to you. You might come from different backgrounds, different cultures, different religion or lack thereof, but in the end we are all Americans. You might feel alone sometimes, but the best way to combat this is to vote. Vote for your congressman/congresswoman. Vote for your Senator. Vote for your Governor. And thus, don't sit on the couch on Election Day. Vote in 2018/2020. I am looking forward to reading Barack Obama's two books for the first time, along with finishing John Lewis' March trilogy. In addition, for leisure, I heard that the Black Eyed Peas had some kind of fascinating new comic book that has a VR/AR component. It's called "Masters of the Sun," and I look forward to picking it up at the local bookstore. As far as movies go, I want to watch the new Tom Cruise and the new Jackie Chan. On TV, I am super excited that The X-Files are back. I am glad that Netflix chose to put Fullmetal Alchemist & Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on its platform. It is a wonderful story that everybody should witness. I am actually reading the manga for the first time. I am also trying to catch up on Dragon Ball Super, because that Z Fighter game is coming out. I am trying to allocate time to play Deus Ex: Mankind Divided as well. As far as music goes, I'm listening to a little bit of everything as always, but looking forward to Justin Timberlake's Man of the Woods album coming out. Same goes for Above & Beyond's Common Ground. Lastly, I see that Armin van Buuren is going to have a Masterclass, I think I might take a peek!

Until Next Time!

JETLAG RADIO 065 | 11-06-17

Hello. I've just included playlist 065.

One of the tracks I wanted to highlight was Sander van Doorn's latest project under his alias "Purple Haze" entitled "Neiloj" which is from his new album "Spectrvm." I highly recommend listening to the whole LP, it's really good.

 

The other song I wanted to mention was from Noel Gallagher. It's called "Holy Mountain," and his new album is coming out in a few months. As I've mentioned before, I am a huge Oasis fan, so I can't wait for this. Liam has already released his new album, so now we wait for Noel.

 

  • The Most Amazing Futuristic Cars at the Tokyo Motor Show [Bloomberg]
  • Budget 2018: French youth sacrificed [Thomas Piketty]
  • Transforming Health Care [HBR]
  • Do social media threaten democracy? [The Economist]
  • Why Every Organization Needs an Augmented Reality Strategy [HBR]
  • Why Hospitals Need Better Data Science [HBR]
  • Doubling Down on Gene Therapy for Heart Failure [MIT Tech Review]
  • The right way to help declining places [The Economist]
  • How Should Governments Address Inequality? [Foreign Affairs]
  • By the end of 2016, 65.6 million people were displaced by persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations [@refugees]
  • The Right Way to Honor the Troops [Foreign Policy]
  • The Vietnam War [PBS]
  • U.S. Report Says Humans Cause Climate Change, Contradicting Top Administration Officials [NY Times]
  • Open Enrollment has begun and continues through Jan. 31, 2018 [Covered CA]
  • LeBron James/Intel commercial tries to bring autonomous awareness [BMW Blog]
  • Tesla Turns Power Back On At Children's Hospital In Puerto Rico [NPR]
  • Alphabet's Project Loon deploys LTE balloons in Puerto Rico [The Verge]

One of the next books I plan to tackle is Satya Nadella's "Hit Refresh." There are a lot of great books out there and it's really hard deciding what to read first. I want to read the new Da Vinci biography by Walter Isaacson. I want to read that new book by this cool old ESPN sportscaster. I want to start the entire Tom Clancy series (many years ago I had read 3/4th of Rainbow Six but never finished it).

Lately, I'm listening to all the great coverage from Amsterdam Dance Event 2017. There's a ton of new music from all the DJs. Armin van Buuren even had a 14 hour special episode of "A State of Trance" for episode 836. I'm almost done listening to the whole thing and it was amazing.

I've been putting off watching the latest Resident Evil movie because I wanted to re-watch the first 5, so I hope to do that soon. Milla Jovovich is my favorite actress, and I hope she takes down the evil Umbrella corporation in #6 once and for all.

New Google Pixel 2 & Apple iPhone X are out, so go check out all the coverage from MKBHD & Sam Sheffer. I'd link the videos, but I need to watch them first, they're about 20 minutes each.

Lastly. Just a friendly reminder that the holidays are almost upon us. Please drive safe. If you're a teenager, for the love of God, stop texting and driving, you're driving your parents completely bonkers. Thanks in advance.

Until Next Time!

JETLAG RADIO 062 | 063 | 064 | 10-01-17

Hi. Here are playlists 062, 063, and just added 064, well, at least on Spotify. There's a bug in iOS 11 and I can't seem to share the playlist among my MacBook/iPhone/iPad. I hope they fix it, because if not, my next phone won't be iPhone X, it will be the next Google Pixel phone (Update: iOS bug is now fixed, playlist 064 is also available on @AppleMusic now! =)

The first track from 064 is the latest single from DJ Snake. I'm super proud of this frenchman for realizing his dream, and playing his new track from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

There is another track I would like to point out. It's a classic by the Chemical Brothers, it is entitled "Loops of Fury," it was featured on the soundtrack from the videogame Wipeout XL, also known as Wipeout 2097 in Europe.

 

  • RLL Team likely to keep BMW GTLM program through 2020 [BMW Blog]
  • From Sci-Fi To Reality, Audi's Futuristic Electric Cars Are Coming Sooner Than You Might Think [Forbes]
  • The science of forecasting is getting better, probably [The Economist on @Medium]
  • Hello Ruby is the world's most whimsical way to learn about computers, technology, and programming [HelloRuby.com]
  • Crash Bandicoot: An oral history [polygon]
  • WipeOut Omega Collection [Playstation]
  • Why Google's AI Can Write Beautiful Songs but Still Can't Tell a Joke [MIT Tech Review]
  • Artificial Intelligence for Everyone: A Next-Generation Experience [MIT Tech Review]
  • When the Planet Looks Like a Climate-Change Ad [The Atlantic]
  • Severe Weather Threatens Businesses. It's Time to Measure and Disclose the Risks [HBR]
  • Tomorrow Came Yesterday: A shared vision for the future of healthcare [The EIU]
  • Learning to Walk [UPS Longitudes]
  • China Fossil Fuel Deadline Shifts Focus to Electric Car Race [Bloomberg Technology]
  • Game Engine Learning from Video [Georgia Tech]
  • Australian Scientists Are Using Artificial Intelligence To Prevent Blindness In People With Diabetes [Gizmodo AUS]
  • Researchers Use Nanotechnology to Treat Cancer [NBC5 Dallas]
  • Senate Panel Rejects Trump Plan for Cutting Foreign Assistance [Foreign Policy]
  • Selection of Music from "Absolutely on Music" by Haruki Murakami and Seiji Ozawa [Haruki Murakami official site]
  • GE Working on Robot That It Says Can Save $200 Billion of Power [Bloomberg Technology]
  • The 7 Books Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Says You Need to Lead Smarter [Fast Company]
  • Tim Cook says DACA is the 'biggest issue of our time' [Recode]
  • Blind Patients to Test Bionic Eye Brain Implants [MIT Tech Review]
  • Interpol votes to admit Palestine as full member [The Guardian]
  • Reps. Ami Bera, Frank Pallone Introduce Resolution for Permanent UN Security Council Seat for India [India West]
  • Senator Kamala Harris Makes Bold Moves to Preserve Healthcare for All During Congressional Black Caucus Convention [LA Sentinel]
  • Jerry Brown signs new California affordable housing laws [Sac Bee]
  • U.S. Governors at U.N. Assembly: 'You Have Allies' on Climate Change [NY Times]
  • Communicating climate change through poetry [Yale Climate Connections]
  • Everything SpaceX revealed about its updated plan to reach Mars by 2022 [Techcrunch]
  • Intel predicts a $7 trillion self-driving future [The Verge]
  • Apple and Fitbit join pilot program to speed new health tech through FDA [The Verge]
  • Apple September 2017 keynote [Apple]
  • Google Pixel 2 event 10/04/17 [@MadeByGoogle]

I'm immensely excited about Manchester United being back in the UCL. It's been way too damn long, and I hope we get very far. I managed to hit my goal to read 52 books for the year. I encourage all of you to rekindle your love with reading. I remember in High School when I used to hate reading. Too often, we'd want to read Cliff Notes or Spark Notes. Now going back, revisiting these amazing novels, classics, and other stories or history books...I have immense respect for these teachers who have been trying so hard to train us for the journey that is life. Thus, read a book, you might learn something. While you might hate your teacher today, 10-20 years later, you will be forever thankful. I just picked up a few books from the bookstore, including Al Gore's "Truth to Power" (Climate Change). The Library is always a great place too, I was always there in college.

Playlist 064 is synonymous with a 64-bit microprocessor, whether Intel or AMD. It is the power of a computer. Ah, computers...companies now working towards Artificial Intelligence (super excited about Intel's $1 Billion investment announcement on AI)...Quantum Computing...Nanotechnology... It is a peculiar technology, one that can bring many fruits. While it's true that it can be quite scary (Elon is warning us about this), it can also help us with a lot of things. It can help people who are missing limbs, deaf of hearing, blind, diabetes, cancer, or even mental health. If you recall my blogpost for Playlist 046, I mentioned how "computer models for Earth 2050 look like something out of a scary video-game." Climate Change is a direct threat to our planet, to our very existence. Therefore, when we get some recent hurricanes which cause alarming devastation, which are directly as a result of climate change, and the EPA has yet to release a report regarding this...I mean c'mon. Can we mail you a copy of Al Gore's new bluray documentary?

Basketball season is upon us, and I look forward to returning to the Golden 1 Center and watch the Sacramento Kings for a few games. If they play the Cavs, I hope to attend. I just got NBA 2K18 and I'm pumped. Speaking of which, I need to play some basketball, it's been too long.

Gran Turismo Sport comes out this month on PS4, I'm so excited!

Until Next Time!